Decorating with Meaning

Ever since I was a young girl, I’ve enjoyed how my mom decorates. My love of old homes and old things was fostered by her. From her I learned all about decorating with meaning.

As some of you know, I’ve spent the last couple of weeks at my mom’s home while she recovers from knee surgery. It’s made me realize there are so many objects in her sunny condo that have so much meaning. I thought you’d might like to see them!

My mom is a lover of clocks, old photos, and plants. She lives in a newer condo but her collections add so much charm to her space.

Some of the items she’s had since I was a very little girl and some are additions created by myself and John. Isn’t it interesting the things we hold dear? How objects can contain so much meaning and remind us of the past and maybe people who are no longer here with us.

Dad’s Desk

One such item that holds special meaning for me is my dad’s desk. It’s an antique and I always remember him sitting here going through papers. The brass handles are handmade and it’s made out of oak.

I’ve always loved this piece of furniture because of the beautiful details, but also because it reminds me of him. On the desk is a model ship, a pewter tankard, a photo from our wedding, and dog John carved.

The mirror above the desk used to hang in my family’s restaurant. It’s an antique. The stars are brass and the white on the mirror is bakelite, the first synthetic plastic made. The mirror is federal style.

Dad’s Bank

The up-cycled bank on my dad’s desk came from a craft show in Andover when I was little. It’s an old post office box turned into a bank. My dad LOVED this gift. He used to always save his change and wrap his coins.

Museum Quality Reproductions

We really love nautical prints and paintings and my mom had this one hanging in the restaurant:

I love the classic gold frame and the lighting of the painting. This is a reproduction of The Medina Off Dover by Thomas Wickham (1800). My mom mixed original paintings and prints both at the restaurant and in our homes.

Old Photographs

Old photographs hold special meaning for my mom. These are on a what-not shelf in her bedroom. The photos are old black and white ones from when she was little.

Unfortunately, I never met my mom’s father. He died in the 1960s but she always tells me such great stories about him. He was from Sicily and loved being an American. He enjoyed having parties and was a trained barber (had his own barber shop) and retrained to be a carpenter (he wanted to follow that passion).

I love the photo at Christmastime. Look at all the tinsel on the tree!

My mom is the baby in the photo above.

Below is a photo of my grandmother. She had great style. My mom thinks I resemble her. Do you think so, too?

A Love for Old Homes

On the shelf below is a wooden model of my childhood home:

This was such a great house and my mom decorated it beautifully. My parents put their hearts and souls into redoing this home. I remember scraping old wallpaper and my dad clearing the overgrown yard to fill it with beautiful plantings. My mom filled the home with antiques, oriental rugs, and some of the charming pieces I’m sharing with you today. This model was made by the daughter-in-law of my parents’ contractor, who helped them restore the home.

Old Pottery

My mom’s aunt gave her this bud vase. It’s by W. Moorcroft and I’m not sure of the date. I just love the color! This is on my mom’s bureau (which was from my dad’s childhood).

Fishing Floats

I think you all know how much I love fishing floats. I have quite a collection of my own, but now I guess you know where my love of them was fostered. You may remember I found more fishing floats on this antiquing trip in Maine.

I love how my mom has nestled this collection in an old clamming basket.

Original Art

Original art really makes a statement in any home. I know one piece that we both treasure is this painting:

This is a painting of me in one of my favorite bathing suits wearing one of my mom’s old straw hats. I’d just come out of the pool and my mom snapped a photo. I think I was kind of pouting because I didn’t want my photo taken. Rick Beaucher painted it as a gift for my mom. What a special gift!

This is hanging in the guest room. Also, hanging in there are two paintings by John:

John painted a portrait of my mom a few years ago for her birthday and also painted a melting lamp. My mom loved it, so up on the wall it went. I painted the bedside table and the bedding is beautiful blue and white by shabby chic (from Target).

Mermaids

We both love mermaids. This carved mermaid used to hang in the restaurant:

I believe she found the starfish in Scituate after a storm.

Sea Glass and Vintage Platters

You all know I LOVE sea glass and that Luke and I search for it every morning. I’ve always collected it, ever since I was young. In the guest room is a little collection we found with the boys one day at the beach. This includes some pottery shards as well.

The blue and white platter was an antiquing find and the feathers were foraged on a walk.

Well, those are just a few treasures I love in my mom’s home.

Let’s Keep in Touch

Did you enjoy this peek inside my mom’s home? What objects in your own or your family’s homes hold special meaning for you? Be sure to pin this for later:

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