Tag home decor

Hello, March!!!

I didn’t realize it was March today until I looked at the calendar. That means spring is fast approaching so that makes this post particularly appropriate. Because with Spring comes sprucing up our homes, painting, changing things around, and all kinds of decorating projects.

But did you ever think there might be a connection between decorating and feelings of control?

A few years ago I needed to do some updating to my tired looking house.  Maybe some new dining room chairs. I didn’t get the chairs but I did paint the dining room table black. Then I took the glass doors off my hutch and painted my hutch black.  That was ten years ago. Gosh, I I can’t believe it’s been that long. No wonder I’m thinking about painting them all over again, just can’t decide if I will go white and if I do, what color white.

I love this dining room!

 

I like this one, too. Look at that celing and chandelier.

 

Anyway, I started to ponder this whole thing of women and decorating.

 

Why is it we women are always “redoing” something or another?  And most of us are.  There are thousands of decorating blogs that attest to this. And since Pinterest, we now have thousands of ideas at our fingertips. (I do know a couple of women, though, who never think about redecorating. There’s something wrong with them, I just know it. :))

I put this post aside for a couple of days and had an experience that I think helped me answer my own question.

One of my best friends has been battling a serious virus for a couple of weeks.  As she was feeling much better we decided to get together. It’s been a crazy summer for both of us, lots of family events, etc.

During the height of her illness, her sister (who lives in another country) and had only recently been diagnosed with cancer, died. My friend had planned on visiting her sister when she felt better. Her husband had died less than two years prior. Talk about a double whammy. She pretty much felt like her life had spun out of control.

Anyway, we were sitting in her living room and she mentioned how she wanted to redecorate the room.  She was tired of it.  We talked about colors,  adding some new pictures, etc.

Well, I got busy and because I’m a frustrated decorator I started moving things around and giving her some ideas for other rooms. I suggested a small project she could easily complete the next day without taxing her strength.  She was doing much better by the time I left.

On the way home, I thought again about women and decorating and wondering if taking care of our homes, painting, changing things around, if it all serves a bigger purpose. I know the usual answer is that it’s our “nesting instinct.”  And yes, I think that’s part of the answer but I don’t think that’s the entire answer.

I think some of it has to do with the fact that we feel some “control” when we change things around. Most women I know feel much of their lives revolve around the needs of other people, children, husband, parents, and careers and it’s not that they don’t willingly embrace it all. But sometimes all of it can make us feel that things are beyond our control.

When we add a new pillow, paint the candle holders a different color, etc. it gives us a sense of having some control in at least one part of our lives.  Not to mention it feeds our creative urge.

My friend felt empowered by what we did and the possibilities of what we were going to do. She couldn’t prevent getting sick. She couldn’t prevent her husband or sister from dying. But she could change a few things in her living room.

How about you?  Does rearranging a few things around your house empower you?

When you paint something, how does that make you feel?

Have you ever considered the connection between decorating and the feeling of control?  I would love to hear your comments.

God bless and I hope you have a good day.