The main thing that's hitting me right now is how much I love being
here; with each passing year that feeling grows stronger. I suppose I
could say I'm savouring every moment: feeling the breeze on my face,
smelling the orange blossoms, being comfortable in my own skin and
knowing that I'm happy here. But it's much more than breathing in the
fresh air and knowing we're living well, it's more about appreciating
every day for what it gives us and not wanting what I don't have...I think potential for contentment and happiness is within us all but we
only feel it growing when we unload all the excesses of life. (http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-big-questions.html
I believe in flow – in currency, not in dams. What I own, I rarely keep and mostly give away. I enjoy the time it’s passing through my hands, then it goes on to give pleasure elsewhere. I need very little. Financially, I help other people and (different) other people help me. I work, because I believe in meaningful contribution and working is a happy thing. But I like to choose what I do and when. I am no fan of war, so I like to keep my income low, since I cannot choose where my taxes will go. I dislike government intervention in my life altogether, so if I need money I ask God, not the government; and some work comes along.
"There are a number of things Jean-Philippe Demeyer can’t abide. The
Flemish
antique dealer and decorator dislikes strictly period interiors
and houses that are
too decorated. “Things should look natural, not too
perfect,” he insists. Serene rooms
make him anxious. He derides anything
too trendy and steers clear of anything too
serious. “You have to give
things a twist,” he insists. "
I believe in flow – in currency, not in dams. What I own, I rarely keep and mostly give away. I enjoy the time it’s passing through my hands, then it goes on to give pleasure elsewhere. I need very little. Financially, I help other people and (different) other people help me. I work, because I believe in meaningful contribution and working is a happy thing. But I like to choose what I do and when. I am no fan of war, so I like to keep my income low, since I cannot choose where my taxes will go. I dislike government intervention in my life altogether, so if I need money I ask God, not the government; and some work comes along.
(Pem, here.)
Edna Woolman Chase- " Fashion can be bought. Style one must possess."
"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing."
~ Camille Pissarro
...creativity is a privilege and an enormous wealth. Creatives are rich. (Leo)
A Manifesto for a Simple Life : Eat less * Move more * Buy less * Make more * Stress less * Laugh more * Feel blessed * Love more * Find a quiet spot every day and BREATHE
Simplicity - Solitude - Silence - Shh
Iris Apfel - "More is More and Less is a Bore."
Mess things up a bit. Sounds odd I know but if everything is clutter free and hotel stark it will feel sterile not comfortable. The odd bit of disarray feels homely and enticing. Heaps of books, candles that sort of thing. No rows of stuff, more haphazard think higgledy piggledy! (Abigail Ahern)
Simplicity - Solitude - Silence - Shh
Iris Apfel - "More is More and Less is a Bore."
Mess things up a bit. Sounds odd I know but if everything is clutter free and hotel stark it will feel sterile not comfortable. The odd bit of disarray feels homely and enticing. Heaps of books, candles that sort of thing. No rows of stuff, more haphazard think higgledy piggledy! (Abigail Ahern)
For this stylish lady, proximity and practicality are prized above making a trek to the hippest coffee spot. (Paloma)
To do the useful thing, to say the courageous thing, to contemplate the beautiful thing: that is enough for one man's life. ~ T.S. Eliot
There is nothing precious here. The furniture we exhibit is a reflection of who we are, what we love, and what we believe in. It is old and new at the same time - deconstructed and stripped down to the bones to reveal the original story underneath all the layers. Every piece has been found, measured, curated, cultivated, sorted, sifted, adjusted, adapted and loved. Each item offers an unscripted authenticity, and becomes a continuing story of others’ histories that you can write into your own. (Carol Hicks Bolton)
Rust is one of my Favorite Colors and Patina is one of my Favorite Words! (Dawn, the Bohemian)
"I'm too young to be old, and too old to be young." Cher
Add a mirror, preferably an oversized one as it will make your small space appear grander than it really is. Not only that it expands horizons and adds depth as I continually bang on about. Mirrors and small spaces are a marriage made in heaven! (Abigail Ahern, here)
You may harbor equally useless junk in your own house, but the the siren's call of someone else's useless junk is irresistible. Carol Markel here.
