06 Apr 2010

Why Your Home Should Be Beautiful

fashion, Interior Beauty, Interior Design 26 Comments

I’ve christened my interior design blog, “Interior Beauty,” because I believe that every home should be beautiful.  I think it’s safe to say that most people want their home to be beautiful.

Charlotte Moss

Home really is where the heart is.  Home is where we relax after a hard day at work, where we laugh and kid around, where we gather and connect with our family and friends, where we celebrate and commiserate, where we hang out in our comfy clothes, where we are free to just be ourselves.  To quote Dorothy, there’s no place like home.  Your home should be beautiful because it’s your haven from the world.  Your home should be your sanctuary.

Susan Zises Green

“Beauty is not skin deep” applies to homes too.  (I promise, no more clichés!)  I define a beautiful home as one that pleases the souls of the people who live there.  It’s a feeling of comfort, of feeling in tune with your surroundings.  Psychology says that your surroundings reflect your inner mind, and conversely, your surroundings affect you too.

It’s like the facial feedback theory, aka “smile to feel happy” phenomenon.  When you smile, you signal your brain to make physiological changes that actually make you feel happier.  And if you frown, you’ll make yourself feel grumpy too.  To read more on how facial expressions affect mood, click here: http://positivepsychologynews.com/news/emiliya-zhivotovskaya/200809271036

This photo of a smiling dog made me smile!

Even dogs smile

How can you not smile back?

Just looking at smiling faces won’t make you feel happier, you have to actually smile yourself.  Try copying the expressions in the  Smiling Face Film by Yoko Ono and see how you feel.

It’s the same with our surroundings.  Being in a room that you’re in tune with makes you feel comfortable and happy.

If you don’t quite believe that your surroundings affect you, pay attention to how you feel the next time you enter a home you admire.  Even entering a home décor store can delight your senses.  In fact, looking at photos of beautiful homes can elicit the same feeling of admiring delight. Can you picture yourself relaxing in this family room?

Lynn Morgan

Now picture yourself in this room, would you feel relaxed?

it's clear this family room isn't for family, it's for the TV

A disclaimer: I don’t know anyone whose house looks like this  But hopefully it illustrates my point that your surroundings do affect how you feel.  If it’s too painful to imagine yourself living in this room, then imagine yourself in one of your own rooms.  Our homes are always a work in progress, so you probably have something in your home that is irksome.  Perhaps you can’t quite get comfortable to read because the lamp doesn’t throw enough light, or your dining chair keeps getting caught on the undersized rug beneath it, or you have to turn sideways to wend your way to your side of the bed.  Comfort is a big part of being beautiful, at least for a home!

Not so much for shoes though, as Suri Cruise has discovered at a tender age…

Don't you wish you had someone to carry you when your high heels hurt?

And walking in these 12” high booties that resemble animal hooves  just cannot be comfortable.  I hope models have insurance to cover hazardous shoe duty.

high heel shoes, er, hooves. Inspired by evolution, designed by Alexander McQueen

Which just goes to show that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder (sorry, couldn’t resist!)  Although I can’t imagine anyone calling those shoes beautiful.

Fortunately, fashion for the home is usually much more practical (although in a later post I’ll show some designs that aren’t) so we don’t have to sacrifice comfort for beauty in the home.  In my definition, interior beauty must be comfortable because we don’t just look at our homes, we live in them.

Remember, your inner mind is reflected in your home.  And your surroundings affect you and your family.  Now that’s a good reason to beautify your home, don’t you think?

Photos of beautiful interiors from House Beautiful

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26 Responses to “Why Your Home Should Be Beautiful”

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  2. Angus says:

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  4. Light Fittings · says:

    i am very choosy when it comes to dining chairs, i am very picky about the style and their colors *`;

  5. Julia K says:

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  8. Bob Bruman says:

    Ahh you are right…maybe I did. Our homes are “always a work in progress”…yeah…there you go, they are always changing to fit us. I do apologize for being brisk.

    And I must compliment you on your tact and your sweetness. I feel a little bad now for being so impulsive and I should! Ultimately I judge things by the person rather than the result…often; and I don’t think I am alone on this. Because if the person is wonderful then always their work deserves a second look and a closer look because usually it is wonderful too.

