Decorating a Home that Tells Your Story
I always get drawn into the home decor department of every store I visit. I end up walking through the aisles, daydreaming about every knickknack, every pillow case, every bookshelf. With each item I can picture a whole new room setup and theme. Then my daydreaming turns to lust and I have to pull myself away and back to a more practical department.....like, the diaper aisle.
Why is it that home decor is so very expensive?! But I am finding that it doesn't have to be. Our houses don't have to look like a picture from Better Homes and Gardens. Our houses can tell our stories. Though it's tempting at times, our homes don't need to be perfectly designed hotel rooms. A home just needs to be a place where you feel safe, comfortable, and secure. Your nest.
Here are a few tips I've found that help you build a nest that tells your story:
1. Your home is for you!
We should do everything we can to make our home a place that is comfortable and welcoming to our guests, but ultimately the person that spends the most time in your home is..... You! Don't spend the majority of your time debating what others will find attractive, instead think about what you love, what will help you relax and enjoy the time you spend there.
2. Let your decor make your job easier, not harder.
Think about pieces of furniture that will make your job easier for the stage of life you're in. If you are a mom of little ones, like me, think of ways you can be nicer to yourself with your furniture choices. I was tired of having to move our sofa every few months and discovering a massive collection of lost items that were stuffed underneath. So we made sure that our newest sofa was at least 5 inches off the ground, so we could clean under it easily. It has been wonderful! Likewise with color choices, choose a theme that won't make you have a panic attack every time a jelly covered hand climbs onto the sofa. White? No...Dark Brown? Perfect....
3. Bring Mother Nature inside.
Nothing livens up a room quicker than a pretty, little houseplant. By bringing a plant into your home decor theme, you not only bring in fresh oxygen, you add a splash of color and bring in the peace and tranquility that comes along with nature.
4. Display your candid family moments.
Posed family portraits made in a studio don't give very much insight into your family. They let you see faces, but not the stories behind them. How about displaying candid family snapshots instead? A photo of your son sliding into home plate or your grandmother shelling peas on her front porch make welcomed wall decorations.
5. Celebrate family history!
No one knows your story like you do. Share it! Celebrate it! Remember it! We are country folk at heart, who have been transplanted to the urban sprawl of NYC. Life here is hard, hectic, stone cold, and draining at times. This is why we have decorated our home with what we know. Little pieces of our home state that make us feel like we're right there in spirit. A black and white photo of the downtown Krispy Kreme where we spent many late nights in college. A canvas photo of an abandoned mill in our hometown, something you may drive by everyday and not notice, but miss when you move away. A full sized Don't Tread on Me flag in our bedroom. (Definitely my husband's way of "sticking it to the man" while living in the biggest Nanny State in the union.
Some may feel our decor is a bit "random". But your home is about you. What gives you peace?
What makes you feel at home?
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