Thursday, November 5, 2009

Because I Love It All

That’s why I love blogging so much.  All of the different styles.  All of the different color schemes.  I love it all.  In my alternate existence, the one where I have lots and lots of money,  I would have houses furnished in different styles.  One very French with the neutral tones thrown in with grays and off-whites.  Another with lots of color.  And on and on.  It’s very difficult for me to decorate because I have such a hard time making a decision.  Because I Love It All! 

But…..the thing that I love the most is being a bit different and a LOT unmatched in my decorating. 

I remember in 1998, this crazy fabulous book came out.  I had never seen anything like it!

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It was Tracy Porter’s Dreams From Home.  Oops!  My scanner cut off the D!

At that time, everything was all matchy matchy.  Waverly was the hot hot thing.  EVERYTHING matching!  From wallpaper to bedding.  Even then I hated it!   And I didn’t even know why.

But Tracy Porter……that girl was way way ahead of her time.

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I had never ever seen anyone dress a bed this way.  I was amazed at all of the completely different fabrics that she had thrown together.  And her wall decor…..WOW!  I loved it all!  It was just so……well, weird.  And I found out that I really really liked weird.  Right down to the way she combined furniture.  Some painted, some antique, some not.  But again….nothing matched.

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It was the first time that I had ever seen a Santos.  I didn’t even know what it was called.  I just knew I HAD to have one!

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All through the book, there were pictures of these quirky little journals that she had made.  I had never seen anything like that either. I was hooked!

I must have studied every page of that book a hundred times, just trying to figure it all out.  Now I know, there’s nothing TO figure out.  You just DO it.  Go with what you love, and somehow it all works together.

In 1998, very few women understood this “look.”  At the time, I worked for a wallpaper store.  Wallpaper was the rage then.  Tracy Porter came out with a wallpaper book and we could hardly sell any of it.  Women were just scared to death.  Customers  couldn’t think “outside of the box.”   I think Waverly had brain washed the whole lot of them!  HA HA

Today, I still have women come into my home and say “wow….I never would have thought to put those things together in the same display.”  Or…..”you sure have a lot of stuff.”  It’s their way of saying “I don’t get it.”  

And THAT’S what I love about all of you.  All of my blogging friends.  You ALL “get it.”  We all appreciate and admire each other’s style and enjoy sharing it. 

And isn’t it wonderful that we’ve found this community.

If you haven’t checked in on Tracy Porter lately you need to visit her web site HERE.  Of course, her taste has evolved and changed over the years, but that same style that I love is still there.  You can link to her blog where she has a bunch of short little tutorial videos.  Just getting a good look at her great room and kitchen are a delicious treat that I’m sure you will all enjoy!

Have a happy Friday and weekend!

Denise

P.S.  I just loved the comments to my last post.  You girls are too funny!

14 comments:

  1. I love all different styles too, so my house is eclectic - I hate matchy match stuff too and I LOVE santos - I have 3 of them on my fireplace and I know people who come to my house and see them probably think I'm nuts, but I love them and you're right - bloggy people get it!!

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  2. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Tracy Porter! I have a piece of her whimsical pottery that I just adore.

    My house is eclectic too...I don't like everything to be matchy-matchy either!

    Birds of a feather!

    LuLu~*xoxo

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  3. Well, I didn't know about Tracy Porter, but I'm heading over to find out about her now! I really like what you have said about her style, and yours. My friends just don't comment at all on my decor! I kind of wish they would - what does the silence mean?

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  4. Oh, I'm going to faint - she has a mirror there for hundreds of dollars similar to the one I passed up the the charity shop today! I totally forgot to go back for it... Will it still be there next week?

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  5. I love it all too! I'm very eclectic and it's fun isn't it?

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  6. I have loved the look from the beginning too Denise. I remember when I started chucking the matching nightstands to the bedroom 'suite' I had, my family thought that I had lost it completely. They still don't get it. Sisters and sister-in-laws I mean here. Hubs seems to love this look as much as I do and so do all my daughters, but mom and my sisters all think I'm nutty.
    Hugs,
    June

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  7. I want to be just like Tracy... she is so creative and I adore the whimsical decor! I have one of her books, inspired gatherings. *swoon* :)
    HUGS,
    Christina

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  8. Oh my gosh Denise I couldn't have said that better myself!!! When I found blogging and discovered so many terrific women who loved the same things I do, I was so thrilled!! None of my friends have the same taste as I do and it's it was so wonderful to meet girls who. as you said "get it"! My tastes have evolved over time and I'm going for a slightly calmer color palette, but there was a time when I worked for an interior designer and found myself in decorator fabric showrooms a lot. My favorite thing was to find fabrics that weren't "suppose" to go together and mix them to create something wonderful. Thanks for the great post!

    Karen
    My Desert Cottage

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  9. I've always loved Tracy Porter too! I remember when that book came out and I wanted to buy it. YOU are an inspiring decorator too, my dear. The pictures of your home stir me and give me inspiration! You are very talented! Thank you for sharing and reminding us of Tracy Porter!

    Hugs,
    Sheila

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  10. you are SO right. even if i don't decorate my home like my blog-sisters, i still appreciate and get inspired by it all. yayayyayay!

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  11. Everything you said was so right. I love the photos of your home, I think your style is wonderful. Thanks for following my blog. I look forward to following yours! This is a wonderful community, and I'm loving it more and more.
    Blessings,
    Marcia

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  12. haha I have the book and still look at it from time to time. I am still inspired by it. So nice to know she has a website...just hadn't thought of looking. I'm off to check it out now, thanks.

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  13. Ooooh! I just discovered your blog today, and I can tell we have similar tastes, and I've only read one post! Now I'm going to sit here with my cup of coffee and read some more....

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  14. Hey Denise, I know I'm a little late on commenting to this post, but I had seen the pic of Tracy's book, and well, since I've had the book too since it was published, I had to see what you were saying about it!! I have been a Tracy Porter fan, since BEFORE she published her books, and am still in love with her (in a decorating-kind-of-way!) Your post really inspired me today, as I've been bombarded with things just too overwhelming for me to deal with right now. But thanks for the bit of inspiration! And you are so definitely right, Bloggers Get It!! TP ROcks!!

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