My inspiration at home...

Having spent another few days stuck inside with poorly children, I've been thinking about why I love being at home, what makes it feel ok even when it's a horrible mess! We were surprised when we liked this house - we'd sworn we'd never live in a modern house but it just felt right for us right now. I was determined that we'd have a characterful home, though, and I decided to add the character and make a few little areas feel more like 'us'. I thought I'd write this post to remind myself of those bits!

Our hall, a bit of colour on one wall (which looks blue here but is actually teal), a lovely quote and a wall of old family photos behind the front door...The downstairs loo! I've got a plant and books on the windowsill but that's too dark to photograph! I love this page from last year's diary - the we'moon - and it's reflected in the Moroccan mirror.
A corner of the dining room with our pinboard made by my brother's lovely girlfriend, a gorgeous mini canvas I bought at a Midsummer Fayre last year and a branch of our resolution tree - I can't photograph the whoe tree as there's too much paperwork and clutter piled around it...The top of one of our bookshelves. I LOVE books, can't manage long without reading (yes, it's a little bit alphabetical, I know...) ! But I love seeing the rainbow up there - not getting as much play as it could do but it's special when someone remembers it's there (!) and when we had it on the floor, one arc was snapped so it's lasting better now that we use it more carefully. I love the fish too - bought in an African shop when I was 14 but no-one else has ever liked it much!And finally, a space of one's own!! My Aunt has been telling me with delight about clearing out her newly married daughter's bedroom and finally having it as a study/writing space for herself. This is a far-off dream for me (actually I secretly hope we'll be able to create a study before our children leave home, but that's very secret!) but for now I have the space inside my bureau. This gorgeous furniture came from my Grandparent's house and I keep the top shelf full of their books - I love the handwritten messages from 1908 and 1917 inside the covers of some of them! But I've got all of my birth books, spiritual books and exploring/journey books (I don't like the name 'self help', lol!) in here too, with cards, postcards, crystals and items that inspire me or that I need to keep especially safe. It's the only place in the house where I can put something and know it won't be touched and that keeps me feeling sane!And here ends the guided tour - next week I hope to leave the house a little more!