Slow Decorating: How We Make Our House A Home

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We were away last weekend celebrating the upcoming arrival of our new grand-daughter with friends and family. We had a wonderful time! Such a special season. Even though I was so sad to leave people we love, I always enjoy returning to my everyday rhythms and routines. Plus I couldn’t wait to set up a vintage bamboo cart that we brought back with us!

The first thing I did when we got home was to run outside and check on my peonies! I brought in a few blooms for a bouquet. It feels good to have flowers to cut again. I’ve missed all the flower foraging I was able to do in our last garden! A cutting garden is high on my priority list for this home. Fortunately deer don’t seem to bother peonies in our neighborhood so I foresee planting many more.

Here is the vintage bamboo cart my mom has been saving for me! She’s had this cart in her homes for years, but didn’t have room for it in the Tiny Cottage. I am so excited to have it here! I’m not sure yet what I’ll put on it. I would love to use it for plants, if possible. My mom always put plants and books on it. My dogs eat plants, so unfortunately that makes it a little tricky. 🙂 I can’t wait to style the cart and this corner.

My mom had asked me a few months ago if I would want the cart here and my answer was YES! I didn’t even know she still had it.

This is not a big room so I want to get just the right furniture and accessories for our own taste. Enough to be interesting as well as comfortable, but not so much that we feel crowded. That takes time to figure out (and I will probably always be switching things around).

Each layer we find or bring in makes this house feel more like home — it is starting to tell our stories! This is how I always love to decorate. Slow, layered, collected and meaningful.

In a world where the goal of decorating seems to be instant, fast and trendy makeovers, I savor this slow thoughtful process even more.

Once I brought the cart in I had a few things to relocate and I was inspired to rearrange a little. Let the puttering commence! I grabbed a couple of navy scalloped trays I had bought to use in summer time (I got them at HomeGoods) and make a quick little “centerpiece” with one for the dining table. Use what you have! I was going to go out and cut some hydrangeas but I decided to wait until I take a few pics outside this week. The sun is supposed to be out!

Then I wondered if the round table between my two living room chairs felt a little crowded or off somehow. I had planned to buy new chairs, but I put that on hold once I found my Facebook Marketplace bed. Once I moved the table, I loved the openness. Instead of the bigger round one I’ll just use smaller accent tables for drinks, etc. We like to keep the doors open in the summer for the dogs and when we have people over, so it feels a bit more open this way!

I didn’t know what to do with the table, so I put the sides down and set it behind the sofa temporarily. Now I think I like it there! I was going to buy something similar anyway, but maybe this will do the trick, at least for now! We can use an extra dining table anyway when family is here, so this will be handy and it’s still easy to get around.

I wasn’t sure what to do with the basket that had been over by the bamboo cart, so I set it up on top of the other basket that landed here a few weeks ago! A happy accident, I love it.

I don’t love the black hole of a fireplace when it’s not in use and since I can’t put anything in it (the insert is behind glass) this makes it feel so much more like summer to me!

I’m excited to have my newest vintage pieces on either side of the fireplace. Now we have the marble topped washstand on one side, and the bamboo cart on the other. It’s a collected look and tells more of a story, which I love.

I shared about the vintage washstand in this post.

Then when I stepped back and looked over towards the kitchen I had an idea for a super simple swap. I took down two plates I had on the wall and replaced them with my blue and white bowls. The blue and white just felt more summery to me! I love it!

That’s about all I did so far, but now I’m looking forward to getting outside in the sunshine! I want to show you our progress out there soon!

Are you a slow decorator? Come sit with us! We’re opening our HomeBody community so we can begin the new season together! Learn more and get registered here.

This summer we’re learning to care for ourselves and our homes with Simple, Slow and Savored Seasonal Home Rhythms.

I had more photos from this day so I’m putting those below followed by a list of room sources!