Shabby-Chic: My Style Evolution

Perhaps the biggest influence on my current style is my experience as a student in the sciences. I am a creative soul trapped in a quantitative world of equations, numbers, diagrams, theorems, and constants.

The regrets I may or may not have about choosing my current field aside, I realized that almost everyone is finding themselves in this "grid" of numbers. Everything is quantized, measured, recorded, analyzed, and controlled. There is very little about our lives that is organic anymore. Exponential increases in technology and steady urbanization has moved the majority of our populations into cities. Rigid landscapes of organized streets, asphalt wastelands, and concrete buildings.

 As you return from working in your cubicle to your home in the suburbs you climb into a 3-ton block of  steel and glass and sit with a thousand other 3 ton blocks for hours. 

Until you get home and pop in a pre-packaged meal... cooking it from the inside out as the atoms of the preservatives of 3-tert-butyl-4-hydoxyanisole and 2-tert-butyl-4-hydroxanisole speed up and super-heat themselves as they are struck by radio waves of roughly 2.45 gigahertz.

 You set your alarm to wake up up at a precise minute in time the next morning and you begin it all over again.

 I understand the benefits of technology and progress, however I still live in place in my mind where Tiger Lilly's line sunny dirt roads and where you wake up with the natural circadian rhythms nature gave you, rising up to greet the sun and blue skies.

After work you can return to a hot meal cooked with ingredients that your grandmother would recognize. Finally falling into night's indigo hue in a bed full of soft feather-filled silk pillows. 

This crumpled linen looks absolutely heavenly.

I know life is not made up of sugar, vanilla and lavender but it should be. It is a sad truth that it isn't and never will be. So we should endeavor to make it so at least in the sanctuary of our own homes. The cold and ugliness so happy to rear its head outside our front stoops has no business going an centimeter further. 

Any designer will tell you that their personal style is defined by their inspirations and by their experiences. I am not a professional interior designer, however my personal style is definitely that was certainly defined by the latter. I have always had a lover affair with white; clean, fresh, pure. It is also sterile and cold, as a counterbalance incorporating pastel hues if pink, blue, and purple warm things up.

This is where my inspiration comes from. Creating a place that is yours. Where you are safe and happy. Whatever that might be. For myself it is A loving partner and a beautiful, organic safe haven. Gary Snyder said it best: "Nature is not a place to visit, it is home". 

This idea is one of the hallmarks of the shabby-chic design philosophy. For my own brand of shabby-chic I draw inspiration frequently from designers like Rachel Ashwell. Although my childhood is probably my biggest inspiration. I spent my carefree youth in the green rolling hills of southeast Ohio. Roads lined with wildflowers and massive, ancient trees with lush green canopies and sweet-scented orchards filled with ripe fruit. Summertime in Ohio and my childhood home is still a frequent image that flashes through my mind almost daily. I drew on this and still do when I decorate my home. 

My old front yard

Below are some photos of my room, I used a pastel and relaxing pink on the walls and incorporated the things that I thought were beautiful and yet functional. 

Candle Holder and vintage books.

A beautiful memento box.

Butterflies and Flowers just make me happy

Stationary is another thing I have a penchant for collecting

I love baking sweets, these cookbooks just look yummy

Another view of my room.

Gorgeous french-provincial shelf.

Soft white furniture and appliances, peach walls, flowers, vanilla candles, and pretty french style shelves make up my home life. They are beautiful and functional. I treasure them and you should find what is beautiful to you and treasure that. Remember what is most important though. The people who care about us and want positive things for us are what really matters. To me it is my loving, supportive partner who always does what he can to make my life better. He is my rock and I love him, soon we will be taking on the world together and I can't wait to make a home together with him. Remember the important things: Love, Home, Health, and Family.