Ask the people who know me best and they would say one word that sums up my decorating style is "sentimental." For me, this is true because I've always been on a tight decorating budget and have had to use what I have. And what I've had on hand were things I've squirreled away since childhood and along the way that meant something to me. I was blessed to have a fairly Mayberry upbringing with family and friends I actually want to be reminded of, for the most part. ;)
For many, their childhoods are something they want to forget. They didn't grow up baking with Mom or fishing with Dad or playing board games with their grandparents. I get that.
Decorating with sentimentality doesn't have to mean reliving a your childhood. It just means that you choose your furnishings and accents with intention to remind yourself of something good and comforting that tells your story, even if it happened last week. You get to choose which stories you tell and what you want to be reminded of.
Being sentimental does not mean constantly longing for the good ol' days. It means not just choosing something because it's pretty, trendy, expensive or cheap, but intentionally choosing items, vintage and new, that are symbols or reminders of who you are, who your family is, even who God is to you or what He has done in your life.
When people walk into a home that is authentic, they relax. These are the comfy homes. These are not always the magazine spread homes...not always the most spotless homes. However, these spaces resonate with those they welcome.
And by the way, just because something worked for you five years ago does not mean it's telling your story today. We grow and change. Our homes will, as well. If anything in your home is not useful or bringing you joy, it's probably time to put it away, give it away to someone who needs it or would cherish it or sell it. This is not a one-time thing, but rather it's an on-going process.
