Monday, May 26, 2014

SEEKING A LESS IS MORE LIFE


It is no secret that my design aesthetic is not minimalist. 



I enjoy being surrounded by stuff - stuff that reminds me of friends and family, stuff I find beautiful or interesting, and stuff that helps me function on a daily basis. 



Admittedly, some of the functional stuff is not in the same category as stuff I find beautiful. 



And some of the stuff I find beautiful is not stuff others find beautiful. I'm quite OK with that at this point in my life.

I do not have to justify why I find an object beautiful. Sometimes, I am not quite sure myself. 



I bought a non-working clock for a few dollars in a thrift store, simply because I liked the look of it. It does not function, and I wish it did. But, I bought it, and will put it somewhere...maybe in my upcoming front bedroom revision.



If I buy a non-working clock for it's beauty alone, I am not a minimalist. 

Still, I find myself seeking a simpler lifestyle and cleaner, more pared-down surroundings. 




I am not, and probably never will be a minimalist. 



While I enjoy a few "modern" clean-lined items here and there for contrast, I love a traditional style best of all. 



I even enjoy very fancy decorative items in the same way I enjoy the mod, simple lines; for contrast. 

So as I go room by room, paring down, cleaning out, moving furniture and decorative items around...I have a plan.



I do not think the plan is apparent to anyone but me. And sometimes, even I feel as If I am feeling my way as I go. 



I am perfectly fine with not knowing exactly where I will end up. I have a plan, but I am not married to it. I can change direction when a .27c mirror excites me

I can change when a color excites me.


This is my life. This is my house. I want to feel happy, peaceful, comfortable when I pull in my driveway. 

And yet...I do not want to be bound by it. 


I do not want the joy I get from rearranging and changing things in this house to be more important than people and experiences with them.

I do not want to be upset when an item breaks.


I want a friendly, cozy home where a klutz and small children can gather and enjoy time together without anxiety.



So, do you think a would-be hoarder can pare down enough to live in a simple but still cozy home? 

I do. I have been moving in that direction for 2 years now.
Yes, I am still buying things. And I am getting rid of things.


I am changing pretty much every room in the house. It is a big job...exhausting sometimes.

Here are a few things that I have learned about myself in the past three years:

I still enjoy very light, neutral spaces best of all.
Sometimes I like to add color to my neutral rooms.
I like combining styles for an eclectic mix.
I enjoy seasonal changes.
I prefer painted finishes to wood most of the time.
I prefer vintage to new almost always.
I prefer clean lines, though not entirely modern lines.
Color is very important to me.
Shapes are very important to me.
I am not a ruffles and bows girl. 
I do not enjoy sewing. 
I prefer REAL old stuff to vintage-style stuff.
I prefer natural materials.
I prefer real original art - it does not have to cost much.
I rebel against trends. 
I prefer my decor to "make sense." No kitchen stuff in my bedroom.
I fear getting rid of something and regretting it.
I still like (and use) some things from my college apartment.
I am old enough to not care much if anyone else likes what I like.

I want to find the perfect place for me - somewhere between minimalist-doesn't care about stuff at all-sell everything and travel and demi-hoarder-sees potential in practically everything. I want a less is more life.

Thank you for bearing with me through this personal style design rant!

Word for the Day:
Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!

Possibly Linking With:
Sunday
Nifty Thrifty Sunday
Sundays at Home
Monday
Mod Mix Monday
Make it Pretty Monday
Tuesday
Vintage Inspiration Tuesday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
The Scoop
Wednesday
Wow Us Wednesday
What’s it Wednesday
Cottage Style Party
Drop it or Swap it Party
Thursday
Under $100 Link Party
Creative Inspirations
Share Your Cup Thursday
Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Furniture Feature Friday
Frugal Friday
Junkin’ Joe
Saturday
Party Junk
Show and Tell Saturday



















5 comments:

farmhouse-story said...

this post is all about a gal who knows what she likes and how to get it:)

Butterfly 8)(8 Bungalow said...

I love all the shapes and forms in these photos. I also love your thoughts. I empathize.

Michelle H said...

I could just about copy and paste this, haha! (not in the stealing your content way, in the "about sums me up" way!)I do enjoy sewing. Though I tend to hate obligatory sewing. I'd add my version of the list, "afraid of not buying something and seriously regretting it". Our Goodwill had an old picnic basket for a long, long time. I kept considering it, but in an effort to be wise, and not buy something that size without a specific spot in mind, I didn't buy it. Finally, I realized the perfect use and place for it, but of course it had sold. *sigh* Lesson learned. I even have an awesome husband who says, "Are you going to kick yourself later if you don't get it? Then get it!" If only I had listened. You find so many amazingly wonderful, beautiful things, it is difficult to simplify when one is a bit of a hoarder, hahaha!

Unknown said...

I am so with you on all this!! This could have been written for me! Lovely post!!

Donna Wilkes said...

I will bet the soapbox you are standing on is vintage and distressed! I must do something right with my eclectic mix of mostly old and vintage and rusty and junky = people love to come here! My brother and I were discussing our junk-filled homes this weekend and discovered we have always since we were born been surrounded by old stuff. We wondered if we could actually live in a modern structure - completely clean and sterile with all the furniture boxed in from Ikea. The answer was NO!