World Market Brightens Up Surroundings

I grew up in a house that was white: White couch, white rugs, white walls. And classic. The kind of furniture you see in all of the high-end furniture stores. Pseudo-French and heavy Victorian influences, except my family home had a mad dash of "opium den" thrown in. I call it that because all of the tables and knick-knacks were Oriental (thanks to holiday trips to Hawaii and my folks living in Panama for awhile before I was born). But the coloring, beyond the dark woods, was pale. Very pale.

When I moved away from home, I had pre-IKEA put-together furniture from the discount store and some family hand-me-downs. It was an eclectic brew of dissimilar tastes of which I made due for a long time. This time the colors were navy, golden yellow, and rust. Not quite primary colors, but not pale. This lasted until World Market came to middle-Tennessee. Then I went a little crazy.

Now my home and my office are full of bright colors and hand-made pieces of furniture with definite character. It began with a wooden trunk for my house. Then a small desk. The recent furnishing of an entire office pushed me over the edge. Yep, I went head over heals for their unique furniture and Indian printed fabrics, then added eclectic art from my own collection. For accents, I did some DIY sewing, making throw pillows for the office couch from colorful napkins.

World Market lighting, addicted to it, too. I have a thing for oriental-looking lamps. I guess it is all those childhood years of being surrounded by the Asian knick-knacks and hand carved furniture. Besides, those big paper lanterns are so fun.

An office can be efficient and still inviting. Business-like, and still evoke your taste. Of course, the office does have to fit the job. Since I am in a creative business, I can have a creative office. Perhaps this isn’t quite the office for a bank president. But then, it wouldn’t be a bank president’s taste, now would it?

Finally, my house has art and furniture and books that are working together. I have found my style. And that style is not French, or Victorian, or Oriental. It is decidedly Bo-Ho.