Possibly the single greatest piece of advice I have ever received was during a visit to Ireland several years ago with two friends from college. This particular trip was special because we were visiting a family who were native to the country, offering us a local’s perspective.One evening while enjoying a pint of room temperature Guinness at a pub in Galway (in the western region of the county), we found ourselves engaged in a delightful conversation with a couple more than a few times our age. This couple was wise,experienced, content and happy. We began philosophizing about the meaning of life, a topic I loved but knew very little about in my early twenties.After close to an hour of sharing good conversation the older gentleman lowered his voice and slowed his words to draw us in to what he was about to say. And he did, he had us in the palm of his hands. With a compelling thick Irish accent he advised, “Never stop making memories”.

Maybe it was the nostalgic atmosphere of Galway or my youthful enthusiasm but this simple and seemingly obvious pearl of wisdom has stuck with me to this day.

My passion for remodeling is less about the actual act of remodeling, although I certainly enjoy the process.What thrills me the most about remodeling is the part we seldom get to see but do often hear about from many of our clients. It is a simple truth that countless memories will be made in each new space that we renovate. While recently putting the final touches on a small project in my own home, it struck me that the change a renovation brings about is more than the walls, the ceiling and the floor. It is very much about how all the parts and pieces are put together to create an environment that makes you feel great and immediately begins nurturing new experiences.

In my case, my young family has begun enjoying a new gathering place.When we invest in our home we realize a return far greater than the monetary value alone could ever provide.Your home will be the place you think about tomorrow, next year, and 30 years from now. Remembering the glass of wine with friends, the bed time stories you read to your kids and grandkids, that special spot in front of the fire place where you soaked up the welcome warmth on a snowy winter evening, the countless family dinners where you discussed the weather and passionately debated politics. Mostly laughs, maybe some tears but never, never short on great memories.
DOES YOUR HOME FOSTER GREAT MEMORIES?