The following content may contain affiliate links. When you click and shop the links, we receive a commission.
Alright, friends, we are finally letting the cat out of the bag…we sold our house and we are moving!!!!! Before I get in to a little explanation of how this whole situation unfolded, let me just say that we never expected this in a million years. I thought we would be in our home for decades! (hence expensive custom window treatments. LOL) But the heart wants what it wants…and it’s amazing how the universe has a way of bringing you exactly what you need.
I’ll start from the beginning. Since moving to Connecticut, Kyle and I have been pretty homesick for LA. I mean not only is the weather amazing there, we missed our friends, AND we really loved Sherman Oaks– the neighborhood we lived in. It was the perfect mix of town and suburb, and our house was in the perfect location where kids could ride their bikes and take walks down the road, but just a five minute walk and you could get down to Ventura Blvd where all the shops, restaurants, and bars were. We used to walk everywhere! As a New Yorker, I grew up walking everywhere as well, and Kyle and I realized that this was a part of our lives that was seriously lacking here in Connecticut. We had even spent a lot of money to create walking paths around our home here to make up for it! But those paths just led to woods…no Starbucks in sight. Ha!
Kyle and I both work from a home a majority of the time, and we realized that between the long winters, the isolation of our from work-from-home home jobs, and the lack of activity in our neighborhood…it was really making us unhappy! We sat down and chatted, and realized that the thing we missed the most about Los Angeles (besides our friends) was the proximity to town and the ability to get around easily– and to have human interaction every single day! Kyle told me that he wanted to show me a couple of neighborhoods in Westport, CT that were a lot like Sherman Oaks.
We took the kids’ bikes one weekend and threw them in the back of the car, and went off to just bike around and walk around the neighborhoods Kyle was talking about. I immediately fell in love. There were kids playing in their yards, and Marlowe would run up and say hi, and eventually she ended up having an impromptu playdate with a couple of them! It was just such a neighborly area, and I loved the idea that the families all looked out for each other and knew each other well. And there were so many kids the same ages as our kids! The best part? It’s just a few minutes walk from downtown!
As chance would have it, we stumbled upon the most beautiful home that was for sale! It’s a historical home, which was a bucket list opportunity for Kyle and I. Ever since we got married, we had been dreaming about one day renovating a historical home to make it in to the modern farmhouse of our dreams! We put in an offer, and while Kyle and I were in Spain, we found out that our offer was accepted! We were SHOCKED and so pumped. We quickly put our house on the market, and we ended up selling it the first week! It was wild!
Marlowe and Major both LOVE our new home, and they’re really excited to move in…we visited the house three times total before we closed, and each time they didn’t want to leave! It was full tantrums. Ha! They’re also really excited to be living much closer to most of their school friends who will be continuing on with them in the Westport school system the whole way through. It feels nice to be really putting roots down, finally.
This whole process has been super quick, but we couldn’t be more excited to renovate and move in to our forever home. Being town-accessible is great not only for my business, but for my happiness as well! I’m so excited that our kids will be able to walk to school each day also! We have already started all the architectural planning– and we’ll be doing some really awesome additions and changes. It’s going to be so fun to show you all the transformation on the blog in 2019! I’m going to go in to a bit more detail on what we are doing to the home in my newsletter this friday, so if you haven’t signed up and you’re interested, you can sign up HERE.
Most of all, my cogs have been turning nonstop with all the gorgeous furniture and decor I plan to install, since you all know that is my ultimate FAVE! Here’s to the next year being one of excellent Interior Inspo. And as always, thanks for following along so sweetly on our family’s journey. We are grateful to have you by our sides!
Xoxo The Martinos
Shop The Post…
Photography by Julia Dags.
Congratulations! The Martinos deserve all the best! Many blessings in your new home. ??♥️??
CONGRATS!! How exciting…. I’m dying to see the new house – historical homes are my favorite! Good luck with the move!
Oh Eva, Kyle, Lowie and Major…How exciting! Wishing you many happy years of love, laughter and memories in your new home! Can’t wait to see your new home, your renovations and decor! Congratulations ???? to the Moving Martino’s!
Love to all!
Sue
I love the design and interior of your current home. Such an inspiration! Can’t wait to see what you do with the new place! Love Westport!
That’s wonderful! I am so happy for you and your Family!
How exciting!!!! Congratulations. It’ll be so fun to watch the progress!
Congratulations. Can’t wait to follow your renovation and moving process! I’m also happy you found what you were missing in CA right in CT. New England is the best!
