Design philosophy?

I recently was asked what my design philosophy was and I came up blank.  Did I need a catch phrase?  I have toyed with that in my advertisements: Vintage/Modern Living, Artful Living, Modern Farmhouse...nothing has stuck.  All weekend it has been in the background of all my thoughts...who am I?  What is Perch Home? I do have rules, rules that I stick to and hopefully make my store and home look edited and purposeful.  So I thought it might help me to write them up.

Color (I've got the blues!):

I am a blue and white kind of girl.  Nothing looks crisper or more soothing to me than sky and clouds.  But not in a nautical way.  I like a grey blue, a misty blue, a stormy ocean blue.  It is the basis for most of my home, most of my clothing and purchases! 

I used to be apologetic about it, but now I know that it is me and I embrace it.  Add some chocolate brown leather, ivory accents, black punctuation and soft silver shine and you have the Perch Home palette.  My store ribbon tied up with a jingle bell is pretty much my color "philosophy." What color do you love?  What do you wear the most?  That is probably your signature color and will make you most happy when decorating.

Texture:
Touch matters.  Maybe it's because I'm allergic to a million different things, but I want to surround myself with natural textures.  My smocked burlap curtains make me ridiculously happy.  As do my grain sack pillows.  I covered old chairs (original to the house) with white denim and they look great.  Give me linen and cotton and leather and I'm happy.  Old textiles add so much character to a home.  I collect old crocheted tablecloths and bedspreads whenever I see them.  Just folded on shelf, they add great character. Go through your closet and bring out some old linens.  Drape them over the sofa or on the foot of the bed. Dye them if you don't like the color.

I loathe wall-to-wall carpeting.  It's like suffocating a house.  And all the toxic foam beneath the rug!! Don't get me started.  I'm a fan of sisal, old orientals, Dash & Albert cotton striped rugs, even Flor tiles.  But please no wall - to - wall! Hardwood floors are beautiful!  So are painted floors.  Have you thought about ripping up that old carpet?

Vintage and Antique accents:
Okay the word vintage has got to go.  It always seems too cutesy to me now.  I prefer time-worn, patina, aged, or simply old when describing the kind of things I like to decorate with.  And I like old utilitarian objects.  A over sized birdcage plucked from the garbage, an old bingo spinner, iron garden gates, hardware cubbies, a glass battery jar filled with vintage clothespins, gym locker baskets, pieces of fretwork.  These are the things that give a house character!  One of my favorite pieces of "art" in my house is a store spring display.  This is the ultimate in green living!  Why buy a new coffee table when you can find a charming one at a rummage sale? (Our next Find & Go Seek Flea Market Adventure is April 24th, 2009.  It's a great place to find unique items!) Give your collection a cohesive look by picking one vintage element you are drawn to and then repeating it throughout every room of the house.

Mirrors:
Mirrors reflect light and make a home seem lighter and brighter.  I don't care about the glass being perfect.  I love those age spots.  I also like to layer mirrors behind objects to give depth to a display.  Try leaning a mirror above your mantel and then propping art or other objects off-centered and over it.

Details:
Whether it's a nest carefully placed under a garden cloche, or a small painting propped on a window sill, I like to incorporate small details into a room, that you would never notice when taking the whole room in.  I like to take ribbon and hang skeleton keys from a lamp and put a vintage postcard on the entry table.  Create a small detail in your house that is only for you.  Notice it each time you walk by and I swear it will make you a tiny bit happier.

 

Surprise with a dash of whimsy:
This might be the key element...surprise & whimsy.  My studio is bright pink.  It's filled with colorful aprons and aqua furniture.  Its the place where I get all my girly-girl decorating tendencies out. And our children's playroom is full of bright vibrant color.

Do something unexpected!  My sister-in-law had words written on her stair backs;  I loved the idea but didn't want to do the same exact thing.  As my son and I were counting up the stairs one day I decided that numbers would be fun.  A one hour project makes a huge difference and surprises people right when they come in the front door. Or I used a classroom map for a shade in the kitchen. Take a room and make it different from the rest of the house.  Maybe it's your powder room or the guest bedroom.  But let one room show a totally different side of your decorating style.

