Staring around my living room right now can see 5 or 6 things that were bought at regular stores. And by regular stores I mean the kind that have customer washrooms and their own catalogues.
The couch I got from EQ3. It's hopefully on it's way out soon.
The coffee table I got from The Bay. It will be painted soon.
And the throw on the settee (or the tutu as my neighbour Jane calls it) is from Homesense.
And a couple of accessories and lamps from other credit card accepting stores.
Anything else of any significance in the room was found, scrounged or otherwise had from a unique place.
If you want a unique room you have to shop unique places. Like an antique store or thrift shop or dumpster. Wherever. Just not at a big chain/box store. Step away from the box. You need places like Ikea and Homesense (Homegoods) for certain things and they're way easier to shop at than say, a pop up flea market in the middle of Memphis, but if you're looking for a home with a little soul, take the road less travelled when you're looking to decorate. And also take cash.
You don't need to spend a fortune to make an interesting room. You just need to be interesting. Or at least be able to fake being interesting.
If you ARE interesting and have actually left your house and done things, prove it. If you go on vacation buy something that you love and will actually look good in your house. Don't want to buy anything? No problem. Steal something.
On my coffee table I have a round wood platter filled with things I got when I was away having fun, doing something other than feeding chickens or typing on a computer. There's an antique Burmese tattoo gun I bought in Thailand, an antler from my grandfather's house (he was a hunter, I am not) and 2 rocks. The one black rock is from the beach where I went surfing in Tofino, British Columbia this fall and the other is from the stupid, stupid mountain I climbed like an idiot on that same trip. I love those damn rocks.
Take my shelves as an example. In my slowly progressing mini-makeover I took everything out of the bookcases in my living room and only put back things that were I loved. As it turns out, the things that I loved were also the most unique things.
Like my 3D, clear model of a chicken, a gift from a reader.
Beside the model is the very first egg I ever got (from Norma). Well, if you read this post you'll see technically it was my second egg, due to the chickens going mental. And beside that is a beautiful little painting of grazing sheep I got at a garage sale for a few dollars.
Beneath those things are the barn board planter box I built a few years ago. I also used my waxed paper transfer technique on it (all you need is a printer and wax paper).
The mid century modern candlesticks were from a local antique market. The white bowl near the top *did* come from Homesense and the gold artichokes from a garage sale. So that's one thing out of everything that came from a big store, but I like the shape of the bowl so I keep it. Just because it came from somewhere other than a Tibetan cave doesn't mean you can't value it. Although stuff from Tibetan caves are pretty cool.
Over on the right side of the bookcase, same story. The lamp was from a lamp store that was going out of business and the antique chandelier lamp was the only thing in the store that wasn't regular, new stock. I'm not sure why they had it in there, but they didn't value antiques at all so they practically gave it to me. I think it was $20?
Behind the chandelier is a portrait painting I bought at a very small accessory store. The owner had different portraits like these shipped in from Asia somewhere where they're mass produced by artists. They're copies of famous English paintings. Except as skilled as they were, the Asian copy artists hadn't perfected the caucasian eye; so all their portraits of British nobility etc., have Asian eyes.
I LOVE that.
The last thing on the lower shelf is very interesting and meaningful indeed. It's Cuddles. World's greatest cremated chicken. Under a glass dome. On a glass block.
You can't pick up one of those at your local Costco.
This corner isn't quite done but it's pretty close. And it too is an amalgamation of cheap local thrift store or flea market finds.
Also. Don't follow the rules. Don't worry about the rules. Sometimes the rules are right, but really, just try stuff out. Move things, pile things, do things WRONG. Sometimes doing things wrong is really the only way to get them right.
When I get a bit more under control with work in the next week or so I'm going to start installing my built in dining room bookcases. I don't think it's going to be too big of a job, which means it's going to be the world's worst job and I'm probably going to end up having a nervous episode and run screaming through the streets wearing my pajamas, work boots with a hammer held high over my head.
But that's O.K. It makes me interesting.
When I sit quietly looking around my home most of the stuff is unique and special to us/me. Things we have found on beaches, at the curb, antique shops, and hand made things from my husband and son. I love our home and the stuff.
