I think it takes a while to become accustomed to any major change in our lives, be it hair length or style of decor. You seem to be progressing in a logical fashion by decorating slowly and allowing your eye to become accustomed to less layered rooms. You might want to spend some time looking at contemporary living rooms on Houzz.com to help hone your vision.

Fun2BHere, Thanks, that's a good idea. I should mention that our home has been more traditional, and I still have a few more traditional pieces left (i.e., a couple tables in the living room from Bombay Company), so I'm trying to blend those pieces with more contemporary (but not over-the-top contemporary) pieces. Mostly, I like things that are not too fussy or ornate. I don't know whether you would call it transitional, eclectic, or no-style. Anyway, I think I'll take a look at Houzz, as you suggested.

Sail away - I went through this same transition about 2 years ago! Before that time I was a total hunter and collector. Loved ironstone, enamelware, quilts, pottery etc...and I really enjoyed the layered, cozy cottage look (I realize now that part of it for me was that I was using the layers to distract from some things that I did not like about my house.)

We remodeled and added on and I used the opportunity to get rid of things I didn't totally love. I also set up a closet that has that decor items I do love (and are vintage so would harder to replace) and I try to rotate more often.

I have loads more empty corners and walls. It was hard at first -- but after a while even when I found things I liked, I resisted putting them up because I had gotten used to the space that was there. It did take me a while - but I have gotten to prefer the airiness that comes with less stuff. And I find I enjoy the bones of my house more now that there is not so much in it.

I try to use fewer larger items rather than lots of smaller things. Still when I am out in the local antique shops I can tell myself "I love that but I do not need to bring it home." ...it helps but I am still a work in process! I try to make up the cozy factor with loads more texture (flokati rugs, shaggy pillows, sheepskins etc) and that helps a bit.

Here is a pic of our den - normally I would have "tablesscaped" that coffee table with loads of things - old books, orchids, ironstone platters...but now I just have one item that I love.

Not sure this is helpful but I just wanted to say - I so understand the process and what you are feeling.

One great thing about streamlined is that there is lots less to clean :)

Yes, Laura, you described exactly what I'm doing. Sounds like you've been there, done that. Glad to hear that I'll probably gradually feel more comfortable maintaining a less busy environment.

I like the idea of the revolving items to put on display in the closet. What I like to do is rotate items from one room to another. For example, I switched a four-drawer Bombay cabinet that I had in the living room for a Bombay table I had been using as a nightstand in the master bedroom. I also move small accessories around, either among different locations in the same room or from room to room, which makes them feel fresher to me.

I agree that one thing that you love is better than multiple mediocre items. I am admiring your long spans of cleared counters in the kitchen, too. I don't have that much counter space, but what I do have I try to keep as clear as possible (I even keep my toaser in a drawer and pull it out when needed and put it away after we eat and it has cooled.

I like your method of adding the cozy factor, but, unfortunately, I'm trying to limit the textiles in the room due to my allergies. I haven't eliminated them all together, as I can't imagine no pillows, etc., to add dimension and color to the room, but I'm trying to get by without rugs and trying not to add to much more to the room.

On the plus side, a friend whom I haven't seen in some time came by this afternoon and commented on how warm and welcoming the house looked. I explained that it is a work in progress and not yet done, but was glad she liked what I had done so far. She then mentioned that, when she walked in, she had noticed the long bare wall behind the sofa, which used to be nearly covered in artwork, but otherwise she felt it was quite welcoming.

Laurainlincoln

That is one gorgeous room. Streamlined, yes, but also very inviting.

I think our home/decor falls into the "streamlined" category. Organic contemporary or contemporary with warmth are terms people have used to describe it.

The house is still a work in progress, but here are some pics of our recently reno'd FR:

Cat Mom, After looking at some examples of contemporary and transitional living rooms on Houzz and reading descriptions of contemporary and transitional decor online, I'm thinking our home is more transitional than truly contemporary, mostly because I've incorporated some more traditional pieces that I've had for years in the house, but keeping things more streamlined. Your home is a good example of what I want to achieve--clean lines, no clutter, but warm and welcoming. I was quite taken by the artwork in the second picture. Is the leaf design cut out, painted, or what? Have you had it for a while? If not, could I ask where you got it?

Laura, I feel the same way about your home---warm and welcoming, and love the fact that thought has gone in to what you permit to be there. (I wish I could see more of the great room/family room, but I like what I see. I can easily imagine myself cooking in that kitchen and looking out on friends and family in the adjoining room.

Thanks sail-away!

The piece was recently purchased (September?), and was hung up just a few short weeks ago. I posted a thread about it after we hung it.

The piece is a metal wall hanging (one I had long-admired) from Crate and Barrel (the one in Paramus, NJ). It was a clearance item when we got it, an as-is floor model (in pretty good shape--I touched up some minor scratches and chips with a dark brown permanent marker), at a greatly reduced price.

