At the end of 2011 I became engaged to the love of my life, my college sweetheart. A month later I was shopping at an Ethan Allen warehouse sale with my parents on a hunt to find them captain’s chairs to match the rest of their dining room chairs. While walking around on my own I fell upon this unique painting. I couldn’t stop staring at the brush strokes and how the blues, greys, browns, and beiges blended together. It didn’t have a design that was a typical landscape scene or still life of a bowl of fruit. It didn’t make sense. It didn’t have to. I saw it and I wanted it. Then I looked at the price tag and it was clear. I was two years out of grad school, living at home with my parents to save money; however, that money was earmarked for a wedding and future house. How could I use that money to buy a painting that was almost $300? But, there was just something about that painting and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I continued to walk around the warehouse sale to oogle over every other piece of furniture I knew I would want in my own house someday. I began to envision the colors and styles I would put in each room, but all I had at the time was a full size bed and my childhood furniture in the house I grew up in. It was my own space, but it really wasn’t my space. While walking back to the register to meet up with my parents we ran into the owner. We talked about our purchases and he asked if I was getting anything and with a chuckle I told him, “No”, but that there was this painting that was absolutely beautiful. I told him the good news of my engagement and he gave me a surprising gift. The painting. My painting.
I believe that certain art can speak to a person and this painting spoke to me. It is now hanging up in our living room today. When you first walk into our home it’s one of the first things you see. This piece inspired the colors and styles that are in our home today. As you walk around you see the blues, grays, browns, and beiges throughout. It brings me back to a different time in my life and reminds me of our engagement and how simple life was compared to now. If you’ve ever felt this way about a piece of furniture or home decor item don’t be afraid to build the theme for your space around that. Chances are you’ll continue to love your space more and more as each day goes on. It’ll remind you of what that piece means to you and recreate that feeling every time you look at it.
No Space Like Home 