Today we are happy to welcome Elizabeth Morrow to the blog to share her home with us!
"Our home is a little, two-story, 920 square foot craftsman home in the heart of Tacoma, Washington. Before we bought our current home, we were renting a tiny 450 square foot house which became way too cramped after living there for a year. We desperately wanted a larger space and somewhere we would have the freedom to make it our own through renovations, DIY projects, etc. We wanted (needed) something super affordable and a bit of a fixer-upper. When we saw this house we were actually looking at the next door house, and the exterior of this house was so awful we just assumed the interior was disgusting, and didn't even bother looking at it. When we finally ended up looking at it we found that the interior had been fixed up; it was just the outside that needed an overhaul. We bought it at the end of 2012 and resided the house ourselves with my dad, uncles, brothers, and cousins that winter.
"The kitchen was the first room I decided to make my own, shortly after moving in, and it's still my favorite. We couldn't afford much furniture or anything, so the rest of the house stayed sparse for a while, but I slapped a coat of chartreuse and black chalkboard paint on the kitchen walls, and it made the whole space feel so "me." It was the first time I felt like a homeowner, after living in apartments with white and beige walls for years. It's still one of my favorite rooms in the house. One thing I've learned about myself, that I wasn't aware of before, is that apparently I love black walls. It started with painting the exterior black, then the kitchen chalkboard black, then our bathroom wall, then the bedroom, and then I just recently painted the living room wall black chalkboard. Whoever we sell this house to is going to think I had some weird obsession with black walls, which… okay, maybe I do.
"Most of our house is full of DIY or thrifted furniture and decor, but my most treasured items in our home are the things my grampa carved. All his life, he hand made wood things in his shop, from napkin holders to chairs, to salad spoons and forks, to flowerpots. They're all hand carved with Southeast Alaskan Native imagery, and it makes me feel like I have a bit of my Alaskan heritage here with me in Washington. He no longer has access to a shop, so I've inherited his carving tools and have been working on picking up where he left off! One of my favorite woodworking projects so far is my coffee table.
"We moved in November of 2012, so we've lived here almost two years. It's changed quite a lot, especially on the exterior, because we completely re-sided the house as soon as we moved in (the existing siding was so bad our insurance company wouldn't even give us a homeowners policy until we put new siding on!). The old house is still on google streetview, and it's crazy to look at what it looked like just a couple years ago. A few weeks ago we built a fence to enclose our side yard, and we've been slowly working on expanding our vegetable garden and creating a patio entertaining space, so it's a constant process, but I absolutely love it. Growing up, my parents bought homes that needed renovation, so I constantly saw the potential in older or more run-down homes and the joy they got out of giving them new life; it's been a lifelong dream of mine to be able to renovate my own home. I've been having the time of my life doing all sorts of projects, and I secretly love making multiple trips to Home Depot."
Thank you so much for sharing your home with us, Elizabeth! You can find more of Elizabeth over on her blog Delightfully Tacky and more of her before and after home projects here. xo.
Credits // Author and Photography: Elizabeth Morrow
Wow, so beautiful!
I have been in love with the urban outfitters quilt since I first laid eyes on it!
Sadly out of my price range…. but, one day!
Also adore the shade of green for the dining room walls.
cindy
Posted: 9 years ago
Love your house…and that quilt on your bed! Did you make it?
nikki
Posted: 9 years ago
her home is so gorgeous!! i love her style
xxoo,
nikki
www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
Marie M. Sablan
Posted: 9 years ago
Beautiful home!
Mads
Posted: 9 years ago
Elizabeth,
Do you have a blog article about how you made those tassels? I’d love to try and make some of my own.
Michelle Hill
Posted: 9 years ago
ahhh, major girl crush! Your house is so lovely and charming and you are just awesome!! I’m gonna now spend the rest of the morning perusing your blog, pardon me 🙂
Anna Paula
Posted: 9 years ago
lovely place!!! Such cute details! The bathroom wall is amazing!!
