What I find interesting when I look at real estate is that there are more Time Capsules than one would think. As a counterpoint to people who are constantly changing things around and redecorating, there is a group of people who seem to do things once and live with it forever. Sometimes I think the houses are better for it. The finishes are not covered with layers of paint, the walls are not riddled with nail holes. In this group are a couple of subgroups: one who decorated well, and probably fairly expensively, at the outset, and the other, which never cared all that much and neither kept things up nor changed them. I lost a bidding war on a house that had curtains that were literally rotten strings and threads hanging from a strip of buckram. The downside of serial redecoration and constant change is that few people can afford to keep doing it right, when they do it over and over again. And then I think in the back of one's mind is "well, I will be doing this over in a few years so if this one doesn't turn out that great, it's not forever". That's not to say that all time capsules are good, or that some of them don't reflect some rather unfortunate periods or styles of designs--but some of this is temporal--as a sixty year old house we can appreciate it, but I am not sure we would be looking at it the same way if it was 1985.

My kitchen was last remodeled 22 years ago by a group of friends from my church. (Friends of mine used to live in my house.) When my carpenter (also a friend from church) tore down some cabinets yesterday, he found a note on the sheetrock, in his handwriting, that said: "You know that nice older lady who lives at 184 Forestry Lane, across the street? Well, when she was young and supple, she helped to build this wall!" The "older lady," who's all of 55, still lives across the street, and got a big kick out of seeing this. None of us knew we'd be here when the kitchen was remodeled again!

I have goose bumps all over reading this. It absolutely never occurred to me to do such a thing. I treasure the occasional old find I come across; why would it never occur to me to *introduce* information to the future? DH's family has a lot of neglected treasures of the past; the family was once quite well-off but not since the depression. In a family house in a giant old German-type wardrobe amongst ancient family photos is an envelope, sealed, with written instructions not to open before 1900. It still hasn't been opened to my knowledge. I don't think anyone has the stomach to, frankly. It's not my family, so perhaps it doesn't matter that I haven't. But by now the mystery is codified; I can't imagine circumstances that would cause anyone to break the spell. Actually, I think I am the only one who remembers it's even there. In some ways it's actually really, really sad. Everyone has forebears, but there's something hollow about a link disconnected from living memory. It's like someone reached out a hand but it got dropped and now it's too far away to grasp any longer.

Both of my grandparent's homes remained the same from way before I was born until they passed away (I was an adult with children for all)⦠even though my paternal grandfather owned a furniture factory (burned down before I was born) and furniture store. They could have had the newest, etc but kept the same furniture for decades. I think part of it was that generation did not feel the need to keep up with the Jones' and/or they were more easily content - not influenced by what was new each year. They were savers, not spenders, but had the money to do both. Their homes were cleaned and maintained. My father owned furniture stores for several decades, yet never replaced their original furnishings purchased after they married and restored a condemned home (late 1950s). Furniture there went to the next house (1970) and more was added (much larger home). Yet when they built their current home (1985) the original upholstered pieces bought in the 1950s came with them, and were recovered. Some things were sold that did not fit the house (DR and MBR) and replaced with then new that they still own 29 years later. Both just turned 80yo and things will stay as is until their deaths. Their house is far from dated, unkept or not taken care of (couldn't find this referenced in the other thread). DH and I started going to antique stores when we first married (33yrs last week) and were in our first house just over 20yrs. We still have (and use) everything purchased then and since. I tend to buy pieces that can be used in various rooms/in various ways. That said, I also tend to not move things around once I get them where I want/like, but this came in handy when we built 8yr ago. As far as empty rooms, we have only ever had one of those. When we purchased our first home we had two very small children, then added a third baby. When she was 1yo, we furnished the LR, so for the two years prior they got to ride toys and play in there when it was raining. But we stayed completely debt free, so it was worth the short wait. I don't know what changed in our world to make so many of the newest generations watch trends, change their homes more often, etc other than more access to the ever changing decor (trends) via TV, magazines and the internet. While I don't have any of our original upholstered pieces and my taste has changed from being a newly married early 20s yo to mid 50s, I would never want to or even think about getting rid of everything to start over. I believe my final taste/style was acquired 15 years ago and isn't going anywhere.