Comfort on a SNOW day

All I need is a good book and a comfortable chair and I'm all set for a snow day (snowing at the end of March and yesterday it was high 50's and I had the windows open!!!)


(Images:Cottage Living, BH&G, Country Living, Traditional Home)

This is a chair in the corner of my husband's office. It's a great place to sit, drink coffee, read a book, or blog.

My Design Theory

Color  (pick a favorite color to start)
Collections  (use collections for inspiration)
Comfort  (always make sure you have a soft place to land)
Character   (add one of a kind pieces to show off your personality)
Cost  (be realistic with your budget, take your time, make every item count)

I read a ton of design books, blogs and magazines. Everyone is always trying to explain the process. This is what works for me. I love color! I love stuff! My home will never be done. I am constantly finding new pieces to add, shuffling things around and updating the look. I believe interesting people create interesting homes. Remember it's your home, do not worry about what anyone thinks. Enjoy the process, really take the time to find out what you want. Your home should be a reflection of the people who live in it.

Pictures of rooms I love:

(images: Balastrade and Bitters, Country Living, Cottage living, Hooked on Houses)

These rooms all have lots of color and character, nothing too stuffy or over decorated. Yes, they have a lot of stuff, but everything looks so personal and collected. I would be happy living with all these rooms.

Cost

Everyone has a budget. We all need to be aware of what we really can afford when it comes time to create our home. Spending a lot of money, will not necessarily give you the look you want. I actually have fun looking for great deals. I have passed things up because I thought the price was too high, only to regret this later. But most of the time if I am waiting for something to go on sale and it's gone before I can purchase it, I feel it wasn't meant to be (usually!!?) This is why I love to find great places with hidden treasures. Places you can spend all day shopping and find dozens of things that cost very little.

When we first moved into this home, I felt like it was so big and empty. It took some time before it started to feel like "our" home. I am lucky enough to have items from family. My inlaws supplied us with many great pieces of furniture (I still can't find deals like they can), my grandmother passed away a few years ago and I have pieces from her home that I will always cherish, and my mother loves to go shopping with me and always knows what to help me find. (she also gives me the best gifts for my home!).

Some of the things I consider great deals:

Tole Trays (a few were gifts, I inherited a couple and I have never paid more than $35 for a tray)

Plates ( some are gifts, many are from our travels)

Furniture (these pieces are from a local used furniture store-cost about $200 a piece)

Kitchen Chairs (I watched these chairs go on sale from Pottery Barn)

Hoosier Cabinet (from my inlaws, they needed to add a couple of doors and some hardware, but this piece makes the kitchen)

Dining Chairs ( The black ones $20 each and the aqua $40 each-just needed a little paint and some new fabric)

and the list goes on...

Charm & Character

Remember a few post's ago when I said a client would buy the entire vignette off the floor and eventually tire of it and not understand why?

The room would lack character or personality. Nothing in the room would relate to them personally. Yes, the room looks good, but if you are not represented in some way the place begins to feel cold.

Luckily this is the simplest thing to fix. I love to go to antique stores, thrift stores, and flea markets just to find those one-of-a-kind things that only my home will have. No need to spend much money, these things can be quirky, whimsical, funky or down right odd. Items your children have made for you would also work. All that matters is that it catches your eye and makes you smile.

Some of my items that have "Charm" or "Character"

Hay Rake (came from my grandmother's garage-love the simplicity of the design)

Ash Tray (we do not smoke-but it came from my grandmother's home and it's AQUA! my favorite color)

Sofa Piece? (this is what's left of a vintage love seat I purchased years ago-dry rot had ruined most of it, but we salvaged the parts we could)

Apple Peeler (I don't use it to peal apples, but it looks great on my Hoosier)

My Children's paintings (I love these!!)

Old Shutters (these came from my inlaws neighbor-love the color and patina)

Items from our travels

Inexpensive items from flea markets and junk stores.

These are the items that make the difference and give our homes personality. 

Comfort

Making a house into a home is all about comfort. Sure, the sofa may be beautiful but if no one wants to sit on it, what's it good for? This is one reason I like old things so much, they have been broken in.

When we purchased new leather chairs for the living room, I knew that the arms and backs would darken over time. This only adds to the charm. They say leather wears in, not out. I couldn't agree more. We have had these pieces for over ten years and I still love the way they look and feel. Now too much leather in a room could make the room appear cold. Leather is a great addition, but make sure to mix in some fabric upholstery also.

When purchasing new upholstery remember to ask what's underneath.

Hardwood kiln dried frame? 8 way hand tied springs? Top grain leather? Warranties? What are the cushions made of?

Feeling comfortable mentally can be as important as physically!

I could go for any of these pieces above

I know white slipcovers are "in" at the moment and I do like how they look in a room, but do I really want to wash them daily??

This looks very comfy, but what will it look like after your done sitting? (pillows everywhere!)

Does this even look practical??