Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
Leonardo DaVinci
(1452-1519)
Within you there is a stillness and sanctuary to which you can retreat at anytime and be yourself.
Hermann Hesse
(1877-1962)
The trouble with simple living is that, though it can be joyful, rich, and creative, it isn't always simple.
Doris Janzen Longacre
(1940-1979)
Though we travel the world over
to find the beautiful,
we must carry it with us
or we find it not.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
(1803-1882)
With a few flowers in my garden, half a dozen pictures and some books, I live without envy.
Lope de Vega
(1562-1635)
I am so drawn to warm neutrals and uncluttered simplicity. Not quite minimalism but restrained-natural-luxury (that's my just-coined new style). I find it soothing and beautiful and I dream of a home filled with soft light, natural materials and delicious textures that reflects this peacefulness. I actually need very little to live contentedly, and so I aspire to achieving a much simpler lifestyle. It suits me.
That is, until I see something in hot spicy or deep jewel colours, richly textured and bejewelled. And then the little bowerbird in me comes to life and asks to be treated to what she loves, a little gratuitous-embellished-abundance (my other style of choice). She's such a collector of pretty goodies and I can't always deny her.
They're on almost opposite sides of the spectrum, these two styles, and it's my ongoing mission to strike a balance and successfully meld the two. Ongoing and apparently never-ending.
Right now I'm feeling the need to make a move back towards simple beauty. And methinks a little decluttering's called for. Just a little.
As always, Flickr can be relied upon to provide lovely inspiration...
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17 comments:
I love the way you have described the conflict of wishes about how your living space should be. I have the same dilemma and am constantly feeling I should declutter. I do one area then another area takes over. I am a magpie and a hoarder and constantly have to fight against being overwhelmed with 'stuff'. At the same time, I can't resist something interesting, old and beautiful like the sewing magazines from the 1920s I got this weekend. It is a dilemma but not too bad a one!
Have a great week!
Agree! Love and yearn for calming simplicity, soft white, empty spaces and cleared counters. I don't think I am capable of non- clutter and "maybe just a little bit more"-ism, I guess I will just have to visit YOUR house and try to not leave detritus in my wake. Seems everywhere I go I have a huge ball of STUFF following me, enveloping me, choking me...
I fully agree with that. while i love colour and enjoy homes that have been decorated in vivid hues, with displays of elaborate art work, i always feel that i cannot live like that day in and day out. Restrained-natural-luxury is the way to go (what a lovely coined term!)
You have me down to a "T".I love your mosaic...am imediately calm and soothed.. BUT.. I revel in jewel colours; mostly in my clothing I think..so I have the joy of both "worlds" at the same time.
Happy monday! xxoo
to rely on the many textures and layers of lovely creams and whites is actually a very sophisticated style and not easy to accomplish without tumbling into boredom. if anyone can do it, it's you my friend. I love the space it provides.
Thank you for pointing out that mosaic place it is brilliant! I will put more explanation of what I am doing later-I was playing around late last night and early this morning so no time to write. Now it is lunch time and the kids are about to come back!
yes on the newly coined style...may I join ...your group is nice...simple and oh the quotes as always add so much ...do you have a favorite place you find these?
oh goodness K, this is exactly how I feel. I am so schizo about what i like interior design wise that I'm afraid my future house would look like a rubbish bin of ideas!
I too love my soft and dusty colours but also a bit of colour flair!!! growing up all i wanted was an indian inspired decor house. how does one work the two together?!
Yes, I can also relate. I love the idea of white muslin curtains floating in the breeze and one simple but large sofa and wooden floors. One painting against the wall. But my space is quite magpie-ish. Bits and pieces all over. I hate to pack anything away to make space for something new. I'm always thinking that little vase or stone or painting or pile of books or cushion or tin will feel SO lonely packed away in a cupboard, so I just shift stuff up and make space for more.
I love the mosaic of calming, soothing, colours......simplistic luxury. The word "creamy" describes is all.
I wish to be a disciple of restrained natural luxury. :)
Me too, me too, me too! This is so serene and peaceful. Yet I am drawn to hot orange and deep, wild colors!
Through it all, however, I need to declutter, clean up...
Yes to both. I really understand this. Maybe it's something about this time of year...the summer...that brings out simplicity and soft and uncluttered. I know I'm moved by the seasons a lot.
You described these two sides to you so perfectly.
Yes I love this weather. I popped to Sainsburies on the way home and it was so bright inside and warm and breezy outside that I felt like I was on holiday in Spain! Then I cam home and did my work lying on a lounger in the back garden!
Absolutely beautiful, yet with all the talk these past few weeks about color I had to chuckle as well:). I love the simplicity, and elegance, and peacefulness of your mosaic. It is something I'd hang on the wall.
These colours are what make up my home and what fill my space.
The move was a great chance to declutter for me and I cannot tell you how much it did for my soul. I now have empty space and the objects that do fill the rest of the space are needed.
I can say that I am living simply at present and it has been a long while since I felt as content as I do now.
If you need a hand in decluttering, I would gladly offer to come across and help you. I just love sorting through rubbish and organising things simplistically.
Your mosaic and quotes are beautiful as always.
Me again on this post - do you know that you captured the colors I have collected for our beach house? I printed your mosaic and have it on top of my Beach House notebook...
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