The House You Grew Up In: Home of the Heart Design

The Moore Family Home

"Show Us the House You Grew Up In -- Does it influence your design tastes today?" was the title of a post on Houzz.com* a couple of weeks ago. I'd discovered this site in searching for images of interiors that might help me describe my heroine's apartment in my romance novel, HOME OF THE HEART.  What I found was more than images; it was community as well as a place to create Ideabooks for my own home. 
 
When Houzz editor, Becky Harris, put up this particular post, she wasn't sure what to expect. What she got were over one hundred responses.  Many photos, yes, but even more notes, sharing memories of past times, places, and people.  From 

mansions to tiny bungalows, from mid-century modern to colonials, the sentiment for these homes was remarkably the same. These recollections weren't just about houses, they were about family.  I found some of the comments were especially heartwarming:

"The house I grew up in, just shy of 1200 square feet and shared by 8 people, did influence my home-buying: I learned that I don't need or want a big house."
 
"My grandparents bought this on a half-acre lot in the mid 40's … Consequently, I too am partial to modest homes on large lots with lots of trees."
 
"Here's the new house I grew up in with my brothers and sister … We had fun in that house."
 
The lesson I received from all the wonderful remarks was that it's the memories we take away from our childhood homes that influence us the most. And I encourage you to create wonderful memories for yourself and your loved ones, making wherever you reside, the Home of Your Heart.
 
Note: Ms. Harris chose my childhood home and description to be included in the first of her follow up posts: You can see it at http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/6644599

From Home of the Heart, warmly yours,

Linda
 
*"Houzz is the leading online platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish - online or from a mobile device."