Dianne’s Home is a Place to Create

In support of the Inspiring Home Moments campaign Homes.com reached out to bloggers and asked them to share their home moments. These are Dianne’s home moments from Winnow and Spruce.

I realize I’m often influenced by my surroundings. My home, while a reflection of me, takes on differing personas as a direct result of those influences. Ours is a symbiotic relationship — I create and nurture my home environment and it nurtures and encourages creativity in me. Home provides the quiet space I need to allow ideas to form and roam free.

My home is a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath townhome that was built in 1974. It came replete with avocado green appliances and those ‘70s cabinets with black wrought iron hinges. A rental unit before I purchased it, it was livable but needed a lot of work. I’ve now been renovating for what seems like forever, and have not yet completed my bedroom and bath.

I’m located near Emory University in Decatur, Georgia, just five miles from Downtown Atlanta. This major metropolitan area is a far cry from the quiet southern lifestyle I was used to in Savannah. But after the initial adjustment I fell in love with this community I now call home and its people. More than these four walls, it’s that sense of community, of belonging, where neighbors become your friends not just acquaintances that makes this home.

Moving to a new city, with a new job and new home, I was ready to embrace change. Although, admittedly, where home was concerned I thought more in terms of decorating, not DIY. That changed shortly after closing when my daughter came to visit and suggested we do a project, something small to start with that we could do together. That project turned out to be remodeling the half bath — by ourselves, in just one weekend, quite the transformation and learning curve.

With the project almost complete I found an artist for the faux treatment I envisioned; I wanted a copper finish on the walls. I had a gilt mirror, acquired a number of years before at an antique auction which would work in the space.

As well as brass rubbings that I did in Westminster Abbey that complemented the wall color. I decided to use an antique Egyptian oil burner, which once belonged to my mother, as a tissue holder.

A reproduction oil on canvas along with an Italian sconce fills the remaining wall.

Lastly, I added a rug from Target and hand towels from Tuesday Morning that, when paired with the other elements, fit in well.

In just one weekend, we decided on a project, bought the equipment we needed along with fixtures and supplies, laid the flooring, set the fixtures, did the plumbing and prepared the walls. My first project in my new home was almost done.

I love the way it turned out and, every day, I’m amazed by what can be done with a little inspiration and a lot of help and of encouragement.

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