Though I don't have the courage to post my own house (yet), I love seeing each and every one of these homes!

I think "brown furniture" is coming back into style, particularly art nouveau and 1920s stuff. Design and fashion are always a pendulum...

My move overseas will be long(er) term; we are very lucky in that the employment "package" allows shipping some of our things. We'll of course be whittling down from an American house to a European apartment.

Soul vs stuff... a delicate balance.

Ok, so finally got past my internet issues!

These pics are of our courtyard - the soul has crept out there too, lol! We have over half an acre of garden as well (and some woodland), but that is a huge work in progress as it's primarily lacking in attractive flowering plants - we began work on it last summer but still a way to go ;)

So, the courtyard area was the first thing we tackled as soon as the weather improved after we bought the cottage last February. It was definitely soulless back then - damp, unfinished decking and no colour to be seen. DH built the veg beds and we gravelled where the previously lethal decking had been. The undercover area (first pic) has kind of become an extension of the indoors with a gallery wall of botanical prints/paintings mostly found at flea markets. We've added garden decor - most notably the sculpted face which we found in a reclamation yard and which previously belonged to performer Toyah Willcox.

Gorgeous space, Mimi!

What a great thread! It's nice to see homes with personality. I browse the different forums & read the design articles regularly. My favourite forum is the rose one, which Ingrid is a regular on. I really enjoy that one and will easily voice my opinion and experience there. Everyone is supportive and kind. However, many of the decorating threads are very judgemental & become argumentative quickly. Some of the "pros" are so quick to breeze in and tell posters to get rid of all their personal items & start over. Which is ridiculous when the poster was asking for paint ideas to go with their favourite rug! So I do not post my photos there. I love what I love and I do not need a stranger to tell me I'm wrong for whatever reason. And just because they say they are a "pro" does not mean it so. If I paid someone to work with me and my taste and they acted like that in real life, we would quickly part ways. I do realize their are true pros out there that would be wonderful to work with. It's about having tact & constructive design solutions.

Anyways to get back to the question at hand - my house is a newer build in a subdivision so it could easily be lacking soul. But over the last 3-4 years we have painted, wallpapered & made it ours. Now this whole task would be a lot easier if I had a money tree growing in the yard. I can't redo my kitchen right now because there is nothing wrong with it. It's just not what I would have chosen. I cannot go out and buy every piece of furniture that would fit perfectly in each room; because I have furniture from our old house that is perfectly fine. Although not high end, we all sit, eat & sleep on it. Including a kid & 2 dogs. But on a limited budget I've tried to give it our personality. Even if I've had to make concessions with the husband! I do have art, some was done by me years ago & some are just random canvases/prints picked up stores (even Homesense ones). But it's fine because we love them! My husband & I like pictures that are bit quirky & make us smile. I do have a few antiques that I've kept because they were family pieces. One is a hat rack/umbrella stand from 1865. Another is a hope chest from 1920ish. I have a few pieces of carnival glass & a couple random vases. None are of real value other than in my memories. I think any house can have soul if the owners make it their home. And when people come over they are comfortable & feel at home.

This is my newest favourite room in my house. It's a guest room, but I enjoy reading in there. And I love the windows. I still need to add some pizazz to the bedding. Looking for very small table lamps for the night stand, but unique. The green chair was a nursery chair, the dresser is from a nursery & the "brown" furniture was my grandparents. A little old with the new. And the 2 paintings were from high school art class.

SUNFEATHER: sorry haven't been in this thread for a few days....

I got the rooster painting from: (The link goes to the actual artist). I got one of her pieces sized 16 x 12" .

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/tetiana-gorbachenko-8906/artwork

Halloblondie that wallpaper is fantastic. I love rooms with drama.

raphaella, thanks for sharing your green and lovely courtyard. Much appreciated here in Alberta where it is still wicked cold and snowy.

Halloblondie, that guest room is lovely...One of my favorite combos is deep blue and green. I have these pictures saved in a folder that I'm SURE break all sorts of Pro rules. But I love them regardless.

How I WISH these were mine :(

I don't comment 'cause I'm long beyond words..just liking and liking as if I was a parrot..you know how their eyes get when they get enchanted with something, and their head goes "yes, yes, yes"? y'all made me be a bird..)))

I'm still working on getting my living room paintings up.

I have one long wall that I've wanted to get this art on, and I'd originally planned on having the four watercolor landscapes there, but reading this thread, too same-same, even though the pictures are all different sizes and done by different artists.

Changing.

I'll be using the three smaller, and then a more abstract, non-landscape oil on that wall.

