lamuneca0325:

Thanks anyway Marlene, frankly, I'm not sure the different sides of my personality will ever stop clashing. Between my eclectic tastes and my SO's absolute absence of decor skill or appreciation, my house will always be the style I refer to as "contemporary thrift store"

I think that your home should, ultimately, be a reflection of who you are. If it feels comfortable to you, that's what's important

If you are not crazy about frilly, try antique furniture. And real flowers.

I have a friend who has left no more than 1 square foot of her home left unadorned with Victorian Decorating, and most of it was done from flea market finds, garage sales and auctions (like a box of doilies for $2).  Huge wall-hangings and lovely large paintings/pictures until you have no idea where the walls are in her home.  Hanging panels of stained-glass windows.  You can look forever and never see everything she has - an umbrella rack full of OLD umbrellas and walking sticks; bud vases of all colors, types, and styles; beautiful frames; a music rack with old sheet music on it and a table loaded with old, never-used, instruments.  They just LOOK good.  Her frilly embelished floor/reading lamps she makes herself from old lamps and makes the shades (and makes good money selling them) and on and on, in every direction and on and in everything.  It takes her and her husband an entire weekend to clean and dust everything in one room.  Step into her home and you've been transformed back to another era and it's to-die-for beautiful, filled with "eye-candy".   BUT, this is one decorating style that can quickly become high maintenance.

I've recently re-read "The Simplicity Reader" Simplify Your Life, Inner Simplicity, Living the Simple Life - by Elaine St. James, and "The Joy of Simple Living" - by Jeff Davidson.  I've come full circle from the years and years it took to accumulate "stuff" and now I'm trying to get rid of it and get back to those basics when we were first married and had "nothing".  Reading the books again helps me to remember moderation is good and too much high-maintenance "stuff", no matter how inexpensive they are, increases stress. 

I often remind myself of the definition of the word FRUGAL:  economical; not wasteful; not lavish; sparing.  I've tried to make that my guide for decorating and general life-style.

~Gingerbread

 

 

I totally agree with you Gingerbread....its the housecleaning to keep things lovely that you must also love!!!! I prefer more simple and still stay with the era.

Gingerbread:

this is one decorating style that can quickly become high maintenance.

You said it! While I would love to live in a home such as you describe, I would hate the maintenance involved. I try to strive for balance; a few special pieces and simple touches that give you the feel of the era without all the stress. (Think curtains and lampshade trims.) My daughter already thinks I have too many pictures and things sitting on my end tables that need dusting and I tell her that's the price I pay for wanting that particular look. That said, I too, am getting rid of a lot of stuff. Much of it is just sitting in cupboards taking up space. I'm leaning more and more towards a more simple style of living.

 

Gingerbread:

too much high-maintenance "stuff", no matter how inexpensive they are, increases stress. 

I often remind myself of the definition of the word FRUGAL:  economical; not wasteful; not lavish; sparing.  I've tried to make that my guide for decorating and general life-style.

Every new thing we bring into our homes requires maintenance of some kind, even if it's just dusting, so we should always keep that in the back of our minds the next time we crave something new.

lamuneca0325:

I don't like frilly things like doilies and figurines. Any suggestions on how to integrate minimalism and abstract artwork with the house details and my fabric crafts?

 

I am not into a lot of frills either, but do like some of the things from the victorian era. I especially like the crazy quilts. Do you, or have you ever made a quilt? I think that any style can be integrated through the pulling together of colors. Make a quilt, tie it or not. Use colors from the art to pull it together. Do you embroider? Another thing you could do is to add a couple of stitches along the seams, nothing real fancy, but enough to give it the victorian feel. This is just one of the ways I would think you could mix the two.

Although I have some things from the era, family heirlooms, I am much more ecclectic than anything else. I will blend all kinds of styles together, because it's what makes me happy. That's what decorating is. Surrounding yourself with the things that make you happy.

Hope this helps.

Kathy

I have seen scarves, such a paisley, or large squares of fabric used as throws over tables or a piano in Victorian decor. It seems like you could use an accent like that along with your modern ideas and it will tie the two together. House plants were also a huge part of Victorian decor, and can be modern also. You say you like minimalist, Victorian was the opposite, layers and layers, often cluttered looking.

Sharon

howdah:

I have seen scarves, such a paisley, or large squares of fabric used as throws over tables or a piano in Victorian decor. It seems like you could use an accent like that along with your modern ideas and it will tie the two together. House plants were also a huge part of Victorian decor, and can be modern also. You say you like minimalist, Victorian was the opposite, layers and layers, often cluttered looking.

Sharon

I love the idea of using scarves and throws on tables. Dollar stores often have large scarves that are perfect for this and I have a couple of small throws from there, too.