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| I am honored to have Amy from Maison Decor stopping by to visit with us today. I have been following along with her blog for years and she has always been an inspiration of mine. If you do not already know her and love her I am sure after you get to meet her you will be just as smitten. |
How did I find my style? What is my decorating style?
What things do I love best in my home?
What tips can I give those interested in their own pursuit of home decorating?
I was invited to answer these questions for Pamela today
as a guest blogger at From My Front Porch to Yours:
How I Found My Style Sundays.
The funny thing is that I find my style is always in a progression of change.
Its not a static thing for me, and maybe you can relate to that....
or maybe you do things once and the room stays like that because its "done"?
My style is in flux~ever changing.
Overall, through the years I have decorated with a feminine style.
Let me share you a few versions of the same room over the past several years.
This was my living room two years ago. Shabby Chic is the best way
to describe the style of decor I favored. Lots of white with decorative
details, soft florals with vintage flavor. Recently I have been pairing
down the feminine florals and mixing in some rustic elements.
I think my style started to move in this direction after
working with my son Justin, together in our retail shop, Maison Decor.
His style influenced mine and I have been enjoying the changes I have made.
As far back as I can remember, I have always preferred feminine romantic style,
and as a young teen had a pink and purple room with a
white french provincial canopy bed dressed in
lilac colored ruffled bedding with sheer curtains at the windows.
I think most have a style preference that they are naturally drawn to,
just as I have had since I was old enough to have
an opinion about my own space, my childhood bedroom.
I traded out the vintage floral carpet for a natural sisal, albeit with a
duck egg blue border. I have less of the pinks and more of the sea glass blues
and greens that you find in nature mixed in with my mainly neutral palette
of pale grey walls and white upholstery.
Less Shabby Chic, more French Cottage would be the style.
Painted furniture has always had a place in my heart. I continue
to prefer painted pieces over natural woods, but find a mix is best.
Just a month or so ago I painted my mantle back to white after adding
some decorative appliques we sell at our shop. Adding a classic yet
feminine touch to the living room while I redecorated some bits yet again.
I had planned to paint the backs of the bookcases in a beige color,
instead of the current darker grey....but then while writing this post I
stumbled upon an old living room shot of my bookcases.
This was my Shabby Chic styled bookcases and sofa three years ago.
I still think its pretty and am tempted to put the floral liners back in place
for the spring and summer. Perhaps paired up with the sisal carpet and without
the extra frilly details it might look nice. I am definitely less fussy these days.
The decorating approach is one thing that I know will change.
It might stay a certain way for a few months or a year...
but its going to change, as I think all home decor should.
Keeping it current and fresh with little changes.
Maybe the blue floral bookcase backers would be balanced out by the
sisal carpet and the baskets and the rustic painted coffee table?
I may just have to try it again and see how it feels.
That is one piece of advice I can give when decorating your home.
You have to try things in place, step back and see how they feel.
I often like to buy more than enough accessories when styling a client's
home, like I am doing more often now for my gig with HomeGoods.
Buy more than you need so you can switch out a pair of lamps and pick
which pair "feels" best to your eye and your current decorating persona.
Is your traditional style ready for a bit of an update? Study magazines and
check out Pinterest to see what elements in home decor excite you. Then
go track some of those same style of accessories and try them on for size.
Even switching out a traditional lamp shade for a drum shade in burlap
can make a huge difference in updating a room.
What are my favorite things I have used in my own home decorating?
I have to say this antique blue opaline chandelier and sconces are at the top.
Adding wonderful antique lighting to a home is something I have been doing
for years. Carting around light fixtures when I have moved from house to house,
its my decorating addiction~old chandeliers!
I love the painted table I have in my living room too.
The antique painted table has pretty curvy legs~
lets just say I am a fan of Rococo style.
(That's frenchy and curvy shaped furniture.) Another thing
I think one is naturally drawn to is either a straighter line
or a softer curved line in home furnishings.
These days I do like things a little less curvy and I can
appreciate straight lines better, so finding a mix is often quite right.
Much like these vintage french chairs in the shop we used to have,
they share a mix of straight lines with a bit of the curvy.
I think they are a good example of how I might define my current
style preference. Tailored Shabby Chic style..perhaps it could
be called Subdued Classic French style? Ha! Just having a bit of fun
with naming my current style. I guess I will simply have to call it
Maison Decor Style.
A mix of these elements:
Rustic, European, Cottage and a touch of Vintage Luxe!
Yes, thats it!
I love all of those things mixed together!
Now go hone your style~play with what feels right and what
you are attracted to. Just because you inherited mom's dining room set
doesn't mean you can't make it your own. Painting the chairs, or hanging
a fabulous light fixture over it can change the mood and make it
your own. Wallpaper one wall with a snappy chevron paper or an elegant silver leafed chinoiserie paper....its all up to you, and what feels right.
Thats the essence of decorating for me.
Have fun with it, and create a home you love!
Signing off with my own personal dream team beside me.
You can find Justin, Colin and me at Maison Decor,
both online or in our shop at 150 Main St., Reading, Massachusetts.
We love home decor and helping people find their styles.
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| Thank you so very much for taking time out of your very busy schedule to stop by and share with us today Amy! |
