Want To Be A Housewife?

One of my favorite eras is the 1950’s. I love the cards you can now get where the word ‘housewife’ seems vintage. I adore the decade, the morals and the traditional roles. Although I believe women have the right, the right to go to college and have a career, I also believe we should have the choice if we wish to stay at home and take care of our flourishing families.

Gone are the days where women would awake their children gently, walk them to school, return home and launder the sheets, get down on your hands and knees to clean the floors and meet their neighbors for a coffee break, collect their children, and have them bathed and reading while awaiting dad’s home from work. Then the family would eat a home cooked meal in the dining room.

Nowadays we are so tired, that getting children ready is a rush as you have to get ready for work yourself. We work all day long, arrive home after our children to a babysitter and have little time to prepare dinner so what do we do, suggest takeout? Or perhaps just go out to eat?
 

 I have always enjoyed chatting with my grandmother, she is a very wise woman and she was married for many years. She unlike many housewives of her time wanted to work, my grandpa always said, “As long as your home before the children”. So she spoke to respective companies, asking for part time work, she did and for many years worked mornings only. She said it was ideal, she could contribute to the household and have time to spend with her family.
 

My dream as an interior design student is to eventually have my own business. I would like to have a studio from home and work on smaller residential and custom home rebuilding projects. My biggest dream is to have a large family, a comfortable home and to be around to hear my children laugh. If it means I don’t make as much money, I’m fine with that! The richest people are those with rich memories and a rich love.

 

Rediscoving A Hobby

For many years I kept a sketchbook filled with torn out pages from my favorite glossy magazines, sharing my passions for family, food, dream homes and inspirational women.

I usually group images on a two page spread, and they co-ordinate. It is my inspiration, filled with dream homes with enormous kitchens, adorable pooches and al fresco dining. So tonight after a year break on working at my sketchbook I completed more pages. I watched HGTV, sipped on lemon tea and basked in the time I had to myself.
 

I would encourage anyone whom reads this, to maybe appreciate an old hobby. Life sometimes gets in the way, and when we go through life changes, it is those hobbies which give us fulfillment and who could be better company than you.
 

 

Update

 

Before Pinterest.

Sundays

Sunday is a day to relax, so I don't feel guilty if I sleep till ten in the morning. I will be calling my mother and telling her about my week and then I have a grocery shop to do. I usually take time on Sundays to prepare a roast dinner. Roast beef, roasted potatoes, carrots and parsnips.

Saturdays

I’m going to tea at the Lavender Tea House, in old Sherwood. I recently purchased a vintage inspired sweater with embroidered lace, a charm necklace and a skirt that ties the whole look together, I’ll be wearing that and trying the ‘Dessert Tea’ on the menu.
 

http://www.lavenderteahouse.com

Inspired By Elegant Ladies

I have always been inspired by inspirational and elegant women. The dictionary defines elegant as; “gracefully refined and dignified, as in tastes, habits, or literary style”.

 

Audrey Hepburn
Such a humanitarian heart.

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”-Audrey Hepburn

Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

She was the soft spoken political wife whom was graceful and stylish.

 
Goldie Hawn.
Her laughter and sense of humor in her movies enlighten me.



Diane Keaton
One of my all time favorite actresses. She appeared in Father of the Bride, Baby Boom, Something's Gotta Give and another favorite Because I Said So. She has undeniable whit and poise.



Princess Diana
A world icon. I was eleven when she died in a car crash and even today I occassionally read about her charitable works. She was so caring and compassionate towards others, I just wished she had been cared for in the same way.



 Doris Day,
Another favorite actress of mine. I love her movies and her smile. She had a timeless elegance and always sounded so gracious. She now spends time with her beloved animals at her home in California.

Father Of The Bride I

Have you ever dreamed of living in the Father of the Bride home? Ever since I was a child I dreamed of laying in the hammock in their backyard, and joining the family for their family dinner.

 

You can watch the movie here...

 

Here's Wikipedia's synopsis on this movie favorite from 1991.

 

"George Banks (Steve Martin) is an upper-middle-class owner of an athletic shoe company in San Marino, California, whose 22-year-old daughter, Annie, (Kimberly Williams) has decided to marry Bryan MacKenzie (George Newbern), a man from an upper-class family from Bel-Air, despite only knowing each other for three months. George can’t think of what life would be like without Annie and becomes determined to make the upcoming ceremony as inconvenient as possible (especially when he finds out the wedding will cost him $250 per head), although his wife, Nina (Diane Keaton), tries to make him happy for Annie. When the wedding takes place at their home, along with an eccentric wedding planner named Franck (Martin Short) taking over the ceremony, George tries to handle the fact that Annie has grown up and has a life of her own."

