Loving Your Home

This is a stressful time for most people. We are three years into a serious recession and I have never seen so much worry, sadness and depression. Maybe it's because I'm having trouble selling homes in this market that I have become more aware that a lot of people aren't happy in their homes.

However, the one place I can find peace and happiness is in my home. Gary and I have gone through the occasional desire to have something grander or newer, but somehow always manage to get by without having to move. We don't have a "McMansion" and, in fact, our home is very modest by Williamson County standards. What we do have is a space we have created to reflect who we are and our happiness together. On every wall hangs a painting that reminds me of my mother-in-law, Fern, who treated me like a daughter, or my very talented daughters, Sarah and Liz. Everywhere I look, someone I love has added something I love to my home--like Gary's wainscoting, hardwood flooring, decking, crown molding and beautiful drapery rods for my homemade drapes.

Years ago we made the decision to be very selective in choosing items for our home. If it isn't useful or beautiful, it isn't coming through the door. Over the years, we have discovered some secrets that I thought I might share with my readers. These are the things that make me crave coming home:

1. Soft, muted colors make my life less chaotic and more romantic.
   
2. A quiet space to curl up with a good book (or Nook or Kindle) is a necessity.
   
3. Music and art make me appreciate life and gives me hope for humanity-TV does the opposite.
   
4. Lighting can change everything and lamps give a room personality.
   
5. A clean, orderly kitchen is a joy especially at family gatherings.
   
6. Adirondack chairs placed underneath a tree in the Springtime and Fall make for great conversations.
   
7. Candlelight makes everything and everyone prettier, and Trapp's vanilla orange fragrance makes my friends say "what is that yummy smell?".
   
8. If windows can be opened, they should be--even with my allergies, fresh air is life giving.
   
9. Petting a dog or cat gets rid of stress better than Zanax and makes it worth the mess they make.
   
10. A large narrow dining room table is best for enjoying good wine, pasta, French bread and conversation with your friends and loved ones.
    

There are a couple of things I don't have that I would love--mountain views that my friend Linda Stocker wakes up to every morning, the lake that my friend Judy Griess gets to enjoy daily, and of course, my friend Gail Johnson's joyous escapes to her beach house. But since I can't have those, I'll just keep my candles burning and pasta machine rolling.