Art and Photographs:
I can't afford gallery/expensive art. Neither can most of my clients.  But a house without art and family photos is soulless.  I collect old flower paintings.  They are all in pretty bad shape, but since there is a similar subject matter they become purposeful and beautiful.  I love imagining the Victorian women that painted them. 

And school room prints! To me the bold graphics of classroom art make them the perfect family pieces.  I even framed some vintage flash cards to represent our family and hung it in the kitchen.

 

Now you can tell from walking in my store that I love over sized photo frames.  I think it's important to pick a few shots and frame them up big to make a statement.  Nothing is more clutter-inducing than one hundred little 4 x 6 frames jammed on a shelf.  And hello! change the pictures.  The pictures are not permanent.  They do not become hermetically sealed in the frame.  Over sized black and white photos look even better when you increase the contrast; try pushing it farther than you ordinarily would.  Staples will print a normal 11 x 17 copy for $2.99.  That's what I did on the stairs!

Celebrating and Giving:
I try and make holidays and events special.  When you think about it, those are the times you remember most.  Don't buy 10 junky Christmas ornaments at the Dollar store if you can buy one beautiful one you can treasure!  Each holiday the kids and I make decorations and buy one nice piece that we add to our holiday collections.  They love the rhythm of time passing through holiday celebrations. 

And I firmly believe if you are going to send a note, or give a gift you should make it special. That's why I love letter pressed cards, or unique jewelry.  I want the person to know that I was thinking about them, took the time to select something special and was purposeful in my giving.  I don't think anyone is obligated to give anything and you shouldn't feel that way.  The giving should be just as enjoyable as the receiving!!

Ultimately I think Perch Home is a lifestyle, one that is centered around family and home, that is inspired by nature and timeless design, that cherishes and enjoys using time-worn objects and believes in making memories special in a very real, very affordable way for a modern family.

I've rambled on enough....so how do condense this into a catchphrase? Anyone?

xoxo,

Michele

Comments

[shama]

Wow, Michele, you've put so much thought into your decorating and "living" style. It all seems so effortless, but clearly there are a lot of little (and big) design thoughts there which impact your choices and your style. A catchphrase to describe this? That's a tough one...

[Sandra Kosik]

Thanks for sharing your 'secrets'! I'm going to give each of them some thought - especially about what colors I'm drawn to and picking a room to show a different side of my design style. I've been meaning to give my walk in closet a hip but girly makeover!

[Angela]

This is very timely for me, Michele, as I have just (re)committed myself to making our home a better reflection of our personalities and lifestyles. I feel like I've spent a lot of time (softly) berating myself for not being able to fit into the organizational and decorating mold that I think I *should* be able to attain, and it has left me a little paralyzed.

I had just come up with some unconventional solutions, but I was a little reluctant to take the leap. This has helped me further embrace them and given me some additional ideas of how to help the house better reflect the love and creativity that percolates inside it every day.

Thank you for this!

[Angela]

PS -- thanks for this reminder, too! It is definitely something I forget.

"The pictures are not permanent. They do not become hermetically sealed in the frame."

[Jung]

I agree that the word "vintage" does not properly describe all old objects. Let's face it, not all things are designed well! I think you have an appreciation for things that are designed well, whether or not they originate from the same era.

What I like about your store and your home is the treasured atmosphere. Not the kind of treasures that are irreplacable, but rather the things that bring you personal happiness and moments in your life that bring a warm smile on your face. In my opinion, THAT is HOME and you have made a lovely one for your family.

[Sue Bartlett]

Your house looks lovely..I especailly like the numbers on the stairs!! It is tough to define one look that describes a store...I have the same problem with describing my store. Sue

[Laura B]

After reading this it makes you think about how you should empower yourself to not box yourself into specific molds or stereotypes when decorating, but to be true to your self and then it will come together as your own personal piece of art! Love the uniqueness in all you do!

[Diane]

How about Modern Living the Old Fashioned Way.