Changing My Anti-Decorative Clutter Tune

Anyone Want a Ride?
For a long time I was so against decorative clutter.

Maybe it was because I had a very small house and I insisted that everything be useful, but it seemed pointless to buy and display a porcelin statue or pretty candle holders. Decorations came from framed art and pictures -- on the wall where I had space. And maybe some pretty curtains. Heck, even my plants had purpose, aloe and herbs (though, always an African violet for Great-Grandma.)

But every home decorating show, magazine and book will tell you that these knick-knacks add the finishing touch. Character! Style! Class!

Big, White Vase
So, lately, I've been hunting around for these little pieces of purposeless decorations. Mostly on One Kings Lane or Home Goods or Target. And with many rules. They have to be cheap (I'm not spending more than $20 on something that has no other purpose than to collect dust). They have to be unique or stlyish or really enticing. This clutter is supposed to communicate your style, right? So you really have to LOVE it. And, preferrably, it's gotta be big. Again, why buy it if it's pea-sized and go unnoticed.

My early foray was this bike. It's just an iron statue of a bike. Under $20 on One Kings Lane. I liked the texture, the form (circle!) and it's size. And we like bikes. Dave is a big bike fan. The antiqueness (though faux) adds some age to this newer house. So, I feel pretty good about this one.

This pottery vase caught my eye. It's BIG and white. My dining table is huge, so only BIG works well on it. Can you just imagine gladiolas in it?

This finial is cement (hiding behind the birds). Also white but kinda grey and pretty. The patina works well in my gray dining room. And speaking of, aren't those birds cute?! I went a little overboard on finding cute winter/Christmas decor the year.

The big piece is this Llador girl on a swing. Charming, no? It was given to us by my Mother-in-law. It belonged to her mother and she wanted us to have it as an heirloom. I hope to pass it down to one of the girls, as a keepsake from their great-grandma. It was a struggle to get her home from New Jersey this Thanksgiving, but she arrived with no damage.

And so on, you get the idea. Slowly, these little artifacts are working their way into my house.


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