Erin's House

Let's go visit my beautiful friend and neighbor, Erin!  You might remember when I shared about her here and here.  She is so excited to have you over today!

Erin, who happens to be a daughter, sister, wife, mother and hard working volunteer, is also the kind of neighbor that you dream of having.  She and her husband, Scotty, were the first to welcome us to the neighborhood when we moved in four years ago and the first to welcome us to THEIR home as their guests. 

When Scotty & Erin bought their 1920's bungalow, it had been converted to a duplex by previous owners and was in dire need of being renovated.  The young couple got right to work and opened walls, tore up flooring, added central heat and air, added a family room, raised the ceiling in the master bedroom, gutted and redid the master bath, refinished all of the original wood floors, and installed new Australian Cypress floors in the new areas.  They painted every wall, inside and out, including all of the trim.  Whew!  Can you imagine?

Their hard work and dedication paid off and they created a wonderful haven for themselves AND for their adorable children, Jake and Lucy, who were later born in this beautiful home!

I LOVE Erin's home, not only for the obvious reasons, but because she celebrates her love for her family throughout her home by incorporating their creations and well-loved things into her decorating style.  Erin embraces all things HOME and she truly celebrates the little things in life and lives each day as if it were a gift.  As she once shared with me, "This is our everything house - our vacation AND dream home - our little place in the world where we love to be."

Let's go inside, shall we?

The living and dining areas ...









































 




Erin bought this chandy from Lowe's and spray painted it red!








The warm and cozy piano room ...


























Handsome Jake's adorable room ...








Cutie pie Lucy, playing peek-a-boo with me ...





Lucy's fabulous room ...














The charming hall ...





The serene hall bath ...





The fabulous kitchen area ...  my favorite space in their house!





And as always, Erin has some delicious snacks for us!!














Lucy wanted some grapes too ...























Her Jake painted this ...

The comfy family room ...

The back hall ...

 

The gorgeous master bedroom and bath ...

And their awesome back porch and outdoor kitchen ...

I hope you enjoyed visiting Erin's house! She has put her heart and soul into creating her home for her family and I can't thank her enough for sharing it with all of us!  Thank you Erin!

And thank you for coming along with me on these home tours!  It has been a joy to share my friends and neighbors with you. I hope to share more homes with you in the future!  I picked these sweethearts because they ALL embrace their lives AND their humble cottages and bungalows with 100% of their spirit and you can feel the love the minute you walk through their front doors. 

And that is what it is ALL about.

 

Love,

Kim

 

September 11, 2001

We will never forget - God Bless America

* I am REALLY behind on my emails - I hope to get to each one over the next few days - I haven't forgotten about you, I promise! 

xoxoxoxo

Comments

[PamperingBeki]

Holy cow, that's amazing!! What a great space for her gorgeous family.

[SusanG]

Honestly, I feel like I keep saying the same things about your house posts - gorgeous, beautiful, creative, and welcoming space! Thank you so much for hsaring it with us!!

Susan

[loree]

I love the cozy, homely feel of their house, especially the kitchen. And I have an exact (empty) can of that olive oil in my kitchen from the year we lived in the States.

[Rhondi]

Hi Kim
Make sure you thank all your friends so much for letting us tour their homes. This one is charming too! You are lucky to have such wonderful friends and we are all lucky to count you as our friend :)
((hugs)) Rhondi

[Lululiz]

Thats a really happy, lovely, lived in family home, I love it.

[brandy]

Wow! I love this house. All the "lived-in" details. Makes it look, not like a magazine cover, but a lived-in homey place that a family loves and spends time on. Thank you so much for sharing this home. I found it the most inspirational of the bunch due to it's fabulous decorating and "normalcy" of having a family. So many touches of family love...kids artwork everywhere and books. Thanks so much!!

http://www.minivanlife.wordpress.com

[brandy]

Oh and I meant to ask...Will you be posting these photos on Flickr? I'd love to fav several of them!

[Julie]

I have so enjoyed viewing all of these wonderful homes. And I have gotten so many idea's from them. Its so fun to share ideas with each other over blogland!

