home.

(Photo by Kristin Sjaarda for the Marion House Book)

I love being at home.

I’ve always been someone for whom my surroundings play a significant role in my overall feeling of contentment. Especially these days, when so much of my time is spent at home with my children, I require a great deal from my living space, and particularly my kitchen.

Happily for me, the kitchen in our current house is, if questionably configured, large enough for our whole family to settle into – I was even able to shoehorn a couch in along one wall, which, I am sure I don’t need to tell you, improves my quality of life immensely.

I am also an inveterate shopper. Someone told me once that I have a peahen’s fondness for pretty things, and although I could have done without the messenger, I couldn’t deny the accuracy of the message. And I do love certain things best when I have had them since they were shiny and new: shoes, books, most kitchen implements.

But more than anything, I adore old things. Vintage, antique, salvaged, thrifted, upcycled, recycled – as long as it is beautiful and doesn’t come with any lingering smells, I will happily find a place for it and its history in my home – and I am so happy at home, with my family and all of the beautiful things we have collected together in the few short years we have lived here.

So imagine my delight when one of my neighbors, the multi-talented and all around fabulous Emma Reddington, asked me if she could feature some parts of my home on her wonderful interior design blog, The Marion House Book.

The feature came out on Monday, and I am still basking in the glow. You can read the full post here.