flying my decorating freak flag

Anyone who knows me well is very aware that interior design is my passion. I never really figured out why I didn't major in it in college. My best guess is that I had no idea it was a "real" job. I remember growing up with my Memom taking me to the fabric store, and I would run the fabrics through my fingers and flip through pattern books looking for our next creation together. It was the fabrics and ribbon that did it for me. I am, and always have been a textile junkie, although I am allergic to the dye in the fabrics. I don't mind...if I'm going to go into anaphylactic shock, I would die a happy girl if I was surrounded by satin ribbon, and gingham, and vintage lace. I also love paper, typography, and furniture. I remember thumbing through my mom's Southern Living and Country Living magazines since I was a little girl. I never thought they were "boring grown up magazines". I was always very interested in seeing how rooms came together, and how color and texture, furniture and fabrics, art pieces and knickknacks were telling a story. I remember begging my mom to redecorate my room as a teenager. I was so excited when she agreed, and then proceeded to paint my room this hideous bright turquoise with a white sponge painted faux finish. I found a southwestern piece of art for above my pine furniture, and that is, fortunately, all I could remember. It was hideous. But I was hooked on decorating. Did I mention how hideous it looked? Well, it was hideous.
I find myself stuck in a decorating rut in my own home. Like some of you (any of you?), I thumb through pages of the latest home decor magazines (Southern Living and Country Living are still two of my favorites...like mother, like daughter), peruse Pinterest, and scour my favorite blogs, to be inspired...but sometimes I don't feel inspired. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed. Sometimes I feel frustrated.
I can't even explain my style anymore because I feel drawn to so many. I think my style is nature inspired/industrial/farmhouse/cottage/vintage/eclectic. That's totally a style. Mmmhmmm. I love neutral spaces, but I love a little color. I love sweet florals, and soft romantic fabrics, but I also love cowhides, wood, and plaid. I love lots of white, but I also love pops of color. I LOVE ALL OF THE DESIGN AND ALL OF THE STYLES.
I can boss people around give my friends design advice all day long without a problem, but I am paralyzed when it comes to putting up a picture on a wall in my home. I clearly have issues.
Recently, I read The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith.

The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith

Y'all, it has changed my life. It gives you permission for your home to be imperfect. Decorate with what you love. Decorate with what is meaningful. Her blog is pretty fabulous too...

The Perfectly Imperfect Home

This is the other book that I am reading now it The Perfectly Imperfect Home. It is pretty incredible too.
And since we are talking about flying our freak flag...weren't we... I am going to chose to fly my decorating freak flag. Let me back up a bit. I read this post from The White Buffalo Styling Company. Go ahead a read it, or it won't make sense... or you can just read this excerpt because it explains everything I am feeling:

"What if people think my style is weird?  I mean my style is kind of out there. What will the voters want?  Should I tone down my style to please others?...I’m going forward with my designing life and CWTS committed to FLYING MY STYLE FREAK FLAG, a.k.a doing what I love without worry of what anyone else thinks.

And I want to re-encourage y’all to do the same!  Fly it high and proud.  Let it wave and flap in the winds of other opinions that brush up against it. Do what you love.  Always.  Without worry, without fear.  And do it with joy. Because when you start to worry about what others are going to think or like, your joy and creativity is stolen.  Gone.  Without a trace.  Trust me."

~Lindsay of The White Buffalo Styling Company

I'm choosing to use colors that I love, pictures that I love, art that I love, fabrics that I love, and anything else that I want to because YOU AREN'T THE BOSS OF ME! Seriously, I think that we should surround ourselves with things we love. Don't worry if it doesn't fit a style, or look like a book cover, or isn't what all the cool kids are doing. Seriously, the cool kids just have low self-esteem and their parents are fighting again.

So, I challenge you to do the same. Surround yourself with what you love. It will be perfect. Perfectly you, and you will love it.