Are you traditional, modern, eclectic? What's your style? Like your clothes, your home reflects your personality. I always wanted a dream house with rooms that looked like they came out of a magazine. As I look around my home now, I am critical of the paint and maintenance more than the furnishings.
First and foremost, is your home clean? No matter how shabby and worn or how elegant and expensive a clean home is imperative. With 3 dogs and a husband, it is almost a full-time job to keep the house clean. When my kids were home, they helped a lot. Everyone had chores. Even a 2-year-old can pick up his/her toys and help dust.
Regular maintenance is important, too. Broken cupboard doors and loose tiles need to be fixed. If you're a smoker, your rooms need to be painted every couple years. Non-smokers can go longer. I like to paint every couple years to freshen and update the look of things.
So now your house is clean and freshly painted. Let's talk about "stuff". You know, the clutter you just can't bear to part with. Once a year I try to go through the house and get rid of "stuff." These items usually go to charity or you can have a yard sale. I still have alot of clutter and stuff I absolutely will not get rid of. These things usually have sentimental value, are collectibles, or are things we picked up on our travels. Around this stuff, my style has developed.
I'm not fond of industrial, minimalist, ultra-modern, or art-deco styles. In someone else's house or on HGTV I can admire those styles, but it's not for me. Whatever you choose, you have to live with it for a long time. I am eclectic. I like a mix of everything...a litte Tuscany, some country, a touch of traditional, a mix of Mediterranean, and don't forget to throw in the Victorian and Middle Eastern. Gee, did I miss any? But that is my home...colorful, with lots of things on the walls including my framed Turkish rug and my grandfather's paintings. Family photos are in frames on several tables and on the piano. Religious icons have their special place.
My furniture is comfortable. Some is old like my great-grandmother's china closet and my mother's coffee table. They don't match, but they're unusual, beautiful pieces. Some pieces are crazy like my red floral couch and my leopard ottoman. Somehow, it all reflects ME! I want to feel comforted, cozy, and surrounded by memories.
When someone walks into my home, they see that I like to travel, I like to read, I have dogs, I love listening and playing music, and I love my church and family. What does your home say about you?
