Thursday, February 21, 2013

What Makes A House a Home?

Yes, your home is your castle, but it is also your identity and your possibility to be open to others. David Soul

David Soul is the guy who played Hutch in the TV series "Starsky and Hutch" and sang the one-hit wonder "Don't Give Up on Us." But, the man has a point.

If we look at our homes as a canvas upon which to paint our personalities, it should be clear to anyone who visits who we are.

If you walked into the room on the left, what would it tell you about the inhabitants:

1.  They probably don't have children or animals, given the use of white upholstered furniture.
2.  They really hate clutter, to the point that they own nothing.

Now, look at the room on the right and tell me what you learn from it about the people who live there:



1.  She collects vintage pieces, such as the bull's eye mirror, Chinese urns, candlesticks and old books. If you ask, she'll tell you that many pieces were picked up at garage sales and flea markets.

2.  She loves decorative plates (especially vintage souvenir plates from across the US) and displays them proudly.

3.  The wooden box, used now for firewood but originally meant to hold Champagne, came out of her mother's garage. No one has any idea how it got there, but that's part of its charm.

4.  She likes warm colors, textured fabrics and intimate nooks for reading, hanging out and relaxing.

5. They have children, as you can tell from the handmade Valentine's hearts perched on the mantel.

6.  The pictures of her mother and her when she was a baby, and her husband with his mother as a toddler, are treasured family photos.

Remember, we only invite people into our home who we want to be there. That makes it sacred ground.

Take the time to look around and ask yourself what your home is revealing about you. Is your home telling the story you want to tell? Are you being open to others and truly celebrating you in your space?

If not, it's not a hard thing to do. Collect what you love and display it proudly. In the iconic words of designer William Morris, "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." All you have to do is choose to live with what you believe to be beautiful. How you express that is entirely up to you.

Happy nesting,

Debbie

123RF Stock Photos and Emmi Interiors, LLC

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