Tag: create a home with meaning

Creating a Meaningful Home: Just a Girl and Her Blog

Written by Jenna on July 27, 2015. Posted in Creating a Meaningful Home.

Todayâ€™s guest post for Creating a Meaningful Home blog series: Year 3 is Abby of Just a Girl and Her Blog. Welcome Abbyâ€¦

Hi there, friends! I’m Abby from Just a Girl and Her Blog, and I am so excited that Jenna has asked me to participate in her “Creating a Meaningful Home” series this year! This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart, particularly because my journey to creating a meaningful home hasn’t always been a smooth one. You see, when it comes to creating a home we love, I tend to be the queen of excuses…

This is just our starter house; when we move into our dream home, then I’ll make it meaningful. I have little kids, so there’s no use wasting time or money on decorating right now. Our house is functional; it doesn’t need to be beautiful. I’m not a professional decorator, so I don’t know how to create a home that’s meaningful.

But, after telling myself excuse after excuse, what I realized– and what I still have to remind myself of often– is that creating a meaningful home isn’t the same as creating a picture perfect home.

Now as a type-A perfectionist, it took me a while to come to grips with that distinction. I would see all of these gorgeous home pictures all over Pinterest and get frustrated, thinking, “My house will never look like that!” And you know what I finally figured out? That’s a good thing. Because the people who own those Pinterest houses aren’t me. They don’t have my family. They don’t have my exact style. And they aren’t in the exact phase of life that I’m in right now. So while that home may be meaningful for them, I could copy the look exactly, but it wouldn’t be meaningful for me or for my family.

That realization hit me like a ton of bricks. It also brought a lot of freedom. I was no longer on a mission to create this Pinterest perfect house. I was on a mission to create the perfect home for my family where we are at this moment– with two wild little boys running around, in a house that’s not our “forever” home, which has fixtures and finishes that may not have been my first choice, with my less-than-professional-level decorating skills. A meaningful home is so much more than the furniture or fabrics or finishes. It’s the people who you create that home with that matter. And I love that.

And all of those excuses, those reasons I was seeing as negatives? It turns out that there’s a lot of good that comes out of them too.

Since our house is on the smaller side, our boys share a room, and they wouldn’t have it any other way. Not only are they brothers, they’re best friends.

Since we don’t have an unlimited budget, we make things ourselves, which not only makes things more meaningful but is incredibly satisfying as well!

{our DIY headboard, board and batten wall treatment, and lampshades, all part of our master bedroom}

We also give new life to old, worn out pieces, like this $40 Craigslist dresser-turned-TV stand…

…or this dresser that was part of my childhood bedroom set…

Those builder-grade finishes that aren’t our favorite? Paint can go a long way with those, too.

And my little home office/craft room may never appear in a magazine, but it is the perfect getaway for this girly girl in my house full of boys!

So what makes a meaningful home? We do. It’s far from perfect, but it’s perfect for us. {Although don’t tell my husband that I said that. I still have a long list of DIY projects I need his help with… 😉 } Someday my boys will grow up and I won’t be stepping on toys every time I turn around. Someday we’ll move into our forever home and I might even get to pick all of the fixtures and finishes I want. Someday I might be satisfied with my decorating skills. But that won’t make me any happier. What truly brings me joy is sharing home with the people I love most, and there is nothing more meaningful than that!

Thank you so much to Jenna for having me, and thank YOU for reading! I’d love to catch up with you over at Just a Girl and Her Blog or on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter! Have a wonderful day!

“It’s far from perfect, but it’s perfect for us.” What truly makes a home meaningful is what is meaningful to you! Thank you so much to Abby for sharing such a beautiful home story. Abby has such a fresh, clean, and crisp style. It’s effortlessly chic and reflects what she loves most + is important to her and her family!

One of Abby’s recent favorite projects are the beautiful coastal shelves she designed for the Summer season. Filled with beachy pieces + natural elements, these shelves are the perfect warm-weather vignette.

Head on over to Just a Girl and Her Blog, and give Abby a BIG HELLO!

Check out all the Bloggers that have contributed to this series on
Creating a Meaningful Home

Plus donâ€™t miss out on all the previous Bloggers who contributed to this series in 2013 and 2014!