    The fact that you hated those shoes should have been enough to convince me…I remember when I first saw them months ago I hated them and it reminded me of how the Chinese used to bind feet, how horrific the crimes committed against women are – and I won’t go there…because….it just gets me going…

    Good luck in all you do and blessings. Thank you for being so kind, to an ol’ grumpy man. Yours, Bob

    • Anne says:

      No worries, Bob, thank you for taking the time to re-read my blog and comment. I’m happy to have you on my blog and hope you will return. As someone who considers her art to be expressing our inner beauty within our homes, I try hard to express only the beauty inside, not the grumpiness lol. But it does happen sometimes, nobody’s perfect 😉 Blessings to you! Anne

  9. Bob Bruman says:

    Hm…saw your site on a friend’s facebook page…not sure if I agree 100% – this whole ‘haven’ concept – as if the world was such a horrific enemy…my home is functional and that is the primary focus…what good is a room that looks so perfect that you’re nervous to even sit there? It wreaks of elitism and wealth…and perhaps that is your clientele but to suggest that beauty should precede comfort or more importantly functionality is crazy. It is to suggest that when you come home that it is only about relaxing and regeneration…my day begins when I am at home, when I get up, when I return to it! I am an artist, so it is all about creativity and inspiration and I could never live or work in a stagnant fixed place…where everything is in its place and has its place…it is a little rigid of an idea to me and I think I’d be more comfortable in a straitjacket. Beauty has its place but it is not the all and in all. Comfort too has it’s place…but at the end of the day…what gives you more comfort…a perfect place or the satisfaction that you have exercised your creativity and have changed a life or even the world?

    • Anne says:

      Hi Bob, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Life is often stressful for many people, and coming home to a place that feels like home and is beautiful just feels good. It’s not at all about being “perfect” or having every little thing in its place. I agree 100% that rooms where you’re afraid to sit down or put your feet up are not comfortable, and as I wrote, comfort is an integral part of beauty. It’s about being in tune with your surroundings. Beauty is certainly not a stagnant, fixed place! Beauty as I’m defining it means it must also be comfortable, a place where you can exhale and relax and be yourself. And by relaxing I don’t mean being sleeping on the sofa; it means to shake off the burdens of the outside world. As a creative person myself, I am very attuned to my surroundings and just as I feel joy watching a glorious sunset or listening to birds sing, so am I affected by my surroundings inside my home. Perhaps you skimmed the post and would like to reread it?

  10. Marcy says:

    Welcome to the blogosphere! Well done! I agree with your philosophy & LOVE the smiling dog- I am still smiling! Congrats my firend!

    • Anne says:

      Thanks, Marcy! I couldn’t resist that dog, whenever I need a pick me up, I look at that smiling doggie face and have to smile back!

  11. Tammy@InStitches says:

    I couldn’t agree more with your design philosophy. Welcome to blogging, I look forward to “seeing” what you have to say !

    • Anne says:

      Thanks, Tammy, I appreciate your comments. I look forward to visiting your site and getting to know you as well.

  12. Rubin Caver says:

    I must say that generally I am really impressed with this blog. After reading your post I can tell you are chuffed about your writing. Keep up the great work and I’ll return for more! Cheers!

  13. Norbridge Antiques says:

    Anne,
    I love this light and welcoming blog. It is beautiful, and well-designed. …And cheerful, just like you.
    Kind regards

  14. Tweets that mention Why Your Home Should Be Beautiful -- Topsy.com says:

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Anne Lubner. Anne Lubner said: "Why Your Home Should Be Beautiful" Interior Beauty by Anne http://ow.ly/1wQSO […]

  15. Bryanne Prichett says:

    Yeah, finally I am sooo excited to see you are officially up and running with your website and blog, which looks GREAT by the way. :))) Soo glad I swung over here to spy, thanks for the invite, ha!

  16. Rebecca Deming Rumpf says:

    Congratulations on your beautiful new web site and blog! I am also a big Charlotte Moss fan; thanks for sharing these lovely photos of her work.

  17. Anne says:

    Hi Marcia,
    Thank you so much! I’m glad you like the name, I kinda like it myself 😉
    xox
    Anne

  18. Marcia Blake says:

    Anne,
    I love the name of your blog “Interior Beauty” and your first blog article!
    I love your new website and wish you all the best!!
    Marcia

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