[Daisy Cottage]

Hi Brandy!
I posted a few on Flickr, but that will probably be all unless I have some extra time one day to do so BUT feel free to copy and save any of these that I've shared on my blog.

Julie - I so agree!!

xo,
Me

[Betty @ She's Sew Pretty]

What a beautiful home! I love, love that kitchen!

[Diane/Noodle]

The piano room just takes me back in time! And I love Erin's use of the old stained glass. Isn't it wonderful when houses are lovingly restored and cared for? They seem to evoke even more love from their owners, after all the hard work they've put in to them.
My favorite thing in the whole house, however, was Jake's painting. It's just beautiful!
Thank you, Kim, and your friends. You've made me feel very welcome and relaxed. :)

[amy]

Lovely home. Thanks for sharing!!!
Amy

[Diane/Noodle]

I forgot to mention the hall with the bench, and the bookcase. How delightful!
And what color blue does she use in her bathroom? That is such a peaceful color. Very, very nice!

[Karen]

I love the home tours, too! So many ideas. And this is just the sweetest home. It says family and love and home sweet home all over!

[Diane]

What fun. Lots of neat ideas in this house, too. I've decided that the best thing I like is the little places in the kitchens where they have things they use, like the little stand near the stove with the different things on it. It's the way the stuff is stacked that makes it enchanting to me.

[Joni]

Thank you for so many lovely photos of your sweet friend's home....so much to see and so many wonderful ideas!
XOXO
Joni
PS: I pledge to NEVER forget...9-11

[Karla]

What a wonderful home! The fridge is so organized! All of the tours have been so fabulous. Thank you so much for taking the time to photograph and post all of them.
Karla

[Kelly]

I can feel the coziness all the way over here! What a great home! I love the kitchen! And the hallway and the master bedroom. The family room is great too! I want to move into your neigborhood!

[Lavender Dreams]

Maybe if you did this in separate posts for each room...I could remember my comments! lol I'm just teasing but I really LOVE so many things...the books stacked on the white weathered bench, the RED chandy AND the RED candles in the kitchen chandy....the kitchen altogether AND the master bedroom..BOTH perfectly unique...elegant but comfy, too! I love the little white wicker desk BEST of everything! OH MY! I've never seen anything so cute! Thanks Kim! I'm going back to look and get ideas for my Florida house!

[Kelly McMaster]

What a wonderful, eclectic, amazing home! I love the big red chandelier! The whole thing is just a feast for the eyes! Thank you Kim for taking the time to take all of these great photos and share your friends with us! It's been wonderful1

[Sheila]

You have no idea how much I love seeing this, Kim. It makes me grin from ear to ear and cry tears of joy that a vision some people once had for that sweet neighborhood has come to fruition. To see those homes populated with young families (and people who love them) is worth all the blood, sweat, and tears that pioneer preservationists underwent to assure that the homes were protected and stood a chance against the wrecking ball of so-called progress which oftentimes simply masks short-sighted greed. This is delightful. This is so, so, SO good. And bungalow architecture is so homey. I love seeing it enjoyed by people who love and respect what they have! :-)

As to the house featured here, it is adorable. I might have guessed incorrectly that it predated the twenties due to the types of paneled doors in some of the rooms and the half columns which sometimes point to an earlier vintage. And I'm with you, I love that wonderful kitchen that feels like you want to pull up a stool and just camp there.

Thank you (and all of the homeowners) for sharing your homes with us for in doing so you have also opened the doors to their hearts.

Sending much love your way from a blue Victorian by the sea where Mr. Magpie and I will be enjoying a simpler time with books and walks and maybe even an anniversary carriage ride and some black bean soup...

