Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Hidden Art Book Club: Chapter 5

Interior Decoration

Early Attic and Late Basement describe the mixture of furniture in our home.

 Over the course of 32+ years of marriage I have been fortunate to be the recipient of hand-me-downs.

Most, if not all, remain in their original state, since I do not paint.

Edith Schaeffer's ingenuity sure puts me to shame.

From candle-making to furniture-making, from dumpster-diving to toy-making, there really are so many opportunities to decorate that we have to admit to being creative.  If nothing else, I suggest that orderliness counts.  My children always played better when the toy room when it was picked up and organized.

Schaeffer's most significant and over-riding point continues to be *communication.*   This word keeps cropping up and I finally realized that she's talking about non-verbal communication.

Whether you admit it or not, what you buy or what you forgo, what you keep or what you toss, what you repurpose or what you overlook, all express your style, tastes, and interests.

In other words, we cannot ignore our talents.

My goal is to make sure mine are speaking accurately.



Photo of my living room taken March 2012 ~

Link to interior decorating post written in 2004



10 comments:

  1. "Whether you admit it or not, what you buy or what you forgo, what you keep or what you toss, what you repurpose or what you overlook, all express your style, tastes, and interests."

    Very true!

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  2. Your room is lovely! With children in the house, having a well-ordered room is a major plus.

    "What you buy or what you forgo, what you keep or what you toss, what you repurpose or what you overlook, all express your style, tastes, and interests" - love this. Very true.

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  3. Thanks, all y'all ~ LR is my second favorite room, after the DR - saving those tablescape pics for the food/cooking chapter ~

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  4. I agree, orderliness is also creative. I think one reason I am not truly artistic is that a mess stresses me out. I do not think this is good necessarily but it is true. And it is nice to inherit GOOD furniture. I have a few pieces from my grandmother and they are such good quality.

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  5. I have several hand me down pieces of furniture that I truly love.

    I don't paint either! Year ago someone purchased a coffee table and side tables for us and my kids have literally worn almost all of the varnish off of them. Since I love my coffee table I keep telling myself to repaint it and of course that never happens.

    Lovely room!

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  6. The room definitely makes me want to come visit. Very warm and inviting. I love the furniture!

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  7. I felt convicted about that too - the communication. Wondering whether our home and its look actually convey to visitors what our family is about, or even what I (as the primary homemaker here) am inside. I don't think it does. I feel overwhelmed by other family members, their tendency toward sloppiness, etc. It's hard to keep a neat, bright, attractive home when others don't pick up! I do agree about the toy room. It's been many years now, but so true that children play better, and are happier, in a tidy room!

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  8. A beautiful room, warm and inviting as well. Simple and Elegant, I like it.
    I agree, it is all about communication. I am seeing that message while working through these chapters.

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  9. Your first sentence made me laugh. Your room is very lovely and I especially like the color of your couch.

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