What this is not: a perfectly decorated, knock-your-socks-off, Internet-setting-on-fire anything.
What this is: one small way to fix up your living spaces and support your values.
I’ve spent the pandemic freaking out, setting up a room for myself to write and work out in, and “finishing” the decoration of this house I’ve owned since 1986. For the final touches, as they say, I wanted to put my money where my mouth so often is, in support of Black-, women- and LGBTQ-owned businesses. I thought you all might appreciate these sources, despite your socks remaining firmly on your feet. Here are a couple of photos.
First, for a while now I’ve marked the changing of the seasons by switching out my living room pillows and throw blanket. Here are our new summer accoutrements. Throw blanket by 54 Kibo, Contemporary African Design, pillows from Berberology and Trendy Nest on Etsy, painting by Lily Stockman. Holding out until November before I go back to pink and purple. (Pillow fabrics below are the ubiquitous cactus silk and a Schumacher print.)
Second, I made some changes to our guest room. Finally let go of an old red duvet cover, and got real about the demands of a textured ivory rug. Turns out it wants more of the same.
Duvet cover and pillow cases in ivory linen from Linoto, fringed throw blanket from Sustainable Home Goods in Atlanta, mudcloth pillow covers from on Ruffled Thread on Etsy (I looked for a Black-owned vendor, could not find one. These are “flawed,” which I liked). Palm outside the window, dropped in seed form by a bird we assume, now interwined with passion flower vine.
More mudcloth via Ruffled Thread on Etsy, woodcut print from Block Shop, candles from Boy Smells and Candle Essentials. Chest of drawers built by my great-grandfather, Thomas Carter, in New England, superheroes print via my son’s childhood, retablo a gift from my brother.
Palm in the window, thank goodness, simply persistent.
Have a wonderful weekend.
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21 Responses
The light where you live is wonderful. There is a softness to it.
I love the chest of drawers and the fact that it was made by the hands of a relative.
Good job on the decorating!
Thank you:). And the morning light through the curtains is my favorite bit about this room. That, and that I slept here when I had my babies…
I love your home…it feels so inviting and I’d love to come in and plop myself down. No longer interested in intimidating and overly curated spaces. I too change the living room throw and pillow covers from summer to winter. Also have cactus silk covers from Etsy. I really admire that you look for businesses owned by people who have been underrepresented and could use the exposure and income. Beautiful job LIsa.
Thank you. You know how much I cherish your guidance on all this. Home is home xoxo.
That chest of drawers is gorgeous and has such a great family history. Your guest room looks super inviting – lucky guests. I, too, admire you for seeking out minority owned businesses. Great job decorating!
Thank you! Seeking out minority-owned businesses take a little work, but is well worth it.
Socks blown off!!
Gorgeous, Lisa.
You have exquisite taste.
Thank you for sharing your decorating and design ideas.
I want to incorporate these into my home.
Wishing you and your readers a wonderful fall weekend!
Aw, so nice of you. Thank you!
It is generous of you to share your space and try to support others in the process. Isn’t interesting all of the ways we can find to help others? This planet needs all of the “light” it can get.
You are a light Lisa!
Luci
You are very kind. I find generosity comforting to my own self, if that makes sense.
Love that beautiful chest of drawers – what craftsmanship! Endures through the centuries. Also love the idea of changing the interior to reflect what is going on outdoors. I live in a 4 season climate, and enjoy the variety it brings. Good on you for supporting artists who might not otherwise get the recognition they deserve!
Thank you, Martine. I use the changeout of pillows and throws as a way to heighten the season, since ours are nothing like so vivid as in other places in the world.
Lovely, just lovely and calming.
xoxoxoxoxoxox
I need all the calm I can muster;)
Boy Smells candles really are terrific! Their Redhead, Les and Cowboy Kush candles are a delight and reasonably priced.
Agreed. One note–they are quite strong. So, not a kitchen candle, more of a burn one for a little while and let the scent carry.
Lovely cozy looking guest room and it would be a welcome spot to sleep. Fluffing the nest has its rewards…there is a sense of calm in your home which I like.
We don’t change up our bungalow decor for the seasons. Not sure why but it stays pretty much the same. The dark wood wainscoting and beams, heritage arts and crafts wallpaper don’t lend themselves to any particular season.
Enjoy your week Lisa. I look forward to seeing your blog posts.
Take care.
Thank you, Leslie. I can imagine your heritage style takes precedence over a little fluff here and there!
I always enjoy shots of your home interiors – you have a very calming, but still creative, design sensibility. Plus just enough of the exquisite “perfect touch” – from family heirloom to fresh-cut rose.
But I do have a question: where do you put your books? (asked by someone who wishes her own free-standing piles of books looked as intentional and elegant as such things do in magazines!)
Thank you. As you know, when genetics don’t give you calm you create it where you can;). Now, books, here’s the thing. There is a built-in bookcase in the guest room, right opposite the foot of the bed. I have a small one in my writing room, and there’s a whole wall of shelving in my husband’s office. But the shocker is that I keep very few books. I am not a re-reader, and so the ones I want to keep around as memories evolve over time. My local library must LOVE my donations. This may seem heretical, but we cannot always help who we are.
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