I don’t usually write these House Crashing posts, but this home is especially meaningful to me — it’s my parents’ new house in Richmond. We ended up crashing there for a few days after Hurricane Irene when our house lost power, and we’ve since spent many evenings over at their place. After seeing how quickly they’ve made it their own, we wanted to share a few photos and impressions.
That photo is from moving day back in May — my dad and mom right after they arrived (they’ve since painted the lavender door bright red). After selling the Northern Virginia house where they lived for 32 years, they decided to move two hours south to Richmond to be closer to family and to downsize into a lower-maintenance home. They landed in a relatively new duplex community only about 15 minutes from us. Although the new place is a touch smaller, it somehow feels more open and gracious in many ways. A great example of that is their half bath.
Much of the house’s style comes from the previous owners — my parents have been there less than four months — and at first they worried some details might feel too formal for their tastes. Their former bathrooms leaned toward bold paint rather than floral wallpaper. But moving into retirement has inspired them to embrace a few bolder choices. My mom jokingly asked, “I’m retired — who says I can’t have an ornate gold mirror in my half bath?” and now she absolutely loves it.
We’re all fans of the look. Part of the pleasure comes from watching them try something new, but it’s also invigorating to be in a home that takes design risks you might not attempt yourself. My mom even bought a playful light fixture from Ballard Designs to replace what the prior owners took. She swore she would never buy a fixture like that “in a million years,” but it fits perfectly and adds personality.
Even within a few months, they’re mixing new finds with inherited features. The previous owners left dramatic drapes and a large ceiling medallion but no chandelier, so my parents relocated a slightly oversized fixture from their breakfast nook into the dining room where it reads much better. It’s a smart example of adapting what you already own to suit a new space.
They’ve bought some furniture to fit the scale, but they’ve also blended familiar pieces — like a wicker chair they picked up at Pottery Barn — with fresh finds. The new side table from Ballard Designs is already my mom’s favorite item in the house; she loves the finish and the charming clawed feet.
The wicker chair anchors a large, open living room with lofty ceilings, built-in shelving and a cozy electric fireplace that makes the space feel welcoming and comfortable.
One standout feature is a custom cabinet beside the living area. Where most homes in the development have a simple white closet, the prior owners commissioned a reclaimed-wood and iron piece from a local salvage source. It was used as a liquor cabinet before, but my parents display framed photos and dinnerware on the top shelves (the upper doors flip open then slide into the unit so they disappear), while albums and games are tucked away in the lower drawers.
The kitchen is another highlight: a central island houses the sink and dishwasher, and there’s a substantial pantry cabinet as well as a separate pantry closet. We’re especially envious of the high ceilings, subtly flecked black granite and stainless appliances — it’s a great modern kitchen for comfortable family life and dinner visits.
The breakfast nook once held the larger dining room chandelier before it was moved; now it features a more modest fixture and a set of colorful Pier 1 chairs that my mom never would have picked for herself a year ago. She called to say, “Come see the chairs I got for the breakfast nook — I’m so in love with them.” It’s been fun to watch her grow more adventurous with style choices.
Just beyond the kitchen’s big bright windows is a cozy patio and small fenced yard — perfect for a few potted plants and ideal for keeping grandkids close. We’ve already broken in a plastic baby pool out there, and Clara refused to leave the first time she played on the patio.
The second floor includes a generous landing that doubles as my dad’s office and a play area for visiting grandkids, plus two guest bedrooms. We stayed in one of those rooms during the post-Irene power outage. The warm wall color was already there when they moved in, so they’ve been slowly personalizing each room — the bed frame in that guest room is from Ballard Designs (my mom likes to wait for sales and use coupon codes).
We didn’t photograph the other guest room — Clara was napping in it — and the primary bedroom is still a work in progress, so maybe we’ll do a fuller tour once they’ve settled in even more. They’ve been remarkably patient with us crashing in their new home after all these years.
One sentimental detail we love: a brick from our old house, saved during our kitchen renovation years ago, now sits on their new doorstep. I can’t remember exactly why we gave it to them, but they’ve kept it by the door since day one and it feels like a quiet link between homes and generations.
In other news, the new owners of my parents’ old house are settling in nicely. They’re a young family whose kids are already making friends on the cul-de-sac, and it sounds like that street is lively again. My sister’s old bedroom reportedly got a bold Baltimore Ravens purple makeover — a surprising but fitting update for a family home full of new memories.
For plenty of other house tours and room-by-room inspiration, check out archived House Crashing posts and photo galleries from various homes and styles.