Being a contributor for Ohdeedoh means you love to see inspiring photos of homes and the way people live. Usually the rooms are designed, organized, spotless. There certainly is something universally appealing about that. But how about a photo of a well-lived in, slightly messy room?
I find those even more inspiring. You really see the room function and serve its purpose. I love this photo found over at Seventy Tree blog. It is a photo Kerry Layton snapped of her dining area at the end of the day. It's so charming to see the toys strewn about, the laundry half done, the dishes yet to be washed and the computer in the middle of working. Sure, it's a bit messy but it's also warm and loving. You see how her family lives in their home. If you like what you see, go and check out Kerry's blog Seventy Tree for more inspiring photos.
(Image: Kerry Layton)
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love it. we definitely need to see more photos like this. not only is it a real home, but it shows the functionality of the home which can be more important than the pretty design elements that are ubber expensive especially with those of us with small children.
I wouldn't exactly call it inspiring, but it is comforting. I can picture it clean, looking all chic and stylish, but it's nice to know that even that house looks exactly like mine at the end of the day, and even if I had all the MCM furnishings and walls of windows in the world, it wouldn't make that floor full of clutter feel any nicer. That IS very satisfying, in a way, so I wouldn't mind seeing more pics like this.
Hmmm....I've never thought of my house as being 'charming' when the toys are everywhere. But you better believe that's how I will refer to it from now on!
I used to browse around normalroom.com for that reassurance that most people don't have perfect homes, can't afford professional designers, etc.
My girlfriend (who lives a planeride away) was looking at my blog the other day and wondering how I kept it so clean with a one year old. She has a two year old and her house is always a mess. I explained that I don't usually take pictures of it in its normal state. Our babe is in daycare during the day and we clean up every night before bed, but the other day I took a picture after he left for daycare and sent it to her. I'm not sure if its charming at all, but comforting, yes.
love it! the two reasons i clean our home are: guests are coming over or I'm taking pictures for our blog. toys take over soo fast
The clean nursery photos actually make me laugh. Either 1. someone found the time to clean, or 2. the baby doesn't actually sleep there. Number 2 was the case in my house; the only way my son would sleep was on top of me or right next to me. I'm very pleased to see a little "life" in these photos!
Finally! While I do love the inspirational, clean, chic, stylish living photos - seeing rooms in homes or the homes themselves in a more "normal" everyday state is not only comforting its more inviting - to me at least. Because then I don't feel so bad or like an utter failure at the end of a crazy day and the house isn't looking like it "should". Having these types of real photos helps ease off the burdens (real or imagined) especially to those new parents trying to juggle and figure out the new balancing act of having a kid or kids, because sometimes you just can't do it all - and it IS ok!
And what a lovely blog she has... straight into my news reader!!!
This is a great photo - makes me feel better about my house too! Also a bit of a coincidence as I posted a picture of my dining room today in all of its mess and glory (you can see it here - http://beautifulsquarefeet.blogspot.com/2011/08/final-big-push.html.
I really didn't have the time to tidy up before I took the picture and then I decided that I actually didn't want to!
Yes!!!! Looks like my house! It's nice looking at spotless homes for inspiration, but sometimes it can also be discouraging as you look around your own untidy "what the heck happened today" house... This was a refreshing post to read!
Being a contributor for Ohdeedoh means you love to see inspiring photos of homes and the way people live.
Uh, no, you're seeing a staged environment for a photo shoot, not how they live. Families don't live in pristine and utterly spotless environments, not even those with teenagers who manage to clean up after themselves sometimes.
(Sigh of relief) I thought I was just especially bad at balancing small children and cleaning...but I guess it's not just me.
Oh...this photo just makes me tired. The endless cleaning up. This is the photo you don't share with people pregnant with their first kid. This is also the photo I don't want to see (in my house included) because it's what I'm endlessly working against. Opposite of inspiring, I say.
We both work at home and our kid is home too so our house is so overly lived in I just...yeah. Begone, lived-in room!
Love this photo! It makes me feel normal. I see at least 5 items that are usually in my living space (on the floor) as well!
i love seeing people's homes as they REALLY are - lived in. i think it makes us all feel better because we know that even beautifully designed spaces get messy too - just like our houses!
I love seeing spaces like this sooooo much. It's so reassuring. As an avid blog lover and a working mother of an 18 month old whirlwind I actually find myself getting really stressed out trying to keep my home up to the standard of the (clean and tidy) inspiring homes we see pictures of every day. I mean, deep down I know it's just selective photography but I still feel the pressure. Bring on the real room revolution!! I want to see more :)