I had a feeling there News was moving but as a fellow CT mom I was really sad. And as I read this post I was like no way they are going to LA ???. So needless to say, I’m really excited you are staying in Connecticut! I love all the local stuff you post about and how your fashion balls and post are for the same weather. I couldn’t get that if you were posting from LA with the beautiful weather and being able to wear sun dresses all year round! I’m also really excited to watch you transform this new place! Best of luck to you and your family! Hopefully you guys have better luck with movers this go around!
Good for you guys! xxoo
Congrats!! So happy for you and your family! I’m also so glad to hear that you will be staying on the east coast and hoping that’s someday I can attend an event of yours in NYC or NJ. You’ve been such an inspiration for many reasons and I love following along on your blog and Instagram. I’ve followed so many of your tips and tried some of your awesome recipes! I look forward to more great content!!
Oh YAY!!! Finally we know and it’s such great news!! I really can’t wait for all the design posts and taking us on your journey to the home of your dreams.
I am not sure if it’s to your taste but I adore this mid century brand – West Elm in case you need some inspo.
Huge congrats and wishing you so much happiness in your new home!!!
So exciting!!! I can’t wait to see all of the interior posts that are coming!!! So happy for you guys ?
Congrats! So happy to see that you are staying on the East Coast. It can be hard after a big move especially as one as dramatic from LA to CT. Glad to see that you guys reconsidered what you needed to make CT feel like home. It takes awhile to figure that out sometimes – kudos to you all for not giving up on the East Coast!
So exciting — I am looking forward to following the renovation! Congrats!
Yayyyy!!! So happy for your little family! You never know what lies around the corner , and life is just to short to not just go for it !!!
Eva, I absolutely love your blog and have enjoyed watching your children grow up. I am so excited for your families move and can’t wait for you to take us along for the ride. Congratulations!!
Congratulations on finding your dream home! I’m 100% with you on needing to be in a walkable neighborhood with restaurants and businesses. I lived in NYC for a decade and what I loved most about it was being able to walk everywhere. When my husband and I bought our first house in CT last year, one of my requirements was a neighborhood with sidewalks that’s walking distance to downtown. I’d much rather have a more modest house that’s walkable than a fancier one in the middle of nowhere! Enjoy making this one your own ?
Congratulations!!!!
Congrats on your new home!! Excited for your sweet family and can’t wait for alllllll the amazing decor and reno posts heading our way 😉
I am excited for your family and look forward to seeing your new home and the changes you will be making. Thanks for taking us on the journey with you.
I was wondering if you were moving ever since the mention of the garage sale! Who has a garage sale this time of year unless you have to?! Haha!
That is very exciting news, I hope it’s all you want it to be!!
Why did you move from LA in the first place??
Congrats!! I’ve lived in CT for most of my life (after coming from LA, actually!) and it’s such a beautiful place – I’m happy you were able to find the right town and a great neighborhood. I’m from a much smaller CT town, but we just bought a house in West Hartford because we wanted the accessibility to town and it was such a good decision 🙂
Can’t wait to follow along!
xo Christa
Congratulations!!!Much happiness to you and your beautiful family on your new journey.
Congratulations!!! How exciting. It’s important to follow your heart and do what suits you and your family. Can’t wait to redecorate with you!!
Wow, I am so excited for you all! I look so forward to following your move and the transformation of your new home! Congratulations to each of you!
OMG I thought you guys were leaving Connecticut behind and heading back to California!!! I’m so glad you found a home you love and you still get to stay local! I grew up in the woods of New Canaan, and it could be pretty isolating at times. Now, I live 5 minutes from Elm Street. Coffee runs, impromptu pizza dinner, and grabbing something from CVS are so, SO easy now.
(Seriously….I was on the verge of tears when I thought you were leaving CT…phew!)
How exciting! A renovated farmhouse is my *dream* – can’t wait to follow along on your restoration! Congratulations!
Wow! I’m so excited for your family and can’t wait to see how you decorate!!!
How exciting!!! Can’t wait to see all the new renovations, updates and styling.
Beyond excited to watch this unfold and see how you and Kyle put your unique touches on this home! Congrats!!!
That is such great news! I actually assumed you lived in Westport. It is an ideal area. I love the library/starbucks/shopping and sherwood island when I want a beach with no playground. Congratulations on your forever home and I look forward to all the architecture and decor content.
My brother lives on the Saugatuck River with his wife and kids (4 boys between 8.5 and 3.5!) and they love it. Just look for the dock with all the market lights! Haha
I went trick-or-treating with them on Halloween this year and it was such a blast. A family had a little gathering first and then everyone went out from there as a group. The kids loved it.
