Congratulations to Amy Hill and Cindy Friday — the two readers who won a “Love The House You’re In” collage — featuring them and their houses — specially created by collage artist laureate Mel Kolstad. Mel’s been doing a Love The House You’re Inn collage-a-month for the blog. ENTRIES NOW CLOSED. But, we thought we’d take it one step further by getting readers involved. On Tuesday night, I used the random number generator at random.org (I to select the two winners. Their numbers came up! (I did not try to “judge” the comments — everyone’s were great — I selected the winners randomly.) Mel has started working with them on their collages. Thanks to everyone who participated. Your comments — AMAZING! We love our houses, that’s for sure!
Here were the rules:
- Leave a comment below, answering the question, “Why do you love the house you’re in?”
- You must sign up for my weekly newsletter.
- Residents of U.S. and Canada only.
Additional details:
- I’ll pick two winners from among the comments with a random number generator at 8 p.m. on April 19. (I will cross-check that they are newsletter subscribers, and if they are not, I will pick again.)
- If you win, you will send up to three high-resolution images to Mel, she will create your collage and mail it to within a month. The collage is mounted on a 4″x4″ wood tile with a notch for hanging – it’s very cool!
- Pam will confirm with you whether you’d like it featured on the blog or not – your choice.
- If this all goes well, I’ll continue the contest every month.
What do you think? Wanna win? Why do you love the house you’re in?
Jordan says
We love the home we’re in because:
-we are only the second owner of our lovely 1959 mid mod split level!
-we live in the most wonderful neighborhood with the best freighbors ever (that’s friends/neighbors!)
-the sense of community and nostalgia in our neighborhood!
-it feels like home and we never want to leave!
Cindy says
We all love our homes and they love us! My 1963 ranch, purchased six years ago from the original owners, has changed my life because at first I didn’t love it. I bought it with the intention of “modernizing” it!. Fortunately, I decided to live in the home for a while before doing anything. I lived and listened and the house provided the direction. I grew to love the walnut paneling, the hardwood floors, the recessed eyeball can lights in the living room, the front door with knob in the center and the sound of the original doorbell which my electrician lovingly saved for me. For the first year I lived here I was reminded of odd things about my childhood growing up in a raised ranch built by my parents in the early 1960s. The sound of walking on my hardwood floors reminded me of their hardwood floors before wall to wall carpeting was installed in the 1970s; the screens on the casement windows remind me of that house; and oddly, the sound of the outdoor hose running when I watered plants reminded me of my parents spraying neighborhood kids for inexpensive summer cool downs! My mother’s Alzheimers has erased her memories of these things so I appreciate even more that my house reminds me of the home she and Dad provided for our family. I don’t remember having an opinion about the 1960s so it’s interesting that now I happily live in and LOVE them! I have done some updating in keeping with the period, discovered retrorenovation-com-staging.enwf9w61-liquidwebsites.com, met Pam and other like minded friends, and have entertained and shared the home with friends more than I ever did in the past. What an adventure!
Peter in Jax says
We love the house we are in not only because it fits our design sense, but also since it is the best designed house we have ever lived in. The architect who built it in 1957, George Fisher, sited the house perfectly on the lot to take advantage of the winter sun, to avoid the summer sun, and to capture the prevailing breezes. The juxtaposition of brick and glass is nothing short of poetic. The construction details are also extraordinary. the interior walls are clad in 1″ thick drywall (I never knew it was made that think) and the exterior doors work perfectly after 53 years. That might be because they are clad in plastic laminate, which was considered a high end solution back then. Almost everyone who visits is amazed at how beautiful the house is.
I love the potential this house has as we move closer and closer to restoring the exterior and renovating the interior. I still frequently pause, look around, and smile even after 4 years of living here. This is my forever house.
MaryE says
I love my 1952 home because I feel it loves me back. When I bought her, she was droopy and down with 1980’s blue & pink decor. Her walls were grey, her hardwood floors were covered up, her kitchen had baby-poo colored laminate countertops and tired looking cabinets with no hardware, and her yard was a jumble of confused plantings. She was kind of sad, and I could feel that. As I repainted, removed the wood stove inserts from both her fireplaces, pulled up carpets, refinished original oak floors, tiled the kitchen and bathrooms, replaced her ancient picture windows, gave her new shutters and trim paint, and replaced the light fixtures throughout–I knew she could tell I loved her and she started to come back to life! I cleaned and repaired her fireplaces and chimney, I pulled away all the tacky and let the simplicity of her architecture shine through again. The crowning touch was re-designing her gardens with a lovely flagstone patio and traditional, classic plantings. I love my home and it loves me back by welcoming me and all my friends and family to sit and enjoy what a treasure she is.
handyandy says
In the early 1940’s a young woman found a picture of her dream house in a magazine. It was a darling classic dutch colonial with a center entry and curving stair case to the second floor. Over the next few years, her husband and father…with lumber from their sawmill on the property…..built the house little by little. Finally, in 1944, the house with it’s koi pond, outdoor fireplace and wishing well, was complete. Forty four years later, we bought the house and surrounding 5 acres. When I told the original owner that it was my dream house too, she presented me with the picture from the magazine that had started it all.
error 404 says
We love our Frankenstein’s modest. And apparently so does our stuff.
We moved in less than a week before Thanksgiving, and had the whole extended family over. They were not only shocked that we were all unpacked, but that our mid-century modern retro furniture all looked right at home. No trade-ins necessary.
We loved how the house had grown organically over its wooded site. First as a charming weekend cabin, the exterior of which could only be described by preservationists as “non contributing”. Then a lovely ’61 addition, including a dove grey tiled bathroom with faucets I remember from Kohler ads from my childhood. Next came my favorite: a ’71 addition done in ‘poor man’s Usonian’ style. I fantasize that it’s an uncredited Edgar Tafel work, as he did two houses down the street. Like many house in the area from that time, the bathroom is canary yellow. The last piece of the puzzle came in the form of a ’81 kitchen extension.
Lastly, we love the knowledge it imparts. I believe, for example, that we have one of every kind of window known to man: double hung, hopper, sliding, casement and awning, all in one mid-century modest home.
Kristin says
I love the house I’m in because my husband and I are completely redoing it ourselves, with our own retro tastes, learning how to drywall and glaze butcher block countertops and grout the amazing tile in the bathroom. It is a project of peace and a building block for our future. And because it’s in Eagle Rock, CA: what a beautiful city!
Bethany Lyons says
Would love a collage! They are too cool.
We live in an 1899 farmohouse in northern New England, and while it only has one bathroom, two bedrooms, and laundry in the basement (to access you have to go outside and down through the bulkhead – even in the winter if we want clean clothes), we love it. We’ve been here 10 years and are slowly fixing the place up (like we just finished stripping and repainting one bedroom’s wild 1940’s wallpaper! )
The Jenny says
So many reasons to love our house:
• Built in 1953
• Quiet street, older neighborhood, good trees
• Sweet turquoise and black tiled bathroom
• Exterior is painted orange
• No carpet!
• Just the right size on cleaning day
Julie says
I love the house I’m in because it is my dream house! A beautiful mid-century modern ranch with a gorgeous yard and 600 year old oak tree. I still smile as I walk through it every day!