There were two hanging on the wall at the time, and according to the furniture dept saleswoman (mgr?), these were the only two left in all of the C&B's. You can always call the store and see if the other one is still there. If not, I don't know if "all of the C&B's" included the outlet stores as well. I would think so, but have learned not to assume...

Good luck in your search!

The rest of house is also clean-lined, although somewhat cluttered while DH works on our latest (and last) indoor house project. I didn't post pics (I need to update my pb albums), but you can look up our kitchen, DR/LR, and bathrooms if you want to see them.

Here is a link that might be useful: FR wall hanging thread

Cat Mom, I did check out your album and look at your other rooms. You have certainly done a lot of improvements. I love, love your kitchen--actually, everything I looked at. But the kitchen is marvelous. I especially like the big window, backsplash, and, of course, all the details taht make it look so good and also be so functional. Love the b&w in the downstairs bath and backsplash in the master. There were other things, as well, but those are the ones that stand out in my mind at the moemnet.

Yes, lots and lots of improvements!!! LOL

When we bought the house, we knew it had potential, and, as our Realtor (a family friend) liked to say, most of what it needed was "cosmetic." Of course, what everyone fails to tell you, is that "cosmetic" can still cost a lot of $, especially when so much "cosmetic surgery" is needed!

We started with the basics and structural stuff; recessed lighting (the light fixtures the PO's left us were abysmal--the one in the kitchen almost went up in flames shortly after we moved in!), we had insulation laid in the attic, put in new/insulated garage doors, central air, new boiler, new baseboard heating pipes/covers, windows, doors (in/out), re-sided the house, gutted the downstairs completely (tore down the ceiling and removed musty paneling), new staircase and railings......before we even got to the "fun" renovations!

We used a KD for the kitchen layout/design, but chose every detail ourselves (cab door style/color/sheen, granite, backsplash, hardware). I love my bow window, too (and the bigger one in the DR).

We kick ourselves that we never took pictures of the guest bathroom (downstairs bath) before. It was utilitarian at best; a longish, narrow room, with a tiny sink mounted on the wall, and low-to-the-ground toilet, with a 1' deep closet at the far end of the room where the shower stall is now--we bumped out into the garage another 2' in order to have a 3' deep shower). Because we were limited by the width of the room itself, we had an 18" (19"?) deep vanity made by a local guy (it's a modified/taller version of a very expensive Sonia vanity that we had seen--the sink is a Sonia sinktop). BTW, it's not black--it's just a very dark espresso stain. The dark tile in the listello border is emperador dark marble, also a very dark brown.

(The candle sconces are black though! :-))

Cat Mom: I don't want to hi-jack this thread, but have questions about your fireplace. Can i send you an e-mail?

Good luck with your transition Sail Away. For me, major changes in my home are a slow process.

lizbeth-gardener--yes! :-)

Sail Away,
I understand Exactly what you are trying to do.

We have been in our home 15 years. Both DDs are in college now and only home for holidays now. My in-laws moved over the summer from the home they had been in for nearly 40 years. It was so much time to go through all of their things for the move.

I have the huge urge to rid my home of the unused. I have been working on this for about 6 months, and it will probably take another 6-12 months to get to what I want.

I want my home to be as clutter free and open as a vacation home.

I want to feel like we can pick up the house in 15 minutes total each day, and have it be in a reasonable state of tidiness.

I want to not have to paw through things I seldom if ever use to get to what I need.

I don't want anything in my basement that I might need ....... someday.

I am being very picky, and asking the hard questions. One example was our current dining room chandelier had a socket that didn't work. So I considered replacing it. Then I thought about how easy my current one is to lightly dust, vs how time consuming it would be to clean the crystal one I was considering. So I had my current one repaired.

DD #2 and I stripped all our wallpaper last week when she was here for fall break. I have painted the powder room, and am working on the dining room. I will not replace the visual pattern and visual stimulation of the wallpaper with more pattern, but will use solid fabric on the windows for textural dimension without the visual clutter.

And I don't have much at all that is modern or contemporary. I want my home to be personal, and filled with things that function, or that are meaningful. And that is all.

I think you can have it both ways! I don't like clutter but I think our home still looks cozy... and I don't count books as clutter!

{{gwi:1590991}}

tinan--if the rest of your house is much like the pic you shared, then IMO you've got a good balance between streamlined and cozy down pat! I think your room looks very inviting!

lizbeth-gardener--you have mail :-)

I'm trying to pare down a few things, but I still like cozy. In fact, I'm off to buy a new curtain rod and a throw for the bed. Winter is almost here and I love to curl up with a good book and 'cocoon' a bit :)

Pictures/paintings, books and other display are those personal items, which make your home unique. Don't give up too much, but it is nice to find a cozy, but not cluttered, balance.

sail-away: I don't have photos of my space to share, but I wanted to share my support. :)

I have to admit that what some people find "cozy," I find "claustrophobic." So, Lauralincoln's space, for example, looks calming and inviting to me. Everyone is different (this forum is filled with people of many age groups and different styles... although maybe certain ppl are more vocal.) sail-away, if you are finding yourself drawn to less clutter/things, then do just that. I think if you add items slowly to your rooms and live with the space, you'll find the right balance of what feels right to you. So, I think you're already on the right track... I would just add to focus on what you need functionally for the spaces... a lamp to read by, a blanket for warmth, window treatments to block light, etc. Use those elements to bring some interest to the room at least as a starting point.

