I am my mother!

Looking back at childhood pictures, I remember my mother's decorating style.  She had beautiful mahogany furniture, oriental rugs, crystal lamps and silver.   When I was first married, I wanted to go the direct opposite of the decor in my childhood home because I wanted to have my own look.  However, some family heirlooms that show up in many of my childhood pictures have been a constant in our home decor through out the years. One is a secretary desk that was the first piece of furniture my folks bought for their home.  The second, from my husband's childhood, is a Hoosier cupboard that belonged to his aunt and uncle.  The third is a Cloisonne vase that was a wedding gift to my parents, and it is the focus of this post. 

The vase was always in our living room throughout my childhood.  Usually, my mother would put fresh flowers in it from our garden.  In our home it holds florals that I change seasonally.  The photo I am sharing shows this year's spring arrangement.  Here is where I give you "Meg's helpful hint"...In one of the floral design classes that I took at COD, I learned an arrangement should be one and a half times the height of the container.   Learning this one trick helped me to showcase this beautiful vase to its best advantage and truly make it the focal point of our living room.

I am so thankful that I was smart enough to hold on to some of these family heirlooms despite my desire to decorate my home in my own style.  I have been surprised at how well these items have fit in to every style we had throughout the years. Now here's how I am my mother.  I have come full circle.  The type of furnishings (mahogany, oriental rugs, silver) that were found in my childhood home have found their way to my home today. I love to look at these pieces and remember loved ones and fond memories, and I am hoping that my own children can someday incorporate some of these pieces into their homes and remember.