{Day 21} Feathering the Nest

Welcome to Day #21 of the 31 Days to Professional Homemaking series.  To learn more about this series and to see the list of topics, click HERE.  Please know that I am not an expert in marriage, motherhood, or homemaking.  I'm just a woman {who happens to be a wife, mother, and homemaker}, trying to figure it all out, by the grace of God.  This series is just as much for me as it is for anyone reading.

Before we get started, I'd like to offer you the following button, in case you want to share this series with your readers:

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Hands down, one of my favorite things about homemaking is decorating my house.  Not because I have a ton of money or a ton of creativity {because truth be told, I don't have much of either}, but because I firmly believe that your home tells a story... your story.  And, as a Christian, my home does more than just tell my story, it tells the world who I am in Christ and how He has blessed my family.

Just like homemaking is more than the chores that fill our day, the act of decorating our homes consists of more than choosing furniture, hanging curtains, and DIY-ing accessories.  The beauty of the task is found in it's purpose: to serve our family by creating a comfortable and welcoming place from the world outside.  What is even more beautiful than that is the fact that you don't have to be an interior decorator or designer to decorate your home.  

So, how can a homemaker use decorating as a means to serve our family create that comfortable and welcoming oasis?

DON'T FOLLOW TRENDS

That's right.  Don't follow the trends.  At least, don't follow them for the sake of following them.  Because, really, trends change so fast or they fizzle out because they are deemed "overdone".  Just because the magazines say "neon orange" is the new "it" color for sofas, doesn't mean you have to go there.  Likewise, some "experts" may deem a certain trend to be finished.  But, if you like that trend, go ahead and keep it alive in your own home if you wish.  Bottom line is to trust your gut; choose colors, fabrics, and accessories based on what you like. 

FUNCTION FIRST, FORM SECOND

The way your space functions is ten times more important than the way it looks.  You could have a gorgeous room but, if it doesn't work for you, it's useless.  All you can do is look at it.

How should a room function?  Well, it depends on the room.  Take the living room, for example.  Typically living rooms {a.k.a family rooms} are where families gather for TV/movie viewing, game nights, pillow fights, and entertaining... at least, this is what we use our living room for.  It's where everything happens.

Because this one room serves so many purposes {some of which include roughhousing}, it must be filled with durable furniture and fabrics.  This is one reason I haven't been too quick to get rid of our hand-me-down furniture {that, and we just haven't been able to afford to buy a new living room suite}.  Other than durability, this room must also boast plenty of seating and surfaces to sit a drink down or spread out a board game.

So, you see, the appearance of the living room should be taken into consideration as I decorate it, but I have to make sure that its functionality is tended to first.  This means that I need to make sure there are several places to sit and surfaces to utilize, but beyond that, as long as things are durable, I'm pretty free to decorate how I want.

INCLUDE YOUR FAMILY

Your home is not your own.  If you're a wife and mother, you have at least two other people living with you. Take them into consideration.  

Ask your husband for his opinion.  He may not give it or he may not even care all that much, but he'll appreciate the fact that you want your home to be a place that reflects his tastes, too.  And, as for those kiddos of yours, you probably won't have them picking out curtains for your living room any time soon {unless you're just a way cooler mom than I am}, but you still want to keep their needs in mind.

Do they need their toys stored in the family room because that's where they play?  Could you paint a wall in your home with chalkboard paint so they can literally color on the walls?

Speaking of kids, if you have them, I personally feel like there should be evidence of that in your home.  Don't hide every single solitary toy or keep their artwork stuffed in a file somewhere.  If someone walks in my home, I don't want them to be surprised when my son comes running out of his room because the rest of the house wanted to pretend like he doesn't exist.

DECORATE WITH SCRIPTURE

"You shall write [God's commands] on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

{Deuteronomy 6:9}

You don't have to literally write scripture on your doorposts, though you certainly are welcome to.  My advice here is to purchase or create some cute scripture prints and artwork for your walls.  After all, what better way to share your faith with visitors and remind yourself of Whose you are than decorating with Bible verses.  Bonus points if you memorize them...

{Shameless plug - my friend, Latoya, runs a really cute Etsy shop where she sells all kind of pretty scripture prints.  You're sure to find one that matches your decor!}

THINK SEASONAL

What better way to celebrate God's creation than by bringing the outdoors in?  One way to do this is to let nature inspire your color palette or keep a vase of seasonal flowers on your dining room table.  In other words, let each season itself serve as inspiration for your decor.  My favorite way to do this is to decorate with neutral furnishings and switch out your accessories according to nature.

Which brings me to the next tip...

THINK SENSUAL

{but not in a s*xual way...}

Sight.  Touch.  Smell.  Hearing.  Taste.  This is how we interact with the world around us.  For example, those seasonal flowers we talked about earlier provide color for our eyes and a scent to our noses.  A blanket strategically placed across the arm of a sofa or chair can engage the sense of touch when wrapped around someone.  Worshipful music in the background can use our sense of hearing to promote a calm environment.  

{NOTE: If you're looking for a book to guide you through the process of decorating with intention, I cannot say enough good things about The Meghan Method by Meghan Carter.  I bought the book with birthday money over a year ago and it has quickly become my go-to source for decorating help.}

Today's Challenge:

Each day, I'll give you a challenge: one small thing you can do to apply each day's topic to your life and your home.

1. Give your entire home a once-over, asking yourself: Does this room function like we need it to?  Is there something I can do to improve its function?

2. Write down several ways that you can create a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere for your family.  Choose one of those ways to implement immediately.

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FOR DAY #20: THE ART OF MEAL PLANNING 
CLICK HERE.


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FOR DAY #22: IMPLEMENT A DESK DAY
CLICK HERE.


God Bless,

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Linked To:
Better Mom Mondays at The Better Mom
Anti-procrastination Tuesdays at New Nostalgia
Titus 2sdays at Time-Warp Wife
Teach Me Tuesdays at Growing Home
Titus 2 Tuesdays at Cornerstone Confessions
Heart + Home Gathering {Tuesdays} at MercyINK Blog
Works for Me Wednesdays at We Are THAT Family
Women Living Well Wednesdays at Women Living Well Ministries
Homemaking Link Up at Raising Homemakers