You can recognize
a gifted decorator by how lovingly and artfully they arrange the everyday objects
in their environment. Such is the case
with my friend Darlene. She has graciously allowed me to photograph her home in
order to share with you here at Proverbs 31 Collective. I hope that you are
inspired by her ministry of making her surroundings beautiful and peaceful, and
that you are reminded of the fact that the simplest of acts can done with great
love.
I first met
Darlene at our church’s Bible study. While leading a group together, we
realized how much we had in common. We share our faith, a love of making our homes
and our surroundings beautiful, and have similar tastes in decorating. Darlene
has the rare gift of being able to make anything beautiful. Give her a pile of
junk, and she will somehow transform it into a charming vignette. Leave her
alone with a boring centerpiece, and she will turn it into something lovely. Hand her an unmatched collection of patterns
and fabrics that you like, and she will somehow give you the perfect color
palette for your home. I recently had
her over for a cup of coffee. I left the room for a moment, and when I returned,
much to my delight, I found her rearranging my china cupboard. She turned when
I came in and apologized, saying, “I can’t help myself…I have to tweek.” And when she was done, it looked so much
better! She had artfully arranged my tea
cups in a way that I hadn’t even thought of, and had used a small collection of
random objects I had lying around, to create a darling display.
Her gift for
decorating was honed early in childhood. She was born in the city of Whittier,
California and lived in a poor neighborhood of eclectic houses. One friend
lived in an abandoned street car and another in a large tent with wooden boards
used for a floor. Her own home was a tiny house that had originally been a
chicken coop. Darlene’s parents cleaned it out, added some walls and a floor,
and two more small rooms. Her mother was
very creative, and always made the effort to make their humble house into a
comfortable home with whatever was available. Throughout her childhood, Darlene was aware of
the effect surroundings can have on you, and artfully decorated her own space
with different items, rearranging them often.
She didn’t
recognize her gift for decorating however, until she was an adult and her
friends began to ask her to help them with their own homes. Decorating came so
easy for her, that she actually thought that everyone could do it. When she first started out, there were two friends
that gave her encouragement constantly.
They even wanted to compensate her for her work, which was a complete
shock to her. She says that because she didn’t have a degree in Interior
Design, she felt her work was not valid.
If you know you
have a talent in decorating, Darlene encourages you to, “Go for it. Start small
and don’t be afraid to try new things.
Paint is easy and won’t leave you with permanent results. Table
arrangements are fun to work with, change them around until they are pleasing
to your eye. Your personal style will emerge quickly when you look around and
see what you are drawn to and what you never get tired of. “But don’t feel too
badly if you do not have her gift. She says that anyone can make their
surroundings more comfortable and visually appealing by following a few simple
guidelines:
“Color is a good
way to express yourself and an inexpensive way to bring a room together. Electric
blue costs the same as beige. To incorporate a color into your room, use it at
least three times, and in a triangle pattern, which will bring balance to the
room. Try using your favorite color in pillows, throws, a collection of colored
glass, or even books. By doing this, when walking into a room, your eye will go
from each of those similarly colored objects and tie the room together
visually. Don’t be afraid of color, make it work for you. Try doing a tablescape
of framed photos. It will be of more interest if you paint all the frames the
same color such as black, or even your accent color.”
Painted furniture
is all the rage right now, but it has been a favorite of Darlene’s for years.
If you have a little table, or a small wooden chair, she suggests you buy a can
of spray paint and give it some color. If you don’t like the result, you can
always paint over it.
Every room in her
house has different woods, different styles, and a mix of old and new, but the
one thing they have in common, is a touch of the same color. With the open
floor plan of her house, the common thread of color in each room is red. The color flows through the entire
house. Not everything is red, but there
is enough in each space to keep your eye connected to the overall design. To Darlene, matching is boring.
“Color is your
friend. It will set the mood for your home, and remember, it costs the same as
something without color. Make it work
for you and above all, have fun with it!
Decorating is not about
perfection, it is a gift you give to yourself and to the other people you live
with.”
Darlene’s favorite
scripture is Proverbs 3:5 and 6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not
unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will
direct your paths.” She says this scripture has been like food to her for many
years. “God is so faithful to His word. He has restored my soul and my cup has
run over with His love.”
Her favorite quote is: “Ring the bells that can still ring. Forget your
perfect offering; everything has a crack in it, that’s how the light gets in.” “None
of us is perfect,” she says, but if I am still breathing, there is a bell to be
rung.” I find great encouragement in
these words, thank you my Dear Darlene, for sharing your home, your wisdom, and
your great talent with us!
"I can't help myself...I have to tweek." Darlene