When the light is right, I'll take a photo (they are on the floor leaning against the wall).

I won't hang them until I get two people to help me, and one of those has to have an aesthetic eye, and the other willing to hang them. I'd want to stand back with the aesthetic eye friend, just to confirm...)

I am thinking I haven't had them hung so far, (people I'd trust aesthetically have indeed been visiting!) because some deep niggling thought was... "those four together... not quite right..."

@penny - I also love that deep dramatic combination of your inspiration pics. If I was a single lady all of my rooms would be very different. I love so many design aesthetics it's difficult to pick & choose. Sometimes I love crisp & clean. Other times I love colourful prints. I guess that's all part of decorating different houses & rooms. Sometimes my choices are predetermined by budget & existing fixtures. I have done certain things because of the flooring that cannot be changed or cabinetry that is functional.

Same, Blondie...I love so many different looks equally... Makes it a bit difficult to "behave" where a traditional (mine) house is concerned...

I think we need about 5 different, small houses. Or just five rooms all in a row, connected by a walkway. Each one would be different but smashing...

I've all three books by Abigail Ahern(your first pic Penny)..I love her interiors..I also love Lorraine Kirke and Sara Havisham Loftus and many others that have moody quirky very personal interiors ..yes I too kinda know my house would be different if I was given completely free reign so to say. Luckily we do share some basic loves-hunting vintage, quirky ceramics, funny animals, etc..

I'll post couple of snippets of my seemingly happy house..nothing new, but then I don't have any new pictures either. I'd show you my new strange dog..(well relatively new, almost a year siince we found it on some antique store)..it's big- almost life size..what makes him special is he's green and covered with flowers)) painted flowers..Makes him for a very kind..guard. Well no camera..no dog. Maybe some other time. i have to buy a camera some time anyway.

Btw all the pics were made not by me..mine are pitiful. You saw them too.

(the weaving is already on the wall since then)

I'm in deep trouble here because upholstery on one of the chairs went to hell..and the other one also needs reupholstering even though not torn yet. But they discontinued the fabric. I don't want to change the concept..I've been looking for months for similar..the best match in terms of colors and repeat was something by William Morris..500 pound sterling for two chairs worth of fabric..and I got all the set vintage for approximately same price..))

btw that's the portrait up close..the one that's next to our bed, my DH's side (my side has the clown)..that's the one I put in the carry-on preparing to maybe being evacuated..then I went on Internet and read what one should take, and was frantically looking for birth certificates lol..

I think I've the same girl grown up a bit, because same artist, and it was painted later..and I still am not sure where to hang it-for everyone to see when they come in, or mostly for me to see, because after all I'm the one who's spending the most time in the house?

So for now it's still leaning on the floor.

Ugh...comment poofed...

April you've made your dining room so very warm and welcoming. All of your spaces are...

You really should have a blog...your writing is so thought provoking.

Plus your interior spaces... :)

You have stories to tell.

April - Your home is beautiful. I love your dining chairs. I have come to love leaning floor art. Maybe your clown is meant for this purpose. A collection of leaning art.

I lean art a lot..but she's big, relatively..and she's leaning where only I can see her..that's basically what gave me the new idea-I was so sure at first where I intend her to be, but then I thought "if it's hanging where everybody can see her..then I won't see her much, because I sit there much more time than I stand or walk in.."

I don't know whom should I choose-dearest myself, or others))

thank you guys..you're too kind as always

I can't help but smile at april's comments. The parrot is me as well, looking at all these pictures. You all have as much soul as style. Bravo to all of you.

HalloBlondie, I love your striking wallpaper. I'm redoing our master bedroom right now and toying with the idea of wallpaper for the bed wall. Would you share your source? I'm in Canada as well. Falling in love too often with things online that would cost me an arm and a leg to ship...:/

I, too, would need multiple houses for all the styles I love! It's a real pita to try to hone in on a direction for a room (knowing I don't have the skills to pull off a proper "eclectic" room).

I'm sure you can pull off eclectic, tartan...Do you have a master bedroom thread started?

aprilneverends, I was so inspired by your words. I ordered some books by your favorite designers as well as Anna Spiro.

@tartanmeup - I use a website from Sweden. www.photowall.com.

We have ordered from them 5 times. Amazing quality, never any issues & very reasonable prices. Completely custom sizes ie. wall to wall or partial. And I get them delivered to my door in less than a week. When you order from them it gives your price in euros, than when you select Canada for your country the price drops. I guess something to do with trade & taxes. That wall mural was less than $500. Shipping is $25 & comes from DHL. They have a lot of images to browse from realistic, fantasy & textures. And my husband put it up in a couple hours. Oh and we don't use the glue from them, we just buy a bucket of wallpaper glue & a roller.

the mural reminds me of the thread..I'm always happiest in jungles..there's some mix of vibrancy and mystery there that I never ever tire of..so that's how it feels looking at your houses..very alive..

