Our Home (In Which I Succumb to Gray & White Chevron)

Ever feel like you only like something because it’s trendy? For example, take chevron patterns… on anything. Do I really love them? Or have they just been all over Pinterest, HGTV, and/or diy blogs long enough that I’ve found myself going, “Yeah… chevron pattern! Maybe in a gray and white? OMG SO CUTE!!!” (Which as I was writing this blog post, I stumbled upon Nicki’s latest post over at T-shirt and Jeans all about how she was anti-white walls until Pinterest and magazine prettiness pestered her subconscious into submission, and now she loves them… or at least thinks she does. Sneaky Pinterest… Just kidding, I love them too.) Well, for chevron patterns at least, I don’t know anymore… I’m pretty sure I love them. I mean, I know I love stripes, so theoretically I would also love something that is essentially ziz-zaggy stripes. And ironically, I’d already written this post prior to purchasing this shower curtain:

Nope. It wasn’t planned at all. It just happened to be on sale at Kohl’s, and our old one was just sad and gross.

Just a close up of that little spot by the sink. I just love this happy little fake Ikea plant.

Anyway… This same question has occurred to me as I’ve been thinking about my home recently. What do I really want to see in my home? What words do I want associated with it? What words do I not want associated with it? Up until about 6 months ago I hadn’t ever thought much about it in those exact terms, but The Nester has a fabulous post about this topic here. And go ahead and click the link to Darlene’s blog that she includes in that one, too. (If you combined both of their posts, you wouldn’t have half of one of mine.)

There are two words that I definitely don’t want. The first word is “forced.” I don’t want to suck the life out of it by trying too hard to be homey or something. The second one is “trendy.” It’s kind of related, but it differs in that I don’t want to have something just because it’s socially palatable right now. For example, I hate modern style. Not all modern style, but moreso spaces that are just wholly comprised of modern, with no warmth or character in them at all. I recognize it’s possible to utilize modern style and retain warmth. But for the most part, when I see a room or home like that, I just feel like it’s a shell of humanity instead of the shelter of it.

So, here are some words I do want to define my home and the contents thereof:

* purpose– I want our home to be a place of purpose on different levels; obviously, I don’t just want a place full of junk that isn’t serving us or anyone else, but I also pray that this word permeates our living space and those that take shelter in it. I want Ryan’s and my journey of seeking God’s purpose for us to be lived out honestly (and therefore imperfectly) before our children, so they feel safe enough to live honestly and imperfectly on their own journeys too.

* peace- because I need to come home to peace when the world isn’t peaceful. * abundance (duh)- if you’re new here and don’t get it, go read this. (Or at least scroll through it very quickly and look at the pictures.) 

* beauty– because beautiful things, people. (And hello, the name of the blog? I’ve said it before but beauty is kinda my thing.)

* comfort– I mean, that show was called “The Big Comfy Couch” not “The Awkward-Sized Un-Sittable Satin Homage to King Louis the XIV’s Palace in Versailles.” (That title is terrible, for one thing.)

* practical– for those that know me, this might be a surprise, but I think that (and this is arguable) for me, something is most beautiful when it both adds to the visual landscape as well as to the functional one.

* artsy- because I am. Plus, doing artsy things frequently requires risk and- if I can basically flat out copy what The Nester said about this- home should be a safe place to take risks. Amiright?

* real– here, we could also write brave, or authentic, or vulnerably imperfect, because I really don’t want to be afraid of my house not being perfect when someone comes over. I want to say without a trace of apology, “Come on over to our 3rd floor Laundry Pile- I mean, apartment!” (Admittedly, I really hope to avoid it being a large laundry pile when people come for a visit…)

* categories of chaos (which is basically my way of having order, while insuring my sanity when things aren’t perfectly stacked, but they’re all in the same bin, or something like that… and yes, I realize it’s not really a one-word-descriptor) Basically, I want our home to be somewhere between a hobbit hole, the Gryffindor Common Room, and some cottage designed by Joanna Gaines using stuff from The Magnolia Market. And then filled with Jesus. (Or filled with Jesus first?? Either way, lots of Jesus.)  So, in the interest of keepin it real with y’all, here are some imperfect places of King’s Cottage:

My “office” (aka kitchen table) when I’m doing work for ITM. You have no idea how much I love that little lantern from Pier 1… And that tray… and that swirly planner. Oh, the pretties!!!

The coziness of this bed… I can’t even. And oh, how I do long for stuff to be on the walls and/or window treatments or something… but for now, it’ll do, pig.

A spot out in the living area, which right now is home to Holly Gerth’s book, You Were Made for a God-Sized Dream.

On the wall directly opposite the bed is this antique bookcase (which has been terrifying to move every time we’ve gone to a new home), these wedding pictures, books & journals, and this partial copy of a Renoir painting I did in college (in which the girl has ridiculously long arms- sigh! That bugs me to this day, but I still love it.)

I know it’s not much, and it’s not about to be featured anywhere (except here- BAM!) but it’s part of our homey journey together. Do you have a beautiful place in your home that you especially love? Anyone else live in an apartment and have great ideas for making it cute? Please, for the love of renting, share!!!

I linked up at the super-fab linky party at House of Hipsters this week!