Mother’s Day Edition.

I was chatting with a lovely woman this week who had recently downsized from her family acreage to a pretty new duplex in town as she and her husband transition into their retirement years.  When I asked her how she was enjoying the change and if the decrease in home size had any challenges – she emphatically and happily replied that as long as she had a large island for her family to gather and space for her grandchildren to play, then that was all she needed.  Those were the two things she had looked for in her recent home search and she was absolutely loving her new space!

And with that, it hit me.

No matter the stage, no matter the season, a mother’s design aesthetic and vision will ALWAYS be guided by her longing to create a home that works for and welcomes her family.  

A home that will function and flow.  One that will allow for times of togetherness AND for those needed and important moments of peace.

Because home and family are so completely intertwined!  Our houses are our refuge, and our venues for celebrations.   They are there to welcome us home on both the good days and the bad,  and to safely shelter us and those we hold most dear.   And mothers aim to make the spaces within their houses truly feel like home.

At Iron River Surfaces we are so fortunate in that our team has the opportunity to meet with mothers and families on a daily basis to select the surfaces and finishes for their new homes or renovations.   Connecting with our clients, listening to understand, and sharing in their excitement is one of our favorite things about what we do!

And through that initial discovery process, we have seen the following wish list requests put forth by moms time and time again, as they make selections for their homes! 

A Mom’s Top 5 Wishlist

1. A fun, durable, and welcoming place for their children and their friends to spend time in or play.  What we often hear: “I’d rather my kids be at our house with their friends, so I know they are safe.” or  “ I want a really great space for our children and their friends to WANT to come hang out in.”  YES, we get that!
2. Bedrooms and bathrooms that celebrate their children’s unique personalities and passions.  Whether it be in the form of a statement mural, a dedicated project space, or colorful tile and mosaic inlays, moms love to find ways to allow for their child’s individualism and self-expression!
3. A functional and spacious kitchen for welcoming friends and family.  This ALMOST ALWAYS equates to: plenty of  seating and an oversized island, a large pantry, durable stain-proof and heat resistant countertops, and limited backsplash grout lines for easy cleanups.  Bring on the mess, bring on the fun!
4. A hard-working and beautiful mudroom.  Such an important and multi-tasking space!  Check out a previous blog post for more on THAT!
5. And last, a spa-like ensuite to retreat to at the end of a day.  Pretty tile, gorgeous countertops, double vanity sinks, a deep soaker tub, a separate easy-to-clean shower, designer lighting – all of the necessities for a space designed for relaxing and unwinding.   Because it is ESSENTIAL to take a break, pause, and refill that mom bucket when you can!

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Personal Sidenote:  If you have been following along with our story you may already know that we have 4 children ranging in age from 8 years old to 20 years old, and that they are truly the “why” behind everything we do!   And I have to admit that this upcoming Mother’s Day is hitting me a little hard.  

My two oldest are away at school and won’t be making it home for the weekend.   I am BEYOND proud of their independence, but I will definitely be missing them!  I am also hyper-aware that the organization of our family’s daily life is changing and evolving rapidly (Ha, jokes on me!  I’ve been raising them to not need me anymore, but I secretly hope they always will!)

In the moments of longing that tug at my heart, I am thankful for all the memories made within our home and beyond its walls (AND for my  youngest daughter’s dance competition this weekend that will keep me and my brain very occupied!)

And I look forward to the day when my “bigs” will walk through our front door again.  And when they do – you better believe there will be room for everyone around my island, their rooms will be prepped, their beds freshly made, and my pretty mud/laundry room will be ready to tackle all of their laundry they bring home to me! 😄

“Even though our parenting becomes more and more hands-off over time, it will always be hearts-fully-on.”

Wishing all moms, stepmoms, mom-figures, and those longing to be moms – in all of life’s stages and seasons – peace, grace, and much love this Mother’s Day weekend!