XO,

Sheila :-)

[Daisy Cottage]

Dear Sheila,

YOUR writing ALWAYS moves my soul - thank you for the gift of that. AND thank you for all of the hard work and effort you put forth for our neighborhood - long before I called this place home. A true visionary you are - and it will always be appreciated!

xo,
Me

[Sheila]

Kim, I just noticed my typo... it should read "your" hearts. Because yours, my dear, is the biggest heart of ALL! :-)

[Sami Melton]

Thank you so much for these fabulous tours! So many fun ideas and isn't Erin just totally creative and fun! I love all the random baskets nestles every where she could fit one, the fruit basket in the wash closet used for a handtowel, washcloth holder, the dining room set used for patio dinig (totally been thinking of doing that myself) Just love every bit of it! and the all those rain boots by the door. So fun! I think I need a pair! So fun... thanks again, God bless. Hugs, The Lady

[Patty]

Another beautiful Florida home. Thanks so much for the wonderful tours you bring us. I fell in love with the outdoor kitchen!

[Deb]

What a gorgeous neighbourhood you live in Kim! Loved the tour of Erin's house. It has the feel of a very loved family home ♥
Have a wonderful weekend.

[Debbie]

Erin's house is so motivating to me. What a wonderful family home. thank you for sharing!

debbie

[Leta]

Erin's home has such a welcoming feeling.It is a home that makes you feel very comfortable!! I love the red chandy!!! Thank you so much for letting us see your beautiful home.

[sondra]

Older homes have such character! Love how she has made use of every nook and cranny! Thank you for another wonderful home tour!

[Ashley Schott]

Hello Kim! I was so excited to get your comment on my blog that I called my husband at work just to tell him:) Your's is my favorite blog to visit! I just love your neighbor's lovely home. There isn't a surface or square inch that she didn't make beautiful! I just love her red chandelier and her children are so precious. It isn't often that two ladies that share the same passion for beauty would end up next door to one another. How fun!

[Cindy]

Kim,
What a beautiful home Erin has!! I love it all, but my favorites were the red chandelier, the kitchen, and the back porch-outdoor kitchen area!!
Thank you Kim and Erin for sharing it with all of us.
~Cindy~

[Kathy]

You know what I love about these home tours of yours Kim? They are real, beautiful homes. Not styled to within an inch of their life and not beautiful in that unattainable way that makes you look at them and wonder if anyone really lives there. They are lived in and loved and full of vibrant, creative ideas. They could be our own homes or our neighbors homes. I love the children in these pics. Living in their pretty rooms and hiding behind the furniture. This is a gorgeous home!

[Colleen]

Erin's home is beautiful. What I felt when I looked at each photograph is "HOME". It is a house that just screams home; come in and relax; children live here; welcome; come back again. I love it! Thanks again Kim for taking us into another home of one of your friends. Erin, thanks for the invitation! I will visit again and again.

[Sharon Carstens]

I have just recently had the opportunity to view your site through a link from Cherry Hill Cottage. I love all of your vibrant and fun colors (red is my favorite), along with your friends home tours. It has been an ejoyable experience.

[Jan]

Two young children and her house looks like that. Wow, she has to work night and day and night again. That's tough but what a great job of making it looks so lived in and yet, so organized. Did I see a sewing machine in the fireplace? I love these tours, it helps in planning a very tight space that I live in but makes me desire a house instead of a small condo. . and a puppy! Blessings, Janet

[Christine Drevo]

Erin's house is so warm, cozy and inviting. And can I say I have refrigerator envy! I love her colors and the flow of her home. The outdoor kitchen is beautiful oh and what was that gooey goodness next to the grapes?

Thanks for the tour, and what great looking kids!

[TinaTx]

Thanks for sharing your neighbors homes with us! They have all been wonderful.

[Esther Sunday]

Yet another STUNNING home!

Bye -

I off to Uhaul. Packing up and moving to your neighborhood!! Guess I better let Artie know that's the plan for the weekend, huh?