Creating a Meaningful Home: Jenna Sue Design

Written by Jenna on July 22, 2015. Posted in Creating a Meaningful Home.

Todayâ€™s guest post for Creating a Meaningful Home blog series: Year 3 is Jenna Sue of Jenna Sue Design. Welcome Jenna Sueâ€¦

Hello, friends! I’m Jenna (you can call me Jenna Sue) of Jenna Sue Design and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share a bit of my home and how I create meaning in it with you today.

It has been such a learning experience since we purchased our first home in 2008 (we’re now on our third) and through this journey I’ve learned a few key principles that always keep me on track when making design & decorating decisions.

1. It’s all about the atmosphere

How do you want to feel when you walk into a space? Relaxed, energized, calm, uplifted, motivated, cozy, safe Close your eyes and visualize the ideal scene that plays out when you walk into the bedroom/kitchen/living room/bathroom etc of your dreams. Is it curled up by the fire in a snowed in cabin sipping wine and reading? Is it a large kitchen with family and friends cooking and chatting? Is it a quiet, organized workspace to help you stay focused and inspired? Maybe a relaxed beach house with natural woods and soft colors to reflect simpler living. No matter what your dream scene is, you can recreate that feeling in your own home.

Determine your key descriptive words to achieve this atmosphere. They don’t necessarily have to belong together. For our latest guest bathroom renovation, my words were “natural romantic vintage boho”â€”terms that aren’t always grouped together, but they nicely blended to create the environment I had envisioned.

Always keep that vision in your mind when making plans or purchases for the spaceâ€”ask yourself if you could see the item existing in that scene, and if it doesn’t fit, move on.

The mood that a space creates when we enter is always the most important factor, I believe, and one that is often overlooked when people get caught up in small details like what “matches” or “looks like the magazine”. Let the environment be your guide. Remember the Maya Angelou quote about how people will forget what you did and said, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel. You want people to remember the experiences and how they felt when they’re inside your home.

2. Get Inspired & Creative

Before starting any new home project, I load up on inspiration to get a clear sense of what I want. My favorite way to do this is Pinterest (I’m constantly pinning for the future!) where I take mental notes of the mood that is evoked from each photo and decide what I want my environment to be. It helps me piece together those details and gets the wheels in motion for the many different ways I can make the space work.

I dreamed of a laundry room overlooking a lavender field in the french countryside, but only had a dark, awkward storage room to work with. After gathering up enough inspiration and a little creativity, we ripped out the walls, floor and ceiling and made our own vision come to life:

And on a DIY budget. That’s where the creativity comes in. Even if I had unlimited funds, I’d always find a way to sneak in some DIY or handmade elements because there’s so much satisfaction knowing you physically had a hand in building this home you love. Even if it’s small and looks funny or didn’t turn out how you planned (see our DIY barn door above? it’s crooked. But it has character and a story and we love it).

I love finding ways to add elements to our home that reflect our personalities and tell a story (as inexpensively as possible!). Like these Roman Numerals. I found someone on Ebay selling thin wood cutouts, asked him to customize them to our wedding anniversary, painted them the same color as our wall and nailed them up. Instant (yet subtle) impact for little cost and effort.

Inexpensive creativity can come in any form… handmade art, repurposing objects in new ways, even simple floral arrangements with native plants in your yard. I always try to find a way to work with what I have.

3. Do it for the people

Whether it’s just you, your family, or anyone who enters your homeâ€”you want it to feel welcoming. We love to entertain so we modified our home to fulfill this by knocking out our dining room wall, reconfiguring our kitchen and building a huge table for friends and family to gather.

It has become the heart of our home and allows us to continue to host important gatherings and celebrationsâ€”and we love knowing that our guests enjoy themselves and feel welcome.

Even if you’re not entertaining a crowd, this is the place where your family will create lifetime memories so you want to facilitate that as much as possible. Create a safe environment where your family feels comfortable and loved. Designate fun areas so children can express themselves and explore their creativity. Make other spaces a retreat so you can unwind at the end of the day, feel calm in the present moment and regroup for tomorrow.

By designing your home to work for you, life becomes easier you’re able to focus on what matters most. Home looks different for everyoneâ€”for some it’s a deeply rooted place that’s been around for generations, for others it’s a constantly changing place filled with new faces and experiencesâ€”but deep down, it should always be that safe, familiar feeling within us that can’t be replaced.

