The Haveman Family - E4 Marine

With both of their families back in Michigan, Chris, an E4 Marine, and his wife Carmen started their life together with no support system and an empty base house. The isolation was heavy, and with little money for furniture, their dream of a warm modern farmhouse home felt far away. They longed for a space to host friends, welcome their parents, and simply feel at peace together. What was once bare and overwhelming is now a true home filled with comfort, dignity, and hope for their future. 

Chris, an E4 Marine, and his wife Carmen first met in high school nearly seven years ago. Their relationship endured long distance, deployments, and life on opposite sides of the country before they were finally able to marry and begin building a life together. After moving off base to save money, they quickly realized how isolating it was to be far from the Marine community, without the support of neighbors who understood the military lifestyle. With both of their families back in Michigan, they had no local support system to lean on.

When they were offered a three-bedroom home in Camp Pendleton Housing, it felt like a fresh start. They had always loved and could only dream of creating a home in the modern farmhouse style, but the cost of furnishing everything from scratch made that vision feel out of reach. That is where Make It Your Home stepped in. We furnished their home with an entertainer’s living room perfect for hosting friends, a dining room where they could share meals and build community, a beautiful and relaxing master bedroom designed to be a retreat for them both, and a comfortable guest bedroom for when their parents visit from Michigan.

For the Carters, the transformation was about more than furniture. Their house became a true home, styled in the way they had always dreamed of, and filled with the warmth and comfort that makes daily life more joyful. It gave them not only a place to live but also a place to connect with others and to welcome loved ones, while beginning to dream about the family they hope to grow together.