devil is in the details

Decorating, in a conventional sense, can be difficult.  The process itself can be (and should be) highly personal.  Everything in your home should explain to a visitor who you are.  My personal aesthetic is about creating warmth, and making people feel at home.  This would include making, what I call, "piles" throughout your home.  Piles can be construed as a negative thing, conjuring up visions of hoarding.  However, I use them differently.  Piles, in a simplified and organized fashion, in my home are small groupings of items that mean something to me.  On a coffee table there could be a pile of special books that have lived with me over the years, the story of each and how it came to live in my home varied and nostalgic.  Or it could be a pile of pictures: these would be 'layered' larger to small, front to back, to tell a story.  Below are pictures of some of my favorite piles in my home.

 Some special books, a commemorative candle, and a Herend sandwich tray warm up my living area.

The bookshelf behind my desk exists to hold a smattering of Sotheby's auction catalogues, special pictures, and books accumulated throughout the years.  It also holds my rehearsal bouquet, made by hand with only a paper plate and my shower gift ribbons by one of my dearest friends and bridesmaids. Makes me smile every time I look at the bookshelf!

A vintage ceramic horse head, our sterling chest, decorative vase, and Andrew Wyeth print add something interesting to look at when heading into our sleeping area.

A 19th-century Royal Crown Derby plate (left) adds some texture to the side table.  Top right, a potpourri bag is plunked by my Herend jewelry case, and bottom right an Italian candlestick I converted into a lamp lives with my Herend puppy and Boudin print.