Hello all! I hope you're having a fabulous weekend. My name is Angie and I write about home decor, paint colors, and several other things over at Postcards from the Ridge blog. I want to thank Pamela for inviting me to share how I found my style. I've admired her style and blog for a couple of years now and am honored to be here. She always has such a good eye for design and decorating. I find inspiration in every room she reveals.
I always love reading Pamela's "How I Found My Style" posts to learn how various styles have evolved. And now to answer a few questions about my own style.
What is my style? That's a great question. I don't know if there's a specific name for it. Maybe it could be called collected, eclectic, comfortable or just lived in. I seem to gravitate towards items that are unique and sometimes have a story to tell. I think I'll call my style American Eclectic.
Our 1960's ranch style home is filled with a mix of new and old items. In the entry an alabaster lamp from an estate sale sits right next to some empty thrift store frames and a few newer items.
In the family room, I mixed a yard sale mirror that I repainted, a Craig's list wooden milk crate, a thrift store Granny square throw, and a few newer items for my American eclectic style.
Again here, I love marrying old and new.
Old and new things in the entry.
Here, an old desk makes a great night stand. This and another almost identical one came out of someone's garage, got a paint makeover, and are now used in our master bedroom. Top it off with some newer books, an old lamp, and some preserved boxwood for an updated look.
More American eclectic here, with the 1930's painting and vintage copper tub mixed in with a newer clock and some thrifted white pitchers. It looks like a different house than the family room, but that's why I call my style eclectic.
How did I find my style? It has definitely evolved over the years, somewhat out of necessity. Starting out our marriage 22 years ago with a small budget, I found items for our home at flea markets, thrift stores, yard sales, estate sales, and relatives' homes, as well as off-price stores like TJ Maxx and Target. It's amazing how creative you can be when you're broke! It worked out great because I like vintage items and pieces with charm and character. (at least that's what I call it)
In the living room, the sofa got an easy, low budget makeover when I used a dropcloth as a slipcover. The budget didn't allow for a new sofa so I had to get creative here, but I love the look. It's cozy and inviting.
For our master bath remodel I got creative and used our old dining room buffet for our bathroom vanity. It gave us a unique piece that's made of solid wood, and we repurposed an unused piece of furniture. A win-win, for sure, as well as a big savings over what a brand new vanity would have cost us.
What is your most treasured find for your home? That's another great question. I have several items that I love, but my favorite find is an old window from a doctor's office that I have hanging in our living room window.
It was salvaged from a building not far from our house and is probably from the 1930's or earlier. It's entirely possible that my grandparents or great grandparents were patients of this doctor.
It's one of the first things you see when you enter our house. I hang a wreath on it in the fall and at Christmas. (yes, the furniture is in a different arrangement here...that happens a lot in this room)
It's unique, for sure. And when I bought it I had no idea where I would use it. For more than 6 months it sat in my garage, patiently waiting for me to find a place for it.
What tips do you have for creating a beautiful home? My best advice to to use what you love and don't worry about the trends. It's better to have a few pieces that you love than to have a lot of pieces that you sorta like.
Another tip...if you see something you love, buy it if your budget allows. Even if you don't know what you're going to do with it. If if speaks to you, it belongs with you.
Here's an example of something I bought and had no idea how it would be used. The section of old rusty iron gate has been on our deck, on our hearth here mixed in with our fall decor, and most recently in our guest bathroom.
It spoke to me a couple of years ago, and I've never regretted buying it. And in case you're wondering, it said, "Bring me home with you!"
Since it's really heavy and has 4 screws holding it in place, it will be staying here in the guest bathroom for a while. Moral of the story: use what you love.
Another tip, use natural items in your decor. It's inexpensive, if not free, and adds a beautiful touch to any setting. Here's some of our fall decor for the hutch. I love to use natural elements like mini pumpkins and baby corn in the fall.
Pears, baby corn, and mini pumpkins add a nice addition to almost any display.
Dried lavender not only looks pretty, it smells good too!
Colorful Gerber daisies in old glass bottles can brighten any space.
Also, the tiles on the backsplash aren't actually tiles at all. That's paint. I grew up and still work in a paint store and am always painting something, whether it's a backsplash, a floor, a piece of furniture, or a room.
Which leads me to one last tip...paint is the cheapest way to make the biggest impact on a space or a piece of furniture. And everyone can do it.
When we bought our house, the family room was 1960's paneling. I painted it and it looks like a brand new space.
And here's another example of how much difference a fresh coat of paint can make on a piece of furniture. Minimal investment, maximum return.
Thanks again to Pamela for asking me to share how I found my style. And for all you FMFPTY readers, I'd love to have you drop by Postcards from the Ridge and say hello!
XOXOX,
Angie
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| Angie I have loved following along with you and your blog! You inspire me so and your secretary is still one of my favorite pieces that motivated me even more to find one in my price range. Thanx for stopping by and visiting with us today! |
every week! Please if you would like to Pin go to the blog directly and Pin from there!:)
