Learning To See

One of the things I've noticed about taking pictures is that the more you do it, the more you begin to really see the world. By Saturday morning, these tulips were beginning to fade, but there was such glorious sunshine streaming in through the library window, that I thought I would take advantage of it and shoot some pictures.

I like the fact that the tulips are not perfect -- they are showing their age, which makes them interesting. I tend to like interiors and furnishings that show their age, too. Maybe I just feel a kinship with them, because I'm showing my age as well. But in truth, I've always loved old things.

I also think that a room ought to include something that is just slightly jarring or out of place. Maybe it's a pillow in an unusual color, or a piece of art that is quirky or not of the same time period as the furnishings -- picture a great piece of modern art in a room filled with antiques. I also love to mix rustic or naive with more formal furnishings. It makes you stop and really look.

I've learned so much, too, from all the pictures of your homes here in blogland. Seeing the ways you use color, or trim a pillow, or fill a shelf with lovely things -- all this has taught me to look beyond the first glance and really see the details. And after all, as Mies van der Rohe said, "God is in the details."

Do you have a photo that shows the details in your decorating? Maybe it's some lovely fabric, or a tabletop vignette, or a hutch full of dishes... I'd love to see your favorites. Send me a link or a photo, tell me what you love about the details, and I'll gather them together for a post later in the week.

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Note: I'm looking into making some note cards and art prints from these photos, so maybe you will be seeing an etsy shop in my future. Even if I don't ever sell a thing, I'm having lots of fun, and just enjoying the whole process. Thank you so much for your kind encouragement! :)

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Edited to add: you can email me your photos -- mrcarroll@optonline.net