We’ve started noticing a curious trend in our home: our style seems to be getting younger. Maybe someone pointed it out, or maybe it was a quiet moment of taking stock and realizing we’ve been steering our decor in a more playful direction. Call it a midlife design refresh or just the next stage in our constantly evolving taste (read: indecisiveness), but the shift feels real. We wanted to share the progression in case you’re seeing the same thing in your house or in your own decorating choices.
STAGE 1: “Wait, you mean I can paint these walls whatever color I want???”
The first burst of freedom usually comes right after you stop renting and become a homeowner. After years of neutral rental walls and temporary furniture, there’s a pent-up urge to do something bold. For us, that translated into a kaleidoscope of colors throughout the house and a bunch of modest apartment pieces trying to fill larger rooms. It was loud, energetic, and unmistakably joyful. Photos from that time show bright walls, mismatched decor, and the sort of exuberant experimentation that often accompanies that initial leap into homeownership.
STAGE 2: “Okay, let’s be serious now. We’re homeowners. That means we’re, like, adults.”
As time went on, our tastes naturally shifted toward more grown-up choices. Blogging about our home and watching other projects exposed us to a broader range of ideas. We moved toward sophistication: real furniture, improved functionality, neutral palettes in some rooms, and thoughtful renovations. This era produced the rooms that many of you probably recognize—spaces that felt curated, cohesive, and intentionally designed for everyday life. The focus was less on loud experimentation and more on creating a stable, polished home that reflected maturity and permanence.
STAGE 3: “Wait a second – why are we in a rush to turn into stodgy neutral-loving ‘grown ups’?”
Then life changed again. With the arrival of Clara, we found ourselves softening toward color and playfulness. Think of it as a design version of Benjamin Button—we started aging backward, design-wise. The nursery set the tone: it was designed to be a fun, lively space, and that sense of whimsy began to seep into the rest of the house. Small moments—like opting for a citrus-themed holiday look instead of our usual silver palette—were early signs that the playful phase was underway.
We intended the nursery to be child-friendly, but we didn’t anticipate how that freedom would encourage us to loosen up in other rooms. It became clear we didn’t need to prove our adulthood through neutral decor—we have a family now, and we want our home to be joyful. The result? Fun accents like playful pig hooks in the office and a handmade banner that brightened the living room fireplace, simple touches that make the house feel more personal and spirited.
…and this banner we made for a baby post that ended up cheering up our living room fireplace.
Even the bold pattern on the Clara rug in our den is a big step from our previously restrained choices.
This doesn’t mean we’ll turn the master bedroom into a playground or paint the kitchen ceiling neon pink. Rather, it’s about welcoming more color, pattern, and personality in measured ways. The evolution feels liberating: a balance between thoughtfully designed adult spaces and rooms that celebrate family life, creativity, and fun.
If your decorating has shifted over time, you’re not alone. Changes in life—moving into your first place, getting married, becoming a parent, or other big milestones—often spark new directions in how we design our homes. Have you found your style moving through similar stages? How did your color palette and design priorities change as your life changed?