Can We Talk……………..about decorating styles??!!

 

I have heard so much lately about decorating styles. There are so many different decorating “places” on the internet that one can be part of. ~This defines country; this defines farmhouse; Oh that’s not primitive!! This past week I read a couple comments from people; “What does that have to do with primitive?” “Why are you posting that picture here? That isn’t primitive!” Wow! ….That’s all!  Ok I have taken a deep breath. I have been pondering this thought all week.

There are so many different decorating styles. I for one don’t want to be labeled with any particular one. If someone were to ask me how I decorate my home, my answer would be ~ My inspiration for decorating my home is to step back in time when life was simpler and generations of family gathered to enjoy each other’s company.  The influence of older generations, love of family, and wishing to pass on the joy of homemaking to future generations is my passion.

~This is a pic of my home back in New England. You can see my son is young. He and his cousin would play here all the time. Nothing was off limits. It was a home to live in and enjoy. Not to be a showcase. This coffee table was an old table that we cut the legs down on. It has a drawer on the side that he would keep all of his cars and tech deck dudes in when he wasn’t playing.~(You can see more of my New England home by clicking on the picture)

My home always has a touch of a patriotic theme and is comfy and welcoming to all who enter. I have filled my home with things that
”I” love! Things I have created and made my own.

I don’t want my home to look like any one else's!! Don't get me wrong, there are so may talented people with beautiful homes in this great world of ours. I love to get ideas from them and I love to share my ideas with others. Don’t just copy a magazine picture; make it your own. So many magazines just look alike nowadays. I am getting bored with the same old same old. Find a color you love (can you tell mine is red??!!), and incorporate into your home. I try to use some of the same colors in each room, because I am always  moving things around. Nothing stays the same, just ask my family. I am always moving furniture from one room to another.

This is my first “country cabinet” that I purchased

 

Decorating styles also evolve over the years. When I was first married, I remember loving anything silver coated. A glass coffee table with silver legs, a white shag rug, seagull mobiles….well you get the picture. Along came children and the necessity of changing this up a bit became evident. It just isn’t logical to have a glass coffee table with a child that is beginning to walk. Enough said about that. lol. And so the evolution begins. An old chunky wooden coffee table, wooden cabinets, dark rugs……anything that “looks better” after a toy has been thrown against it. Oh how I love dinged up wood!!! Maybe because each little ding has a memory behind it. And that is how it is for me. Each piece in my home has some memory in it. We are now empty nesters (not sure for how long). As I look at our worn furniture, there are memories.

The worn arms on the sofa and chair, where once sat a full room of children and there friends enthralled in video games or movies together. The collection of bears, given with love for all of those holidays that we celebrated together. You see it takes a while to pull together your own “look”.

We are now in a rental. It is a one floor ranch style with a big window in front, sliding door in the back, no window trim and stucco walls . Very comfortable for us and we are so appreciative to be able to live here. But it is a little different than what we were used to. We had a  large New Englander with 5 bedrooms, a separate kitchen, dining room, den, large family room with high ceilings. So we have tried to make this our own. We have done a few things to make it “familiar” to us.

This is before~

and this is after~

 

We have added some wooden shutters and a little simple valance

This is the kitchen window before we moved in~

And after~

We have added wood trim around a couple windows and also added a faux wall on the back of our hutch to break  up the space a little.

~back side of hutch

~side of hutch

(You can find more pics of my fall home on picture trail by clicking the pic above)

Sometimes your style will become that of necessity and sometimes just because you love something. In my case it is usually a combined effort. We built this table to accommodate all of our family so we could have dinners together.

Create spaces that bring your family together, or give you a place to entertain. You don’t have to make it fancy. A basic casserole shared with family or friends can make lots of memories, simply because you added love and caring for them. Also don’t forget the seasons and holidays. You don’t have to do much to change to a new season. Sometimes just the color of your tablecloth, a vase of flowers, or a serving piece is enough. (I change things for the seasons constantly~ I will pack up a box (or 2) of things from around the house and change it out with seasonal items ~ dried flowers in baskets or crocks make a simple but BIG statement.)

I absolutely love antiques cabinets, but I can’t take the old odor. That being said,  I have worked with my hubby to create some unique one of a kind pieces of furniture that “look old”, but are new and clean smelling(I love the smell of pine!)

 

As you can see my style is constantly changing. Some of these pics are from years ago.

 

Don’t be afraid to add personal touches~

maybe your family name on something by the door~

a verse, or statement you want to share with the world~

 So…..Country? Primitive? Farmhouse? Colonial? Cottage? Shabby Chic? A mixture?!  Who knows what tomorrow will bring??!! One thing is for sure ~ my home will be comfortable, a place to entertain and always have a little bit of patriotic flare to it. Go find your style! Don’t let anyone tell you something doesn’t fit in. It is your home and if you love something, it will fit in. If you need to be inspired there are so many ideas on the web. (Just remember to give credit where credit is due. So many pics are floating around and you don’t know who the original designer is.) Happy decorating!!

 

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2

Blessings~Sara

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You can visit my etsy shop by clicking the pic below~

 

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Have you  entered my latest giveaway?? Click the pic below to bring you there~ Ends August 23rd at midnight

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ps~ I still have more vacation pics to share with you.Maybe next time. If you would like to see pics of our New England trip click on the pic below.

linking up  this week~

with Elaine

http://sunnysimplelife.blogspot.com/2012/07/sunny-simple-sunday_21.html

Feathered NestFriday ~http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/2012/07/feathered-nest-friday_19.htmland also with~