When I moved back into my house after the fire, the walls were freshly painted, the rooms were clean, and the whole place looked neat and simple. I decided I would try to keep the rooms empty-ish and keep the clean look. It hasn’t worked out too well in practice, because I often pile things on horizontal surfaces or in corners.
The one room where I have some intentional decorations is my dining room. The piano and the shelf next to it have become places for me to put some sentimental artifacts.
I have just added the teddy bear Harold and Beth gave me for Christmas. It’s made out of one my dad’s shirts. The shelf also has a gecko tile I got in Maui, and many books of sentimental and practical value. On top of the piano is a framed seed sack from my grandpa and uncle’s grass seed business.
I should get rid of that boom box. It doesn’t work any more.
That whole area looks so cozy and nice – the bear looks right at home. 🙂 I like your arrangement of the books, too, with some on end and some stacked.
I’ve am drawn to the minimalism movement, but someone needs to get rid of all this junk in my house first.
After our flooring was redone in the house, I, too, tried the minimalist, bare walls, empty counters approach. It worked for a few months, and then we came home from vacation. School started. Lives got busy, and we started depositing things here and there. Christmas is another one of those times. Time to get rid of some things!
LOVE the bookcase the bear is on…are those called barrister cabinets? All I know is I want one. So cool.
I have seen the term “household sediment” used to refer to all the stuff that settles on the horizontal places in our homes. I think this is a perfect term. Stuff accumulates and settles just like the sediment in natural bodies of water.
And I love the Teddy Bear. What a wonderful way to have something personal that was your Dad’s. I have been trying to figure out some ways to use the sentimental family items that I have accumulated of the years. This would be a great way to use clothing.