I found the blog Opal Never Shouts via an interior designer friend and I’ve enjoyed browsing through it very much. The latest post about the Slow Home Movement caught my eye. Here is an excerpt:

We live our busy lives running here and there, working to pay this bill and that bill, buying up goods that last till they break, and filling our lives with many things that may not be of much importance.

We just love what Ecodecorista, has to say about the slow design movement in her recent blog post:

“I think what we are actually seeing is the start of a paradigm shift in the way we think of our homes and communities. Instead of moving every four to five years, and thinking about houses as commodities that only need to last until the resale, conversations about what makes a home last for a whole lifetime are emerging. Decorators are blogging about incorporating your collections and all the things you truly love – and about choosing vintage furniture and new custom pieces with heirloom qualities. Instead of being caught on an earn-and-spend consumer treadmill, people are changing their consumption patterns, simplifying or downsizing their lives, and making things themselves.”

“At what point did the house become more about the future tenant than the current resident? It’s hard to trace the moment, but let’s hope it’s passed. Because for too long, home design has been hijacked by the allure of resale value. Maybe now we can begin again to think of our houses not as investments but as homes.”

We love the idea of a cozy home that doesn’t come with a huge financial strain. A home that reflects the family’s personality and isn’t a replica of the house next door, and a home that that is timeless and quality craftsmanship instead of trend driven and impersonal.

I LOVE this!! Don’t you?

I’ve definitely been caught in the trap of thinking of my house as an investment instead of a home. I’ve definitely been caught up in the “buy what’s cheap now” thought. Obviously, there are many things that are best to buy from Walmart, Target, and Ikea. But lately I really have started to shift into the slow design train of thought.

Just last Sunday I set my eyes on a china cabinet my grandpa built from scratch and with pride decades ago. It will be mine as soon as we move into our new home and it is beautiful!!! It’s also of very high quality. Go to any store and take a look at the cheap, fake wood furniture that is mass-produced and even my very untrained eye can see a gigantic difference. This is a piece that will last decades longer (for his great, great, great grandchildren probably). 

Another example is the baby’s nursery for which I’m currently gathering items. I’ve decided to go less “cutesy” and more “natural”. Interpretation: Wood, earth tones (with a few pops of color), and texture. It’s going to be different than what you might expect for a baby’s nursery, but I think it will still work because babies are about the most organic, pure, and connected things on earth! It will also be less expensive to decorate because most of what I need is coming from our own storage closet, will be handmade, or will be refurbished second-hand items. I am STOKED to see how it turns out. 

One thing I’ve struggled with a little is how do I incorporate refurbished and handmade and recycled design into my home when my taste isn’t shabby chic but more modern and clean? Ideas??