Useful and Beautiful: A Personal Quest.

“Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

–William Morris

10 Items that Do Both.

Spring is the time, that I like to take on William Morris’ challenge.  (And it is quite a challenge!) Each spring, going through room by room, I collect everything that doesn’t fit the “useful or beautiful” moniker and place those items in the middle of the room.  Now, a decision must be made.  Keep it (and break his edict), give it away to someone who can use it, donate or recycle the item.  The biggest lesson here is to pay close attention to what I buy in the future, ensuring it meets both the aesthetic and functional requirements before bringing it home.  This is quite a mindful practice, that I hope to improve.

William Morris of Morris and Co.

What do you think about this philosophy?  Do you know about William Morris’ history?   You may have seen some of his wallpaper and textiles, but how much do you know about him?  A quick history: He was born in 1834, began designing in Kent, England, in 1859, and then moved to London in 1861.  His firm became well regarded during the Victorian period, and he designed textiles, wallpapers, tapestries, furniture and stained glass windows.  His firm became known as Morris and Co.  He also had success with some novels and poetry.  He became a skeptic of industrial capitalism, which led him to be a key player in the British Arts and Crafts movement.   With so many talents, I find it remarkable that in just one decade he produced 32 printed fabrics, 23 woven fabrics and 21 wallpapers!  What fascinates me most however, is his clear philosophy advocating that art should be handmade, beautiful, functional and accessible to all, not just the wealthy.  He rejected mass production while championing handmade goods, craftsmanship, and environmental sustainability.  This guy stood for many of the beliefs that have become my own.  

Given this mindful philosophy, I wanted to create a list of 10 items that I consider both useful and beautiful for my home. Many of these items I own, some on my wish list.  This list differs for every person, but I hope some of the items will resonate with you.

One of my favorite artists: Crysta Luke.

1-Art by People you Love.  It is easy to explain how this is beautiful; after all, it is art.  Art is also functional in many ways: it hangs in an important position on an otherwise bare wall, the money paid for it provides an artist with a living, and the pieces offer interesting stories and memories for you to share. I have some very special art by: Penny Treese, Liz Stubbs, Crysta Luke, Courtney Khail, Christina Kwan, Rusty Walton,  Kevin Peskin, and my mom, Penelope Emmons.   Some artists also make practical items like pottery and furniture, which are typically one-of-a-kind.  Art is probably my #1 way to create a soulful home that Mr. Morris would approve of.  

2-A beautiful coffee table book on a fascinating subject.  For me, this is a book written by the editor of my current favorite magazine.  The magazine is called Frederick and the editor is Dara Coponigro.  Dara has edited several magazines including *Veranda*, *Elle Decor*, and my favorite magazine of all time, *Domino*.  (Oh how I miss this magazine!).  She has also written several books on design and decorating, and I have decided to invest in one for my coffee table.  This book is called *Frederic: The Last Word in Chic*.  It is a large compilation of the Frederic magazine, and I cannot wait for it to arrive!  (tomorrow!). Obviously your fascinating coffee table book will be different, but hopefully you will be just as passionate.

A book tower in my guest room.

3-A Book Tree. My favorite one is called the Story Bookcase from Design Within Reach.  This little shelf fits almost anywhere, and comes in 5 colors.  My current obsession is the color saffron.  I started with one in the guest room, and bought a 2nd for my bedroom (although mine is coal gray).  What makes this functional item beautiful, however, are my books.  A sculpture of books adds height and interest to my rooms while storing quite a few in a very small footprint.

4-A Cordless Lamp.  Sometimes you just need some extra light!  This little gem looks like a moon globe and sits gracefully on a brass base. It is easy to charge and holds a charge for at least an evening.  Recently I designed a home in Hilton Head, and kept 2 of these on the dining table.  They look like a centerpiece all of the time, but can be easily moved to bring light to a side table or even a bathroom.

Shoe baskets from the Citizenry.

5-A Basket for my Shoes.  After traveling to Nepal and Japan, the custom of taking off my shoes as I enter a home, just works for me.  It is cleaner, and shows respect for the people that live in the home.  For my own home, I have 2 baskets for shoes.  Although it does not happen every time with every person, it happens more often than not, and that works just fine.

The little luxury of our East Fork Pottery.

5-Quality Everyday Dishes. If you have been reading this blog for a little while, you may know that I invested in East Fork Pottery out of Asheville, NC.  Each day I enjoy the look and weight of these dishes.  Since they rest on open kitchen shelves, I love the uniformity of the nestled bowls and plates.

Just playing with thoughts of a vase from West Elm with my favorite fresh tulips.

7/8-A Stunning Vase with Fresh Flowers. Fresh flowers, whether from the garden or the grocery store, make me just a little happier!  Truth is that the flowers make this beautiful, but the vase makes it functional.  Of course, my favorite is green glass, but this is another way to express my style.

A green cashmere throw by Quince.

9-A cashmere throw.  Even in the springtime, a cashmere throw on the sofa or a favorite chair invites you to curl up and stay a while.  The luxurious softness and sumptuous color is both useful and beautiful.

Replanted plants in my living room and a planter that I am considering.

10-Live Plants in a cool container.  This spring, I got several new plants at Ace Hardware and found some nice containers to work with them.  The Saturday afternoon planting was quick yet satisfying.  I am keeping them alive on a console table near the window behind my green sofa.  Each morning, I check them, see if they need anything, and enjoy their foliage.  I also found this site called the Sill, which looks like it may beautifully handle larger plants and planters!  Oh, and I almost forgot, plants are good for our air quality!

Your list of beautiful and useful things will differ from mine, but I hope this gives you some ideas.    Keeping the functional and beautiful rule in mind is a useful tool when spring cleaning, shopping, and organizing. Have fun with it!  It does not have to be a chore, simply a mindful activity.  I will leave you with one last quote from William Morris:

” The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.”

Please let me know your thoughts on this list or any items you think I  should add.  Stephanie@balancedesignatlanta.com

I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next week,

Stephanie