[Sarah]

OMG again! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE LOVE LOVE this home! It has the coziest family feel to it and all the fun eclectic things fit right in. I would feel so comfortable in this home. I have many favorites but if I could have that entire wall in the kitchen with the white bench, I would be soooo happy! I love how all the gals randomnly hang thier art with mismatched frames and themes, mix styles and have the most charming and unique accessories. I really want to live here :) and can't wait to use some of Erin's ideas. There's so many comfortable places to sit in, I love how she uses the stain glass windows and every nook has something pretty to look at. And - her children are adorable. I just really like how it's not matchy and has SO MUCH personality. I wish I lived in a neighborhood like yours-it seems so old fashioned with the porches and the treats. Thank you for all the tours. It has been a fun couple of weeks visiting your friends.
Sarah

[Sarah]

Hi again - just wanted to know what's behind that pinkish cupboard door in kitchen? I LOVE that corner and happened to buy an old crate at a garage sale so now I can really copy her but that cupboard is so charming.

[Julia @ Drawn to the Sea]

Happy Home, so much love. And so much TO love.
Peaceful day,
~Julia

[Erin]

hi everyone! wow - how fun to read all your comments. i am SO lucky to have kim and her family - and her cottage! - across the street! we do love our neighborhood and our funny little houses!

* agreed, jake's painting is one of my favorite things to look at!
* the color blue in the bathroom ... i have no idea! we painted it 7 years ago and haven't touched it since! i actually think it might have been a martha stewart color, but don't quote me on it...
* the little stand near the stove is a citrus crate (purchased at our favorite store -- vintage!) and turned on its side
* yes, there is an old pink sewing machine in the fireplace in the piano room - i actually have 3 of them in that room ... one that i use and the other 2 that i play with as decorations :)
* the gooey goodness was just your basic brie, baked in the oven and smothered with raspberry preserves - always a hit in a pinch!
* behind the pink corner cabinet door in the kitchen is shelves filled with kitchen stuff - canning jars, salts, etc. the door was found by a friend of ours while we had our kitchen torn up, and i loved it (it came just that way - painted pink and all chipped up - all i did was clean it up) so my clever husband worked it right in!

thanks to all of you for your kind words! maybe you can come by and sit in my kitchen one day. i'll pour the wine :)

erin

[Beth Gales]

Great fireplace and I love the bathroom!

[Southern Lady's Vintage]

Loved Erin's home! I especially loved her kitchen too Kim! And I have to say that her little children are adorable! I know that they are very happy growing up in such a warm and beautiful home! Thank you and please thank Erin for opening her home up for us to see!

[Janet (Shabbyfufu)]

Hi Kim, All of your home tours are so cozy and inviting that I feel as if I am visiting in person with these warm and welcoming families that reside in them. You really need to do a decorating book....I am waiting! ~xoxo~

[Jean]

You Florida gals ROCK when it comes to decorating. Do you know what I love about Erin's house? Other than the uber large organized regrigerator filled with healthy food? I love that it is a home that is obviously lived in and full of love. And those little munchkins! Too Darling.

Do I get a prize for spotting the Scotty in the kitchen?

[Daisy Cottage]

Jean, you do!!! Shh... don't tell Becky!!

;-)

xo,
Me

[Tracie~My Petite Maison]

Wow, I love this cottage too. It really makes me want to jump up and move everything around in my little home here (even with the 100+ temps today ;) I can feel the love for the children in this home and it's fantastic!

I have a question for Erin: Who is the artist of the painting over the white sewing machine?

Thank you so much for the tour Kim and Erin too! This has been fun going inside and not having to try to peek non chalantly (try is the key word) at homes in our area while walking at dusk with my husband and embarrassing him to bits and pieces.

And yes, Kim today and everyday ~ God Bless America!
xo~Tracie

[Mary Lou]

Thanks Kim and Erin! I really enjoyed it, and felt like I was right there. Erin, your home feels very....homey! That's a good thing. What a wonderful neighborhood you all must live in.
Mary Lou

[libbie]

I really enjoyed today's post. Your site is my favorite way to wind down at the end of a busy day. Thank you for your thoughtful words and beautiful photographs.