The best way to make something enviable is to exude confidence while you sport it. Style is not a trend; style is an attitude. Jenny Crompton
"Voluntary simplicity means going fewer places in one day rather than more, seeing less so I can see more, doing less so I can do more, acquiring less so I can have more" - Wendell Berry
"I lived in solitude in the country
and noticed how the monotony of a quiet life
stimulates the creative mind"
~ Albert Einstein
I say it a zillion times and I shall say it again unless you dare to be different you just won’t get interiors that are memorable, tantalising and intriguing. Abigail Ahern
Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Sometimes in
life we have to become less to be more. We become whole people, not on
the basis of what we accumulate, but by getting rid of everything that
is not really us, everything false and inauthentic. Harold Kushner
“The most beautiful homes have a touch of history, of memory, of things that have been passed along, living side by side with the very modern. For me, this is the very essence of personal style”. (Ralph Lauren)
"From the beginning, I never followed trends. If I was aware of them, I didn't care, for I believed as I do now, that rooms should be timeless and very personal." ~Sister Parish
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Leonardo DaVinci
a big kitchen doesn’t make a great cook (Vicki Archer)
'May you have the eyes to see that no visitor arrives without a gift and no guest leaves without a blessing' - from John O'Donohue's blessing for a new home
Make your home as comfortable and attractive as possible and then get on with living. There's more to life than decorating. ~Albert Hadley
They had a cheery supper that night in spite of simple fare. The mother was resurrecting all her old recipes, plain wholesome food, cheaply bought and deriving its savory taste and smell from the old deftness in seasoning, the trick of long cooking, and careful preparation. Grace Livingston Hill, The Patch of Blue
The shop has a welcoming feel and is - just as I like it - on the right side of "not too tidy" and buzzing with creativity.
“Many people…seem to think that we can secure beauty only by profuse money outlay–that beauty is in the ratio of expense. On the contrary, beauty is largely independent of expense.” The Complete Home
...one of the ways I attempt to create at least a thin layer of authenticity is to shun holiday or theme specific manufactured decoration. French Kissed
"One Man Gathers What Another Man Spills" Jerry Garcia
Communicate who you are in all you do. Consistency is power. When the various parts of your life reflect your essence, your life moves in the direction you want it to.
Authenticity is energising, economical, and efficient. The better you know yourself, the clearer your choices. Self-awareness leads to true style.
Cheap is expensive in the long run. Why buy twice when you can buy once? Commit to quality and it will commit to you.
Use your best every day. Life is too short to wait for a special occasion to bring our your finery, your treasures, your brilliance, and the best of your love.
Choose from your heart, and your life will fill up with things you love. What works is what feels right.
Beauty transforms. Its capacity to generate pleasure, healing, and connection is divinely powerful. Beauty affects its maker and beholder every time.
Make more choices – moment to moment, day to day. You are the designer of your life. Be selective, creative, and intentional in every possible way.' (Selected statements from "Manifesto of Style" Style Statement)
"Friends do not let friends buy retail."
"Once mended, twice loved."
You're building a wardrobe and furnishing a home not opening a museum. (Vintage Vixen)"Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes." ~Henry David Thoreau
Charles Faudrees: " It's about the mix and not the match" and "If it doesn't fit.. force it"!
"Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up." ~ A. A. Milne
Leave the flurry to the masses, take your time and shine your glasses. +Shaker verse
"We made a choice many years ago to leave what is superfluous to our needs behind. We have not yet regretted that decision; I doubt we ever will." (http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2010/08/nothing-and-everything-weekend.html)
I want a house that has got over all its troubles;
I don't want to spend the rest of my life bringing up a young and inexperienced house.
