It's been wet...heavy-raining-wet here...and although I'm not a fan of soggy, or damp, or endless rain for that matter...I am a HUGE fan of watered gardens, and opportunities to hang out in my leggings, on a Sunday afternoon, on the sofa, watching movie classics with my kids!
So that is exactly what we did...
Throughout a weekend of lovely big family lunches, fantastic football {read soccer} and a thanks-to-the-weather watered garden, I have thought muchly about our upcoming reno's.
I've pondered and thought all weekend about how we *use* our home, and how we *use* our spaces within our home?
It's a busy household of five, plus one lovely, constant dog who keeps me busy sorting our dark floor boards and endless ball scuffs!
This thinking has then led me to stop *pinning* like a frenzied mad woman...and to cease tearing out of my huge collection of magazines, every image that remotely makes me smile.
I am now reserving both those things for images that make my heart actually leap just a little!
I'm really wanting to gather those images that we can truly use in our renovation *mood board*.
It's early days...but my *keep-pile* of old mag images, is decidedly less than it used to be- I put it down to simple *focus*.
It feels good to have a focus. I'm all for the visual in my life- the moments that impact that sense of mine that seems to outweigh all others. But to have a focus is proving to push me a little harder to consider all the elements, not purely visual, of a potential renovation.
I'm liking it!
I'm also having to face a fact I've long known- that my taste is ridiculously eclectic...
A friend in England once summed up our big old country house as a *random mix of all the things I loved, style irrelevant, that seemed to work in perfect visual harmony together*.
I've thought about that so, so, so many times over the years...and I always come back to the thought that if you truly love what you surround yourself with, surely those things work together.
Industrial, coastal, vintage, modern, indulgent and practical- absolutely our home is a home because of the total coming together of all these things...and each of them makes our home just that...*our home*.
Not a magazine home, not your home, not a Pinterest home- *just* our home.
And that's perfect- for us...
So...with this
How do you fill your spaces? With what takes your heart...with a purpose...with focus?
And do you spend
I need to know- research, and some support to make me feel normal my friends! ;)
Hope you had a wonderful weekend- cheers to Monday!
Melissa x
I'm a big pinterest fan and a magazine collector. I designed and did our new house all from those 2 things but especially pinterest this time around. I'm such a visual person so that keeps me going during those kind of projects:) I can get a little carried away however....LOL Exciting times ahead for you, Melissa x
ReplyDeleteSorry...but I do not pin. It overwelms me. I do preuse my pile of JDL and Old Victoria magazines, but really I think I get my best inspiration from nature. I am an artist and have always been visual and ideas seem to flow into my thoughts most often while I am outdoors near the sea or in the woods. Being near the water or walking under the trees, listening to the birds releases creative ideas from within. I guess you could say I do my own thing when it comes to home decor...our home is very eclectic, liveable and filled with what my family finds as comfortable. Best wishes on your renovations...do what makes your heart sing!
ReplyDeleteI'm up at the cabin at the moment with over 2 feet of snow, the rest of the family are skiing, so I'm sat pinning. I only pin images which sing to me. I was looking at my boards the other day and they all have a certain feel... So I guess Pinterest as shown me that I do have a style.... And it's not what I thought it was. I thought I was coastal, but I'm definitely worn, old, cozy cottage... White appears very little.
ReplyDeleteHi sweet friend! I tried to
ReplyDeletecomment on your last post
about the reno (SUPER excited
for you!) but only had access
to the internet via my ipad and
Blogger would NOT let me leave
a comment. Very maddening!
Anyhoo, I wanted to say that the
only real (i.e. not done ourselves)
reno we did was so much fun. I
did share my magazine tear out
inspiration with our contractor and
added other ideas along the way.
Of all the spaces in our home,
those that we renovated feel the
most like US, and yours will, too.
As Laura mentions, above, the
cool thing about Pinterest is that,
once you've done it a while, you
do get a sense of your own style.
Follow your heart and be realistic
about how you truly live, and your
reno will make your heart sing!
xo Suzanne
I'm glad you finally decided to hire an architect, Melissa. The first step to building your dream home is to know who you can count on to materialize it. Seeing as how visually prepared you are with the lovely inspirations, I'm sure it won't be long until you achieve it. Make sure to keep us posted. All the best to you! :)
ReplyDeleteJohn Lambert @ Cape Coral Lots