ABOUT US

Home is Your Place in Space - Together!

The Story of how HomeAndTell.com started...

HomeAndTell began when a young couple wanted to share their excitement about searching for their first home. This resulted in the creation of what would eventually become a virtual neighborhood of friendly people, expert information, and a lot of heart. Our founders sat down for a casual interview to share their story. So come in to their home, have a cup of tea and get to know the founders of HomeAndTell...

Once upon a time, there were a couple of home hunters looking for their first house in the San Francisco Bay Area. In the spring of 2006, Jay and Christine Nath were ready to take the plunge. Only weeks before, they had walked around their neighborhood and were inspired by the beautiful homes and the warm, family feel of their small town in the East Bay. For the very first time, they truly felt like they were home. Jay and Christine have moved around a lot together, having lived in several places in the New York area, as well as traveling throughout South Asia for over a year. They were used to viewing "home" as a temporary space. The feeling of belonging and the desire to stay in one place was so new and exciting to them, that they wanted to share it with everyone. But, there was no easy way to do this.

Also, Christine and Jay recall spending time day dreaming about how their new home would be decorated. They spent countless hours looking through home and garden magazines for ideas, only to walk away feeling like they could not relate, nor could they ask questions if they had any. "We don't know any homes that look like that. And the one thing in there that we're interested in, they don't usually talk about." Christine and Jay wanted to look for ideas, but ones that were genuine. "Most homes that we have seen are all filled with great decorating ideas and a lot of love. We believe that style and inspiration can come from everyday people, not just those found in traditional magazines."

Observing these situations and relating it to their own lives led the Jay and Christine to the concept of HomeAndTell.com. They wanted to build a place where everyone can share what they love about their homes, be it a renovation, a DIY project, or even experience of buying your first home.

What home means to us...

While any building may be a shelter, it takes heart to turn that building into a home. "The meaning of the word 'home' really evolved from my childhood," says Jay. "I have strong memories of my mother having a beautiful garden. I would explore nature in this simply beautiful and colorful back yard. It really shaped my sense of what a home is. I always planned to have a garden. Sure, you don't hear a lot of men talk about things like this, but it's a reflection of who I am. A garden, a sense of the right place, a sense of peace...home is not just what you put into it, but the life that goes on in it."

"For me," Chris reflects," this is the first time I've stayed in one place for more than a year. I grew up in San Francisco and since Jay and I have been together we moved to a lot of different places and different styles of home, from lofts to Edwardians, from Brownstones to a Craftsman style home. It's really interesting to see our two backgrounds blend into a single home. Home is a space we share together where ever we may be. The place we're in now really called to us and connected to us immediately. We've looked for a home for a long time and here it is, between urban and suburban."

The idea of a home reflecting who you are at any point in your life is even true in the decorating style of the Naths. Years ago they lived in a loft that was very modern and sparse. They often joke now that the style was never really comfortable. "I felt like we were in a museum!" Jay jokes. Now the Naths have settled into a comfortable home and find themselves choosing natural fibers and kid-friendly furniture (with rounded corners and natural organic cottons) in anticipation of a future family. You could say that now their home AND their furniture is reflecting a new more relaxed time of their lives. Chris says "When I think about it, we were always moving because we were always looking for our real home. This is really where the concept of HomeAndTell came from! "

A live moment when for fun we asked Jay and Christine Nath to describe their kitchen...

Christine: Our kitchen? Jay, you go first...
Jay: It's very functional. Right now I don't like the countertop that has tiles on it. I was warned that a tiled countertop isn't ideal because of the clean up. But our kitchen has a great view and I see trees and birds chirping and some neighborhood kids playing outside.
Christine: Tell them how kitchen clean crazy you are!
Jay: Well, that's true. Everything has to be perfect. We try to live as natural a life as possible. Believe it or not, we don't have a microwave!
Christine: We also have two cats, Satya and Nelli. I just love our kitchen. In fact it's my second favorite room on a Sunday morning. In the morning the sun shines in and the cats wander around my legs, and it's just so cozy. The mornings are such a beautiful quiet time to read and drink my morning tea. I can hear the birds chirping and it's just really really nice.

Planting the seeds of home...

As we noted, Jay grew up with a beautiful family garden full of colors and textures and scented flowers. A little while ago Christine bought seeds for Jay to plant his own garden. Something inside stopped him from beginning his own garden. "I never went forward with it," says Jay. "I wasn't sure of what I was doing. Maybe there was a sense of fear or not being ready yet. I just didn't have the confidence. Now that we really feel like we're at home, I think I'm ready to finally plant my garden."

From their home to yours.  Designing HomeAndTell...

Like its founders, HomeAndTell is natural and relaxed. Christine and Jay chose the orange and natural green colors to combine some visual pizzazz with the colors of nature. The overall tones convey a natural connection and feeling that everyone is welcome. "We want everyone to feel inspired to connect with each other and to also share their knowledge and share what they've learned. Since this is our initial vision design, we'd love to hear directly from people about their own feelings for the site. Technology helps us create this site, but it's the community that gives it a pulse. We want HomeAndTell to serve a real purpose."

The future growth of the HomeAndTell neighborhood...

Where will HomeAndTell be in five years? Jay Nath says "We see HomeAndTell as a vibrant community and true resource for home enthusiasts. Someplace people will know as a comfortable and friendly environment where they can meet good friends and share their ideas in a warm and informative environment. We want it to be their home - online!"

Welcome to HomeAndTell! We hope that learning a little about our founders shines a light on what is sure to be the beginning of a beautiful new neighborhood circle of friends.

Want to contact the Naths? Email info [AT] HomeAndTell [DOT] com! We'd love to hear from you.

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