the best way to decorate your home
At some point along your way in life, you experienced something that you love to look back on. Maybe it was a special place, or a person, or a feeling. Maybe it was only brief, and maybe it was even just a wish, but thinking about it gives you a feeling of nostalgia and home.
The two of us get that feeling when we think back to summers spent at our grandparents’ houses, of family vacations with our parents and siblings, of the stories we’ve been told about our ancestors’ lives, and experiences we’ve had with our own kids.
We’ve always loved getting something on a trip to bring back home, so that we can remember the fun time we had every time we see or use that item. We both have things in our houses that were passed down to us from great-great-grandparents, and we love keeping their memories alive by continuing to use and appreciate things that they had in their own homes. We love finding ways to decorate with things our kids have made, and objects that remind us of a time, place, and feeling.
The things we decorate our homes with are for us. They have a secret meaning that we understand and love. Magnolia branches that remind us of the tree we climbed at our great-grandma’s house. The smell of the lavender soap she used. A crystal in each of our kitchen windows, because she kept one in hers, and as kids we’d stare at all the rainbows it threw around the room. Rocks from trips to the mountains. Shells from our hometown in Florida. Drawings from our kids. An animal figurine from our cousin.
They are all in harmony with each other, and the other pieces in the rooms compliment them. Decorating with memories can be beautiful, stylish, and impressive. It can give your home a curated, well-balanced look, and it can give you all the feelings that coming home should.
It’s easy to get stuck on one style, or on a design trend. But if you decorate your home authentically for you, you won’t need to worry about what’s in style. The best designed homes are the ones where a specific style can’t be readily identified, and when you decorate authentically, you’ll be able to use things you love from multiple styles, and let them harmonize together to make something truly unique and beautiful.
The most important part of decorating a home is giving its occupants a feeling. When you walk into your house it should be your sanctuary; your special place. A place that’s all about you and speaks to you. A place filled with reminders of treasured experiences, places, and people. A place that reflects your personality and interests. All of those things can be brought together in a balanced, well-coordinated way, and you’ll end up with a home that truly reflects you.
You’ll never have to worry about the next home decor trend, whether your current decor is still in style, or whether you’ll spend money on something everyone is raving about now but that you might regret later.
Don’t focus on the trends. YOU are the best style, and the best way to decorate your home is for you.