I happened to land on a beautiful site, bossy color blog created by  Annie Elliot, a highly talented designer.  Annie just attended a panel at the Washington Design Center, you know for real designers.  Here are her observations:

Did you see it?

“Perfection in decorating is generally considered a bad thing…”

Apparently, this is a shift from decorating thinking from years past.   They are talking about this in their meetings.  They have meetings and are discussing the surprising fact that perfection might not be a goal of everyone.   Do you hear me?  In their fancy designer meetings of the minds they are recognizing that not everyone wants perfection! I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Embracing imperfection does not mean that one has given up or settled for less.   Maybe accepting imperfection is a sign of maturity, balance and contentment.  I’m a normal, average woman who loves to be surrounded by meaningful beauty, and it has been so freeing to drop that burden of perfection.

Perfection isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Beauty can always be found in the midst of imperfection, not just in spite of it.

Welcome to the revolution.

This post originally aired March 22, 2010 but it’s one of my all time favorites.

Meaningful, fun and FUNctional {I am funny, no?} have you seen the new Urban Soul Travel Mugs ?

The past few weeks have been such fun with all the talk of moving furniture, making holes in the walls and even behind the scenes emailing a few friends who are considering painting a brick fireplace or painting over paneling or cabinets or even choosing a color to paint a wall for the first time ever.

I got an email from Julie a while back. She couldn’t figure out why nothing looked right on her fireplace/mantle. After seeing photos, it was clear that she didn’t need new accessories, she needed painted brick. She had a huge wall of multihued brick that sucked up all the light in the room. I pulled up my big girl panties and decided to break the news to her. She took it swell. Then she informed me of why she couldn’t paint it. Here’s the email–she said I could use it because she’s real nice like that.

Ooooh, the temptation…My dad does brickwork and I asked him if he’d be mad if I painted it and he threw up his hands in sheer frustration at the stupidity of the only daughter he’s ever had-”that would be stupid” was all he said. I don’t think I’ll be painting my brick anytime soon.

How many times have we let our dad, our mother in law, or our painter make these decisions for us? Painters wear white coveralls and have a moustache. Don’t ever take paint color advice from your painter–if he knows that much he’d be a designer not a painter.

Julie and I chit chatted some more and I think she has decided to paint after all. I told her that as long as she’s not gonna ask her dad to paint the brick himself or have him pay for the paint or unless he’s paying her mortgage then why is she taking decorating advice from him. That is, if she and her husband are on the same page about that brick needing an update.

It’s can be thrilling and scary for some of us! Change can be a big deal. When I think about my home I think of the place that me and my family spend most of our waking hours. Not everyone does this I know, but we do. One time I got a notebook out and wrote down all the adjectives that I wanted to describe my home. Here are some of them:

Personal
Welcoming and Inviting
Casual
Uncluttered
Loved and maybe even a little worn
Real reflection of us and how we live
A Place to be safe and be real
Open
Friendly
Approachable

Mostly, I want to love my home and I want to use it to it’s fullest.

My sister even had a tag line for her old house, Sophie Marie, “a place to be” you know, like just be–you be you and me be me and that’s just fine. Really. If you are still reading this blog you probably can relate to your home on this level. If you are not one of us weirdos who is all about home then you probably dropped me months ago! What is the purpose of your home? What do you want to accomplish at your home and do you need to change your mindset to do that? Your home is there to work for you. It can serve your purposes by the furnishings, wall art, and how you live in it!

Is your home a place to be or a place to “be careful”. If you can’t make a mistake at home then where can you try out something new?

Remember those awful plastic sofa covers and lamp shade covers that you would see in peoples’ homes? What were those moms thinking? Who were they saving that sofa for? Was Jesus gonna show up and then they would take off the plastic real quick and allow Him to sit on that perfect sofa? No. That sofa is for your family! Now, you might rethink buying a silk sofa if you have a family of three boys but LIVE IN YOUR HOUSE! You don’t have to keep that brick pristine for the next buyers–they might not even buy your house because of that dated brick! Do it for you! You enjoy it! My sister will kill me for this picture. But, look at us enjoying this kitchen!

Don’t be afraid to make holes in your walls. They are just drywall and paint. Don’t be afraid to paint brick. It’s not the biggest decision you will ever make it’s brick, not diamond. Paint that wall–if you don’t love it, paint it again, it’s $25 and 3 hours tops! Let the kids do their artwork on the table, pack your home full of people even if you don’t have comfy chairs for each person. Your home is yours use it, maybe even abuse it a little. It’s there for your pleasure. Allow it to serve its purpose, let it reflect you and your family!

I guess the real question is, do you want your home to be perfect or do you want your home to be beautiful? Go forth, ladies, dig out that paint brush, use your high heel shoe as your hammer, take that risk and make your house your home! The secret is out: It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful!

Meet the lovely person who inspired the very words It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful!

Meaningful, fun and FUNctional {I am funny, no?} have you seen the new Urban Soul Travel Mugs ?