Whether it's history, music, fashion, architecture, furniture or countless other subjects - what was once en vogue may indeed come back again.

This week's "Home of the Week" is a perfect example.

Though John and Dawn Strumsky of Millersville have made some changes here and there to their home, the furnishings they began with more than three decades ago remain the same. The result is not the least bit dated, but downright hip.

"Someone from church came and said, 'This is so retro,' and it is," Ms. Strumsky said. "This was our starter house - what has it been, 35 years? - so the furniture is all original."

That's what's called a remarkable testament to not revisiting the past, but keeping and maintaining it in beautiful condition. This, while still making some structural updates to the home.

"Every year we've done at least one major project to the house," Ms. Strumsky explained. "Twice we've gutted it. The kitchen's been redone three times."

As for the neighborhood, the couple is as happy with it today as the day they moved in.

"It's a nice, stable community. It's a blend of every race, creed and nationality, and everyone gets along really well," Mr. Strumsky said. "It's been extremely stable. That's been the beauty of this place - so many places change and come and go, and this has remained stable. The way it looks today is much the way it looked 35 years ago."

"And it's a family-oriented community," Ms. Strumsky added.

The house itself is a three-bedroom, 2,600-square-foot, ranch-style home in the community of the Village of Olde Mill.

The driveway and pathway have been done in red brick pavers, matching the red brick on the facade of the house. Upon entering, the living room is a good indicator to the Strumskys' preference for earth tones.

A large, beige sectional provides ample and comfortable seating, while the matching wall color gives a cohesive and clean vibe. On the wall, a piece of art in alternating silver and gold tones provides another recurring theme.

"Since the '80s, I've always got gold and silver mixed," Ms. Strumsky explained. "You'll see, every room has gold and silver."

Another secret is then revealed, and this is a great one for those who don't know about it.

"Most of the things on the walls and knickknacks are from the American Craft Council (show)," said Mr. Strumsky, referring to the event held annually at the Baltimore Convention Center.

"Every year it's like a pilgrimage for her - she saves her nickels and dimes for it," he said, looking over at his wife.

Just beyond the living room, a half wall provides separation for steps leading to the basement. Three squares, about 12 inches by 12 inches, have been cut out at equal spacing within the wall itself. Within the squares, three smaller, steel squares are suspended by rods, creating almost a floating effect within the drywall.

"Most of the things we've done in here, she's had a pretty good idea what she wants to do," Mr. Strumsky said of his wife.

Better than pretty good, actually. It looks great and very much in keeping with the rest of the home.

In the dining room, there's more evidence of timeless beauty in the form of furniture. The dining table and chairs in dark walnut with tapered legs and a matching credenza have an art deco feel and work well with a chandelier, mirror and a few accoutrements of the same mode.

The kitchen - well, no deco or retro, just clean and contemporary and a great space to cook or relax with a cup of coffee while looking out over the sunroom and backyard. With a backsplash in terra cotta and black tiles, granite counters, stainless steel appliances, ceiling-height maple cabinetry and an earth-tone tile floor, it truly is a beautiful spot.

A breakfast bar at the edge of the room allows the couple to take in the view of their backyard - a tranquil oasis of ponds, plants and wildlife habitat.

"The gentlemen that did the kitchen said, 'You know, you have such a pretty pond, why don't we do a spot you can sit and eat and look out?' " Ms. Strumsky said.

"If we have guests we eat in the dining room. If it's just Dawn and I, we sit here so we can watch the turtle sit on the landing," Mr. Strumsky added, referring to a little pond friend.

A step below this room and at the rear of the home, the addition of a sunroom gives the couple another great perch for taking in the view - or kicking back and doing nothing at all.

"The house is supposed to be very tranquil," Ms. Strumsky said.

She pointed to a framed message on a table, which reads, "The real measure of a home is how it restores you at the end of the day."

"I look at it and I think that's what it's all about, how it restores you," Ms. Strumsky said. "It's not how big it is or how much you have, but how it restores you, and I think that's why we don't have many 'things.' "

The backyard is a nice spot for Twinkie, the couple's poodle, but it's also a true labor of love.

"It was the first good exercise I had since the Marine Corps," Mr. Strumsky said with a laugh as he remembered digging and digging and digging some more. "It took me three months to dig out the original hole."

Don't let the exercise comment fool you, though, for Mr. Strumsky, who's retired from a career in banking, is quite the running aficionado.

"I haven't missed a day of running for 25 years," he said.

"What fortitude and perseverance," Ms. Strumsky remarked. "He gets up in the wintertime, in the dark of morning. He's run when he's sick."

If you think that's admirable, there's more.

He's run in all 50 states and some foreign countries, too.

But there's more.

"I ran 644 races before I quit racing," he said. "I did it for 22 straight years."

Still more.

He crossed the Arctic Circle in a race.

"That was a race I ran up by the North Pole," Mr. Strumsky said. "It took me 9 hours, 42 minutes and 20 seconds - it was a 52-mile race." He also ran the Olympic torch for the 1984 games.

"I was the guy that ran the torch from Baltimore County into Baltimore City," he said.

In his office and in the basement, Mr. Strumsky has quite a few reminders of his passion for running - there's the torch as well as trophies and plaques galore.

The master bedroom, an office and another bedroom, now a sitting room, complete the main level.

In the basement, there's a large TV room and a separate room with a bar - and it's still earth tones, but darker ones.

"Upstairs it's light and airy, down here it's autumny," Ms. Strumsky said.

Not only is this couple completely in love and content with their home, as well they should be, it's clear they're still in love and content with one another, too - most of the time.

"We've been here for 35 years, we've been married for 36 years, we've been together for 38 years," Mr. Strumsky said. "She's my best friend. I love her dearly."

Then, without missing a beat and in true husband style, he added, "Sometimes I want to send her to Siberia."

Donna L. Cole is a freelance writer living in the Annapolis area. If you'd like your home considered for the "Home of the Week," e-mail her at writerdle@aol.com.