Artist Camilla Engman just made a few of her tea towels, designed alongside Third Drawer Down in Australia, available in her web shop. I particularly like the yellow and white towel and enjoy seeing it simply tacked to a wall above a chair - nothing fancy but quite lovely and relaxing to look upon - don't you think?

One does not need to fuss around perfecting their interior environment, often a simple statement makes the biggest impact and can also cost the least amount of money. I often wish those who stress about decorating their homes thought about design in the way that I do, that you do not have to buy extremely expensive things or go into debt to impress others -- but to simply challenge yourself to not spend a lot of money and still create an environment that speaks to you.

Some try to make their home fit the expectations of others or to fit a popular lifestyle trend simply "fit in" that their own heart and soul has been removed and replaced with brand name chairs and fancy wallpaper. Some crave that others will like their style and see them as cool or stylish -- they want them to be impressed, but they've forgotten a key element -- a truly stylish space is one that reflects the authenticity of those living in it and the life and joy and experiences they have had in the past.

When I see such beauty in simple touches that look and feel very cozy and personal I cannot help but think some worry way too much and if they'd only relax and decorate from the heart then their spaces would magically fall together. Perhaps that is the missing link in design, what sets apart one space from the next, not expensive things or copying the ideas of others or even replicating some common style or catalog theme but to simply do what you want to do - decorate from the heart - how would you decorate your bedroom or living room if you knew that no one would ever see it - only you and your family? And then perhaps with that thought in mind, you can feel free to paint birds on your ceiling and paint your moldings black against white walls and paint the legs of your dining room table chairs bright yellow. Maybe one just needs to free themselves from the expectations of others and pretend for a moment that only your decorating sense matters and go with it.

What do you think?

(image: camilla engman)