The Harvard Ranch: A Difference In Opinion

When I first picked out the backsplash tile it was very polarizing, and by polarizing I mean that when polled it seemed no one really liked it except me. But I loved it, couldn't stop staring at it, wanted to cuddle with it. I was talking to one of my best girls about how I struggle with my design choices because I worry about whether prospective buyers will have the same taste and she responded with, "I think making design choices that you like is most important, because if you start making them to please other people you'll never feel secure in your decisions. But if you can be like, 'NOPE, I loved it, the end,' you'll always win." I bookmarked that to remind myself of when I get squirrelly. 

With each house we do we take new chances on design. On our last house, The Chalet, we took a chance on the kitchen design (lest I remind you my father was worried the kitchen would be considered too big). On this house, with it being a ranch and limited space, I wanted to try no upper cabinets. Without uppers the eye is tricked into thinking the space is larger than it is. But not everyone is going to be okay with having their dishes and glassware out in the open. Although, if it's not an excuse to go shopping for matching dishware then I don't know what is. When we first installed the brackets my father and I kept staring at them and the doubt crept in and settled for me. Had I made a horrible decision? But my father really capture it perfectly. He  said, I think we're having trouble with this because we're trying something new and that can be scary. 

Anyways, we've been having a disagreement regarding the backsplash tile because I love it so much that I want more of it, throughout the shelves, or even to the ceiling. We have enough of it. But my dad doesn't want to and I don't know if it's a design thing for him or just that we're so close to being done and installing that tile would take up a day's work that could be used elsewhere. Either way, it's looking like I'm not going to get what I want. Ho hum.

And lastly, my dad spent the other day building this mantle around the basement fireplace. The previous owners had the tile installed but never finished it, or maybe ripped out what had been there, who knows. But the studs were exposed and it wasn't finished so he spent the day building this. I think it's lovely and once it's painted it's going to be stunning. And it'll bring some charm to a basement that's otherwise just a basement room. 

~ Stephanie