Tag: Beatrix Potter

Home … the perfect nest

In Part 1 of “Feathering the Nest” I asked … “What do you enjoy collecting?  Whatever your passion is, use those items to decorate and “cozy up” your home.” 

The most frequent question I have been asked, over my years of decorating is …  “How should I decorate my home?”  Decorate your home with the things you love!  For those of you that “need a little help” figuring out what you love in decorating or what you like to collect, that’s what I want to help you discover, today.  

 A cheery welcome gleams from the lamplight reflected in the large mirror over the fireplace and again in the mirrored frame of the bird picture.  A bright green bird looks stunning, placed next to the contrasting blue and white porcelains.    

“What do you love to collect?”  Just think what gives you a little “thrill” whenever you see that item sitting on the shelf of your favorite store or sitting in a darkened display in an antique store.  Sometimes it’s buried under a pile of “store jumble” or it’s the last item hanging on a peg, in just the color you needed!

The muted colors of this pheasant blend perfectly with my collection of loved,  worn and faded antique books.

Whenever you see your particular “eye candy” your pace quickens, even though you remind yourself not to get too excited as you “unearth” your treasure, all the while you are hoping “it is” what you “think it is!”

These are the things you love and that you are passionate about … and what you should decorate your home with!  It may be lots of different things.  For me it’s violins, birds, feathers, bird nests, bird cages, squirrels, acorns, pencils made from branches, books, antique flower frogs … just to name a few! (;

Beatrix Potter’s “Peter Rabbit” is opened displaying the beautiful illustrations that are fitting with the garden paraphernalia I have scattered about the desk.  The little water bucket and watering can look charming holding pencils and paintbrushes instead of the “expected” flower arrangement, they usually hold.  Also fitting with  the theme of gardens, I’ve placed 2 of my antique flower frogs; one for propping the book page open, the other … just for keeping the other “frog” company! (:

Or … you may like collecting items that follow a theme … anything associated with birds, vintage  garden tools and signs, a nautical theme, or beach themes.

This little table holds a twig lamp and all things bird-y and dear to me … a miniature and ornate cloche shelters a blown glass hummingbird that belonged to my precious sister, long-since “graduated” to heaven … a special teacup and saucer that were once my grandfather and grandmother’s that I’ve tucked a tiny nest into with a little hummingbird hovering above … and a plump, mercury glass bird, nestled between them.  Look at that beautiful, midnight twilight gleaming beyond the window!

Do you have a passion for collecting items that are a particular color?  Do you find yourself irresistibly drawn and buying collectibles and items in the perfect shade of peacock blue or sunny yellow?  Use those items you have in matching colors and group them together to make an impact and visual point of interest. 

This collection on my desk is unified in color and theme.  A chartreuse green watering can is filled with pencils and paintbrushes … another “impromptu” pencil cup is really a flower planter and is also chartreuse green.  The little frame beyond with bird houses is colored, again, in chartreuse green and complimentary shades of plum, a sweet gift from our beloved daughter that says … “A mother’s love is what makes a house a home.”See how I unified different collectibles in my bookcase by using chartreuse green repeatedly … chartreuse green watering cans … book jackets … mossy rocks … planter … and little water pail.

An etched glass jar holds a collection of ferns and mossy rocks  and maintains the garden theme while evoking the mood displayed on the book jacket, “The Secret Garden.”  A large silver acorn and a mercury glass mushroom are all part of the magic in a “secret garden” and who else do you think resides there? … a couple of Frog Prince, of course! (:

When you use and incorporate the items you love in decorating, your home will begin to be the haven you desire and will have the “cozy” feeling you’re longing to create.  Why? … because your home will be filled with the things you love and the collectibles that make you happy and reflect “your taste.”  A home you’ll love coming home to!

Look how the textures of the hydrangea, the filigree on the planter, and the scrolling on the word ‘TRUST’ all compliment each other and make this arrangement visually interesting with the use of texture.

Thank you so much for spending some time with me today!  I’d love to hear from you and I am truly delighted, reading what you have to say.  Please leave a comment, below.  Don’t be alarmed when your comment doesn’t post, immediately.  Word Press makes sure each post I send or that I receive hasn’t any SPAM attached … “it’s a good thing!” (:

From my cottage to yours  ~  Trenda