[cal05@hrtc.net]

Such a cozy, warm and inviting cottage wrapped in love with many unique items tucked into such lovely corners/walls. Its truly a home for children and a devoted mother and father. I so enjoyed walking through your lovely home and thanks for allowing Kim to share it with all of us. Your wee ones are so precious.
Hugs,
Connie

[Alison Gibbs]

What a wonderful family home Erin has created.
Alison

[Cindy]

Such a beautiful HOME. Thank you so much for the chance to see it. I appreciate the way the age of the house has been revered. Hugs, Cindy S.

[Debb]

Kim, what a beautiful home your friend Erin has... and I saw two of my favorite things... a sewing machine and yarn... wow... also, was there a sewing machine in the fireplace?? A girl has to do what a girl has to do for that extra storage. I loved her cozy home. Thanks for sharing with me.

[Myrna]

I cannot BELIEVE you have these wonderful, talented,
FUN ladies living in YOUR neighborhood. (ok, I believe it 'cause you've just posted about them all) but ohmygosh what a BLESSING to have such like-minded friends all in the same area! (I have to find my "passion-for-decorating" friends here in blog-land)
Thank you so much Kim, for these fabulous home tours..and I must say, I'm beginning to think how I can incorporate RED in my decor now..after seeing these gorgeous homes (as well as yours) red is beginning to look very attractive to me! ;-)

Erin has done a beautiful job--I'll be returning again and again to soak in all the eye candy!!
Blessings!
Myrna

[Donna, The Decorated House]

Hello Sweet Kim~
Another BIG thank you for taking the time to give us these delicious treats. And thank you! to Erin for letting us come by and enjoy her darling home. It is so kind to invite us in. Your sweet kiddies even seem to enjoy our visit.
Happy Weekend,
Hugs! Donna

[Nancy Hutson Maisenbach]

Erin, Thank you for letting us come into your home to be inspired by it's charm. Every room exudes your spirit. My favorite is your back patio and yard. I can just imagine the delightful celebrations created there.
Kim, You did an outstanding job of creating this tour. Thank you!
Have a wonderful week-end ladies.
Nancy M.

[Shawn]

Oh my gosh, thank you Kim and Erin, your homes are so beautiful. I . LOve .them , and the dollhouse to, thanks for sharing and inspiring! When you love your home, it shows and everyone else loves it too.

[Ann]

Oh what a gorgeous and lovely house and from your story the owner is as lovely inside out. The red chandy is an eye-catcher...:)

[Carole Carroll]

Had trouble logging onto your blog yesterday, my puter needs a serious overhaul :)

The home tours have been amazing!! Each owner's choice of vintage, elegant, eclectic style, colors, and patterns are breathtaking and certainly have influenced my decorating ideas. When I lived in Tampa several yrs ago, the 1920 bungalows in the SoHo community were being renovated. I would have enjoyed seeing those darling cottages completed. Kudos to Erin and Scotty for their labor of love.

The windows and floors are beautiful as well as the red toile furniture and that frigerator is wow!! Jake's painting is beautiful, both children are adorable little tykes.

Erin, thank you so much for allowing us to tour your gracious home.

Good job Kim, you have a fantastic eye!!

xoxo Carole

[Elise]

Oh WOW, this is a great post & you have the most gorgeous site here. I had to stop by to leave this comment for you – and to say hello of course ! Your posts are creative and original and you have interesting pictures. It's all perfect ! Thank you for sharing your site and best wishes....

[Mary Ann]

OK already, I can't take anymore! (not, please don't stop, surely you have more friends homes to show. If not, go make some new friends! LOL) I love the brick on the floor under the refrig! Love the whole house, especially the little ones.

[TraceyJoy76]

Wish I had a home, can't do so much in my modest 1 bedroom apartment. I did get some wonderful ideas from this. Erin is someone after my own heart. I love her home it's the way mine would feel if I had one. I try to make the apartment have that home like feeling. You could honestly go into Erin's house and curl up wth a Jane Austin novel and feel right at home. The kitchen lovely, love the bedding in the master.