 

 

 

 

The home located is located on Maple Drive and what 1990's movie doesn't start without a bike riding by? It looks idyllic with the white picket fence and charming green shutters.

 

To the left as you enter the Banks' home is their living room. It is a mixture of formal with it's focal points and furniture arrangements, yet informal with it's materials. I just love the creamy butter walls throughout and the crisp white trim.

 

 

 

Opposite to the living room is a picture perfect dining room. The French provincial table and chairs, make this home feel informal, yet full of character. It's as if the set designers wanted us to feel comfortable within their home as we watch some of the Banks most precious moments.

 

 

 

Nina Banks in her kitchen, which if appliances were changed is timeless. The dining room is set behind the double glass doors. Below you can also see the breakfast table where they sit informally to look at wedding invites.

 

 

 

Let's go look at George and Nina's bedroom. Notice throughout the house almost all the pictures are floral which creates a sense of unity between all the rooms. The bed side tables are different too, creating a sense of different personalities, done in most set homes.

 

 

Annie sitting on the back porch. Her dad comes outside to talk with her, and apologize. The basketball hoop in the background also symbolizes her childhood, and spending time with her dad.

 

 

The proud father and daughter walking down the aisle.

 

 

What a 1990's classic movie.

Inside The Home Of Jon and Kate + 8

Above: Kate and Hannah share a moment

Home, it’s the most important place on earth, it’s where we spend time with family, display our favorite items and spend time relaxing after a long day. One home I really like on TV is the Gosselin’s home from the popular TLC hit show “Jon and Kate + 8”. The traditional home, with gorgeous landscape has all the space this family of ten needs to live comfortably. With the help of Lane home furniture they were able to furnish their new home.

Courtesy of TLC:

Below: The Kitchen and family area

notice the family photo that appeared in Good Housekeeping and a Pink Kitchen Aid mixer.

*right now $50 from each purchase of a pink Kitchen Aid mixer will go to Susan G. Komen for the cure*

Below: The formal living room overlooks the tree-lined driveway

Below: The living room near Cara and Mady's room
 

Below: The laundry room featuring two sets of Whirlpool duets

I hope you enjoy these images, and that they give you inspiration for your home. Whether it's the Gosselin's pastel paint palette, fresh cut flowers on the kitchen table or simple reminders of special times by framing professional family photos, they are what make up "home".

What Am I Reading?

It has been awhile since I’ve blogged on one of my favorite subjects; Interior Design.

 

Currently I have been reading A LOT of Interior Design books. I have been fascinated with all the books on the subject and cannot resist scanning pages from the books and sorting them into my “ideas sketchbook”. It is a large sketchbook with images, fabric samples and blurbs of all my favorite stuff I’ve found over the past few years.

 

My first book I’d like to talk about is called ‘The Business of Bliss’ How to profit from doing what you love. Authored by the editors of Victoria Magazine.

It is so compelling and really fuels my ambition; of one day having a unique Interior Design store. There are short story examples of how these ladies went from making things for friends, to eventually setting up their own businesses, and the BEST thing they all Love what they do. Rachel Ashwell even talks of how she set up her business ‘Shabby Chic’ which now sells her products in Target stores, nationwide.

It also goes into the basics like choosing a name for your business, location and choosing staff. It’s so impressive it was even featured on Oprah.

Lastly I’d like to say the Business resources list is impressive and they outline magazines to read, associations to join, and hold a business directory of all featured within the book.

Tip: Buy it from Half.com. I checked and there are two copies for as little as $0.75

Another book I’m enjoying is American Farmhouses Country Style and Design by Leah Rosch. It also has Amazing photography by Keith Scott Morton.

 

Kitchen Culture reinventing kitchen design by Johnny Grey. It's definitely a new perspective of how kitchens of the future could be. The book has wonderful freehand sketches, photography and floorplans. Although the floorplans are not at all what you’d expect. They have flow, function and lastly are a question of taste.

 

Country Living’s Stylish Renovations, Design Ideas for old and new houses. I found this book easy to read; actually it only took me a few hours as it’s captivating yet had many insiders’ advice pages. Again I chose it for its fabulous photography, which if ever you take a peek check out pages 62-63. The living room is so bright and airy, and has wonderful views of woodlands. The fireplace stones were collected from a nearby creek. Who’d have thought? Furnished with well appointed furnishings on hardwood floors, and lastly there are tips for anyone wanting to purchase an older home. On how to carry out inspections, and helpful resources.

 

And last but no least I have French Country at Home, by Kathy Pessero. Adorable French farmhouse photography fills almost all the pages, and she goes into depth on color, pattern and French furniture. The source directory also features Antiques and architectural elements.

Some websites featured in the books I would like to share are:

www.wirthmoreantiques.com
www.victoriamag.com
www.nthp.org
www.greatsalvage.com