Handmade Home

Hey, guys.

You know how in Monday's post, I elaborated on the "unexpected FUN" part of our design style? Well, after I wrote that post, I started thinking more about the other elements of our (still very much developing) style that I've listed in the sidebar. I enjoy little exercises like this. They help me think through my preferences and ideas. They give me a more concrete direction. Anyway, I took a good look at my sidebar list and thought for a bit.

It got me thinking about what "personal... with details from the heart" means for me. I said I wanted it, but what would that actually look like in our home?

Partly, I think I mean including our past in our home. Sentimental items, photographs, things associated with fond memories. But, I also mean handmade things. Things for our home, made with love, either by our own hands or made and given to us by those we love. I particularly want this element to come through strongly in Baby's nursery, but I'd like some of it in other rooms as well.

It's not really showing up in this house, yet, though. So, it's kind of hard to explain exactly what I mean. I turned to Pinterest and did a few quick searches. One of the homes I searched was Lindsey's from The Pleated Poppy, because it has a lot of handmade loveliness.

Source: thepleatedpoppy.com via Jacci on Pinterest

Source: thepleatedpoppy.com via Jacci on Pinterest

Now, like the Swedish rooms in my last post, these photos are not exactly what I'm going for. They are influences for one part of the whole. The handmade, crafty part :)

Source: thepleatedpoppy.com via Jacci on Pinterest

Lindsey's home is creative and happy, but it's still very orderly. I don't do well with a chaotic, crafty space. I admire photos of rooms like that sometimes, but I couldn't live with it. I'd just want to dust it all of the time... which there's no way I could... and it would feel dirty to me. Because deep down, I'm a freak like that.

But, like I said, Lindsey's rooms are tidy and ordered. So, no one has to know about my neurosis.

Source: thepleatedpoppy.com via Jacci on Pinterest

We like to do crafty stuff. I've always been into something or other creative. I use to cross-stitch a lot, then I quilted for a bit, crocheted, I've sewn for a while now. These days, my girls are getting in on the crafty action. They use up my fabric! And, as you know, we all love to paint and draw a lot.

Source: thepleatedpoppy.com via Jacci on Pinterest

So, there's lot of craft stuff around. And we homeschool - so there's school stuff around, too. (Lindsey also homeschools, by the way). I hide most of it away, but some of it needs to be out. And, it's cheerful stuff. It's us.

Source: thepleatedpoppy.com via Jacci on Pinterest

I like the feeling of this house. It's very welcoming. Unassuming. Comfortable. Personal. Like I said, not completely what I'm going for, but part of it is. This house is how Lindsey makes a handmade home. My home will be different, because I'm me... not Lindsey :)

Source: lifemadelovely-blog.com via Jacci on Pinterest

A great resource for crafty, handmade home ideas is Home Made Lovely. A new house tour is featured every week or so (I think). Now, just to warn you, these are some seriously crafty homes. Like... Craft Weekend in every room. Most are way too much for me. But, here and there, an idea pops out. And maybe I'll make something like it one Thursday night for my Mama Night. Another personal little touch for our home.

The tricky thing is knowing how much is enough and how much is too much with this kind of thing. Worse case scenario, though, I can just give something as a gift if it's too much for the house. Or store it away to switch out with something else when the mood strikes. There's really very little risk with handmade details, because they're often so quick and inexpensive. Things like quilts and afghans, though... not so much. They take serious time. I'm finding I prefer to buy those vintage, instead. They're still cozy and welcoming even if Aunt Etsy makes them instead of me. If they get used often, they soon become personal, too.

I'm not sure, yet, exactly how all these little elements are going to come together to make a cohesive whole. Can granny square afghans, Swedish-inspired painted rocking chairs, and glam swing arm sconces happily coexist in a room with a traditional Persian-esque rug and modern, graphic pillows?

I think so.

I hope so.

We're still rooting our home in tradition. The big decisions are still by and large classic. The first layer is still the same. I'm just getting excited about playing around some with the rest. I spent so much time and effort researching and defining and considering for the first layer because those choices were expensive and permanent. There wasn't much room to make mistakes there. But, choices like pillows and wall decor are much more forgiving. It's okay to make mistakes with them (ahem... living room bookcase). It's part of learning what works. And what doesn't.

Part of making this home our own.




(photos used with permission from The Pleated Poppy)