Interior Decorating Information

Heirloom Decorating


I love to surround myself with things from the past. To me "heirloom" doesn't necessarily mean something really old, because memories are always in the making, and displaying a family keepsake can be treasured whether it's from last year or fifty years ago.

It's easy to tastefully decorate your home with family heirlooms. Why not put them on display rather than locking them away?

I have many crocheted afghans that started taking up a lot of storage space. When we moved to our new home we had room for our cedar chest off to one side of the living room and I filled the chest with all of the blankets. This also keeps them from being scattered all over the living room. We take one out at a time and just fold it up and put it back in the cedar chest when we're done using it.

I love to decorate with family photos. Our home has a long hallway where I can display a lot of photographs. Instead of randomly arranging pictures I decided to go with themes. I bought a large collage picture fame and arranged all of our family camping photos in it. Another smaller collage displays pictures of our daughter opening up her presents at Christmas throughout the years. My, how she's grown!

I've also scattered picture frames throughout our home. Black and white photos of generations past are displayed on the piano and china hutch. I don't know about you, but I love looking at other people's family photos. Ours are definitely a topic of conversation for visiting guests.

I love needlework. I have on display needlework that was done by my mother, my mother-in-law, and myself, and these masterpieces make a great addition to any room of the home. I'm partial myself to wedding samplers. It doesn't seem like many people take the time to make these anymore. I made one for my husband and myself that I hope to someday pass on to my children. Birth samplers are also really great and something your children will surely cherish someday. The counted cross stitch project I'm currently working on will probably take me 5 years to complete, but someday it will grace the wall above our piano.

I like to incorporate children's artwork wherever possible. My favorite is a poem my daughter wrote and illustrated. One year she made several and gave them away as Christmas gifts to family members.

Our family has a lot of books that have been handed down as many as four generations. Those books are displayed on shelves in our entertainment center in the living room. My heirloom cookbooks I keep in a small bookshelf between the kitchen and the dining room. Instead of just filling the shelves with cookbooks, I alternated shelves, arranging my favorite knick knacks in between.

One heirloom I haven't found a place for are hand-embroidered tea towels that have been in our family for many years. I've read that you can make them into kitchen curtains. I'm going to have to give that a try!

Look through your family treasures and see what you can dig up. You never know what you might find--like a flower your grandmother dried and framed! And remember, it's never too late to create new family heirlooms. Your family will treasure them someday.

Originally published Suite 101. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For easy do-it-yourself home decorating ideas for busy moms, visit http://www.frugal-home-decor.com


MORE RESOURCES:

04/18/2024
Rainbow Hues Inform Autodesk's Innovative Office in Atlanta
Discover how Corgan took inspiration from Atlanta's BeltLine project when developing the floor plan for software behemoth Autodesk’s latest regional outpost.


more info


04/18/2024
Studios Architecture Designs an Eco-Friendly School in Washington
Studios Architecture updates a 1920's redbrick structure for the next generation of students at Raymond Elementary in Washington.


more info


04/17/2024
NicoleHollis Transforms a Storied Space into a Chic Duplex
NicoleHollis crafts up a New York duplex penthouse with hints of the firm’s signature nuanced textures, art curation, and tailored livability.


more info


04/17/2024
TPG Architecture Reinvents the Office to Prioritize Connection
Though this financial firm’s New York office can accommodate 300 employees, TPG Architecture skipped the sea of desks in favor of intimate team rooms.


more info


04/17/2024
Inside Boston Consulting Group's New York Locale
Seeking to expand its headquarters at 10 Hudson Yards, Boston Consulting Group took over an additional floor designed by IA Interior Architects.


more info


04/10/2024
Innovation Thrives in This Postpandemic Workplace
Clive Wilkinson Architects and WRNS Studio deposit a light and airy workplace for financial-software company Intuit in Mountain View, California.


more info


04/10/2024
6 Restaurants and Bars That Inspire Appetites and Awe
Across the Americas, from Canada to Argentina, a fresh crop of restaurants and bars is serving up truly innovative F&B design.