❤️CUDDLES❤️ Beautiful Karen
My thoughts exactly! My 100+ year old log house is filled to the brim with one of a kind finds. ALL the furniture is antique, and each piece has its own story. Accessories include pewter, pottery, treenware. Feathers from my chickens, turkeys, and guineas adorn my collection of old ink wells on my massive old oak roll top paymasters desk. Found bird eggs sit in found nests inside of vintage birdcages. My boys collected rocks, bones, snake skins, a cows tooth (yes, really), a lock of hair from their first steers.....all treasures. Old toys include many barns, a little log cabin, and a variety of farm animals. Art includes pottery and paintings of my late mother, and close friends, and my own. I love it all!
Sorry for my lengthy rant; and two typos!
Don't apologise, Elaine, I loved reading your comment. Your love for books warms my heart, and the whale/driftwood piece sounds very interesting, wish you'd posted a pic.
(Why is there a red wiggly under apologise?)
Um, I don't know how to add a photo, Penny, and a red line isn't showing under apologize at this end. Are you in the UK or Australia? Over here, we usually use a "Z" in lieu of an "S", therefore, the computer is probably thinking there is a spelling error and simply wanting to bring it to your attention. That's my guess. :)
I love all of it. Your home is so you (even though we haven't met personally**) and it's also so ... me! Re the ** - I almost bumped into you one day at a certain little shop that I love! I was so excited as I was a big fan when you were on TV. Okay, back to your home ... thank you for being unique and not covering up your books with burlap or worse - tearing the covers off!! What the hell?? I'm sure you know it's done on nearly every blog; evidently so the offensive colors don't interfere with color schemes. I find defacing a book almost criminal and think to myself: "how would they like being the author of that book and seeing it ruined"! I love rocks (always have) and have many "conversation starters" in my home. One, in particular, is on top my coffee table that's picked up all the time by mostly men, then the women. It was free - left outside in a snow covered shopping cart. My late husband was picking me up as the stores closed and the parking lot lights brought it to my attention. I haven't a clue what it is; just cheap resin but looks like a whale one direction and just driftwood in another direction. Much love to Cuddles and much love to you and marching to your own drummer. Thank you for NOT being a carbon copy to so many (beautiful, yes, but so predictable) decor blog; they are starting to look all the same!
Love it! Like I love everything you do. But one thing I can't stand are the audio ads on your site. Holy crow! I'll be sneaking a peak at your site early in the morning, and BLAMMO! There's this crazy ad suddenly blaring, and I've got to scramble to find out where it's coming from before it wakes the whole house. Writing this, I've suddenly realized the answer. Mute my computer before visiting you. I still love your site.
Hi Heather. No ads on the site should blare sound so let me know what they are. Sometimes they sneak in. It could be that you're accidentally hovering your mouse over them as well. That's a trigger for some ads to play. ~ karen!
Today it was a cat litter ad
Can't recall which one started yesterday, but I guarantee I'm not hovering, because I was on another site and left yours open when suddenly it started. I had to figure out which window the ad music was coming from. Today, I was in the comments section, scrolling down when I had to fly back up the top to find out where the sound was coming from. It was an ad for a Mike Holmes show; I like him too, but I need some warning if he's going to start blasting music in my kitchen in the morning. :D I'm not complaining. Like I said, I know now to mute before entering. But I thought you'd want to know. I imagine if someone was trying to sneak a peak at how to build a cob oven or make a cutting board while at work it could be embarrassing. Like I said, I still LOVE your site.
Ha! That Mike. Always trying to get all the attention. Thanks for letting me know Heather. It's literally never happened to me on my site. Everyone gets different ads so unless you tell me I don't know! I'll let the people who serve my ads know. Thx. ~ karen!
I haven't noticed what they were for, but I've also had ads start playing the last few times I've visited. I was reading the comments both times so I don't think I could have accidentally started playing any. I'll pay more attention if it happens again.
