Another container has just been unloaded and is headed for our showroom. Hundreds of new items including both furniture and accessories are arriving daily. Everything from large cabinets, to desks and coffee tables in a variety of finishes, are some of the new additions to our floor. And as usual, there are a multitude of wonderful and fabulous artifacts being displayed throughout the store. Rare ammonites, Tibetan doors, wood and stone carvings, and a set of bronze bells that were reproduced from a set in the Hubei Provincial Musuem are just a sampling of the unique items you’ll see when you stop by.

IT’S HERE!

ONCE A YEAR!

ANNUAL PARKING LOT SALE

1 DAY ONLY! SATURDAY, SEPT. 19th 2009

9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M.

DON’T MISS THIS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SALE WHERE “OUR JUNK IS SOMEONE’S TREASURE.”
FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES OUTSIDE ARE DISCOUNTED 50 – 70% OFF
AND DON’T FORGET TO SHOP THE SALE GOING ON INDOORS TOO.

Decorating a home is a reflection of your personal taste that has been shaped by life’s experiences, whether it be travel to foreign lands, learning to make do on a shoestring budget or simply enjoying the process of a creative endeavor that showcases more than any other area of your life the different facets of your personality.

Think about it. What else can give a visitor immediate insight into your particular preferences. It is akin to going on an archaeological dig – clues are everywhere you look.

From the colors of your walls, to the reading material on your shelves, it tells more than you know. (I confess. Every time I see a shelf or stack of books in a photo, without fail I breakout the magnifying glass so as to better read the titles on as many of the spines as possible. It is very illuminating – believe me. Some people peek in medicine cabinets, I snoop to see the literary taste of strangers.)

A room that holds no interest for me is one devoid of any personal mementos that tell the journey of the people who live there. Too many times you walk into a room that while perfectly coordinated gives the impression it’s been put in cold storage until the time has come to return it to the real estate marketplace where neutral anonymity is the desired choice.

Furnishing and accessorizing your home is no different than dressing yourself for a day in the office or a night on the town. Good quality basics that you then build upon with the addition of that unique item thrown in to make the look your own. And of course as any good stylist will tell you, it’s the accessories that pull the ensemble together.

The French have a word for this, bricolage, which loosely translated has to do with how one combines things, whether in dress or the home, in a fresh and creative way. This indefinable flair may be inherent to the French, but it something that is certainly attainable for anyone with the desire to become a student of the art of living.

A great way to get inspired and learn how the pros and talented amateurs create memorable interiors is to shop boutique style retail shops that emphasize clever, imaginative displays that you can translate into your own home.

Another method to pick up tips on the art of composing chic but livable rooms is to familiarize yourself with the wide selection of home décor publications available along with the seemingly endless supply of books from well-known designers and special interest publishers.

A few I found extremely are Domestic Art: Curated Interiors by Holly Moore, Rob Brinkley and Laurann Claridge; In The Oriental Style: A Sourcebook of Decoration and Design by Michael Freeman, Sian Evans and Mimi Lipton; Chinese Style: Living in Beauty and Prosperity by Sunamita Lim, La Strada Della Dolce Vita by Lynn Von Kersting, (owner of the famous Ivy Restaurant and Indigo Seas shop in Los Angeles), The Divine Home: Living With Spiritual Objects by Peter Vitale.

There are also a number of fabulous blogs devoted to the subject of style in the home décor field. Some of the ones I love are Mrs.blandingsblogspot.com., Thepeakof chic.com, Designspongeonline.com., Habituallychic.blogspot.com

Armed with some of the resources listed here, achieving a warm, nurturing environment can be an enjoyable exercise in expressing your creativity and passion for Joie de vivre.