Category: Home

Process

Base layer of white and neutral things

Final autumn decor

I have posted a lot of pictures of this wall over the years. You may wonder why I do this. Well, this is my canvas, and one of my favorite outlets for creativity. The changes in decor may look simple and be uninteresting to some, but I’m going to take some time to explain the process of decorating shelves. While design is creative and subjective, good design is also based on concrete ratios, symmetry, and harmony.

Here are some of the design principles and tips that I use when I populate these shelves:

  • Display things that I love and nothing else.
  • Build a base layer using objects in whites or neutrals, and aim for some open space on each shelf.
  • Choose a color palette to match the season and repeat it in different ways throughout. In this display, my color palette comes from the fruit plates.
  • Allow layering and depth in the design, and avoid always placing things strictly in a row.
  • Treat each shelf as its own vignette, using objects harmonious in shape, material, or color to those found on other shelves.
  • Aim for odd numbers of objects on each shelf.
  • Distribute visual weight evenly. Visually heavy things are bulky in size or saturated in color, and they need to be separated and balanced in the display.
  • Incorporate different shapes throughout.
  • Find a way to group small knickknacks together to create a cohesive unit rather than a random smattering of objects. In this display, I placed small cross stitch pieces inside the white house-shaped shadow boxes to unify them.
  • Use pieces of various heights.
  • Sometimes it’s nice to group objects that are similar on one shelf, rather than distribute them. My upper shelves are designed like this.
  • Incorporate different materials. Natural materials are best for adding warmth and texture. For most seasons I include living plants.
  • Sometimes it’s hard to see imbalances just by looking at the room. For some reason, taking photos and studying them throughout the process helps me identify things that seem “off.”
  • “Shop” my house and nature. I remind myself that I don’t need to buy new things.
  • Enjoy the creative process, including the time it takes and the satisfaction I feel when things finally look “right.”

Feeling kind of proud of this.

I’ve finished repairing a piece of furniture, and this will go on my list of great accomplishments in life. 😉 Fellow furniture revivers, you know what I mean.

Almost reassembled, I finally thought to take a picture.

My blistered hand is healing after disassembling, cleaning, reinforcing, and reassembling an upholstered ottoman, collapsed from the weight of teenage boys in our basement. This job required two years of gathered courage and then some ingenuity. It turned out better than I hoped, and it’s all fluffy-puffy goodness for your feet now.

Guys, don’t even think about sitting on this ottoman. It’s just for feet and kids.

Home for 14 Years

It’s our 14th anniversary of moving into this house. As I focused on this reality today, a parade of events marched through my mind, awakening gratitude. This beautiful house is about 50 years old, showing its age in the creaky floors and some other funky features. It’s seen many residents and many events beyond our’s, but I think we’ve inhabited it well.

It’s a house of faith, learning, and revelation. It’s a house of music and gathering; love and work.

This house has been a protection for us in every way. We are surrounded by kind people. It’s a basic, pretty house with a stunning backdrop of mountains and trails, and I’m glad it is our home.

Presence

I care about having a welcoming home. I have studied design concepts and worked hard to create a home that reflects peace and comfort. Plus, I clean a lot.

In a video I watched recently about home decor, the narrator said that design principles matter, and cleanliness matters, but there is an intangible quality you find in an inviting space. It is the influence of the owner that creates the final impact of a home. It’s their presence. Think of your grandma’s house, or a friend’s house where you feel loved and accepted. These people and their spaces are the magnet for your heart.

Think of the House of the Lord. The decor and lighting are serene and lovely, but this is only part of the story of why you feel good here. The presence of the Lord is behind the stillness, the light, and the ideas that come to your mind.

Think of the room where you spend the most time, or even your desk. What do you learn about yourself by looking at the objects you choose to display? What messages do you convey in this room or space? Can the Spirit of the Lord dwell there?

I want each person who enters our home to feel loved and welcome. I want the Spirit of the Lord to be here. His presence is the piece that makes all the difference.

Found!

Perhaps you’re like me and can think of something that you lost in childhood and never found. I recall a few things that my children lost, and I found one this week as I moved some shelves in the basement. It was a very satisfying moment to reunite this piece to the set.

As I revamp our home after raising children, I remember and remember.

The words, “dismember” and “remember” can be considered opposites. To “re-member” is to be complete again. Recalling the past and reflecting on the fruits of my parenting adventures brings a wholeness to my life that I didn’t expect.

Remembering is also a religious theme. God wants us to always remember Him. It’s a key to being one with Him, complete and whole.

So, how can I remember Him (be reunited with Him) today?

We said goodbye to our trees.

We decided it was time to take out the last two big Cottonwood trees from our backyard. It wasn’t easy to say goodbye to their rushing leaves, shade, and the privacy they offered, but now we have a mountain view. The yard feels bigger, too.

Celebrating America

When Mark was young, he liked to set up our little carnival pieces during the first days of summer vacation from school. Now I set them up for my own delight…and for our grandson.

Since the USA celebrates its 250th birthday this year, I included more bunting than usual. 🇺🇸

Cookies!!!!!

I’ve tried many times to purge the children’s art from our storage room. It’s been 20 years and I still can’t throw away this rendering of a cookie factory by a very young Daniel. (And many other masterpieces by our kids.)

Other things that I find difficult to remove, but should:

high school awards and yearbooks

unused recipe books

extra mugs

books I will not read again

plates we never use

old sleeping bags

unused picture frames

power cords collected over 30 years

cast off cell phones

old pillowcases

baby blankets

extra throw pillows

We don’t keep our clutter in the open. It lurks in our storage areas and closets. Decluttering is perpetual for me, but it really ramped up when the children left home. People don’t notice a difference when I clear a closet shelf or storage bin, but I notice that my mind is a little more free.

Not the villain

The Nativities are gone and winter decorations and collections of dishes take their place on the shelves in my kitchen.

As I phase out the Christmas decorations, I need to remind myself that I am not the villain of the house for taking down all the joy. It always makes us sad to see them go.

Here are the things I am telling myself,

The decorations will be back again. They are special partly because they are a novelty.

I need to simplify my lines of sight and reduce the number of objects requiring attention. It’s time for me to hibernate, read, sew, and be cozy for a few months without all the extras. It’s okay to need a break.