I don’t usually write these House Crashing posts, but this home is particularly special to me — it’s my parents’ new house in Richmond. We stayed with them for a few days after Hurricane Irene when our power was out, and we’ve spent many evenings over there since, so it felt like the perfect time to share some photos and thoughts about their new place.
That’s my dad and mom right after moving day in May — the lavender door they arrived with is now bright red. After 32 years in their Northern Virginia home (my childhood home) they decided to downsize and move about two hours south to Richmond to be closer to kids and grandkids. They landed in a newer duplex community about 15 minutes from our house. While the new place is a bit smaller, it often feels more open and, in places, grander than their previous home. Their half bath is a great example.
Much of the home’s design is from the previous owners — my parents have been there less than four months — and at first they worried the style might be too formal. Their old bathrooms were bold paint choices rather than floral wallpaper and ornate mirrors. But part of retirement is being able to try something new, so my mom embraced an ornate gold mirror in the half bath and even added a playful light fixture from Ballard Designs that she never expected to buy for herself. It suits the room perfectly.
Seeing my parents try new styles has been really fun — it stretches everyone’s sense of taste. They’ve already made practical swaps too: the previous owners left large drapes and a ceiling medallion but no chandelier, so my parents moved a slightly oversized fixture from their breakfast nook into the dining room where it fits better. It’s a good example of working with what you have and making it work for your space.
They’ve purchased some new furniture to fit the scale of the rooms, but they’ve also mixed in familiar favorites. One stand-out is a wicker chair they bought at Pottery Barn a few years ago. The side table beside it is a recent sale find, and my mom says it’s her favorite piece in the house — it even has little clawed feet holding a ball on the bottom in her preferred finish.
The wicker chair sits in a large open living room with high ceilings, built-ins, and a cozy electric fireplace that makes the space feel welcoming and comfortable.
One of the most striking features is a custom reclaimed-wood and iron cabinet installed by the previous owners. Where most homes in the development have a basic white closet, this piece — built using materials from a local architectural salvage source — becomes a focal point. The former owners used it as a liquor cabinet; my parents display framed photos and dinnerware on the upper shelves and keep photo albums and games hidden behind the lower doors and drawers.
The cabinet sits beside the kitchen, which centers around a functional island with the sink and dishwasher and includes a large pantry cabinet. There’s an additional pantry closet across the room. The kitchen has high ceilings, subtle flecked black granite, and stainless appliances — all details we’re a little jealous of and grateful to enjoy when we visit for dinner.
The breakfast nook once held a much larger chandelier that now hangs in the dining room; it’s been replaced with a more modest fixture in the nook. My mom surprised herself with a set of colorful chairs from Pier 1, saying they’re nothing she would have chosen a year ago but that she absolutely loves them now. It’s been delightful to watch them experiment and enjoy new things in their new home.
Just beyond the kitchen windows is a perfectly sized patio with a fence that’s ideal for keeping grandkids safe. We’ve already tested it out with a small plastic pool that Clara loved and didn’t want to leave.
The second floor features a large landing that doubles as my dad’s office and a play area for visiting grandchildren, plus two guest bedrooms. We stayed in one of the guest rooms during the power outage after Hurricane Irene. The warm paint color was already on the walls when they moved in, and while they don’t yet know all the paint names, the bed frame is a Ballard Design find purchased during a sale.
We didn’t photograph the other guest room (Clara was napping) or the main bedroom, which is still a work in progress. We’ll likely complete the tour once my parents settle in a bit more — they were very gracious about letting us “crash” their new home so soon after the move.
One meaningful detail we love is a brick from our old house that was saved during a doorway project and given to my parents a few years ago. It now sits on their new doorstep and has been there since day one.
As for their old house, we’ve heard the new owners — a young family — are enjoying it and bringing new life to the cul-de-sac. My sister’s old bedroom, for example, is now painted Baltimore Ravens purple. It’s comforting to see both homes filled with people making memories.