Pretty Things: Blankets, Baskets and Books




When it comes to home design, I have always felt unsure about how to best capture the sense of charm and welcome that I want to convey to my guests.  I felt like our house needed so much work to reach the level of sophistication that I wanted.  But lately, I've had a change in perspective.

I look around my home and it's anything but sophisticated, but it tells me who we are as a family loud and clear.  We're a family of five living in a three bedroom townhouse with two kids in elementary school, one toddler and two working parents.  Organized chaos at its best.  And yet, I feel happier in this space than I have in a long time. 

Why? Well, I've reconsidered the whole sophistication thing.  "Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality." ...I mean, really who am I kidding? Maybe I'll have a sophisticated house one day when the necessities that come along with child-proofing and toy storage are no longer a consideration.  Also, this change in perspective has allowed me to identify three major sources of comfort and function that allow me to indulge myself in decorating my home: blankets, baskets and books.

BLANKETS

With lots of cozy blankets tossed strategically around our home, I feel that a quick fix of security and warmth is always within arm's reach.  We love to cuddle up with them on our big sectional couch in the living room and the kids LOVE to build forts, make capes and play "I'm gonna get you!" under the covers. 

As I evolve as a woman and a homemaker, blankets have become one of the indulgences that beckon to me to express my family's personality.

BASKETS

I never could have imagined how many containers children require!  Papers, toys, clothes, art supplies, sports equipment, shoes, hair decorations, games, books....I'll stop there but I could go on. 

Out of necessity and volition, I opt mostly for pretty baskets to keep the clutter to a less noticeable level in our home.  It's becoming a hobby for me as I love shopping for them and finding the right place and purpose in our space.  The right basket can transform an annoying pile of toys or mail into a strategically placed source of character in a room. 

BOOKS

As much as I love for everything to be in its place, books never translate as clutter to me.  Matter of fact, I love to see a pile of them sitting any and everywhere.  

Incidentally, when I tried to explain this to my other half, he kindly informed me that he feels the same way about tools.  Somehow, I'm unable to embrace tools in the same way, so I just nodded and smiled as I made a mental note that we need a new basket to hold the loose tools and screws that are sitting on top of the fridge.  Anyway, back to books...

While I certainly appreciate the convenience of kindles and e-readers, I will always and forever prefer the look, feel and smell of real books.  For a book lover, a wall full of books can effectively replace the need for art work or other decorations. 

I love to observe the way people express themselves through the decoration of their homes.  How do you indulge your personal expression in a practical way through your decorating style?

All images via Pinterest