Decorating with Things we Love

I don’t know about you, but Spring cannot get here soon enough for me.

I am ready to renew, rebirth, redecorate.

Spring has that magical quality that makes me long to shed the old, bring in the new. But, maybe it’s not as simple as that.

Recently, good friend of mine, and former employee, Martha Winebarger, of En-gage Solutions, shared a quote she ran across, thinking perhaps, it could give me some inspiration.

“Collect things you love, that are authentic to you, and your house becomes a story.” – Erin Flett

Hmmm, that actually makes sense. Perhaps we don’t always have to find something “new” when creating a look or feel to our environment.

Maybe we just need to look around us and display the things we love, that tell a story about us, that let others peek in and see who we are, where we’ve been.

I thought of a few things of my own that aren’t “current” or even thought of as “stylish”, but I decorate with them because they mean something to me.

Like my brownie crosstich pledge hanging over an entry way in my kitchen.

Here is one of my first report cards, framed and on display:

A recent client of mine showed me a vintage light that she and her husband have had in every home since they got married. That was cool!

I refused to let Jeanne get rid of “king louie”, a chair her husband,Rick, brought to their marriage, which had been in his parents family room for years. There were lots of family stories and memories tied up in that chair.

So, how about this Spring, while we are looking for ways to spring-anew, we take stock of what we have, what we can use to tell our own stories, and what kind of story our home tells about each of us.

Here’s a few ideas to get started:

Take stock of our attics—what things are stuffed up there that are part of us. Old lamps, dish ware, bottles are a great way to conjure up memories and express family history.
Kid’s artwork—frame it! Spray paint old frames all the same color, then display artwork for immediate impact.
Collections—Grouped together creativity, this is a great way to tell a story. I have a thimble collection I plan on digging out. Jeanne has a collection of sand dollars.
Old report cards or letters written from family members are great ways to tell your story.
How do you tell your story with the things you love? We’d love to hear from you!

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