ABCs of Decorating | I
You know, over the years there have come times when I've been asked to describe my style.... and I can't.
I generally say "French Country," but that's not entirely accurate. I also have some elements of "Farmhouse" style and a touch of "Shabby Chic." But there are some really amazing "Boho" accents as well as just a pinch of "Industrial." So, here's the thing: My style is just that: MINE. And I love it. And my family loves it. It feels good and it makes us happy. And that is all that matters.
To see the rest of the posts in this series, click here.
To see the rest of the posts in this series, click here.
ABCs of Decorating | H
Decorating for holidays may seem like a silly extravagance. But what it actually does is make your family and visitors feel like you went above and beyond to make them feel special. How does it make you feel when you wash your hands at a friend's home and the guest towel you reach for is a beautiful reminder of the current season God has blessed us with?
Think beyond Christmas.
For Valentine's Day:
Put together an easy sweater wreath with your kids.
Add a simple banner to a mirror or large picture in your child's room.
These delicate hearts couldn't be easier to craft.
You can even add super subtle decor for St. Patrick's Day. {See what I did there? Four leaf clover wreath, green hydrangeas.}
Celebrate Easter with inconspicuous figurines sprinkled in your everyday decor.
Use forced bulbs to add the fresh feeling of spring in a windowsill.
For Easter: Make a centerpiece using a nature inspired nest with faux eggs.
Display tea towels and fabric napkins with simple Easter embroidery.
You can even pick up very inexpensive dinnerware and serving pieces at big box discount stores. {I love these from Target!}
And of course, for fall, I have tons of ideas and past posts.
Use neutrals to lend a sophisticated touch to the usual Halloween decor.
Take a cue from nature and add elements that are appear all over at this time of year.
ABCs of Decorating | G
No one lives in a state of stillness. No one. Our lives are forever changing. Up and down, left and right. We never know what is laying in wait around the corner of tomorrow. And in that spirit, our home needs to be filled with grace.
We need to extend that grace to our husbands, our children and even ourselves. Yes. You and I need grace too. Sometimes I need an extra large, heaping dose of it. Thankfully, grace is unlimited.
When I began this series, I aimed to post each new letter on a Wednesday. I've been pretty true to that schedule. All along, I knew G would be for grace. As life does, mine got busy with keeping up with my booth and homeschooling. My blog suffered. I took several months off. When I decided to only do consignment beginning this month, I was happy to return to my blog and this series. As grace would have it, G fell on Ash Wednesday. How appropriate! I was excited to publish this grace filled post on a day that we remember we are nothing without our Father; that we have hope because of the grace He has given us. Well, as God often does, He reminded me how much I need grace. I became sick yesterday and spent much of the day in bed. Nothing got done. I crocheted and that is about it.
This morning as I was sitting at our kitchen table working on spelling with my middle, I looked around at the chaos of our home. It reminded me life happens here in our haven. Everyday.
Life ebbs and flows. Right now, it seems
As I write this, I overhear my two youngest laughing and playing. That is what matters. I don't want to hurt them or belittle them in pursuit of perfection. Their hearts are the ultimate goal in this life of mine.
As a wife and mother, I want this home to be a HAVEN. A haven is a defined as a place of safety or a refuge. This is a place of safety; a place to hide; a place to built up and loved. Yes, cleanliness is often much more comfortable than a messy home. But truly, truly there are times in life where it just isn't possible without paying a price.
The ABCs of Decorating | F
F is for Fresh flowers.
I know you think they are an indulgence. {and they kind of are} But so is that latte you get at LEAST once a week.
For the same $5 you spend on one latte, you could get yourself and your family something beautiful that will last at least one week; usually two; and sometimes even longer.
Fresh flowers, no matter how little you spend on them, give the feel that you went that extra mile. They give the impression of something extra special.
Skip the latte once this week and add some beauty to your home.
The ABCs of Decorating | E
E, oh E, what could E be??? Quite honestly, I didn't have to think about E too long because it is something I do often.... And you should too.
Editing is an important part of your home decor process because our tastes and styles are always evolving.
Think back to when you first decorated your own space. It could have been your first apartment, a dorm room in college, or the first home you and your spouse put together. Is your style the same? Do you still draw joy from things you did at that time in your life? Most likely, the answer is no. Sure, when it comes to the foundation and core of who you are, you may be similar. But the little things change. You may have added family members, a new career, discovered new passions, or cultivated new interests. While some things remain, many things have changed. As a result, your surroundings, the things that bring you comfort, should change as well.
I remember being at a friend's home in college and seeing a picture of her as a baby in the same home..... with all of the decor EXACTLY the same. Her parents had a gorgeous home, but the accessories were very dated. You know what? You could feel it. The home didn't wrap you up like a welcoming hug. It was merely a place that time raced circles around. Don't let this happen to your home.
