We’re approaching the two-year mark since we moved into this house. Some days it feels like we’ve been here forever; other times it still feels new, as if the house and I are gradually becoming friends.
Last summer, our first full season here, I discovered a large old lacecap hydrangea in the backyard. It felt like a gift — I’d missed having hydrangeas since my previous garden. Finding that blue, full bush made me so happy.
Right now the hydrangea is in full bloom, but it’s hidden behind a tall hedge, out of direct view from the house and patio. Ideally it would be planted where we could see it from our windows, yet I enjoy walking over to it as if entering a little secret garden. There’s joy in discovering something tucked away.
Every home I’ve lived in has taught me something about life and design. Has your home done the same for you? This place is shaping the way I think — nudging me toward simplicity and teaching me to notice the small pleasures it offers.
One of the easiest ways to make a home feel beautiful through the seasons is to slow down and appreciate what’s already there. Your home might not match every trending “must-have,” but it likely holds unique elements you love or can learn to love. Slowing down often means simplifying, so you can actually see and feel the beauty around you.
Simplicity’s beauty isn’t always obvious—especially to someone else. Simple joys don’t shout for attention; they quietly delight you. Delight is that small, unexpected feeling that comes when something lovely surprises you.
Simplicity is subtle, and its pleasures can sneak up on you. It’s the reward for paying attention to how your space makes you feel. I don’t think simplicity requires a specific color palette or a rigid decorating style. Instead, it’s about removing distractions—whether clutter, competing accessories, or loud colors—so that what truly delights you has room to be noticed.
What feels distracting in your home will be different from what distracts me. Photos can’t fully capture the experience of simplicity; that feeling is personal and lived rather than just seen.
Simple pleasures appear in everyday moments: warm sunlight pouring into a cool room, a breeze lifting sheer curtains, the calm you feel after clearing counters, or the relief of sorting a long-neglected closet. Even the sound of laughter on a lazy afternoon reminds us that our homes are shaped by experiences, not just things.
The objects we own can be lovely, but it’s the simple joys that change us internally and make a house feel like home.
Maybe you, like me, find delight in placing a freshly cut bouquet from the yard into a pretty vase. Often that delight requires paring down, slowing your pace, and removing what’s unnecessary. A little effort goes a long way—simplified surroundings let small treasures, like bright blue hydrangeas, take center stage for the season.
Simple joys, friends, simple joys.
PS. I’m working on a new book about decorating that will include questions and answers. I’d love your input—if you have decorating or style questions you’d like me to answer in the book, please submit them through the form mentioned in my recent post. Thank you!
Dining room sources:
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Sources and details:
Gray ceramic table lamps and linen lampshades
Vase – HomeGoods
Watercolor floral pillow
Sisal rug
Rattan chairs: sold out from World Market (similar options available)
Ombre beaded chandelier (or a similar chandelier)
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