Oh I just decided! I think I'm going to look at everything from the beginning.

Ingrid..special thank you to you..

This is our bedroom. My husband loves the desert. So he got this one & I got to pick the guest room one & a few other decorating choices!

These are some pics I have saved to my large collection of "Bookshelves" pics on Pinterest. This to me always gives a room soul/personality/warmth/quirkiness. And yet somehow I can't seem to get my bookshelves to look this cool.

Okay, IMO this one went overboard with the framed art. Maybe just one and call it a day. Not sure how you get books down from most of those shelves. OTOH, my first instinct is to love this room.

Maybe I need wallpaper. And a telescope.

This is almost perfect but needs a cushier chair.

Love.

Very kind of you to say, Penny. No MB thread started. Not keen on posting pics publicly. (Yes, I'm a chicken.) But I'm getting input from a very kind soul with a very good eye so not totally alone in the process.

Thank you for the info, HalloBlondie. I'll check out the site. Very intrigued by the paper option. What a beautifully striking image for someone who loves the desert! The colours are resplendent.

At first I just wanted to say you all blow me away, and you very much do, thank you again for joining in; this has been the most wondrous post.

Of course I studied everyone's wonderful interiors, and then I looked around my living room and everything seemed so, so - well, rather staid. People have said this house looks exactly like me, and I think they're right, but when I see newer and more provocative interiors I feel some discontent. I hope this happens to other people too, and that when I sleep on it I'll fall back into complacency again!

ingrid_vc, Thank you for asking this question. Reading the posts has given me a lot of food for thought. I finally decided that the key lies in this comment: "making it mine".

April - I love that ceiling light fixture - I have a pic of it in my decor file! Also, love that piggy and the the throw looks like one I liked a while back from Anthopologie but had been discontinued. The bird's nest lamp and the beautiful wooden table -- thank you for sharing.

Does anyone have repurposed or upcycled things in their home?

Those are fantastic, sunfeather! What a lovely way to "upcycle". Lend me some of your imagination, please. :)

Oh my all of the wood furniture is recycled. Either from my mom or his mom or estate sales. I love the craftsmanship, look, and construction of vintage furniture.

Sunfeather - I love your sweet scale :)

Ingrid - I think it’s wonderful when we can look at other interiors and like what we see BUT love what we have. My girlfriend and I always say how nice it is to see what others do with their own homes, it’s what makes the world go ‘round. There’s a ton to appreciate when it comes to home decor, home should reflect the people living in it. And you are a very sweet poster here, I’m certain your home reflects your sweet character :)

Wish I could take credit for those photos -- they aren't my inventions but I'm going to implement them. There are so many soup tureens and vintage kitchen items at resale shops, I was trying to figure out what to do with them.

Ingrid, this <-- poster here also felt discontent with her own house, after studying beautiful homes here, so no, you're not alone))))

yes I love to repurpose and upsycle but happens less often that I'd like ..still our toothbrushes are in a creamer, pens in some cups, or I can use a teapot to hold flowers, or of course interesting boxes for letters and cards (I'm very sentimental when it comes to letters, cards etc), or tin boxes for miscellaneous..or little plates for jewelry or soap..stuff like that.

But I do afraid of using something breakable where it has a bigger chance to break so I try to contain myself, not to put it in certain spots..thing is, I'm superclumsy, husband is often tired as hell to see what he's doing, he severely undersleeps...some guests are tipsy after dinner..)) blahblah. It's a pity of course, because we love vessels and dishes and stuff like that and I'd rather use them and display them in different manners.

BTW I did re-read the thread and treated myself to music on background, and I kinda tried to change songs acccording to houses..was fun!

Sunfeather, you’re speaking my language :). I love hitting antique shops, I find it so relaxing, lol. I have so many things handed down to me that I use. I have a beautiful old ‘looking’ ;) cabinet that is filled with brown transferware dishes that I collect (dating back to the 1880s) that I love displaying. I’d much rather repurpose an item than buy a brand new one:)

Thrift stores have lots of bargains, you can feel less badly if you break stuff. One of the last times we went, there was a whole collection of actual crystal, not my bag, but wow, at one time those could have cost a pretty penny. Knick knacks are things I really really try to avoid getting more of as we’ve got a small house and too much stuff is just going to look like we’re hoarders, but every now and then I succumb to something really weird and quirky (my weakness lol). I see chairs being thrown out all the time that with some paint, could easily qualify for shabby chic or repurposed as “sculptural” interest in a room. We now have so many chairs, the only way we are getting more is, I think, if we get rid of some, and they are pretty diverse, from fibreglass to cast metal (outdoor) to walnut danish modern, to retro patio, to wire to farmhouse/cottage. Pretty much all of them were free/off the curb, just needed a little tlc.

