At Home on Sweet Creek (A Collector's Home Tour)...

Happy Spring!

I came across Linette's beautiful feed here on Instagram. I was drawn to the warmth of her home, the rustic farmhouse linens and the chippy painted pieces of furniture. 

I asked her if she would be interested in doing a home tour for us.  

I was so happy when she accepted! After reading her responses to my questions, I wish Linette was my neighbor. I think you'll wish she was your neighbor too... ;)

Please tell us who makes this lovely house a home?

The Lord (He fills our home with love and light) and our family and friends make our house a home. Current residents are:  My husband (Tony), myself, our son Nicholas and my Mom (although she just purchased a condo yesterday!) our two dogs, Thor and Gracie, my Mom's dog Beau and our bunny Spanky. 

In what area of the country do you live?

We live in Lakeside. A little city in San Diego county, California.

How did this home come to be yours and what drew you to it?

We bought our house in 1989. It is our first and only house. We've worked on it over the years to make it the home you see now. We have the most amazing neighbors. Our children have all grown up together and now have children of their own. There's just something so special about that. We all still borrow milk and eggs from each other.  

Anyway, back to the question... We had just started our own excavating business and had two young boys, 3 and 1 1/2 (we hadn't had our daughter yet). We scrimped and saved until we had enough to put a down payment on a house. We knew we were going to have to buy a fixer upper, and that was okay with us. 

When we found our home, it wasn't livable. It was just awful. But, we saw the potential. We worked on it for over a month before we could move in. What drew me in were 3 things: It had a large flat back yard for the boys to run and play in, there was a window over the kitchen sink and a cute door in the kitchen leading to the back yard. That's it. We should have run the other direction, but, as they say, we just knew this was the one.

If you could describe your home in five words or less...

I'm not good at five words or less. May I do five words with just a touch of explanation? 

1. Homey 

2. Cozy/Warm (My family will laugh because my windows are always open, even when it's cold outside. There's just nothing like fresh air! So this "warm" is purely aesthetic.)

3. Clean (I'm a clean freak.)

4. Inviting (I want everyone to feel comfortable here. I tell my friends and family, if I'm not home when you come over, just come in, make yourself a cup of tea, have a seat and relax. And many of them have.)  

5. Collected. (I've never been a matchy, matchy kind of gal. I like mixing old and new pieces, although old outweighs new by quite a bit. I love the story antiques tell.)  

You have so many beautiful pieces. Where do you like to shop and what are you usually drawn to first?

I like finding treasures at flea markets and vintage shows, garage/yard sales, and antique stores. I love the thrill of the hunt. I'm drawn to simple antique furniture, (chippy paint is a plus but not a necessity). I have a healthy obsession with ironstone and old bowls. I'm drawn to things that show their age but are still useable. Things that speak to me are antique furniture, kitchen wares, leather bound books, antique childrens' clothing ...goodness, this list could get very long.

How has your home decorating style changed over the years?

Oh my goodness, has my style changed over the years. Do you remember the peach and blue craze and ceramic ducks...yeah...I did that. Never mind. I've always been drawn to antique furniture, mostly primitive in style but I think I've honed in on the farmhouse look over the years. I started lightening up my color palette a bit in recent years. 

Looking back at old photos made me realize that there were tweaks to things but the antiques were always there. That will never change. I like a more simplistic look now, but that hasn't stopped me from collecting. ;) Over the years I've learned more about being myself and knowing what I like. I'm not afraid to stick with my style even if it's not the most popular thing at that moment.

Would you share with us a happy time at home that you will always remember?

We've lived here for 26 years, so there are so many happy times that we've had. Christmas', birthday parties, bridal and baby showers, wedding receptions, family barbecues, baptisms in our pool...the list goes on. I can't pinpoint just one, but I will never forget the first time I drove over to our "new" house with our boys and saw my hubby sitting on the tailgate of his truck. He was filthy dirty from working on the house but he had the biggest smile on his face. We were home.

What is it about home that brings you joy?

What brings me joy is hearing laughter and watching our loved ones and friends having a good time in our home.  People feeling comfortable enough to fall asleep on the couch. Looking around and reliving wonderful memories from the past and anticipating so many more for years to come. Having watched our three children grow into the most beautiful adults and knowing we will watch our grandchildren grow up here as well, that brings me inexpressible joy.

If you'd like to see more inspiration from Linette's beautiful 
home, you can follow her here on Instagram!

I love how Linette has created a beautiful backdrop with collected treasures for a home that is filled with faith, family and friends.

One of my favorite parts of the interview was when Linette writes, "I tell my friends and family, if I'm not home when you come over, just come in, make yourself a cup of tea, have a seat and relax. (And many of them have.)"  

I feel refreshed and inspired. Hope you do too...

Thank you, Linette.

Xo

Sharing with:
Sundays at Home
Cozy Little House
The Scoop
Savvy Southern Style