I'm sitting here on my coffee table surrounded by stacks of my favorite books and treasures…thinking about what makes a space feel collected rather than decorated. Since we’ve lived in this home, this room that we call the parlor has been through several iterations and this one is my favorite. Honestly, I’ve always loved color, but I’ve refined my style (home decor and clothing) significantly over the past several years. I want our home to feel comfortable and lived in (we do have 5 grandchildren and 2 dogs), but I also want it to have a level of sophistication that reflects who we are as a family.

I’ve said before that the books you choose for your home should be a reflection of the life you live…your passions and interests. I rotate the books on this table…sometimes seasonally and sometimes just because I get a new book that I want to showcase. I do try to stick with a color scheme that goes with the room, but that’s not hard considering the huge collection of books that I’ve amassed over the years. In our bedroom, I have them color coded on the bookshelf and it looks so interesting. I re-arranged the books and objects when we finally finished the renovation and love the way it looks.

But…back to this room. You can’t see the whole room in the photos, but there are three portraits here…one of each of our daughters. A large one of our oldest daughter, a tiny one of our middle daughter…on an easel and a larger one of Sarah…the baby. This kind of just happened but I love looking at these portraits, done by two different artists. I also have two architectural drawings, along with a framed textile and two paintings over the mantle. There is also a pink watercolor on a brass stand. I love art…especially original art and think there is always room for one more piece. I also like to rotate it at times so the house stays “alive” and doesn’t always look the same.

It seems that I just got the last of the straggling holiday decorations taken down. There is still a small pile of things in the basement waiting to be put away (things are getting tight down there) and I’m working on a few new projects. I’ve chosen new wallpaper to go in the hallway outside our bedroom and I’m looking at fabric for a new headboard to tie the rooms together. I also had new drapes hung in the living room (pictured below) last week. The den is getting a small facelift and I’m trying to pick out new wallpaper for the powder room. We’ve been in this house for nearly 22 years and it seems time for a refresh so I hope you’ll follow along as I’ve decided to record this all on YouTube!

I not only am feeling this way about our home, but my wardrobe as well. I’m mixing things up and excited about wearing more vintage and combining these pieces with things I already own…developing my own unique style even more…whether it’s boho, classic or vintage with a twist! My clothing should reflect my mood and my authentic personality. This lace skirt and casual sweater combination is a great example of that. These pieces from Brochu Walker are elegant, quality pieces that are also very comfortable. The long strand of pearls was made by my dear friend and jeweler Julie Miles…I’ll get to see her while we’re in Florida soon and I’m so excited to choose a few new pieces. I wear these pearls so often and love them. And these boots…they were hiding in the back of my closet and I’m so happy to have noticed them because they are perfect for this outfit! I think this is a perfect understated Valentine’s Day look…don’t you agree?

One of the things I really wanted to share today is this book I received for Christmas from my daughter Rebecca -A Screaming Blast by Rebecca Gardner. I first discovered Rebecca Gardner at a pop up at the St. Regis in NYC when we were there over the holidays years ago. She has blown up since then and is such an imaginative party planner! Rebecca (my daughter) gave me the book because the pink and orange cover (which is so fabulous) matches the room, but I have poured over it because it’s so full of fun, over-the-top party ideas. The best rooms come together through years of collecting what you love, not following a formula. I will always think of my daughter when I pick up this book which makes it even more special!

This huge black coffee table in our parlor has followed us from one home to the next and I love it because it is so perfect for displaying some of my coffee table books (here is my Amazon coffee table book list…I own many of these) and those books are perfect vessels for displaying Murano glass bowls I've found over the years as well as other objects that rotate constantly. This room definitely tells a story of our lives.

When it comes to a coffee table book…sometimes a cover attracts me to a book, but then when I open it, I know immediately whether it’ll be one that will be added to my collection! I know some of these books are pricy, but think of them as decor for your home as well as something to be tangibly enjoyed. Buy one at a time or put them on your Christmas list…you’ll be glad you did!

The point of all of this is that your home can easily be a living thing…a collection of what you love, memories made and reflected in those objects, and an opportunity to be your creative self through the way you display these items.

Above is an i-Phone shot of the new drapes in the living room. They make the flow of the whole downstairs work…the color relates to the the pink Scalamamdre Tigre zebra pillows in the chairs, the Zuber wallpaper in the dining room as well as the rug and it also brings in the pink from the chairs in the parlor. After all this time, I’m still tweaking…that’s what a living house is. It doesn’t have to be big tweaks, small ones work too and can change the whole look of a room!