We’re approaching our two-year anniversary of moving into this house. In some ways it feels like we’ve been here forever; in other ways the house and I are still learning about one another.
Last summer—our first summer here—I was delighted to discover a large old lacecap hydrangea growing in the backyard. It felt like a gift. I’ve loved hydrangeas for years, and finding this one made me so happy.
The bush is in full bloom now and absolutely beautiful, though it’s tucked behind a tall hedge so we can’t see it from the house or patio. Ideally it would be visible from the windows, but instead it feels like a secret garden—something I can walk over to discover, a hidden delight meant to be found rather than displayed.
Every home I’ve lived in has taught me something about life and design. I wonder if your home has done the same for you. This house has nudged me toward embracing simplicity and finding the small pleasures that make everyday life richer.
One of the easiest ways to make a home feel beautiful through each season is to slow down and notice what’s already there. Your home may not check every box on someone else’s list of “must-haves,” but it can offer things you love or can learn to appreciate. Slowing down lets you simplify and truly see the beauty that exists around you.
Simplicity’s beauty isn’t always obvious at first glance. The small joys in a home rarely shout for attention; they quietly delight us. Delight is that little surprise—a moment that lifts you up when you weren’t expecting it.
Simplicity is subtle, and its rewards can sneak up on you when you pause and tune in to your surroundings. It’s not defined by a single color palette or decorating trend, but by what you notice when you stop being distracted by things competing for attention—clutter, excessive accessories, or bold elements that overwhelm rather than please.
What distracts you in your home may be different from what distracts me. Photographs can’t fully convey the feeling of a simple, peaceful space; that sense of calm is very personal and lived rather than merely seen.
Simple joys come from experiences: warm morning sunlight across a floor, the soft flutter of curtains in a summer breeze, the satisfaction of clean counters, or the relief after clearing out a cluttered closet. Even the sound of laughter on a lazy afternoon reminds us that a home’s warmth is not about material things but about the small moments that shape how we feel.
Maybe, like me, you take pleasure in something as simple as placing a freshly cut bouquet from the garden in a favorite vase. Getting to that place sometimes means paring down, slowing down, and letting go of the unnecessary. The effort is worth it because a simpler space makes room for small joys to shine.
With fewer distractions, those bright blue hydrangeas can truly take center stage and bring color and life to the room all summer long.
Simple joys, friends. Simple joys.
PS: I’m working on a new decorating book that will include questions and answers. I’d love your input—if you have decorating or style questions you’d like me to answer, please submit them through the form referenced in my recent post. Thank you!
Dining room sources:
Scroll the arrows below to shop:
Sources and details:
Gray ceramic table lamps and linen lampshades
Vase – HomeGoods
Watercolor floral pillow
Sisal rug
Rattan chairs (sold out)
Ombre beaded chandelier (or similar)
Woven window shades
Curtains
Parsons chairs
Peacock art print
Crane art print
Blue honeycomb pillows
Round white rattan mirror
Copper planter
Polish pottery
Striped banquette bench
Wall color: Simply White Benjamin Moore
Shiplap wall details
Kitchen reveal and sources