I saw a great podcast recently from a vlogger named Hannah (Real Vintage Dolls House) titled "Why does everything feel so boring now?" In her video, she laments the fact that we live in a homogenous world of white and grey, devoid of color and interest, where clean and minimalist is set before us as the ideal.
And yet, it all feels so cold and sterile.
And then we watch shows like "All Creatures Great and Small" and think "I want my house to look like that!" Warm, slightly cluttered, filled with treasures and useful things.
We think of children's books from Beatrix Potter, or the Brambly Hedge series, and we remember all the minute details that filled those pages. They made us happy!
And still, we are told that clutter is bad.
Is it? Is it, really?
I'm not talking about hoarding. That's another level. I'm talking about the comforts of home. The knickknacks and piles of books.
The teacups and the figurines.
The hand crocheted blankets and hand-stitched quilts.
The musical instruments and things that bring us joy.
I'm reading September by Rosamunde Pilcher, and it's been a wonderful book. I read a passage where she describes the comforts of an old home in Scotland, and it made me want to put on the kettle, brew a pot of tea, and sit in a comfy, well-worn chair.
And so I did.
In a world of chaos, we need more comfy. We need warmth. We need cozy.
We need to look for the beautiful, the lovely, the true.
And it starts in our homes.
Is it the Pinterest effect perhaps? Where we copy generic design ideas but neglect to add the personal touches that make the look cozy and warm? Or does it reflect the trend towards having experiences versus owning stuff?
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother excelled at making their home warm, inviting, and cozy. I've tried hard to create that same mood in our home, without owning a lot of stuff (it is stressful to me to have a lot of things). One of my favorite things about visiting others' homes is seeing the personality reflected in their living spaces!
Same here! I visited the home of a friend yesterday, and it is so cool and unique, with timbered framing inside and a massive fireplace and mantel. And she's a collector of nativities, which she had on display. Lovely!
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