How I Found My Style Sundays- Confessions of a Plate Addict

 Hi! I am Debbie at Confessions of a Plate Addict and I am so excited and honored to have been invited by Pamela to be a part of her How I Found My Style Sundays! Thanks so much, Pamela! I love her style as I am sure you do, too! Today I am going to share how I found my style and a few tips for creating your own style that have worked for me over the years.

For me, finding my style was easy…just a natural progression of my life as a French teacher. I have had the wonderful opportunity to live and travel in France over the years and to visit and be a guest in beautiful homes in Provence…like this one where I spent some time a few years ago. How could I help but fall in love with Country French style!

But eventually the birth of my first grandchild drew me back home to Georgia. And I knew what I wanted to do…create a little bit of France in my own home! So I began to look for pieces that reflected what I had seen in France. My hutch was the very first one that I found…and is still one of my favorites! It had the Country French look that I love and was a blank canvas for me to display another love of mine…my plates! I like to find a big piece that reflects my style and use it as an anchor in my room.

Next, I added color to my home…an easy choice for me! I love the sunny blues and yellows of Provence! I could not live without those colors! I have found that if I use colors that I love I never grow tired of them. My little breakfast room is one of my favorites in my house…full of lots of light. And I have to point out another one of my loves (hard to pick a favorite)…my wrought iron rooster chandelier! 

The blue and yellow continue into my living room where I have mixed patterns and fabrics in Country French style. I love the warmth and coziness of this room!

You cannot have Country French without toile, in my opinion…so I have filled my guest room with it…plus more layers of fabrics in stripes, checks and florals! I find that layering coordinating fabrics and patterns helps to create a cozy feel.

Here’s a peek into my my guest bath where the Country French look continues. I love the dark fixtures and have added more Provençal colors…antique red with yellow this time. I couldn’t find a shower curtain that I loved, so I have used drapery panels instead!

I also used my favorite Johnson Brothers Old Britain Castles sugar and creamer to hold little French soaps. I love using unexpected accessories to add some interest to my rooms.

And here’s my master bedroom…this time with a more feminine pink and green toile. And you may have noticed that…as in every other room I have shown you…there are plates on the wall! I love to use groups of plates to add a little architectural interest to otherwise boring walls.

And I am sure you are beginning to see that my plates feature prominently in my home! I have to share my favorites with you…my vintage Quimper plates…some of which came from the antique market in l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France. I think that collections reflect who you are and what you love and should be displayed so that you can enjoy them every day.

Of course, not all of my accessories have come from the markets in France…in fact, not many of them! But I have found a way to create a French feel by making my own “vintage” French linens…

…and willow baskets…with tags labeled in French, of course…

…and frenchy accessories by upcycling flea market and thrift store finds and giving them a vintage French look and feel. Thrift stores are a great source for bargains that you can use to create accessories that match your style.

And I’ll leave you with this final tip…Find a style that is your own and go with it. Do not be worried about what is in fashion because that will come and go. But if you surround yourself with things that you love and use colors and fabrics that speak to you, you cannot help but be happy in your home!

Thanks again so much, Pamela, for inviting me! And I also thank you, her readers, for being so welcoming! I hope will visit me at my blog Confessions of a Plate Addict where you are always welcome!

Thank you so much Debbie for sharing your beautiful home with us!

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Write by: AN - Sunday, February 10, 2013