Home Spotlight

We asked Karyn Scoville, a Mortgage Banker from our Howard County branch, to fill us in on what makes her house home. Karyn resides in Maple Lawn with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs. Karyn and her husband, Dan, purchased their home three years ago and have taken their time incorporating personal decor in their home. We asked Karyn to give us a few more details...

Q: How did you make this house your own?

A: We have taken our time to decorate, allowing us to be sure of all of our choices. We have something personal in almost every room. For example, almost all of our artwork and framed prints/pictures have some sort of personal meaning.

My father in law was a pilot, so in memory of him, we’ve tried to incorporate airplanes in the house, We have planes hanging in our hallway stairs, and a series of canvas prints of an airplane above my office desk.

My mother in law was very into nature, so we chose two prints of birds to be the main focus in our living room.

These caricatures hang outside of our girls’ bedrooms. We went to Disney last year and had these done. Both Dan and I remember having them done at the same Disney hotel when we were kids, so when we saw them, we knew we had to get them done and find a place for them.

Next on the list will be finding a place for canvas prints of our dogs. I’m waiting for those to be completed, and then we should be almost finished our main floor.  

Q: What's your favorite room in your home?

A: The family room is one of my favorite rooms because that’s where we spend the most time. My kids love our Friday night movie nights in there!

I love the dark wall with our blue dog artwork – a dear friend of mine designed it for us in 5 minutes! It took a while for it to come to fruition, but we can’t imagine the room any other way. We love that she encouraged us to paint the wall dark – the rest of the room is neutral, so it really pops out. 

My husband and I both have always loved George Rodrigue’s work. He’s from Louisiana and is best known for his “blue dog” paintings. This past fall I was fortunate to join Dan on a business trip to New Orleans, and we were able visit the gallery. While we were at one of the business dinners on that trip, we watched an artist paint the bourbon street print. I’d never seen anyone paint before from start to finish – what an experience that was.

Q: What advice would you give to a first-time homebuyer?

A: We’ve been in the house 3 years, so we really took our time doing everything, and at times I wished it was all done. But, in the end, I’m so glad we didn’t rush into anything. So, don't rush into buying anything: take your time and get used to your space before making purchases.