~ Jerome K. Jerome
"I tried living a pared-down life for a while. I fell prey to the idea that it was morally superior, but I got back on track when I bought this house and started filling it up with the things I love." (Peter Frank)
One Hundred Ways to be Elegant
1. Send thank you notes
2. Practice good posture3. Speak more softly
4. Listen without interrupting
5. Wear solid colors
6. Ignore fads, or use them sparingly
7. Have a signature wine that you serve at home
8. Wear only 2-3 accessories
9. Have impeccable manners
10. Read on a variety of topics
11. Maintain a budget
12. Study the arts
13. Have one signature perfume/cologne
14. Show restraint in expressing anger
15. Learn the art of conversation
16. Learn French
17. Wear a trench coat
18. Learn how to wear a scarf
19. Wear a tuxedo when one is called for
20. Practice quality over quantity
21. Don’t yell or scream
22. Learn to dance the waltz
23. Have one fabulous signature meal you serve guests
24. Remember birthdays
25. Go on picnics
26. Wear dresses/suits more often, and on dates
27. Simplify your life, your home and your calendar
28. Wear pearls
29. Open the door for ladies
30. Let him open the door for you
31. Remember that it’s more important to be kind than to be right
32. Serve coffee or tea after meals
33. Arrive exactly on time
34. Don’t complain
35. Dress to travel
36. Be well travelled
37. Don’t wear black shoes between Memorial Day and Labor Day
38. Keep your home clean and uncluttered
39. Put a book they might enjoy, and a small pitcher of water and a glass on guest room nightstands when guests stay over
40. Learn how to host a small dinner party
41. Have one subdued solid colour scheme throughout your home, use accessories to add colour
42. Learn how to make a martini
43. Learn how to tie both a regular tie and a bow tie (whether you’re a man or a woman)
44. Be a lady or a gentleman at work, especially when delivering a difficult message or when tempers flare
45. Wear lovely/handsome hats
46. Don’t point out the mistakes of others
47. Wait your turn patiently
48. Don’t curse
49. Chew each bite 20 times
50. Sip your drink
51. Learn proper etiquette for all situations
52. Accept compliments graciously
53. Be quietly self confident
54. Don’t boast
55. Be respectful of others
56. Have fresh flowers in your home
57. Write a letter rather than send an email to those you love
58. Keep your nails well manicured
59. Maintain your shoes and clothing
60. Don’t ever lose your joie de vivre
61. Be well groomed
62. Remember that money does not equal elegance, nor is it necessary to be elegant
63. Wear less make-up
64. Wear well-fitting clothes
65. Spray lavender on your sheets
66. Be positive
67. Learn to politely say no
68. Be concerned with others feeling comfortable
69. Maintain good health
70. Don’t overindulge
71. Hold yourself to high standards
72. Turn your mobile off at dinner
73. Wear simple, classic hairstyles
74. Think before you speak or act. Ask yourself, can anything good come from this?
75. Apologize sincerely
76. Have integrity
77. Don’t speak ill of others or gossip
78. Always take a gift to your host/hostess
79. Tie a scarf on your handbag
80. Take a clutch in the evening
81. Wear well fitting jeans with either a long sleeve white shirt or solid sweater for more casual events
82. Only wear sneakers for exercise
83. Use white sheets, white towels, white dishes
84. Be sure your clothes are ironed
85. Your car’s horn should say “pardon me, but do you see me?”, rather than “get out of my way!”
86. Overdo empathy
87. Light candles in your home
88. Go for walks in the park on Sunday
89. Give others sincere compliments
90. Understand your own worth
91. Learn how to open a bottle of champagne
92. Dress appropriately for the occasion
93. Do small favors for others
94. Say please and thank you
95. Take the time to stop and listen to others, especially children
96. Take responsibility for yourself and your own happiness
97. Keep a journal
98. Give thoughtful gifts, rather than expensive ones
99. Less is more
100. Savor the moment