When my live-in boyfriend decided to end our relationship of three years, it happened suddenly and traumatically. It was easily one of the most painful times in my life. We had shared a home with my five-year-old daughter and she adored him. After he left, all of the memories and pictures stayed hung on the walls, reminding us both; of a life that was no longer ours.
Finally, we decided to take action. I took all of our old family pictures off the walls, went the store and bought fresh paint. Over the next couple of days, we would go to our favorite stores and each pick out wall art, lamps, and shelves. I was determined to have a home where she felt she belonged. I wanted our home to reflect our strength and our love. I wanted to heal and for us to move forward in a positive way. Life may not always be fair, but we have a choice to make it beautiful, regardless of the circumstances. Changing the décor in our home was symbolic for me and it reflected how we were changing our lives.
By the end of the week, our home had a different feel. It was ours. The new décor gave the both of us a sense of power and control. It was our fresh start and gave us a new sense of life. This was now space, which would be special for just my daughter and me; a space to build our lives together and fill with new memories. I think the décor that we chose to fill our home with, does just that. My hope is that when we walk through the front door of our house, she can see and feel the love that we share, as we continue to build our home, together.
Decor matters in my life because I am surrounded by it everywhere I go in life. My mom is where I first learned about decorating things. I like to think of my mom as an interior decorator even though that is not her official job title. My mom has been obsessed with decor and area rugs for as long as I can remember. We are mostly going to Home Goods and other home stores looking for new things and even items for future parties that we will host. I could never pick one piece of decor that means a lot to me because they all mean so much. I have watched my mom make so many flower arrangements and take items that might be meant for Christmas tree decorations and use them to make a beautiful centerpiece. The way that my mother can tell a story through decorating our house, to decorating parties, she can transform a room and make it beautiful.
Decor is another way that we can express ourselves. When choosing how you want to have your bedroom you want things that portray your personality. Some like a room that is aesthetically pleasing, while others like camouflage everywhere. Decor lets us tell a story without opening our mouths to speak. Decor has been important over the course of our history as well. From the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, The Effie’s Tower, and every important landmark around the world. Decor lets individuals stand out and separate ourselves from each other.…