[elma]

Oh please keep these comming:) What a beautiful house and soooo cozy!!! I love her stained glass windows. Did she have some hanging in her back yard? Loved the kids room to and the kitchen:) Did she really have baskets in her frig??? I love to see how others live so I can get ideas for my home. It just proves you do not have to have pottery barn furniture to make a house a home. Loved this house tour:)

[Joanne]

Your eye for photography, and the way you present the tours of your friends' homes is a true talent! I can almost smell the aromatic potpourri mix of each home – with the fresh bread, wooden benches, aged antiques – your photo tours are SO inviting! (Not to mention that Erin’s refrigerator rocks!

Joanne

[Daisy Cottage]

Thank you EVERYONE for your ERIN-LOVE!

YOU are the best - it has been awesome to share my friends and their beautiful homes with you!

xo,
Kim

[Roeshel]

What a beautiful home, Erin! I love each and every room, every single detail. It's so elegant and comfortable, a lovely home!

Thanks for the tour Kim!

:)

[Melanie]

Oh my goodness, what a beautiful home! I love Erin's sense of decorating syle and color choices...so lovely, charming, welcoming, and elegant all at once.

Thanks again, Kim, for another gorgeous home tour - it makes me want to tear my entire house up and start all over, lol!

~Melanie
www.melathome.blogspot.com

[Anna]

This house is wonderfull :) Hope to see some of your new changes at home too :) Have a nice week Kim :)

[black eyed susans kitchen]

Kim, The detail in this house is lovely and thoughtful. The mirror in the dining room the mimics the doorway is wonderful. The stained glass above the fireplace is so unexpected and fabulous, the colors, the accessories...sigh...just a happy lovely home. Thank you for yet another amazing tour...everyone of them has been wonderful.
♥, Susan

[rue]

Hi Kim :)

Oh my goodness! Erin's home is wonderful too!! Her children are adorable and you can just feel the love and coziness throughout every room. What an amazing group of friends you have! Please thank her for welcoming us in and YOU too :)

Oh and I know you're busy, but you won't believe what we found to be the original color of the house... it was meant to be Kim!! It really was :)

love YOU too,
rue

[jodi whitehead]

Hi Kim, I love the homes you have been sharing with your readers. Kellys tiny house was especially beautiful. Keep up the lovely work. And please stop by and see my new blog. Thanks Jodi
http://thebarefootshutterbug.blogspot.com/

[Sarah]

Ok~ I'm back because I LOVE Erin's home, am making some changes in my own home and needed some inspiration. I love how in all these tours and in your own home, nothing is "matchy" and every accessory is so unique. Do you all just buy what you love and then just find a place for it or are there specific things you look for? My piano,mantle and counters always seem to look crowded, busy and junky with stuff on them so I always end up taking things off and am left with a plant and some candles. Can't wait to see more . . .thanks for all the inspiration your blog brings to all of us!
Sarah

[Stephanie]

Absolutely beautiful! There are so many fun things. I can't pick just one favorite. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed the tour.
Stephanie

[Michele]

WOW!! Erin really did a lot to renovating her lovely home! What diligent work - that certainly paid off big-time!

Thanks so much for sharing, Kim and Erin. You made my day.

[Bev @ The 3 Clutters]

OOOHHHH I am so stealing the idea of the hanging basket in the bathroom!!!!!

[Annie]

I enjoyed these home tours.

Would LOVE to see how these houses look at Christmas time ;)

[kristin]

Until now, I thought I was the only person on the planet with a range under a window. :-) I love seeing how Erin made it work in her space. Thanks Kim, thanks Erin!

[Barbara Anne]

Scotty, Erin, Jake, and Lucy, Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful and happy home with us. Your colorful, playful style is delightful!

Cheers!!!!!!!

[Arif Shaik]

Furniture gives a stunning look to any part of the room.Bright colours adds life to your bedroom. The colours used in the above pictures are pretty and good looking. These pictures are awesome.

[Ashok]

I feel jealous that I haven't got like this home. It's absolutely beautiful. The furniture, colours you have choosen are stunning and your duplex house is looking like a heaven. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and pictures.