Doorways

“Every doorway, every intersection has a story.” – Katherine Dunn

Standing @ the Front Gate of My Grandparent’s Home in Norfolk, England.

All of my Grandparents lived far away.  My Dad grew up in Sycamore, Pennsylvania and My Mother in Norfolk, England.  One time my Grandparents from England- Frederica and Stanley- took a trip to the states to visit us in Winter Park, Florida.  During which they, along with my Mom, Dad, me and my two sisters, loaded up into my Dad’s 1972 Ford Country Squire Station Wagon to take the 15+ hour drive to  meet my other Grandparents, Beulah and Albert.  It wasn’t Thanksgiving but it might as well have been, we sang our own version of   “Over the River and Through the Woods to Grandmother’s House We Go with Grandma and Grandpa too.”

I have some meaningful memories of the times that we visited my Grandparents in Pennsylvania, even if they weren’t associated with Thanksgiving or Christmas.  One thing I definitely associate with my Grandma Beulah was the annual Christmas present of the Reader’s Digest subscription that she sent EVERY year.

Growing up we didn’t have a lot of books in the house.  Most of my reading, other than school work, came from the school or church library.  We had a bible, dictionary, a set of  Encyclopedia Britannia and the accumulated monthly Reader Digest editions that aligned a bookshelf in the living room.

The Reader Digest was an easy read.  The table of content was always on the front cover and the format consistent.   Each issue contained the same sections.  Their was a vocabulary page, a page of “Amazing Anecdotes”, a section called “Personal Glimpses”, “Humor in Uniform” and “Life in these United States”.  The articles were usually condensed from published books.  I liked that the articles had small, simple line drawings and  I often read through them during my high school years.

Yesterday at a client’s house, amongst many of the other spaces we will be working on in their new home, we took time to reflect on the outside front entrance.  The shutter color will change, there is a porch that we want to enhance and we talked about selecting a great color for the door.  Helping pick out a color for a client’s front door has been a frequent request.  Figuring out the best paint color to compliment their house, personalities and the message they want to convey as they greet and say their goodbyes is worthy of thought.

Art of the Find wishes you and yours a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Our doorway will be closed on Thanksgiving Day & Friday so we can spend time with our Family. We will be open on Saturday, Nov. 30th – celebrating Shop Small.

As I was thinking about what to recommend and the value of their front door, I remembered a specific and favorite article that appeared in a 1980 Reader’s Digest summer issue.  The publication featured a printing of a  commencement speech given by Alan Alda to his daughter’s graduating class at Connecticut College in New London, CT.  I had first read the article when I was 15  and it has stuck with me ever since.  The message was about our doorway;  the importance of the lasting words we say and that are said to us at the threshold of a doorway when one goes to leave.

“Deep in our hearts we know that the best things said come last. People will talk for hours saying nothing much and then linger at the door with words that come with a rush from the heart.  Doorways, it seems, are where the truth is told.” – Alan Alda

Me on the right sitting still for the picture. My older sister Vicki, such a great smile and my Mother Ruthie, tired from cooking the holiday meal.

Now that the holidays are  upon us, we will either be walking through doorways of family and friends or having others walk through our doorway to celebrate Thanksgiving.  As much as the focus is on the menu, cooking enough food, the number of chairs needed,  the setting of the table and making our homes look beautiful, we should think to take a deep breathe and enjoy our Holiday.   When it is all over and we are standing at the doorway to bid a fond adieu, it won’t matter how good the food was or how beautiful the home is.   The truth is, what does matter is as we open our door to say our goodbyes we will tell those we love and are grateful for,  just that.

Picture taken in the doorway of my Dad’s favorite chinese buffet restaurant. We were saying our goodbyes before traveling back home. I love this picture of my Dad & my daughter Emily.

Art of the Find (www.ArtoftheFind.com) is located @ 1323 Thomasville Rd. between 6th & 7th ave in midtown Tallahassee. We help client’s create  spaces – including doorways- that exude a feeling of home.  We collaborate on color, furnishings, art and accessories.  Stop by and visit or give us a call @ 850-222-1118 for an appointment .

mind OVER matter

“Be Who You Are and Say What You Feel Because 
Those Who Mind Don’t Matter and Those Who Matter Don’t Mind.”
— Dr. Seuss 

Pumpkins lined the storefront windows of a particular store,  the featured sample at the coffee shop was pumpkin spice, I couldn’t’ find what I was looking for at Target without passing bags of candy corn and miniature candy bars and the free sample box at Fresh Market’s checkout offered pumpkin bread.  So despite the 91 degree temperature, the humidity and that it was so d*!n hot, there seemed to be an increasing push to evolve our thinking pass the state of the weather and deduct that Fall had arrived.

The  Autumnal (Fall) Equinox is still 6 days away and taking the time to enjoy one season’s end before another begins can be valuable. I LOVE Fall, the cool weather, the colors, the food, the celebrations and yes everything pumpkin but living whole heartily in these in between days offers a refreshing respite.

 

Redecorating projects require time, planning, seeking, decision making and financial resources.   Each year,  just as the time the pumpkins are being brought out, customers and clients start fretting about their homes.  They worrying about how much time they have to make modifications and how much money they need to spend to do so. What they want to know is if the differences they make will directly impact this year’s family, friends and guest holiday gatherings.

The truth of the matter is that simply refreshing your home can go a long way.  It is amazing what editing, rearranging, adding one or two purposely displayed items to a room, a change in paint or introducing a new textile via pillows can do.

Additionally, there are many little things that can be done to attract the eye to the moments in between a total redo that result in inspiriting a room. For example:  Fresh flowers make a big difference in any tablescape and or throughout a room. 
Using colored glass vases and bottles and arranging them in a cluster for a center piece and or on a side table or buffet can draw attention to a beautiful piece of furniture. This can draw the eye away from an area that you may want to redecorate but haven’t had the time or financial resources to tackle.

There is still time to roll up your sleeves, especially with the  help of a decorating consultant, and redecorate a living room, dining room or a guest bedroom before we ask to pass the stuffing.  However, redesigning choices should be timeless, well coordinated and once completed last for holiday seasons to come.  You want to be able to allow the creativity to evolve, to take the time  you need,  not feel rushed, enjoy the process and have some fun with it along the way.  In general the people that matter are coming to your home to visit with you, your family and your dogs and cats.  Remember typically if the food  & drinks are good and the laughter abundant people have a good time.  They enjoy themselves and the moments are memorable whether you have completely redecorated your home or simply refreshed.

Art of the Find (www.ArtoftheFind.com) is located between 6th & 7th ave in midtown Tallahassee.  We help client’s redecorate their spaces or FIND what they are looking for to enhance and complete their decorating projects .  Stop by and visit or give us a call for an appointment to see how we can help. Photography by Alicia Osborne Photography.