A new year offers us the chance to have a new beginning and a fresh start.  We hit the gym, eat less sugar and clean the dishes out of the sink every night.

But do you ever take this time to focus on the way you feel in your home?  Is “Make Our Home More Us” on the top of your New Year’s Resolutions?

I’m here today to argue that it should be.  A few years ago, I brought a pillow home that had this infamous quote from designer William Morris: “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

I really took this sentiment to heart.  In an industry where everyone is always chasing the next big thing, I decided to focus on what my family liked, regardless of where it fell in pattern and color trends.  We like big, bold and colorful.  We want our home to be fun since we spend so much time here.

And I want our home to reflect our quirky personalities.  Yep, I’ll admit it.  We can have some weird ideas.  But, those ideas are what make us who we are, so we embrace them instead of fighting them. I don’t take decorating seriously – like at all.

So, how has my style evolved since I embraced William Morris’s creed?  I’m glad you asked!

Here was my style circa 2009.  The soft, neutral color palettes were all the rage.  The world was transforming from Shabby Chic to vintage neutrals, and I went right along with the trend and even created the tutorial for the popular book wreath.

(Be forewarned, there is some very old, very bad photography heading your way.  Luckily, my photography skills have evolved over the years, too!)

Now, I’m not saying there is anything wrong with this look, so please don’t think that at all.  What I am saying is that this is not the right look for me.  It’s very 1993 GAP, if you know what I mean – khaki and denim.  I was bored.  I needed life and vibrance in a space.  But I was scared and this is what everyone else was doing – and I thought everyone else knew better than me.  I didn’t trust myself – not even a little tiny bit.  So, I just went along with the flow and lived in a very beige world.

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