Style A.D.D.

Lately I have felt a tad frustrated while dreaming up possibilities for our home. I don't like that something I should enjoy can leave me feeling, well, blah. It bothers me that I don't have a "style." It is evident that I have a color scheme -- blue, green, and brown as my neutral -- but what is my style? Cottage? Global? Contemporary? Modern? Or is it that wonderful word "eclectic," a fancy way of saying that you just throw it all together and hopefully it somehow meshes?

What don't I like? LET'S MAKE A LIST! (Don't worry, I'm limiting the list to home decor-related dislikes.)

1. Black. Nothing in this house is black. I don't usually go for pink, orange, peach, or yellow either. I definitely gravitate toward blue and green. Like seaglass. Or peacock feathers...

2. Delicate, dainty things. In most cases, I'm not into lace and ruffles or delicate glass vases. I enjoy feeling like I'm home, not in a museum, or worse, a Martha Stewart-esque home. You know, those houses that say, "You wrinkle my bedspread, you DIE!" or "Don't DARE bring your coffee cup near my white pillows, white carpets, white furniture, white curtains, and various other white textiles." (Oh yeah, did I mention that sometimes I have issues with white? Evidently I should have been a mermaid since blue and green are it for me. More to come on my issue with white later. Bet you just can't wait.)

3. Sloppiness and disorganization. I hate sloppiness, but I do know I contribute a fair amount to the mess around the house. I tend to throw laundry, shoes, and jewelry anywhere and everywhere, and I dread doing dishes so there is almost always something in the sink, just waiting for me. Oh, and don't EVEN watch me cook. You will cry. But I would like to have a place for everything. If things are messy, I don't really feel at peace.

So that doesn't say much about style. What DO I like, you ask? I don't know that I can list it all out. Some things "click" and other things don't. I do love vintage things that find a new purpose. Here are some examples.

Old flatware and serveware that now serve as hooks, storage, and memo holders:

Vintage screen doors, iron scroll gates, and coat racks that are now pot racks:

A vintage blue enamel kettle that is now a vase:

The end of an old rake that now holds jewelry:

Urns that have now become towel or magazine holders:

A dollhouse that is now laundry room storage: (I don't think I could handle this in my house now though. Thanks, Betty Ren Wright.)

Like the nerd that I am, I looked up "eclectic" in some online dictionaries. My favorite definition explained "eclectic in this way:

"Not following any one system... but selecting and using what are considered the best elements of all systems."

I think that pretty well sums me up. I suppose I'll just continue like this, grabbing ideas from all sources, no matter how different (from Pier 1 to Pottery Barn to thrift stores and yard sales) and just hope it all goes together!