- Glance around the room and anything you spot that you do not love, get rid of it.
- Rearrange vignettes to make them more appealing to you.
- Occasionally rearrange furniture to improve the flow of the room.
- Change out throw pillow covers.
- Change out the accent color of a room.
All of these things are easy and inexpensive.
Lastly, I'm going to share pictures of our living room over the last several years to give you a sense of the editing I do in my own home. I hope this helps spur you into editing your own space!
1. Troy, Illinois
This was the second home we had this furniture in. Unfortunately, our first home was prior to digital cameras. :) We obviously loved red at this point. The accent colors for our living spaces were red, sage green and a very neutral tan color.
2. Grand Forks, North Dakota
As you can see, we still have the same major pieces: Leather sofa, chair and ottoman; black armoire and side tables. When we moved to GF, we kept sage green as an accent color and added robin's egg blue. We changed the curtains and pillows as well as a few accents. We kept a touch of red for a while, but slowly transitioned it out. It was our second year in North Dakota I bought our zebra accent pillows and rug. It was a needed change away from my comfort zone.
3. Newport, Rhode Island
This was a bit of a different situation for us as we were only there ten months. The house we rented was a colonial reproduction and window treatments felt wrong, so we left it as it was. I don't really have any good photos of our living room either, but it stayed the same.
4. Simmozheim, Baden-Wurttemberg
We still have the same main pieces. The accent color is still a robin's egg blue, but it appears the sage green and red have been completely edited out. Creams and tans are starting to make more of an appearance at this point.
5. Patch Barracks, Germany
When we first moved on base in Germany, we kept the robin's egg blue curtains and pillows. One day, I'd had it with the blues. I made a trip to IKEA and bought flax curtains, white lace sheers and all white pillow covers. Sadly, I cannot find a picture of the change, but it's basically what our living area looks like now.
6. Current living area
This makes me sigh with relief. Whites, neutrals.... they make me calm. I kind of feel like I've found my niche and I don't expect to change again anytime soon. (though I am constantly editing the accents!) Who knows? That is the entire point of editing after all!!
The ABCs of Decorating | D
Details, details, details. They are often overlooked, underwhelming, or forgotten altogether. But they are important.
Just as it is true in fashion, accessories and details are very important when it comes to home decor.
It's those little things you pay special attention to that give your space the "wow" factor. The absence of details would probably go unnoticed by most. But when you do focus on the details in your home, the feeling is unmistakable.
Details are what draw you into a space. Details are what wrap you up in comfort. Details make you feel important, welcome, and wanted.
Details are lacy sheers floating in a cool breeze.
Details are touches of nature where you'd least expect it.
Details are hydrangeas spilling out of an oversized sugar mold.
Details are small touches of beauty you pass in the hallway.
Details are extras that show you took the extra time and forethought to make your space inviting. They are not expensive, elaborate or fancy by any means. Details are subtle. And if done right, will make all who enters your home feel cozy and loved.
Happy to be sharing this week with:
The ABCs of Decorating | C
I know, I know. You came here looking for some kind of awesome secret on home decor and cleaning was the last thing you wanted to do. I'm sorry, but today is just good ol' sage wisdom. You will never, ever, EVER love your house when it is a mess. That may be harsh, but it's the truth. We all have goals we want to meet where home decor is concerned. The very first step is starting with a clean slate..... which is equal to a clean home.
I'm not going to elaborate on the need for organization and cleanliness. I did a short series on decluttering here. I also wrote a post with some simple tips for clutter control. I realize C is not for "clutter-free," but let's face facts: it's much easier to keep a clean house with less clutter!
Here are a few basic things our family does to keep my home clean on a regular basis. It's not perfect by any means, but it's mostly picked up and presentable on any given day. I think the things on this list are quick and easy enough for any family member to do, even the three year old.
1. Run the dishwasher nightly & unload in the morning. That way, you are never short dishes during the day and you have an empty dishwasher awaiting the items you've used throughout the day. My children are usually responsible for the unloading in the morning.
2. Do at least one load of laundry a day. See it through to the folding and putting away. I confess I have not kept up with this the last few weeks and I really do feel the weight of it.
3. Put things away immediately after using them. This is something that does not come natural to me (or my children!), but it makes the world of a difference. If you think about it, a really messy room is just a whole lot of little things that did not get put away after being used.
4. Clean the kitchen as you cook. There are always spare minutes while cooking. Use that short amount of time to wash a pot, put measuring spoons in the dishwasher, etc. That way, when dinner is done, you only have to rinse plates and pack up leftovers.
5. Don't step over it, pick it up! I really need to work on training my children to do this because they are master dodgers. We are all guilty of saying, "I'll get it later." Instead of later, do it now. Again, the little things are what adds up to a giant mess.
