How much time do we spend thinking of our home? Do you often think about improving, renovating or redecorating yours?
Today more and more people are conscious of their living environment. Many of us fix our homes using whatever we have; the vintage wooden chest from grandma; the chest of drawers we first bought when we started furnishing our home; the dinning set that our parents gave as a wedding present, the picture frame we got from a garage sale. Putting personal items like those including photos, favorite pieces of art, artifacts from our travels and meaningful objects will give life and warmth to the place.
Some people use the help of a professional decorator; but even if they do, most of the time they want to be more involved in the designing process and in putting the items they love to give it a personal touch.
What about you, do you spruce up your home regularly? Do you find joy in doing that? Or is it a boring chore for you?
As for me, I spend a lot of time thinking about our home, how I can make it more livable and more comfortable; what to add, what to renovate or how to revitalize it by painting; adding a vase or two; or just putting a scented candle. I love fixing our home; whenever I get hold of a magazine, I look closely at the designs while I figure out whether I can use one to enhance my set up.
What's the best time to repair, refurbish and redecorate our homes? I guess anytime, as long as we have the budget but the timing must be in keeping with the season iideal for repairs on the exterior part of the house.
In America and Europe as well as other countries that enjoy the four changing seasons, spring cleaning is very popular, if not a must. While they store away winter clothes and other paraphernalia, they use this time to de clutter, redecorate and repair their homes.
Asian countries experiencing only two seasons; the dry, that's summer; and the wet, that's the rainy season; there is no such thing as spring cleaning. However in April, the advent of summer, when school ends and we sort the children's school things to dispose; repairs and construction usually take place. Then also come November, after the rains and typhoons, more home improvements are done as people start decorating their homes for Christmas.
I'm getting inspired to spruce up our home again, well, for us, it is really a never-ending occupation. My husband would take care of the basic structures, working closely with his reliable carpenter at least twice a year; more often when necessary. If I like to do something that needs carpentry work, I discuss it with him and he will work it out with the carpenter. He leaves the decorating and the arranging of the furniture to me; but he has artistic talent, so he would give suggestions often.
When an idea hits me, even if it only involves rearranging some objects on tabletops, I am excited to do it straight away. Whenever I want to improve a nook or a corner but couldn't seem to figure out what to do, I think about it a lot. Then I see something in a magazine and I am inspired to "get the look" using what I have.
I love Country Living magazines, I've always liked country decoration; the idea of being "natural", incorporating twigs, dried leaves, rare stones, artistic shells and folksy items or objects with history greatly appeal to me especially when put together along living plants.
I'd like to believe that our home is a life story in itself, my wall gallery for instance, tells the story of milestones in the family; graduations, anniversaries and weddings. Now and then, I put in little item to enhance what we already have. In terms of basic furniture though, my husband and I agree that we already have "the backbone" as experts say. I doubt changing our leather upholstered sofas and chairs in the living room, nor the narra glass-topped dining table and matching chairs we bought in the early 70's; the wooden credenza; the coffee tables and end tables that my husband designed himself using antique narra slabs; and who painstakingly supervised the carpenter to make them.
So what more is left to do or acquire? Well, right now we strive to make our home neat and tidy inside and out. My aim is to improve/enhance the look of every nook and corner. Every grouping must make a statement that would draw the observer to keep on looking; it must be interesting like in a garden where every arrangement of plants should look like a bouquet. Experts advise that to change or freshen the look, replace curtains and get new throw pillows. So I often rotate the curtains and the throw pillows, the duvets and pillow cases or buy new ones when we feel like.
My husband sees that all systems work; proper drainage, no leaks from the ceiling, rooftops are free from leaves and other debris; no broken windows and no pealing paint. He maintains the garden as well, acquiring some plants when needed and gets outside help in pruning. His plants must thrive well; so they are fertilized and watered regularly; and the maid is even advised to wipe each leaf when dusty so the plants can breathe.
How about you, do you think about your home often?
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