PS. I chose to not put any rugs down on our hardwood. It is much easier to ensure the floor is clean.

Cat Mom, Yeah, all those little jobs end up being a lot of work and money, don't they? Over what period of time have you done all of that? I have to rein in my impatience and desire to get everything done NOW. Last year we replaced our aging furnace before it started giving us problems. This year we put in new floors on the main level of our home, as well as replacing all the baseboards and painting all walls. I'm hoping to give attention to the kitchen next year. Unfortunately, other than needing to replace most of our appliances (all over 20 years old), it will be a mostly cosmetic update, as we will not be getting new cabinets or making any structural changes. I am hoping to replace our countertop, sink, and backsplash. We replaced the faucet this year, so we will reuse it. However, we also think that we should replace our roof next year, as it is aging and we want to do so BEFORE we have problems. It's hard to wait for updates to the house when I'm already planning and even gathering some of the small ticket items when I find them on sale and can't wait to make the changes. On the other hand, I value following our budget and not going into debt over getting things quickly. When I know we haven't exceeded the budget and have saved ahead for what we are doing, I can actually enjoy the changes when they are made instead of worrying about the cost.

Julie, YES! You do understand. In fact, when I read your post I realized that you were mentioning things that I hadn't even connected to my more streamlined (i.e., paring down on possessions everywhere). In fact, lately when someone mentions that they REALLY like a piece of jewelry I'm wearing, I've often taken it off and given it to them right then. (I'm not talking about someone casually complimenting something.) I have more than enough jewelry, so if I can give it to a friend and have it wornmore often, so much the better.

Tinan, I certainly don't count books as clutter, either (unless, of course, they are permanently piled on the floor around the room). I consider books necessities. I have pared down my collection of cookbooks, but I still have plenty. The rest were donated to our county library system so that, if I suddenly remember I gave away a book wtih a favorite recipe that I hadn't made a copy of, I can just borrow it from the library. I also agree that your home looks quite cozy and very welcoming.

Lavender, I agree that I don't want too sterile of an environment. All main living areas, as well as all bedrooms, have at least one throw to wrap up in. In fact, that's one thing I'm missing in my living room right now and I'm planning to either find one I already have or go get another to use in there. I also like pillows. I have to admit that I choose pictures to go with the decor, rather than fine art. I appreciate fine art in museums, but I find that I like to concentrate on making all elements in the room, including the pictures, cohesive---not matchy-matchy, but each item contributing to the overall look I'm envisioning. Now I'm just trying to do that with less stuff than I've used in the past. I'm beginning to relax and feel that it's coming together and won't look too sterile, as I add the finishing touches (especially after seeing the photos people have shared here). I am still in the process of deciding what artwork will go on the walls in my living room. After painting the walls recently, I'm wanting to put less stuff up this time, both in terms of reducing the visual clutter and making fewer holes in the wall.

Lauren, Thanks for the support and reassurance. I appreciate hearing from someone who hasn't put a rug over their hardwood and finds that it works well, without sacrificing comfort. I am also coming to realize that I don't have a contemporary home, nor do I have a traditional home---but I do have elements of both. I don't have anything really ornate, but some of the furniture legs have a more traditional shape. My upholsered furniture has a bit softer edge than I see in most contemporary homes, a few curves, but still mostly clean lines. I find that I'm enjoying just that little extra room to navigate through a room, by not feeling I have to fill every nook and cranny of each room. Glad to hear there are others who feel the same way.

sail-away--it'll be 14 years towards the end of next month that we are in the house, so we've done all the stuff I wrote about in my last post, over the course of 14 years....the boiler got replaced just after a week of us moving in!

Like you, we waited until we could afford to do things, or do them how we wanted to.

We also have no rugs on our hardwood floors upstairs (though the bedrooms have wall-to-wall carpeting), or on the tile downstairs. We sometimes talk about getting a rug for the FR. Having one would definitely "warm up" the room a bit more, but for now, it's very easy to clean just the tile.

Also, although it's our house, whenever I do think about getting a rug, the image of our tile guy pops into my head. I really think he'd cry if he knew we covered up our beautiful tile, and his wonderful handiwork! LOL

Cat Mom, Ahh, what a nice thing to say about your tile guy. He obviously was someone who demonstrated pride in workmanship. When you find craftsmen like that, you really appreciate it.

If nothing else, I have a heavy influence toward keeping the wood floors uncovered due to my extreme, lifelong allergies. Then I don't have to admit to everyone that an equal, if not greater, factor is my desire to make cleaning as easy as possible. I'm just starting to get to the point that I recognize keeping the wood floors bare is a legitimate design choice, as well.