Natalie
Posted: 9 years ago
I love dark walls too! I painted the living room of my very first apartment dark chocolate, and kept the furniture sparse. It gave such a cozy feeling to the room. The pictures of your house gave me that same cozy feeling. Great job with the renovation!
bri
Posted: 9 years ago
i’m obsessed with all the chalk here! i’m a HUGE fan of chalkboard everything!
Anna
Posted: 9 years ago
Hopefully I’m not doubling up this question, but where is that quilt from? It’s so lovely!
Otter
Posted: 9 years ago
That is one huge chalkboard wall! Love it though. I thought the home was really earthy in the first few photos but it’s more eclectic! Super cool. And her hair is awesome.
http://theflyingarmchair.me/
Annika
Posted: 9 years ago
This is so beautiful! I thought that was tile in the bathroom, but red in a comment it was painted: ûber-cool! I have to start follow her blog…
Lacy
Posted: 9 years ago
Did you make your iphone charger? I am in love with it.
Kat Curling
Posted: 9 years ago
this is literally my dream home. like.. it was taken out of my head. haha Thanks for sharing. so much loveliness.
Kat
Wendy
Posted: 9 years ago
Elizabeth I love your house! Thank you for the inspiration! Where did you purchase your iPhone clock that is shown in your bedroom? I’ve been looking for something just like it!
nadine
Posted: 9 years ago
Your house is beautiful, i love the chalkboard wall in the living room, it looks amazing, such a refreshing change. 🙂
Henna
Posted: 9 years ago
WHAT is that amazing clock / iPhone thing? Where can I get one? I need one!
Erin
Posted: 9 years ago
I love her home and the whole concept. What’s great about it (besides how beautiful and cozy it looks) is that it exemplifies Elizabeth’s style. Something about it reminds me of her blog and photos. 🙂
Jessica
Posted: 9 years ago
Love that cute corgi!
Stacey
Posted: 9 years ago
Gorgeous! I follow Elizabeth’s blog as well.. I just adore her style!!
Wow, so beautiful!
I have been in love with the urban outfitters quilt since I first laid eyes on it!
Sadly out of my price range…. but, one day!
Also adore the shade of green for the dining room walls.
Love your house…and that quilt on your bed! Did you make it?
her home is so gorgeous!! i love her style
xxoo,
nikki
www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
Beautiful home!
Elizabeth,
Do you have a blog article about how you made those tassels? I’d love to try and make some of my own.
ahhh, major girl crush! Your house is so lovely and charming and you are just awesome!! I’m gonna now spend the rest of the morning perusing your blog, pardon me 🙂
lovely place!!! Such cute details! The bathroom wall is amazing!!
I love dark walls too! I painted the living room of my very first apartment dark chocolate, and kept the furniture sparse. It gave such a cozy feeling to the room. The pictures of your house gave me that same cozy feeling. Great job with the renovation!
i’m obsessed with all the chalk here! i’m a HUGE fan of chalkboard everything!
Hopefully I’m not doubling up this question, but where is that quilt from? It’s so lovely!
That is one huge chalkboard wall! Love it though. I thought the home was really earthy in the first few photos but it’s more eclectic! Super cool. And her hair is awesome.
http://theflyingarmchair.me/
This is so beautiful! I thought that was tile in the bathroom, but red in a comment it was painted: ûber-cool! I have to start follow her blog…
Did you make your iphone charger? I am in love with it.
this is literally my dream home. like.. it was taken out of my head. haha Thanks for sharing. so much loveliness.
Kat
Elizabeth I love your house! Thank you for the inspiration! Where did you purchase your iPhone clock that is shown in your bedroom? I’ve been looking for something just like it!
Your house is beautiful, i love the chalkboard wall in the living room, it looks amazing, such a refreshing change. 🙂
WHAT is that amazing clock / iPhone thing? Where can I get one? I need one!
I love her home and the whole concept. What’s great about it (besides how beautiful and cozy it looks) is that it exemplifies Elizabeth’s style. Something about it reminds me of her blog and photos. 🙂
Love that cute corgi!
Gorgeous! I follow Elizabeth’s blog as well.. I just adore her style!!
<3
http://www.RitaMaesShop.etsy.com