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What kind of a home for the creative person?


Jean in Newcastle
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I've seen all the pictures of the clean minimalist houses and I'm afraid they leave me cold. . . and bored. Please don't take offense if this is your dream or your reality. It just isn't mine and I'm looking for some inspiration for my kind of dream. I think what I want is a house that is a studio of sorts. A place where there is lots of books and instruments and games and puzzles and art supplies and whatever else supplies. I was talking to a friend who was visiting today while she looked around at my messy house (I had forgotten she was coming). Just when I was telling her that I needed a home that had a place for pretty much everything, my dd came to me with a problem with the snowboard she was making for her AG doll. I told her that I thought that the perfect tool was in the leatherworking kit. My friend just laughed and said "Of course! What home would not be complete without a leatherworking kit?!" I'd like some websites etc. for inspiration because my dh's ideal is the minimalist look and while he's given up after 20 years, I'd like him to see what I have in mind.

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Have you ever looked through Architectural Digest? Most of the homes in it seem to either be very minimalist or more traditional with lots of books and creative pieces, so you could try that. I don't recommend actually reading the articles though, because the unbelievable pretentiousness of the designers will send you into fits of giggles. And don't look at the prices, because they're almost as funny. I end up saying to dh stuff like, "Darling, could I borrow three hundred thousand dollars? I need to pick up a coat rack that expresses the inner essence of my true potential through clean lines and contrasting textures." The pictures are inspiring, though.

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Pick up a copy of Where Women Create or Studios next time you are near a bookstore. They are quarterly 'magazines' that showcase the creative spaces of people all over. Very fun to dream your way through. Lots of good ideas for creating a lovely, inspiring space to live and work in.

 

I know many, many creative souls--their houses are fun. Sometimes the whole house is a creative space--sometimes just one room with the rest of the place being ordinary. lol

 

I feel sorry for people who don't have leatherworking kits in their house. Or woodworking tools, or fabric, glue guns, and paint. Etc., etc. They are missing out on the joy of creating.

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Right now only one room is what I'd label creative, the classroom. I just posted new pictures on my blog. It's always a work in progress, but I envision a creative retreat once its no longer a classroom. We were going for a more Asian feel, but I have too many books and not enough budget to build the right cabinets to pull it off correctly. .

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Pick up a copy of Where Women Create or Studios next time you are near a bookstore. They are quarterly 'magazines' that showcase the creative spaces of people all over. Very fun to dream your way through. Lots of good ideas for creating a lovely, inspiring space to live and work in.

 

I know many, many creative souls--their houses are fun. Sometimes the whole house is a creative space--sometimes just one room with the rest of the place being ordinary. lol

 

I feel sorry for people who don't have leatherworking kits in their house. Or woodworking tools, or fabric, glue guns, and paint. Etc., etc. They are missing out on the joy of creating.

 

 

 

I love those magazines!!! :)

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I think we've split the difference. We don't have many things out just for decoration, but creative things can be decorative and neat. Hidden storage keeps things looking neat. My dance room has a wall of mirrors, the contents of the bookcases in there are hidden with sari fabric. Sari fabric is also used on a window valance. What looks like a large, colorful peacock photo is actually one of those Korean tables with folding legs. I can take it off its hook whenever I want a floor table. I have an umbrella stand full of props and Thayer all shiny and pretty. DH keeps mats in there for martial arts. I need to make a cover or them so they're disguised as a window seat.

 

My LR/DR is 'decorated' with instruments. A piano is on one wall, there are music stands and wall mounted holders for displaying stringed instruments. They only go into cases for transport. At home, DH keeps them out so he can just grab them. My dining room bookcases are lined with music note fabric.

 

I'm beginning to 'decorate' my kitchen with gear. I LIKE having thing where I can reach them and I LIKE the way nice kitchen stuff looks. For Christmas, my sister put up some shelves for me for all of my tea stuff. She put mug hooks under them. Now I have a handy tea station and my favorite mugs are decorating my kitchen. It's looking like a tea shop in there and I love it. I'm seriously considering framing my most used recipes and decorating with THOSE.

