How I Want My Home to Feel

Designers often tell folks setting out to decorate their homes to start by determining how they want their space to “feel.” This is easier said than done, of course. How do you sort through the hundreds of images in magazines and online to separate what’s right for your home from what’s beautiful but not for you? Since the early days of Pinterest I’ve had a special board kept separate from all the rest, titled “rooms that inspire.” While most of my boards have dozens (if not hundreds) of pins, this one currently has only ten. It’s reserved for only those images that speak to me in a way that others don’t-those that evoke a feeling I’d like to recreate in my own home. And collecting these images slowly over time has helped me refine and put into words the look I’m going for around here. It’s often hard to track down original sources, which is why I’ve inserted the pins here rather than the images themselves. The downfall of Pinterest is that it makes it too easy for images to get lost in the abyss.

Cozy.

Classic.

Collected.

I like layered neutrals on walls and furniture and colorful accessories that are easy to change. I like a room that feels as if it’s been collected over time, rather than pulled together all at once. I like furniture that’s comfortable and is as easy to sink into for movie night as it is to perch with a glass of wine and good conversation. I like lots of natural light and natural materials-I’m gradually phasing out “faux” anything as I find it just doesn’t stand the test of time. I like photos on the walls, blankets on the sofa, and plenty of places to put your feet up. I like a living room that looks a little different from every other home on the block and says something about the people who live there. I like old houses and old furniture and generally anything that is worth fixing up and making work from one generation to the next. My dream is to have an old house full of furniture and finishes that only get better with age-metal that looks better with a little tarnish, leather that gets softer with wear, furniture that’s worth reupholstering, wood floors that can be refinished, and honed marble counters that tell a story of the meals prepared there (you call it stained, I call it patina). Someday we’ll be able to afford that kind of timeless quality, but for now I’m making do with thrift store, DIY, and inherited pieces (my fave!). If my home had a personality, I would want it to be a very calm but slightly quirky grandmother, and I can achieve that feel on any budget.

I hope you each had a wonderful weekend, and that you’re feeling warm and fuzzy on this chilly Monday!