more info


04/10/2024
Immersive Design Greets Visitors in the Flogistix HQ
Rand Elliott Architects engages visitors in the mysterious world of Oklahoma tech company Flogistix with dramatic lighting and high-tech LED elements.


more info


04/08/2024
Inside a Historic Palace Turned Boutique Hotel in Italy
Discover how the striped facade of an Italian duomo inspired the renovation of the Palazzo Petrvs, a boutique hotel by Giuliano Andrea dell’Uva Architetti.


more info


04/08/2024
Learn How Design Can Manifest A Brighter Future In This Gensler Tome
Penned by Gensler global cochairs Andy Cohen and Diane Hospins, Design for a Radically Changing World is a call to (design) action.


more info


04/02/2024
The Wayback Is A Tennessee Hotel That Stays True to Its Name
See how Dryden Studio transforms this former Days Inn into The Wayback, a vibrant, retro-modern oasis in East Tennessee.


more info


04/02/2024
Take in the Views at Cosme, a Luxury Resort In Greece
Embrace the seaside locale and traditional Greek aesthetics in Cosme, the luxury Grecian resort designed by Interior Design Laboratorium.


more info


04/02/2024
A Centuries-Old Structure is Transformed into The Royal Hotel
Swathed with Victorian-era textiles and acoustic-board fins, Giannone Perticone Architects restores The Royal Hotel in Canada to its former glory.


more info


04/02/2024
How A Ski Chalet Doubles as a Luxurious Rental Property
Perron conjures Chalet Bertha, a family weekend ski chalet in Baie-Saint-Paul, Canada, full of clean lines, inviting textures and lots of light.


more info


03/28/2024
Kimpton Hotel Theta Offers an Escape in the Heart of Manhattan
Embrace the soothing modernist motifs that predominate Kimpton Hotel Theta crafted by Crème/Jun Aizaki Architecture & Design and Lucid.


more info


03/25/2024
5 Patient-First Healthcare Facilities Embrace Tranquility
These dental, medical, and skin- and pet-care facilities worldwide swap clinical for calm.


more info


03/25/2024
Steam the Day Away in New York’s Latest Bathhouse Locale
Observe the social aspects of bathing culture at Bathhouse, a peaceful urban oasis in the heart of the Flatiron District.


more info


03/25/2024
Ukrainians Find Solace in This Tranquil Mountain Escape
Surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains, Hay Boutique and Spa by Edem Family is a serene hotel in Polyanytsya by YOD Group where Ukrainians can retreat.


more info


03/18/2024
Explore The Hanok Heritage House, a Dreamy Escape Near Seoul
Dive into this striking infinity pool with mountain views at The Hanok Heritage House complex near Seoul, designed by Listen Communication.


more info


03/11/2024
History Meets Innovation in Greylock Partners’ San Francisco HQ
Rapt Studio transforms venture capital firm Greylock Partners’ San Francisco HQ into a warm and welcoming workplace for future entrepreneurs.


more info


03/11/2024
Get in Touch With Nature at Shanan Anji Deep Stream Hotel
Immerse yourself in the lush mountain landscape at China’s Shanan Anji Deep Stream hotel, courtesy of Fununit Design.


more info


03/11/2024
Stay At This Australian Airport Hotel Full Of Moxy ’Tude
Art deco meets industrial chic in Maed. Collective’s dynamic design for Austrian airport hotel Moxy.


more info


03/08/2024
Explore These 6 Top Wellness Destinations Around the World
Get into tip-top shape at these sports arenas, fitness centers and wellness clinics in countries ranging from Portugal to China.


more info


03/08/2024
Inside a West Hollywood Complex Brimming With Greenery
Step inside Larabee, a four-story building in Los Angeles immersed with natural light and greenery by Patrick Tighe Architecture.


more info


03/08/2024
Stay in a Refreshed 18th-Century Catalonian Palace
Explore the arched niches and moody palettes of stone, clay and moss making up the Palau Fugit Hotel by El Equipo Creativo in Girona, Spain.


more info



home | site map | contact us