I love when items in my home have a story and you don't get that from box stores! Like you, my home is very eclectic and I get many compliments and people often ask, "where did you get that?" Paintings by a great grandmother on each side of the family, a chair that was a wedding gift to my parents, a one of a kind wardrobe built from scrap wood by my great, great grandfather.....these things give my home life! I started decorating this way to save money, but soon realized I love it more than buying everything new! Love your home and stories!!
I admire your restraint with the rocks. I have frigging rocks everywhere! I love them!! I spray them with Varathane and display them ,it makes the colours so pretty..when we go to the east coast my husband swears we add three hundred pounds in rocks in the car in the way home. My sisters are the same. They have many uses. Lol. But I just love them.
Makes perfect sense. I start out with three hundred pounds of rocks, but then my rock trolls eat them. Apparently the "pretty ones" taste the best. Grrr.
Haha did you by any chance to the Grouse Grind in Vancouver? Because I did it years ago and cursed that stupid stupid mountain the whole way up. Curious if there is another such stupid mountain out there. Although once I got to the top it was pretty amazing.
Ha! We did Grouse Grind's older and much meaner sister, lol. Grouse Grind is 2.2 km up or something. We did 7 km up. It was gross. But fun. But gross. ~ karen!
What's your plan for the new couch? I'm seeing velvet in an in your face color. But maybe not with the cat.
The Asian eyes were a find girl!
The couch I had prior tot his one was velvet Trish and even though they're beautiful they're not very forgiving when you drop a burrito on them. I need something very forgiving, lol. ~ karen!
Did the fleamkt portrait come framed? I have a pokey little painting about the size of a postcard; I can't remember where I found it but I love it. Perhaps a bigger, more elaborate frame would help draw attention to it.
If your rant through the streets finds you pretty far south, feel free to bust in and purge all the crap from my house. You'll need that hammer for sure!
Someday my ashes will be with my best dog ever's, in the backyard. Have warned my family that "I'll be back" if they're not. Cuddles is definitely where she should be. Well done Karen.
Recently, a friend hugged me as she was leaving and, just before she went out the door, confided, "You know....your house is just like you."
Which may mean my house is strange and slightly crazy...or it could be a good thing...or maybe both.
I asked her the next time we met, and she wouldn't elaborate.
But after seeing your Cuddles, I can relax. I am in good company.
Beautiful. All of it. You have some really wonderful, funky, one-of-a-kind and just unusual things. I call them "conversation starters" -- a term that was used by my mother when I was a girl, it meant that was just downright weird. She did not mean it as a complement. Fortunately I, her disappointing hippie daughter who picked up rocks and sticks and broken things and put them on display, am the one who reads The Art of Doing Stuff. So I love what you've done to your place.
I hope you will someday tell us what The Whole Goat Handbook is about.
I always forget how closely people look at the pictures, lol. I'm gonna have to add something REALLY interesting into those books one day. ~ karen!
Blessings on little Cuddles. So lovely she is still with you and you can talk to her.
My Devildog's ashes sit on the TV cabinet at one end and my son's sit on the other end.
I kind of like the idea of when I die, some poor bugger, wandering around with two small caskets in their hands with no idea what to do with them.
You're special Karen, but deep down you do know that and its a great thing.
Thanks Cynthia! I don't know if I'm especially special, but I am interesting. ;) ~ karen!
I have floor envy :) Your living room looks great; you have done well with the size of the space.
Love love love this post!!
Probably mostly because of Cuddles!
xx
I love how you nestle the speakers in with the books. Clever lady. But please tell me there is a story behind the tattoo gun.
I love how you commemorated Cuddles!
Thanks Martina. :) She was a good chicken. None of my other chickens are like Cuddles. ~ karen!
I love your style, and I strive to be eclectic. That's what I call it. Not mish-mash or what-the-heck-is-that-doing-in-your-living-room? I adore it. Definitely NOT out of the box, in this case.
Hey Patty. Thanks! The room/house isn't near complete but yes, it is and will always be eclectic. I used to hate that term because I figured it meant you didn't have any idea of what style you liked or couldn't commit to it. But now I see eclectic as design confidence. :) ~ karen!