In the days of yesteryear and then not so long ago when we were kids, it was common for children to share bedrooms. Now that it’s 2012, is this concept of sharing bedrooms still alive and true? If you were in the process of buying a home, would the thought of your children sharing a bedroom be something you would embrace? And would it work given your family particulars and dynamics?

When I think back to my childhood in Baltimore, MD, I remember the home in which I grew up. We lived in a four-bedroom home with three bedrooms on the second floor and the fourth bedroom on the third floor. My sister and I were almost eight years apart in age, and there were just two of us, so we were both able to have our own bedrooms. (I must digress and say that of course she got the bigger, better bedroom. That was okay, though, especially since I usurped her room when she went off to college when I was 10). But I know that if we were closer in age and if there had been more children in our family, we would have shared a bedroom.

In my home in Weston, MA, my daughters shared a bedroom for almost 10 years. But when my eldest was about to turn 13, it was clear that she needed her own space. And so I juggled everyone around, and now the girls have their own rooms, and my youngest is in the tiny bedroom which had been my home office. And so we – especially my youngest and me (and the house guests who come to visit) – are making some compromises with our bedroom and living spaces.

From my experience when showing homes to my buyer clients, there is still an openness to having the children share bedrooms, especially if the increased number of bedrooms doesn’t fit their home-buying budget. And I often see shared bedrooms in the homes of my friends and colleagues. Not to mention the fact that these shared bedrooms are depicted constantly in children’s store catalogues (a.k.a., Pottery Barn Kids), and the matching twin beds, bunk beds and loft set-ups (as pictured here) are downright adorable. Is this further evidence that the concept of shared bedrooms is thriving or is this just a way for these companies to display their products multiple times in different ways?

What are your thoughts on this subject? When you are looking to buy, how do you feel about the concept of your children sharing a room? Does it depend on the age and gender of your children? And is it a different decision-making process for those of you with twins? I can’t wait to hear….

For more information on this or on the real estate market in Weston, Wellesley, Wayland and the surrounding towns, please contact me, Lisa Curlett (781-267-2844 or www.homesalesbylisa.com), to answer any questions or for a complimentary home appraisal.

Merry, Merry Christmas from my home in Weston, MA to yours!  I hope that your celebration is filled with family, friends and loved ones and that it is joyful, fun, loving, peaceful and full of laughs.

Today I am missing my hometown of  Baltimore, MD and my family and friends there, and so I figured I would share some “Bawlmer” Christmas images with you (thanks to Jamey Hebb via Facebook for the photos).  The first is from 34th Street in Hampden, which is a neighborhood in Baltimore that takes Christmas decorating to a seriously fun, over-the-top level.  And the second is the Christmas Crab.  You may know the renowned saying – at least in my neck of the woods – “Maryland is for Crabs”, and so just by plain geography, Baltimore is for crabs too.

And if you do not celebrate Christmas, I hope you are enjoying the day off and the slow-down of our crazy lives for at least one day.  Wishing you all the Happiest of Holidays…..

xxoo ….. Lisa

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!  This weekend traditionally marks the beginning of summer – can you believe it?  Though thankfully it has gone from cold weather to hot weather in the last two days.  And I promise, promise I am not going to complain about the heat this summer – no way, not after the winter we had….

Anyway, I digress…..  Back to the subject at hand.  When I was talking to the kids earlier this week about our Memorial Day weekend plans, my middle daughter said to me, “Mommy, what is Memorial Day?”  And I shamefully will admit that I had a hard time remembering the difference between Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day.  But now I do know, and I won’t forget.  Memorial Day honors those who have died in military service to our country, and Veteran’s Day honors the veterans or those who have served in the military service to our country.   And on that note, I would like to honor and say a prayer for my friend Chris Coffland with whom I grew up in Baltimore, MD and who died in Afghanistan in November 2009 trying to detonate IEDs.  I hadn’t seen him in many years, but he was a fun, nice and considerate boy when we were young, and he obviously grew into a brave, valiant and incredible man. Here’s to my friend, Chris, who heroically died while serving our country*….

xo….  Lisa

* And for more information on Chris and his life, please visit the Christopher Coffland Memorial Fund, dedicated to providing aid to returning wounded veterans where Government Agencies do not participate.

It is a big couple of days in the Williams household…not only are we in midst of the two-night Dancing with the Stars Finale (I think Mark and Chelsea will win) and the kick-off of the new Bachelorette Season starring Ashley Hebert as the Bachelorette aired last night, but it’s also time for the Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular, commemorating Oprah for her 25 years of daytime television.  The Surprise Spectacular, which was taped last week at Chicago’s United Center, aired yesterday afternoon and is just about to air this afternoon in a few minutes (at least where we live – 4 p.m. on ABC).  And then tomorrow is her final, final show.  No more new Oprah daytime talk shows after tomorrow.  As the promotions say, it’s the last Oprah Winfrey Show ever!

This is big news….Oprah was an institution even when I was young.  In fact, you may not know it, but in the 1970s Oprah Winfrey aired the 6 o’clock news and “People are Talking” in Baltimore, MD, which is where I grew up.  Furthermore, she came to my school, The Bryn Mawr School, to speak when I was about 11 years old; I remember it so clearly.  And I was a big fan of the Oprah Winfrey Show watching it through college, after entering the “real world” (remember that term?), while nursing my little ones, when sick with the flu and countless other times.

So on yesterday’s show, Tom Hanks was the master of ceremonies, and there was an all-star guest list including such celebs as Tom Cruise, Madonna, Jackie Envacho, Josh Groban, Patti Labelle, Dakota Fanning, Beyonce, John Legend, Halle Barre, Queen Latifa, Katie Holmes and Diane Sawyer.  It was quite an amazing show with tons of old clips of the show – everyday citizens who had shared their pain and joy over the years with Oprah – as well as announcements of book donations to those in need and rebuilding of school libraries across the country with thousands of Oprah Oak Trees being planted in front of those libraries.  The show certainly was spectacular….

I can’t wait to watch today’s show.  What about you?  Will you watch too?  It sounds like Usher, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith and Jerry Seinfeld amongst others will make appearances??  But we don’t know for sure…not until the show airs.  And then what about Dancing with the Stars and the Bachelorette? Did you watch last night’s shows?  Who do you think will win the dance-off?  And who do you think will be the last Bachelor standing (more on that as the season progresses)?  I can’t wait to hear….  And in the meantime, enjoy all of the fun television today and tonight…..