Accenting on a budget

I've said it before,

I'm a visual person.

I like to see beautiful things in harmony. I like colour and texture and you also know already about my passion for china collecting. I like to see things ebb and flow with the seasons. I know I am not alone here because there are millions of lifestyle and home magazines sold every month.  Much of that is about the treadmill of consumerism, which is not all bad; the economy of countires is built on supply and demand, the needs and wants of consumers. The only danger is if you lose your sense of priority and buy into the whole "x is out and y is now the new thing", then we become societies of throw away.

So to keep it fresh and interesting here in my nest without spending a fortune, I revolve and re-invent. Yesterday's teapot is tomorrow's vase, and we all know you can never have too many vases. I was in retailing in for many years and know a thing or two about visually selling. There is an order to things that the human eye looks for. Colour has a huge effect on us psychologically and physiologically, but that's for another day.

Summer decorating is usually dictated by whatever theme we have decided for Christmas. Last year coming out of winter I really felt compelled to surround myself with yellow and white teal blues. I wanted the feeling of the beach, the freshness of a sea breeze and the scruch of white sand, the texture of driftwood and pebbles and the patterns of shells. 

In the bathroom, instead of a vase of flowers, I chose to fill it with shells and coral etc. covered with water to accentuate their colour and luminosity. I tip and re-fresh the water every week and it makes me feel cool just walking into the room.

The photo at the beginning of the post is the cetrepiece of the dining table this season. It's a woven placemat that I bought so cheaply years ago as an oddment of three, and I can't tell you how much use I have had from these odd three. The candles are set in white sand and look just as effective if they were in jam jars but the secret is three. The eye is happy to see things in groups of odd numbers; it is especially happy with trios. The pice of cork driftwood is to "ground" the centrpiece. I have found that people unconsciously are happy to see a harmony of earth/wood,wind, fire, water and metal. How many times have you said, "hmm there is something missing..." I bet if you look at it with fresh eyes, you'll realise it was your own inner spirit looking for balance.

So the shells..free..the sand...free...the water...(in a fashion) free...the wood....free....other inconsequentials....inexpensive ages old pieces. I spent nothing for a new look.

So today I leave you with the these things to ponder; the effect of colour in our surrounds, the power of three, and the harmony of elemental composition. How many times have you seen it in everyday life? How often have you unconsciously used colour, balance and harmony? Have you ever thought that a pure stainless steel kitchen leaves you cold (not enough earth/wood)? Consumerism isn't a totally evil thing, you just shouldn't totally buy into it.