31 Days: Do Make Your House Your Home

I don't think my house will ever be featured in House Beautiful but every room is full of items that make it feel like home. A majority of my furniture was my paternal grandparents. I have a secretary that was my maternal great-grandmother's, possibly even my great-great grandmother's. There are quirky things like a Spongebob rug in my bathroom and a Spongebob lamp in my bedroom. My guest room bed is covered by a duvet that I fell in love with in the Pottery Barn catalog, which seemed like such a splurge but it makes be smile every time I see it. And there are photos everywhere - of family, of friends, and of vacations.

Who can help but feel inadequate in the design department when there is Pinterest filling our computer screens with an endless supply of ideas for the perfect home. But really, the perfect home is the one that brings you happiness. I used to think that I wanted every room, not just my guest room, to be filled with things from the pages of the Pottery Barn catalog. As I live with my things and the warm memories of days spent with grandparents and places I've been lucky enough to visit, I find that I have everything I need in my 1200-square-foot cottage. Even if it will never grace the pages of a magazine.

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