 

Professional, magazine-type decorating is for people who don't have cool stuff!

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I appreciate the artistic feel of a house. My goal is that someone comes in our home they thing "someone artistic lives here". With kids stuff everywhere, you don't get that feeling. But slowly I'm reclaiming the living room.

 

I think to achieve both artistic and minimal is difficult, but maybe not impossible. One thing you could work on is to use a simple or monochromatic color palette. You can use other ideas to give a clean look (such as all picture frames matching or having minimal knick knacks). Also not to have everything out and in view. You can have lots of artistic stuff, but put away behind cupboard doors.

 

The key is to find out what it is about 'artistic' that appeals to you and what it is about 'minimalistic' that appeals to your husband. Then try to find away to accommodate both.

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Thank you so much! I don't think my dh is that much of a minimalist. Even though he wants things uncluttered (which I would like too) he has just as many tools and books and things as I do! It's just that all he's seen are those House Beautiful pictures that have houses that aren't lived in. I'm going to have fun looking at these magazines and the other links have given me some great ideas too! Panda, your house sounds lovely. And Paula, I love your schoolroom!

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I tend to think of a creative home as being older and quite eclectic. Not something that can be brought together quickly. So the things on display are the things that are being used day to day. Things aren't really matchy matchy but all fit together because of the people who live there chose them. I would love an older home with a big rambly garden and lots of quirky corners. My friend has a house like this it's an old farmhouse. Not perfect or spotless ever, it just has a really protective enveloping feel and is totally theirs.They have a sewing and music room which is my favourite room. and it literally is just decorated with instruments, cds & records and her sewing stuff. She has a big old leather sofa she picked up at a local junk store and she stores her fabrics in a higgledy piggledy pile of old suitcases.

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A 'creative house' for me is one with rich fabrics and interesting objects. Older rather than modern. It doesn't have to be cluttered. A few objects can be beautifully curated and displayed in interesting ways.

I have a friend who changes her house at least once a month - moves furniture, art and rugs about, switches the curtains between rooms, creates interesting displays, etc. She gets bored easily and expresses herself in this way. You never know what you'll find when you walk in the door.

She has built loads of storage and is diligent about putting things that are not 'needed' in the decor-of-the-month away. She says that she appreciates what she has when she puts it in a new place.

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I like these a lot! How did you find them? Any search terms in particular that would lead to more pictures like this?

 

I never seem to see my style when I look at places like pinterest. (Or, I should say my imaginary style, because my actual home doesn't seem to have any style at all.)

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I strive for a more minimalist in my house but real life seems to overflow - US and World maps on the walls, national geographic posters of the ocean floors in the hallways, string art designs dangling from a doorway, one wall that's painted with a oversized chalkboard, a dog asleep on the couch, two cats stretched out in front of the wood stove that we heat with in the winter, basket of bird seed by the front door for the feeders outside my living window, a bag of chicken feed by the back door, boys' snowshoes tossed across the kitchen floor, etc. I used to worry about it until a friend told me that she likes dropping in for tea as our house seems friendly - a place just to put your feet up and relax.

 

Myra

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I like these a lot! How did you find them? Any search terms in particular that would lead to more pictures like this?

 

I never seem to see my style when I look at places like pinterest. (Or, I should say my imaginary style, because my actual home doesn't seem to have any style at all.)

 

 

I just found them by searching for "homey" and "eclectic". Maybe "cozy" too.

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Laila, that sounds lovely to me! Our home is a boring 70's era split level! Both dh and I gravitate to Craftsman style furnishings. It would be nice if the house was Craftsman too but it isn't.

I think you could do something creative in keeping with a house of that era though. There is a little shop in our town that sells beautiful mid century furniture. I really like that look and combined with handmade crafts could be a really inspiring environment.

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