elevating the mundane

My sister once gave me a decorating book entitled Creating a Beautiful Home by Alexandra Stoddard. It's perhaps a bit outdated now, but at the time, one of the principles of the book that I retained, was to take the least attractive corner of your home, and make it into your favorite spot. In other words, elevate the mundane.

This reminded my of one of Lynne's old homes. It was on the second story of a little old house in Connecticut. The house was plain and modest. It did not have granite countertops or ecological bamboo cupboards, or eleven-foot-high ceilings. It was very simple. But to this day, that home remains one of my favorite places. It changed my perception of what is beautiful in a home and of what I desired to have. Small can by cozy, not suffocating. Handmade curtains, hand-drawn sketches and anything that imbues a space with the charm and personality of its owners is best.

Lynne's kitchen was my favorite corner. It was a bit of a closet, measuring about 6' by 4', making a "u" shape with the kitchen sink set in the center of the "u" and a little window framed above, overlooking a pretty flowering tree in the backyard. The walls on each side of the galley were lined with open shelves on top, and cupboards on bottom. It seems that one was missing a door, over which Lynne had simply mounted a cheerful curtain on a rod. She had dishes, spices, cooking utensils seated on the shelves, along with a few tiny framed photos of her and her beau, their son, and other family and friends. As the kitchen was tiny, you could easily reach anything on nearly any shelf or cupboard without moving your feet from your spot in front of the sink. I loved to stand in front of that sink and look out the window and wash the dishes by hand. I felt so cozy and comfortable and old-fashioned.

So here's my attempt to elevate a simple little corner of my house. I scanned a pretty fabric into the computer and doctored it on Photoshop. I then printed the pattern on regular sized paper and glued the sheets together. After this, I laminated them and glued them on the stairs with Modgepodge. If you look closely when walking up these stairs, you might see a few familiar faces hidden amidst the damask. A simple way to bring a smile, as I walk up and down these stairs, one hundred times a day.