I'd like to introduce you to my friend Audrey. I hope you enjoy her interview as much as I do!
Audrey lives with her husband and two young children in a two-bedroom apartment in a major city on the east Coast of the United States. She is a former high school English teacher turned stay-at-home mom. When she is not changing diapers or cleaning bathrooms, she enjoys reading, making candles and hunting for vintage treasures at local thrift stores. She blogs about RIE/respectful parenting and raising bilingual children at www.espanolitablog.com
1. What makes your house a home?
Deep down, I'm a homebody, and I always say that the best part of any trip is coming home. To me, the word home connotes comfort. So, for me, comfort means warmth, cleanliness, and a connection to family, both past and present. Warmth, be it through homemade beeswax candles lit throughout the living room; or, wool blankets piled up on my bed; or, 1920s jazz and blues coming through the speakers; or, a home-cooked meal by my Spanish husband. Cleanliness: I'll admit, I love a scrubbed-down kitchen and going to bed with everything picked up off the floor; or, the windows open to air out the bedrooms. Lastly, a connection to family: photos of loved ones throughout the house, a painting by my sister, quilts by my mom, and most importantly, having my husband and two children home.
"Juntos en familia" is what makes our house a home.
2. What is your decorating style and why do you like it?
Vintage. Bohemian. Industrial. Mix those together. For as long as I can remember, I've been fascinated with the past, and my home reflects that. Not only am I attracted by the visual appeal of vintage and antique pieces of furniture, but I also find that they far surpass modern pieces in terms of quality and durability. Aspects of industrial design that I am drawn to mostly include the use of iron (example, my 1920s cast iron auditorium seats in our entry way) and the color black. I didn't realize how much I love to decorate with this color until my good friend pointed out. There is something striking and elegant about black that I just love. I've also included Bohemian in my decorating style because I think it's kind of a catch-all for my eclectic taste and my overlapping use of different periods and styles of decor.
3. What decorating accessories are a "must" in your home?
Textiles and textures. Even though I am not a fiber artist, I am drawn to all forms of fiber art, from Persians rugs to Kilim pillows to 1930s feedback bedspreads to one-of-a-kind wall quilts designed by my very own mother. Recent acquisitions in our new apartment include African mud cloth throw pillows, an antique Persian hallway runner, sheepskin rugs, and a wall collection of wicker baskets. I find that a variety of textures add warmth and depth to a space.
4. What are your go-to places to find unique decorative items?
eBay, thrift stores, Craig's List, and family heirlooms. My Sicilian grandfather was a skilled carpenter and I have recently inherited several pieces of furniture from my mother. I've scored some awesome vintage and antique finds off of eBay (our living room mid-century armchair) and Craig's List ( my Danish teak dining room and coffee tables, and my 1970s Bentwood Thonet rocking chair), just by being willing to hunt and wait patiently. Thrift stores: I've beed addicted to thrift stores since I was 15. I love the hunt: the sifting, the sorting, the looking. I will often scour Pinterest or other vintage decor blogs for inspiration and then, with a picture in mind, I'll set out to replicate a look I like by shopping at a thrift store. There is one particular second-hand furniture store - the size of three or four airplane hangars - just one mile from my house ) dangerous, I know!). It's currently my favorite store. I walk in the door and the smell "old" lets me know I'm in my happy place.
I hope you were inspired to be you and to reflect the uniqueness of your personality in your home! The result will be no doubt be-you-tiful!
Happy New year!
Angelica
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