Summer has finally arrived! For all of us here in Southern Oregon, we can rejoice that the long, wet, winter is over! I, for one, have been out in the garden, getting the patio ready for warm, alfresco dinners and generally feeling happy that we live in such a beautiful place.
It’s the time of year when we put interior projects aside, get outdoors, take some time off and do a little light reading. Quotes are wonderful because they can convey precise truths, provide a wide range of emotions and inspire our deepest thoughts… usually all in the space of a dozen words or less. So, rather than any how-to’s or complicated details on design, here are some of my favorite (and funny) quotes on the world of interiors, and home, enjoy!
“One should never be the oldest thing in one’s house.” -Patsy Stone
“Have no fear of perfection. You’ll never reach it.” -Salvador Dali
“Tradition always has to be updated and pushed forward. After all, you wouldn’t send a debutante to her 80th birthday party wearing her original dress!” -Thomas Jayne
“Decorate your home. It gives the illusion that your life is more interesting than it really is.” -Charles Schulz
“Behind every attractive room there should be a good reason.” -Sister Parish
“There is one fundamental fact about lighting: Where there is no light, there is no beauty.” – Billy Baldwin
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Design is knowing which ones to keep. “-Scott Adams
“The details are not the details, they make the design.” -Charles Eames
“A room should never allow the eye to settle in one place. It should smile at you and create fantasy. “-Juan Montoya
“We shape our homes, and then our homes shape us.” – Winston Churchill
“Have nothing in your home that you don’t know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. “ –William Morris
‘Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” – Elbert Hubbard
“Most children at times threaten to run away from home. This is the only thing that keeps some parents going. “-Phyllis Diller
I must say, I absolutely love and relate to all of the above quotes and it’s hard to pick a favorite, but if I were to pick one, perhaps it is this: “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” – Melody Beattie
I truly am grateful that I live in Southern Oregon. As a designer, it is always an honor to help people with the most intimate and sacred space: their home. I especially love getting that first tour of a home and learning about a client’s favorite memories, whether it is art, furnishings or photos. You get a glimpse into someone else’s story, their history, and then begin to pull it together in design. For this I am truly appreciative. And, I am really, truly grateful for summer in Oregon!
I have included some fresh ideas visually on summer exteriors, so as you relax into this summer season, I say take a break, create some magic in the outdoors, share food with friends and family, and know that your home will be waiting once more for new touches as we head back inside in the fall season. A house is created over time and through life experiences, so it’s time to head outside and create them!
