A Few Thoughts on The May December Home

Having finally finished my entry/stairway/upstairs hall, I can't believe how ridiculously pleased I am with it.  And it's got me to thinking about home and decor and what it's for.  Because you can always count on me to analyze something beyond the limits of human endurance...

The analogy that finally came to me and that seems to tie it all together for me is that your home should be your friend.  A good and supportive friend.  One that helps you get what you most want out of life, that makes you feel comfortable in your own skin.  One that makes you feel better after a bad day, just by being there.

And if you think about your human friends, you realize that most of them have a certain amount of style. Which is nice, which is fun.  But if that's all they have, if that's all they are, they probably won't be your best friend.  Or certainly not beyond your first big crisis.

No, your best friend, while he or she may have the world's most amazing shoe collection, or know how to order just the right wine to go with a meal, also tells you that you are amazing and if the rest of the world doesn't know that, well, the world's just stupid.

Your best friend makes you relax, just by showing up. He or she will tell you your dreams are doable.  Will make you laugh.  Will let you be goofy and sentimental when you need to.

Quirks, yes.  No one is without them.  And sometimes you have to be a little careful around them because you want to be the caring, supportive, good friend that they are to you.  But you feel, always, that whatever effort you put into the friendship comes back to you tenfold.  And in the wonderful arithmetic of friendship, you both feel that way.

So how does this translate to how you decorate your home?

Well, it needs to work for your lifestyle.  If you like to hold a lot a dinner parties, a comfortable place to dine is a good idea.  And a workable kitchen.  If you spend a lot of nights on the couch watching movies, then a comfy sofa gets more of a priority.

And so it goes.  Bit by bit, from the moment you wake up in the morning till you climb into bed at night, try to make your interactions with your home comfortable for you.

Style?  Yes, that's nice, too, in its place.  So the world's most comfortable sofa that also looks amazing in a colour you absolutely love will be a good investment for the movie fanatic, but might be less of a priority for the cook.

Have things that make you smile.  Things that speak to your heart.  Whether or not they're the latest style.

Have things that are comfortable and easy and convenient for you.  That sort of fussing over the details is worth the effort in the way it enhances your life.

And if you have to give the bedroom door an extra push to get it to close, or remember not to trip over the raised bit on the way into the office, well, everyone has their quirks, right?