Back when JP and I first moved in together, over 5 years ago, we did not agree on anything to do with home decor. He really would like to live in a old school gentlemen's club room (lots of mahogany, leather-bound books, Scotch...basically anything Ron Burgundy would endorse), and I would prefer a light, airy beach cottage. Somehow, though, over the last few years, our sensibilities have started tying together: I've come around to the beauty of a well cared for antique bar, and he's a fan of sun-bleached linens. It's a wonderful thing.
Nonetheless, this decorating thing is not innate. I've been having a great time browsing through some of my favorite books, magazines, and catalogs for ideas, and thought you might like to check them out, too!
Domino: The Book of Decorating, by Deborah Needleman, Sara Ruffin Costello, and Dara Caponigro, is awesome for several reasons. It's broken up into rooms, and each has examples of real rooms and why they work, along with tips for choosing furniture for each room and decorating tips for small spaces, hanging artwork, and finishing touches. I miss the Domino magazine; it was pretty epic.
Design Sponge, by Grace Bonney, comes from the eponymous blog. (If it's not already on your daily read list, add it!) Five sections make up the book: sneak peeks into people's homes, DIY projects, DIY basics, a flower workshop, and before/afters. Inspiring and fun!
Catalogs galore. Seriously. Obviously, I'm not picking out a room from one company and purchasing everything, but there's something relaxing about flipping through a catalog while making notes about what works in certain spaces. Catalogs are also great for figuring out what you like and don't like; there's no commitment to buying something, but you can 'see' yourself in each space and company's aesthetic. Do you fit? Should you shop there? Catalogs. They're junk mail, but I love them.
I also love Pinterest! The Home Decor section is awesome to browse through, and there's something for everyone's taste.
How did you figure out your own home's aesthetic? Do you have a go-to inspiration guide?
I think my home decor (if you can call it that) came out of my own childhood. The house were I grew up certainly didn't look anything like this one but all things from the time when I grew up -- 1940's and anything kitschy -- well, that's definitely Grandma in North Carolina! You girls have been the recipients of a lot of my "cute" finds and I hope some of them find a place in yours and Haley's homes. Love you - XXXX GG'ma
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