Good luck with the move and maybe you’ll see my nephews around on their bikes and such! 🙂
Congrats on the new digs Martino’s! I’m so excited to see what you do with your new space Eva. You are a style inspiration and it sounds like all of you will be so happy in your new home. Sometimes things just feel right and you have to go with it. Glad you did and glad we will all be along for the journey in 2019 and beyond.
XO
Cat
Wow ! Congratulations! I totally get it . I’m much older then you and my kids are grown , we wanted to downsize and move where at least one of our kids live . We moved to Washington DC and just love it . Tons of people , walking everywhere. There is Life right out my apartment door ! Good Luck !! Look forward to seeing the House renovation!!!
Congrats, that sounds awesome! Can’t wait to follow your renos on the new place!
Congrats! Can’t wait to see the new house
This is so so exciting! Congrats and best wishes to your family! Can hardly wait to follow along with you in this next journey and see all the fun projects with your new home!! 🙂
Oh no! I’m devastated because I absolutely love your house, but very happy for you all. Happy moving!
Congratulations!!!
Was moving back to Sherman Oaks ever considered? I thought the story was leading that way and was so surprised you meant moving to another part of Westport!
Congratulations! I’m excited for the style inspiration. We are buying a 150+ year old house and have lots of renovating to do. It’s exciting and overwhelming!
Congrats! Just had the homemade meatballs tonight and took some to a friend! Can’t wait to see it! So fun! I can live vicariously through you!
Congratulations!! How wonderful for your family! Totally get wanting to be closer to town. I also work from home in a northern Fairfield county town and it can be very isolating. Happy to see you staying in Connecticut! Wishing you all the best and many happy memories in your new home!???
Had a feeling! Congratulations! When do you get to move in? Can’t wait to see all the before and after. Love a good reveal 🙂
So happy for you and even happier that you’re staying in CT!!! Westport has THE BEST little downtown area! Can’t wait to see how you work your magic in the new home!
OMG my husband and I did the exact same thing last year! We moved 20 minutes north of where we grew up, to a neighbourhood that was in the middle of nowhere. We had to travel to get groceries! Once we got pregnant with baby #2 we realized this was NOT our forever home! We needed to be closer to civilization, close to coffee shops and grocery stores, walking paths etc. So we moved in January! Found our dream home in our dream location (our house backs onto a beautiful conservation, and faces a park with walking paths!) Its a fixer upper but we are doing it all room by room.
So excited for your home renovation blog posts next year! I need some inspiration! Congratulations! And it’s nice to know I’m not crazy for moving from what was supposed to be our forever home! 😉 When you know it’s not right, you just know!
Ahh, congratulations!! I’m so happy you guys found your dream home and neighborhood! Very exciting. Can’t wait to see what it looks like and what you do with it!
Congratulations and best wishes on your new adventure! I am so happy for you all. Can’t wait to see your new house and all the renovations! ❤️?
Eva I am so happy for you and your family. When I started to read your news I was hoping you where going to stay on the east coast! So happy you are! I live in South Jersey but I was born in Brooklyn and raised in Staten Island. Can’t wait to see your new home. ❤️
So excited for y’all! Can’t wait to see the house & the progress! Thank you for sharing!!
Congrats on the new home, and cheers to making new memories and adventures!!! I am so excited for you guys!!!
Where will you be living during the construction since you sold your house?
In our current house while the interiors are done, the living in it during exterior construction
This is great news. As a fellow Westporter (and, like Kyle, someone who grew up here) (and, okay, a former player at his high school, though WAY before him and 20 million times not as good), I can for sure that you both (and the kids) have chosen well. It’s a great neighborhood; you’ll enjoy (and add to) the downtown vibe, and besides, we just love having you as neighbors. Welcome!
Congrats! So exciting. Are you planning to carry over any similar color schemes/themes from the old house to the new or will it be a completely different look and feel? Would love to hear where you’re pulling inspiration from and can’t wait to see the reveal!
BUONA FORTUNA!!!!!!!!!!
Enjoy your new home, and lots of love and good wishes to you all.
Being super-rich must be absolutely awesome.
Hey Eva & (family)…
For a bit there, I thought u we’re going to say you all were moving back to California!! ~ But your new area does sound just like a perfect family environment for schools, for your kids, being kinda in the country still, & quicker jaunts to town…Sooo many rooms in your new house! That will be fun to see your creative talents take shape!….the old saying is true ~
Home is where your ? Is!