What feels like home to you?
Maybe a crackling fire on a cold day?
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Or a stack of books next to your bed?
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Whenever I need to make a decision for my home, I've always asked myself the same question through the years:
Does it feel like home?
I don't ever ask myself, "Is it trendy or in style?" or, "Will my friends like it when they come over?"
No, no, no.....
Let's never ask ourselves those questions, instead ask:
Does it feel like home?
I will give you an example from my own home....
This is my beloved hallway clock:
When I was a child, I would visit my great-aunt Bev, and sometimes spend weekends with her in the summertime. Her home is still etched on my heart. Her dining room was wallpapered in cabbage roses, the bedrooms had a story book feel, and in her living room stood a beautiful grandmother clock.
I can remember playing out in her garden and hearing the clock chime through the screens of her opened windows. It's a fond memory of my care-free childhood. That's why, when we moved into our farmhouse, I wanted to find a clock that would etch "home" on my children's hearts, the same as Aunt Bev's clock did for me.
I found this clock at a consignment shop in town. I painted it "Pewter Vase". It's a soft bluish-grey. It strikes out the hours each hour, followed by the Westminster chime. When I'm sitting on my front porch swing in the summer I can hear it through the screen door. When my children play in their sandbox or run around the front and side porches, they can hear it through the opened windows.
I absolutely love it!
I don't care that it isn't modern or trendy... It feels like Home!
Let's always be mindful of the fact that the sights, sounds, and smells that we as homemakers put into our homes are what will feel like home to our children when they grow up. It's our job to make sure that what they recall from their childhood home is beautiful, loving, and happy.
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A row of hand-painted tea cups on a shelf.....
A singing tea kettle on the stove top.....
What feels like Home to you?
That is such a good question. Never thought of it like that. hmmmmm. I guess I would say things that are simple but vintage. It reminds me of how things were more about family back in the day and not about money or technology.
ReplyDeleteZ, that is such a good point you bring up about money and technology. Yes it seems like modern day homes focus on featuring those things. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteIt's fun hearing how you decide what to put in your home. It is beautiful! How do you suggest responding if someone offers you something you don't want in your home?
ReplyDeleteHi Renee! Thanks for the comment! That is a great question! I've had that happen over the years. My mother had a brilliant way of handling this. She kept a box in her basement of various items people had given her that she didn't want displayed in her home. Whenever someone would come over she would pull out the knick-knack so-and-so had given her and put it somewhere where they would be sure to see it during their visit. This still makes me laugh because I remember her doing this when I was a kid! As far as how to respond, as you asked... No matter what, be gracious. I always smile and say, "Thank you so much!" Or "Thanks for thinking of me!" If the item is from a person that doesn't come over to my house, I feel comfortable re-gifting it or donating it. However, if it's a person who comes over, that's a little tricky. I've been known to stash things away in a cupboard and only pull them out if I know the person's stopping over. Once some time has passed, like a year or two, then I think it's safe to let the item go.
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