Hopefully these little tips help you to maintain a mostly clean home most of the time. If you have any you would like to add, please do so in the comments or on my facebook page. I'd love to hear them!
The ABCs of Decorating | B
The basics are going to be different for every person. For me, it's pretty simple. I guess that's why they are called basic. When you find yourself wanting to change up your home decor or just add any at all, this is where I would start hands down. You don't have to spend a lot of money at all when it comes to the basics. In fact, several of my basic items were purchased at big box discount stores. So, let's get to it, shall we?
1. Window Treatments | These are a must when it comes to home decor. I feel like a room without some sort of dressing on the window just feels naked. Notice I did not specifically say "curtains." Every home is different, every room has it's own vibe. Follow that feeling and add a covering to your window that accentuates the overall ambiance of a room. Of course there are many window coverings to choose from, but that is another post entirely.
2. Mood Lighting | This is so, SO important. If you were to come to my home right this instant, you'd see I have THREE (3!!!) lamps in our family room alone. We have at least one lamp in every room of our home, even in a bathroom. There are a few times when overhead lighting is important; when you are sewing, cooking, or performing surgery, perhaps. Other than those times when bright, clear light is needed, lamps provide plenty of necessary lighting. You can use several to provide a variety of options for a specific room. Lamps are an accessory in themselves, but when turned on, they provide a whole new level of warmth and coziness. Trust me on this one and try it. You will truly be amazed at the difference lamps make.
3. Rugs | This last basic is going to vary widely depending on the type of flooring you have. Of course if you have wood or tile floors, you will want a large area rug to provide comfort above all else. Rugs anchor a space. They visually hold all of your room together by giving your eye somewhere to settle. They are also wonderful in unexpected places, such as under the table in your kitchen. Not only does it provide a softness to an otherwise sterile place, it is excellent for sound absorption.
So, there are my basics when it comes to home decor. You can find most of these things fairly inexpensively and very easily. What are the basics of your home decor?
The ABCs of Decorating | A
By definition, something that is alluring is very attractive, enticing, fascinating, and charming. My personal explanation of what alluring is, "it draws you in; you feel pulled towards it."
How on earth does this relate to decorating?
Something I repeatedly ask my clients when choosing decor is "Do you love it?" My question is never "Where will you put it?" or "Does this go with your color scheme?" If you find yourself drawn to an item, get it! More times than not, it will fit seamlessly into your home.
Below are some photos of items in my home that were purchased solely because I felt drawn to them.
Since buying these zebra pillows six years ago, I have changed our living room colors from robin's egg blue to cream and flax. When I saw them at Target initially, I fell in love with them, but said to my very dear friend, "they don't go." She reminded me matchy-matchy is boring. She also brought up the most important thing to me, they reminded me of my dad. He passed away in 2005 from melanoma. Zebra print was the official "color" for the melanoma awareness ribbon.
Something else that reminds me of my dad, way more than the pillows, is this quote from Abraham Lincoln. He said, "Live a good life and in the end, it's not the years in a life, it's the life in the years." My dad was a shining example of that. He lived a good life. He always chose joy.
These silly, beautiful black and cream etched bowls from Anthropologie are my latest purchase of something I love. I was instantly drawn to it while visiting Birmingham several weeks ago. I had no idea what I'd do with one bowl, but I bought it. I LOVED it. I realized how well they go with our white dishes after I got home. So glad I picked up that one, but seriously wish I'd discovered them before they hit the clearance section!
While living in Europe, we had the opportunity to buy some really cool items. I was constantly drawn to the vintage crates, but kept coming back to that naughty question in my head, "What will I do with them?" My sweet husband bought this one for me and it is perfect on top of our bedroom armoire. This crate is from a Belgian mustard company. I love seeing it everyday as it reminds me of our amazing time living abroad.
This lovely sugar bowl is something I was initially drawn to because of the lines. I love the intricate curves of the handles and the delicate blue-grey flowers on it. When I picked it up and looked at the bottom, I saw it was made in the 1800s in Bavaria. Well, that did it for me. I purchased this sugar bowl and it's matching creamer. I had intentions of reselling the sugar bowl and keeping on the creamer. (I have a thing for pitchers and creamers.) I placed the sugar bowl on our mantel just as a holding place. The longer it sat there, the more I fell in love with it.
It now sits opposite an old ironstone creamer I found at a local shop and I love how it all looks together. I'm even keeping an eye out for another sugar bowl or two.
Your home should be a carefully curated collection of items that bring you peace and joy. That is the entire purpose of home decor after all. Decorating a home is personal. Each item is something special to you. It could be the colors of a painting speak to you. Perhaps you find yourself drawn to the shape and lines of a particular chair. Maybe there is an antique pitcher that reminds you of Saturday mornings in your grandmother's kitchen. Whatever the reason, if you love something, it belongs in your home. Choose heart over head in the case of home decor.