On an episode of Oprah (why do I often start sentences that way?), the always awesome Nate Berkus was revealing a room he had just decorated for a widow. He showed the room to her, and, of course, she cried. (And, of course, I cried!) My favorite favorite part of the room was a feather the homeowner had shown Nate before the makeover. He asked her why it was so special to her, and in so many words she said it reminded her of her late husband. So Nate (I WISH we were on a first name basis!) brilliantly designed the room with the feather in mind. He had it framed in a HUGE, beautiful frame. He explained to Oprah about decorating with things that you love and bring you full-on joy. So he then asks the audience, “What is YOUR feather?”
Your feather can be a number of things. And right now it may be different from five years ago or five years from now. It doesn’t matter what they are as long as you are open and honest about what it is to you. Because if you aren’t, it only makes things frustrating. It’s like a 3 year old putting a puzzle together and INSISTING the puzzle piece fits where it doesn’t. Find your fit – find your feather. Then you can start editing your home (or other things in your life) according to your definition of YOU.
If you’re having a hard time figuring out your answer, maybe this will help: There is something in our homes that each one of us would grab as we ran out of the house if there was a fire. (Besides wedding or baby photos. Those are a given…like the free space in Bingo.) There are pieces in our homes that are SO us. It could be a pair of shoes, a piece of furniture, a vase, a plate, a charm bracelet, a picture, a piece of heirloom fabric, a favorite quote – the possibilities are endless. These items make us smile each time – we actually feel love for them. Full on wanna-squeeze-it LOVE. If you take one of these items, figure out why it makes you smile (like first crush smile), and why you love it (LUUHH-uhhhh-UUUUVE), then planning a room around it can bring joy…and peace…and some happiness, too, I bet.
(These feelings can also be a guide when bringing things in the home and taking them out. If something doesn’t bring you joy, doesn’t bring you peace, doesn’t bless your home and family, then why why why is it taking up your space and using up your cash?)
So, what’s my feather? This is my feather:
An “old and scrolly” gate my friend gave me for a birthday present a few years ago.
I love it for eleventy billion reasons, but here are just some of them: The feminine lines – the scrolls – are beautiful and curvy and even a bit sassy. I love the juxtaposition of the lady-like scrolls and the masculine heavy iron. The color is beautiful. The patina of the rust makes me think of the years it could have sat outside. (But it hasn’t been sitting outside. It was from a home decor store, and, to be honest, it makes me feel a little better that I’m not bringing in lead paint or bugs or anything into my house (eek!) )
Some of the rust is paint, and some of it is actual rust. I learned through a friend that you can buy a rusting agent from craft stores. I need to be careful with that information…I may buy it and try to rust everything that’s not nailed down around here!
I love old items because I feel like they have a soul. So when I see something old, or a replication of something old, it makes my heart happy. Crackling paint and scrolly and rusty…seriously makes me wanna touch it and hold it and sometimes even hug it.
Before I was blessed with this beautiful gate, I was trying to decorate my home along these lines but didn’t know where I was going with it. I wanted feminine, but my husband and I have a rule about minimizing the floral…he hates it. So I have a little bit here and there, but this is my way of bringing in the feminine without it overpowering.
Here are a few pictures to show you how my gate helped me select other items when I decorated my living room:
The color red and the tone of the wood was similar to the rust, so they blend instead of clash.
Plus, red is my fave, so that was a win win.
Can you see the “scallops” the tops of the curtains are making?
My armoire is tall, similar to the gate, so I’ve placed them on opposite sides of the room. The armoire’s rounded carvings on top and around the doors mimick the rounded top of my gate.
And see the greenery?
A bit old looking, but yes – totally plastic.
What’s that hanging off my armoire you ask?
That’s my super cute alligator. She’s a purse, but I couldn’t use her as a purse – that would be like a crazy cat lady. So I hung her on my armoire. Because a crazy cat lady wouldn’t take such decorating risks. Ha!
The alligator is a bit of a joke because I live in Florida (I am here on loan until I am blessed to live in Texas again. 
) She matches my room and brings a bit of fun and conversation. I love her. She makes me smile with her red and pink high heels and pearl handle.
) She matches my room and brings a bit of fun and conversation. I love her. She makes me smile with her red and pink high heels and pearl handle.Anyway, back to the gate…
My dining room chairs were bought before the gate (BG), but once it moved in, the chairs actually made sense in the house. I use one as a desk chair.
Say “H&G” (hi and good-bye) to the green chair cushion. Its days are numbered…
The old mailbox above my desk was a garage sale find.
I LOVE the chipped paint (see the awesome green color showing through?), rusty scalloped edges, and crackle finish. Inside I keep magazine clippings of things I want to look up online as well as my camera cord for the computer. (And maybe I hide chocolate in there, too. Maybe.)
The round wreath and round lamp shades are…well…round – like the scrolls.
The black iron-looking finish on the lamps help the TV from standing out like a sore thumb.
Look how cute this little pineapple top is:
Just a few more pictures of the gate’s influence:
(Sneaking in a little floral…)
(These are my curtain tie backs. I used upholstry tacks to hang them.)
And an action shot of the gate…in it’s special place in my house (and heart!).
Smooches, Gate!!!
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So – what is your feather? Have you decorated a room (or your whole home) around an item that you LOVE? Leave a comment and tell me about it!
