decorating thoughts

As I plod away at unearthing our little apartment and making it our own, I'm learning a lot about my decorating style.  If you follow me on Pinterest, you may have noticed that my pins follow a consistent theme.  White walls, industrial elements, a touch of eclectic, and even more white.  As much as I still yearn for a wide open space with huge windows and hundred year-old pine plank floors, I'm finding my taste in real life...and in this apartment...is different than what I expected from my Pinterest searching.

Here's what I'm learning:

Color is a good thing.   I love pops of it in bold, rustic rag rugs, fresh flowers, throw pillows, and art.  I'm even craving some different color on the walls to help reflect light and give dimension to the space.  But I really love blue.  Cobalt blue.  My Swedish ancestors are dancing jigs over that last revelation.

I like whimsical art and more serious furniture.  I like my art to be happy, bright, and meaningful to me.  I get nervous hanging up my own creations.  Don't ask.

Upgrades don't make a home beautiful.

My pottery collection makes no sense with my obsession with white dishes.  None.  But I'll take them over plain, white dishes from Home Goods any day.

Silver pieces are absolutely beautiful.  Silver frames, vessels, serving pieces, lamps..the more silver, the better.  I am loving the way light bounces off of silver like it would a mirror and creates space and more light.

I have an affinity for tribal/Western American motifs, especially when it comes to baskets and rugs.  I keep looking at classic Persian rugs thinking they're a great idea, but they just don't speak enough to me to pull the trigger.

I have no idea how to style with lamps.  Or what lamps to use.  Or how big lamps should be.  Lamps scare me.  And rugs.  They seem like serious commitments.

My furniture needs clean lines while my accessories need to be frilly.  For example, I made this bench (which is probably going to collapse at any moment...) with some spindle legs.  I thought I would adore this bench once it was assembled.  Truth be told, I'm waiting for it to fall apart so I can go in search of a long Parson bench to replace it.  No fuss, no muss.  But then I want to top it with a smattering of pillows in every color and pattern imaginable.  Go figure that one out...

There are still things to buy.  A dining table of some sort, lighting, shelving for the kitchen (oh...the kitchen...).  But I'm willing to wait and to save up for quality items.  I don't want to get something just because it's on sale or because I think I need it RIGHT NOW.  I want pieces that really speak to me and are actually going to last.  Pieces that are worth the wait and worth hunting for.

Fresh flowers are essential.  Absolutely essential.  In every room.  Even the bathroom.

Less is more.  The more I decorate, the more I donate things that have no sentimental meaning to me and are just taking up space.  I want breathing room .  Expanses of wall with nothing on them, clear surfaces without  knick knacks.  Whatever we have, I want it to serve a purpose. Our apartment is too tiny to justify objects that don't fill a need.