Happy New Year everybody!
So there are probably lots of interesting things I could blog about today – stories of our first Christmas as a married couple, deep thoughts about living in Nairobi a year, thoughts of the year to come. You know, powerful words that would basically change your life. 
But instead, I want to share a discovery I’ve made this week. And it’s about style. Particularly, my decorating style.
I’ve been wondering about this lately, trying to figure out what it takes for a house (or apartment in our case) to feel like a home. And then it hit me – it’s a feeling. Where have I most felt at home? Of course, I first go to thoughts of my childhood home in Montana. I think of warm cups of tea or cocoa. Cozying into an afghan to read a book or watch “Wheel of Fortune.” I think of cheese and crackers. I think of applesauce simmering on the stove.
I think of my grandma’s house. Her cookie jar, her big pot of pennies, her button box. I think of the VanSlembrouck’s home in Detroit – the red kettle on the stove, always ready to make a cup of tea. The stories told around the island in their kitchen. I think of Linda’s house in Pennsylvania and the comfy sofa that was always perfect for naps. The amazing aromas coming from her kitchen. I think of Carrie’s apartment in China – soft candles burning, warm homemade bread, a big coffee table book.
When I think of home, I think of a place where I can curl up with a mug of tea, tuck my legs under me, and feel like I can leave the stress of the day at the door.
This is the type of home I want to create here in Nairobi, and wherever else we may live one day.
In the days I’ve had off work recently, I’ve gotten pretty addicted to Pinterest. Basically, it’s a site you can join where you can save or “pin” favorite things you find on the web. This could be clothing, do-it-yourself projects, recipes, what have you. My latest obsession has been homey things. As a result, I’ve narrowed it down to the few things I hope to achieve in our home…
- A feeling of rest, laughter, and peace
- A sense of the places and people we love
- Good smells coming from the kitchen
- Comfortable seating, soft lighting
- Plenty of cheese and crackers
To be a bit more particular, I’ve learned that my decorating style is called “modern vintage.” What does this mean? It means I like the main furniture pieces in my home to be modern, with clean lines. But it also means I like bursts of color and accent pieces that are vintage or retro. So how would this come together? Well, maybe you’d have a nice sleek side table with a cool vintage lamp. Or maybe a shelf that highlights an old camera or collection of vintage books. I love the idea of vintage linens, a collection of mismatched old mugs, an antique quilt on a modern bed frame.
Here are a couple examples I’ve seen online:
I bet it’s probably more interesting to see photos of our how our little nest is coming along instead, so I’ll try to take (and post) some photos soon. I’m excited to see it come along in 2012!
mmm, I agree, and I like