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Allowing a Pillow to be My Guide

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This year, I’m letting a pillow guide me through every design choice I make in my home.

I was lucky to pick up this French Laundry pillow for a steal during a recent sale on One Kings Lane, and I think its message is a great sentiment to remember as we begin a new year.

I try to evaluate everything I bring into my home, as I have long thought any item needed to serve at least one of two purposes: 1) Function and 2) Happiness.  If an item can serve both purposes?  Even better.

“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.“

-William Morris, 19th c. textile designer and artist

I’m not always successful at following this advice, but I’m going to make a more concerted effort to keep it in the forefront of my mind this year.

Do you use this sort of thought process when you are looking/buying/creating things for your home?  What type of mantra are you using for 2012?

Pieces of the Past

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During a recent trip to a local antique mall, I spotted a whole shelf full of antique industrial gauges in one vendor’s booth.  He had all sorts of interesting industrial pieces, but these really stood out to me.

I knew Tom would love them, too.  As soon as he saw them laying on the gray dresser in our bedroom, he said “Oh, my gosh.  I love you!”  Did you ever think the way to a man’s heart would be through antiques?

I really love putting together small collections of unique items, and these gauges are no different.  I found some blue and clear glass vintage bottles at another antique mall (I really get around!) and decided that they would be the perfect way to display my new mini collection.

So, what once were instruments used in factories now serve another purpose – beauty.  I like to look at them and think about the men who worked with them so many years ago.  One of them is even labeled “OK 10-31-36” in pencil, which I’m assuming was the last time it was tested.  Do you think they’d ever imagine that some gal down in Texas would display them in a vignette like pieces of art?

Do you have anything old in your home that would seem completely odd to the original owners of those items, like my industrial gauges?  Do tell!