It's my dream to use chairs etc..it's a damn small house for everything I'd like though. I feel bad saying it, because I was used to living in much smaller places too, but it's still not big, and it's very easy to disrupt the balance of how to say it..well, let it be empty vs full. It's full as is of art that still has to go on the walls, books everywhere, finds we couldn't resist, etc.

As for stuff I'm afraid to break..I don't afraid for the stuff lol (the things I love with all my might and hold very special significance, they're higher..like my ceramic donkey which is one of my most favorite things ever, etc).. I'm afraid that it will cut someone..

I somehow managed to put big scissors into my hand while opening packages with intended holiday presents..yeah I know I should be using knife..but anyway it seemed worse than it was because so much blood..and once I touched the frying pan with oil and then it took two months to heal..if it can be a trouble it will be, with a hero like me.

And I'll never forget one of our guests somehow tripping and falling right onto some glass table..it was almost somersault....well it had a happy ending. Angel watching over him or something.

Once I myself walked into glass doors ..was some party ...not our place..they washed the glass really, really well and it was evening, and I was joining them on the patio, and walking fast...oh it was painful as hell, but you know how these things go ? all the folks there can't stop laughing, they just can't, because I'm sure it was very funny to observe ...then they embrace themselves finally, and help you off the floor. .))

A few repurposed things here:

Previous owners added a mudroom off the kitchen but kept the window. We removed the window and hung this stained glass window I found on CL. And yes, those lights are still up from December.

Mirror removed from antique bureau.

Old piece from a mantel. We added coat hooks. And we use a window candle battery operated light because there is no lighting in our vestibule! We only use it when expecting company to use the front door at night.

Ice bucket used as plant pot.

oh I just love it all!

(we used old window in our previous place..I put a scarf over it like it was a real window..we loved it, but this house is smaller and the poor window is in our master closet, waiting until I figure things out. Some things are waiting until we're finished with backyard, but we haven't even started yet)

I love to repurpose items. This is one of my favorites. I purchased a decorative dish and lid that sat on my coffee table for many years. At some point, the tip of the lid broke. I removed the lid and repurposed the bottom portion as a garlic dish. Then I took the broken lid, turned it upside down, and glued it to a gold candle stick. I painted the entire thing and put a flower in it. Now it is called a flower pot and it sits next to my garlic holder.

Above the arrow is the upside down broken lid. Below the arrow is the candle stick. Next to that is the base that is now a garlic holder.

____

Here is another flower pot made from an empty 5 gallon bucket that I cut in half, turned upside down, and painted.

Sueb20 love your window. We did the same idea, but with leaded glass windows I got off of crags list.

very smart re: bucket, big plant pots can be very expensive

Thanks! Home Goods clearance rack: $10.

Someone should start a thread..."How would you re-purpose this?"

I know I have things that I don't use that could be great as other things...

Penny I think that would be a fabulous thread!

Be my guest friday :)

Ok Penny, this means you have to post an idea ;-). [Here is the link.[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/how-would-you-re-purpose-this-show-us-your-ideas-dsvw-vd~5632859)

A must have book "Color' by Abigail Ahern. Thank you aprilneverends.

Love this thread, Ingrid. I hope you are feeling better now. I've always thought your home was lovely (as you know, I think your kitchen is so special!).

I've enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts and feelings. Seeing photos. Lovely homes. I didn't get any sleep last night, so I'm passing out. Now I can nap and have (home) sweet (home) dreams.

**Edited to add after my short-lived nap: I feel like our homes have all had a soul of their own. Each house was different, so different souls. Like many of you, I buy things when traveling, love strolling through antique stores, and buy some vintage/antique things online. I've had pretty good luck not having seen things in person. *knock on wood* I am a very visual person, so I tend to decorate/design to please my eye. I don't do it for kudos from anyone (although they are nice!) but so we and our family or friends are comfortable when here.

Ingrid, after a Houzz absence and being called out by several members, I recently started a thread in Decorating/Conversation with updates on our new home. If you're interested, click Update On Our Remodel. It's far from finished, but getting there feeds my soul! I have always, and will always, be a house person. Thanks again for starting another interesting thread.