So many beautiful thoughts + words that Jenna Sue shares… “Create a safe environment where your family feels comfortable and loved.” Her home is beyond gorgeous + so inviting. A favorite project of hers that she recently shared is this $30 sofa console table. I’ve shared this narrow table idea with many clients (I still want to make one for myself) and LOVE how Jenna Sue’s came out!

Head on over to Jenna Sue Design, and give Jenna Sue a BIG HELLO!

Check out all the Bloggers that have contributed to this series on
Creating a Meaningful Home

Plus donâ€™t miss out on all the previous Bloggers who contributed to this series in 2013 and 2014!

Creating a Meaningful Home: A Girl and A Glue Gun

Written by Jenna on July 1, 2015. Posted in Creating a Meaningful Home.

Todayâ€™s guest post for Creating a Meaningful Home blog series: Year 3 is Kimbo of a girl and a glue gun. Welcome Kimboâ€¦

Hi! I’m Kimbo from a girl and a glue gun

My house has been an uphill battle. I have really struggled because I know it’s a permanent home and I really want to make it MINE. I’m not going to spout off on interior design rules and guidelines…cause I don’t think there are any. You can do matchy matchy. you can do random colors everywhere. You can have white clean walls with no color. You can do hot pink walls! But I do want to share some things that I do that make my home a meaningful home that screams KIMBO.

1. Put your own spin on things

Pinterest is awesome. I love the wealth of inspiration that comes from it. I have way to many pinterest boards full of the coolest things. But I always try to put my own twist on the ideas that I see and love. I like things to be my own. Here are some pictures of the inspiration pictures I have found that spurred me making my own!

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The basics are there…but I truly feel like they are unique to me.

2. LOVE your crap—-

Let me tell you about steve. I love him.

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I think he’s totally awesome I want about 45 of steve’s cousins (the unicorn and the shark are my fav) And when people come in my house I either get, “oh. love him.” or “oh. that’s….interesting.”

Steve is not everyone’s cup of tea. My husband thinks I should paint him to look real (even though if I found one that was painted real I would spray paint him white) But I love him even though not everyone does. So don’t try to decorate for everyone’s style….Just buy or make things that YOU love…cause you have to see it every day!!!

I try to fill my house with everything that makes me happy..down to the smallest tchotchke . I know where and when and how much each little thing costs or how long it took to make.

3. FUNCTION

Function is HUGE for me. mostly cause I’m a hoarder and have tons of stuff! So it needs to be organized well so Husband doesn’t throw it away! But just because it’s functional…doesn’t mean it can’t be like the cutest thing ever! Like this wall that holds my accessories…

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or a fun place to hang all my kids artwork

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this entry way was a big blank wall! I knew it needed hooks–I was sick of coats all over the floor! function and cute. and it has a story with it (like me trying to find hooks I want and 3 trips to home depot and all the frames used to be brown.)

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4. Take your time.

It’s a slow process. I don’t want to settle. and I don’t want to spend a fortune. So I know it will take time to get exactly what I want for the price I want…

I have been on a hunt for a perfect buffet/dresser/ credenza thing for underneath this big frame for about 2 years. I’ve yet to stumble on exactly what I want that is the right size. and that’s okay. When I do find it, it will be make this wall complete! and me sooo giddy!

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5. Paint

Paint is a cheap and an awesome way to freshen up and redo any room. Even if it’s painting it a nice bright white. I love color…so I find it the easiest way to add fun pops!

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I can redo a whole room for pretty cheap by repainting frames, figurines, headboards, dressers.source

and paint is pretty cheap so if you don’t love something, you can easily try again!

So that’s it! my top 5 ways to make your house yours.

I love that I can look around my house and see the things that I have carefully found and scoured thrift stores for —

or old hand me downs from family, or hand made stuff from my kiddos. Even though I have a long ways to go before I will have it “finished” (if there is such a thing in home decor.)

I can sit down and look and around and it feels like home.

What wonderful words Kimbo shared and I love her mindset about the home she’s created, “Don’t try to decorate for everyone’s style….Just buy or make things that YOU love…cause you have to see it every day!!!” That’s what makes a home meaningful.

