Back To Basics!!

Do you ever look at your home and feel like you need to change things? You get out your list of wants, and it seems like it is a mile long! So many of the things on our list aren’t doable right now, and then we start to feel at sorts with the home we live in.

We can get so caught up in what we want that we don’t see what we have right in front of us.

When I am starting to feel at sorts with my home, and the projects that need to be done, or the furniture that needs to be purchased, I go back to the basics, the simple things.

I get great pleasure out of making my home more comfortable and pretty. I know I am not alone in this desire to nest or play house!!

After reading the comments on my last post it was very apparent to me how many of you also like to nest. 

One reader wrote about putting flowers in her Grandmother’s silver pitcher. She not only had a beautiful container, but she had memories attached to her pitcher of flowers from the yard.

I am sure we all do different things when we nest, but we are all trying to achieve the same goal.

We are trying to make our house a home for our family and friends, but it does not have to be a new sofa or a new rug. It can be the simple things.

I discovered years ago in my thirties that is was the simple uncomplicated things in my life that truly made me happy.

Guess what it involved? My family, and making my home comfortable and pleasant for them. A simple meal, a clean house and everyone being together. I realized then, that it was not big stuff or complicated stuff but simple little pleasures that seemed to make me and my family happy.

When I did the post on “Simple Flowers” I realized that many of you felt the same. I could tell by how you all spoke of bringing in flowers from the yard and putting them in a simple vase.  It also made me think about how we go about nesting or playing house as I like to call it.

Sometimes it involves bringing in greenery or a flower from the yard.

A pretty bowl of fruit………

Fresh hand towels on the sink……….

Clean sheets that have been sprayed with lavender water.

 Spraying down my counters with lavender cleaner, and making them shine. Or even the fresh scent of citrus will give my kitchen just the right scent. If I don’t have any special scented cleaner a quick spritz of window cleaner gives a wonderful shine. 

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A special candle with a lovely scent......

 

These are only a few of the basic things we can do that virtually only cost a positive attitude and a little bit of effort!!

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 I am sure most of you already do most of the items I have mentioned. I hope you don't mind me reminding myself and YOU about getting back to the basics. How about you? What are some of the basic things that you do when you are nesting?

Remember...........

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“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Nesting, by doing some of the simple things in life!

Kathysue

All above images via Pinterest

Simple Can Be Pretty!!

I have talked about how I would rather have one simple real flower in a bud vase than a bouquet of faux flowers. I know there are two camps on this issue. I just can’t buy faux flowers for my home.

I know many will argue that they can not arrange a lovely arrangement, and that is why they purchase the pre-made faux floral arrangements. It does not have to be complicated to be beautiful. Just think of a beautiful white rose in a bud vase, simple and elegant.

I think putting the right flower in the right vase is key. I have a group of images that I have saved that I titled simple flowers.

They are simple in design and yet they are so stunning in their own right.
I am going to share some of the images that have taught me that simple is beautiful and also very doable……….

This appears to be two branches of a bougainvillea in a simple cobalt blue jar. Look at the composition. The beautiful blue washed wall and the soft patina of the fretwork. Simple, elegant and lovely. Using the right color combination made two branches of a garden flower become a gorgeous still life!!

Three matching shapes with different textures each holding a very simple flower from the yard and yet it makes a wonderful statement. Any one could pick up three white vases and put flowers in them. Simple is beautiful!!

This is a wonderful example of looking at the wall color and adding just the right color combination in front of it. One simple tulip in a simple bright yellow vase. It made me take pause, how about you?

We all have jars!!! These are filled with water and greenery from the yard. No cost,simple and beautiful.

This image is a great example of using just the right color combination. It is so soft and lovely and the  ruffled petals on the peonies are echoed in the soft ruffle on the curtain. Are you starting to see how the composition is more than the vase and the flower, it is everything that surrounds it.

For those of you that enjoy a little texture this is a wonderful combination of a lacy filler. When any arrangement is done in en masse it makes a wonderful statement.

These are kumquats, but I think it would be beautiful with any greenery from outside. Again, a no cost arrangement.

Using complimentary colors like blue and yellow make a stand-out arrangement.

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Since it is summer I have to leave you with this adorable bunch of strawberries in a simple glass.

Do you bring in branches and greenery from your yard? What is your favorite combination? Do you have a fun and different container that is always a favorite to use? I think I would have to say my green and white striped pitcher has become a favorite of mine.

Even empty with fresh produce surrounding it, it still makes a nice composition.

I hope this post has inspired you to think of all the possibilities you have in your own home to add a simple natural element like flowers in a simple vase for the summer.

“Enjoy The Process” Of:

Bringing a bit of nature inside!

Kathysue

How Do YOU Shop??

I love to go shopping! I like to shop for clothes, shoes, make-up, but especially for my home. Today I am going to be talking about shopping for your home. Have you ever thought about your shopping style?

Yes, we all have a shopping style. I use to shop for, and with my clients. I would watch how they shopped, and what they were drawn too in order to get a better feel on how I could direct them in making choices.

I have found that we are all drawn to a particular  feature when shopping for our homes.

• color
• pattern
• texture/patina
• shape/size

I fall into the color category. I almost always shop by color. I am drawn to an object first by color. Let me give you an example that we can all relate too. Pillows!! We all love our pillows, don’t we?

First I will have a general idea of the colors I will be working with in a room. Of course it can change as the  design unfolds according to what is available. The first thing that will always draw me in is the color.

Next I will look at the pattern, texture, and shape or size.

 Years ago I read one of Rachel Ashwell’s books. She talked about how she shops at flea markets. She said she could scan a booth within seconds, and find the items she wanted to purchase. She did this by always looking for her signature soft color palette of creams, whites, pinks, greens, blues. 

We all know when something has a signature Rachel Ashwell look, after all she is  the one that coined the phrase, and the style of, “Shabby Chic.” She also said that she looked for texture as in cashmere sweaters, old blue jeans, which you would see her wear often. Then there is the patina or texture of her chippy white or off white furniture pieces and crystal chandeliers.

I was fascinated by how her mind worked. It made me think about my own shopping techniques. I realized that, I too shop by color. I mentioned in a previous post that when I was a teenager,  my Mom and I would go clothes shopping I would look at items based on a particular color of the day. It could be pink, blue, red, green etc.

We use to wonder what color mood would dictate our shopping day. As the day progressed it became very obvious to us both what was going to be the color of the day.   It was always fun to find out which was the color of the day. It was never forced it always just unfolded as the day went happily along.

On a shopping trip with my friend, Terri, from La Dolfina blog I observed how she shopped. She was unaware of my observations until I made her aware of them. If you have read Terri’s blog at all, you know she is a treasure hunter extraordinaire. She always finds such beauty in the unique.

I had so much fun watching her. She does not shop at a fast pace, but one of deep concentration. I discovered by observing her that she shopped by texture. If a piece stood out as having an interesting texture or patina, she was drawn to it. She would touch it, and I could see she was making up a story line in her mind about how special this piece was.

I told her of my observation, and she thought with a pause, and realized she did indeed shop by texture.

So think about it for awhile, do you shop by………

• color
• pattern
• texture/patina
• size/shape

However you shop I  hope you will always……..

“Enjoy the Process!”

Kathysue