Use Favorite Home Design Items to Tell Your Story
Your home is your masterpiece. You spend hours selecting floor tile, countertops and light fixtures. It’s a true labor of love, but what about the pieces that truly make your home – yours?
When I walk around my home, I love to see all the pieces I have selected that that tell a story – they remind me of those special moments or chapters of my family’s story. Not every piece is expensive or store-bought; some are eclectic and sentimental – like my collection of fish and family of sea horses and the beautiful piece of artwork created by a family friend.
Yes, home renovations are my passion, but it’s what happens after the tile is grouted and the blinds are hung that allow your home to uncover the story of who you are – it should represent both the past and present.
When I was just 13-years-old, my mom passed away and, following her death, I began to understand why it is so important to build a home you love. A home should provide you with comfort, be a welcome respite and an old friend.
As you begin to make your house a home, consider how each piece holds a memory of one kind or another, and aim to tell the story of the people that live there through design elements and décor.
Combine Items That Tell a Story: My Five Favorite Pieces
Every piece that I have selected to use or display in my home was given careful time and thought. An area rug color and pattern, the couch’s shape, a decorative side table – each detail is part of the bigger picture that tells my story.
Here’s a peek at my five favorite pieces:
China and China cabinet. Believe it or not, I have four sets of China from my mother’s side. One set is from my parent’s wedding, another from my grandparents, and two sets came from my Grandmother’s mother’s grandmother who came over from Belfast to live with her son’s family. The cabinet these sets are displayed in came from my grandparents on my dad’s side of the family. The best part: my Grandmother let each family member choose a meaningful piece from her home so she could watch us enjoy them on our own.
Fish and family sea horses. I treasure this special artwork made locally from my dad’s childhood friend, who lives In my favorite beach town, Beaufort, NC. The coolest part: they are all made from old surfboards.
Basement built-ins with concrete art pieces. This is a super cozy spot in my home.The concrete reliefs are made from the original cast of the Elgin Marbles. These were an amazing find from my grandmother many years ago when she taught sculpting classes at East Carolina University.
Handcrafted kid pottery and shell/shark tooth collections. I love all of the unique, colorful shells we have collected from our annual family trips to Atlantic Beach and Ocracoke. I also have a growing collection of shark teeth we have collected every summer from adventures on our boat along the Potomac River.
Outdoor rustic farm table my husband, Jim, designed and outdoor space. This one is pretty self-explanatory. And I’m counting down the days for our family dinners and drinks this summer with friends in this very spot!
What Stories Will You Tell?
As a residential interior design consultant, the number one thing I like to tell my clients about creating distinctive spaces is that they should only surround themselves with things that they love and that have meaning.
When you walk into a room, you want it to feel like yours uniquely, and it should tell the story of you. Whether it's special artwork, meaningful vases, family photos, a specific pattern or an obvious style preference, design your rooms around the objects that you love, and you can never go wrong.
After all, your home is your oasis and your break from the chaos of day to day life. It’s also a powerful, blank canvas for the story of who you are.
Which stories will you tell in your home design? Let me help you create the space of your dreams.
Contact me today so we can discuss your complimentary design consultation.