Kimbo has a slew of do it yourself projects, crafts, printables, and recipes on her blog (check out all her tutorials here). One of my favorites is the “What’s For Dinner” Menu Board she created to take the guesswork out of what she’s making for dinner. This will be a project you’ll definitely want to tackle!

Head on over to a girl and a glue gun and give Kimbo a BIG HELLO!

Check out all the Bloggers that have contributed to this series on
Creating a Meaningful Home

Plus donâ€™t miss out on all the previous Bloggers who contributed to this series in 2013 and 2014!

Creating a Meaningful Home: Rooms For Rent

Written by Jenna on June 29, 2015. Posted in Creating a Meaningful Home. 2 Comments on Creating a Meaningful Home: Rooms For Rent

Todayâ€™s guest post for Creating a Meaningful Home blog series: Year 3 is Bre of Rooms For Rent. Welcome Breâ€¦

I am so thrilled to be here with all of you today! I was honored Jenna asked me to join her series, it is one that I could totally relate with, and close to my heart. If you haven’t popped by my corner of the blog sphere yet, I’m Bre and I blog over at Rooms FOR Rent! Sharing my passion for interior decor, and most importantly inspiring others to Love the space they Live in!

Long before I blogged, or even knew about blogs, creating a meaningful home was always on the forefront of my mind. As a child I dreamed about being an interior decorator, but it wasn’t until I had my very own place, as a young, newly married bride, that I was able to really put into practice putting thought behind the items I decorated with. It was so much more than just filling a room with pretty things. I wanted our home to be inviting and welcoming, not only to guests, but to my husband as well. Establishing a retreat from the rest of the world that was personable to just us. Once we had kids, and I was home full time, it was time to shake off the dust of that dormant dream of being an interior decorator.

Our home is layered with items of great meaning to us. I love covering our walls with family photos, it’s like a warm hug with happy memories of the family we’ve started. Our kids love to see pictures of themselves as chubby babies, and wobbly toddlers, and pictures of our wedding. To them it’s like looking through a photo album everyday around the house.

As newlyweds starting off we had very little furniture of our own. We inherited furniture pieces from our families that have become staples for us, and remind us of where we’ve come from. The cedar chest you see in the photo above, has played many roles in each place we’ve lived. Last year I sanded it down and re-stained it to give it new life, my husbands grandfather made it back in the 50’s, and my husband has fond memories of it as a boy, and always wished that one day he could be the rightful owner. When we see it, we think fondly of his grandfather and his fine craftsmanship.

Another hand-me-down that adds meaning for us, is this dresser I use as a buffet in our dining room. It was a hand me down from my mother, her first furniture set when she married my dad, and I used in my bedroom as a teenager. It was the first DIY the hubby and I did together 10 years ago, and recently, last year, I sanded it down again and re-stained it, but it’s one of my most asked about pieces, and whenever I look at it, I think of my mom, and when she first acquired the dresser decorating her new home as a young bride.

I want our home to tell a story, Our story. While I love finding great buys at HomeGoods and Marshalls, my favorite things to decorate with are those that have a story. It’s a heritage that I get to pass onto my children. Repurposing items and giving them new life, shows that we care for the things around us, and take pride in where we came from. You can never go wrong when you decorate with items you truly love, and mean something to you. It’s the personal touches that create meaning in our lives, and touch those around us.

Stay in touch!

Instagram / Pinterest / Facebook

Have a design question? Visit Doucette Design Co. for all your design needs!

Thank you Bre for sharing your beautiful thoughts on how you’ve created a home that tells Your Story!

I love these words that Bre shared, “Our home is layered with items of great meaning to us. I love covering our walls with family photos, itâ€™s like a warm hug with happy memories of the family weâ€™ve started.” and “To them itâ€™s like looking through a photo album everyday around the house.” Absolutely!

Every project Bre creates is “her”. Bre’s style of relaxed with a farmhouse flair is spot on in what the rooms of her home evoke. One of my favorite parts of Bre’s home is her gray chalkboard wall in the kitchen. In this post, Bre shares a great tutorial on how to make chalkboard wall paint in any color.

Head on over to Rooms For Rent, and give Bre a BIG HELLO!

Check out all the Bloggers that have contributed to this series on
Creating a Meaningful Home

Plus donâ€™t miss out on all the previous Bloggers who contributed to this series in 2013 and 2014!