Creative ways to tell your story in your home’s decor

Three tips on how to inject your personal history into the design of your house

Every home tells a story. Some only whisper it through a handful of clues: a wedding photo on a fireplace mantle, perhaps, and maybe a few other framed photos scattered around a living room. Others say much more, with dozens of items illuminating the lives of those who live there.

Crafter Lisa Hathaway has come up with one way to seed a living space with the story of where you’ve come from and who you are. Her “What a Difference a Day Makes” prints begin with a simple sheet of burlap — a fabric as textured as the lives her clients seek to commemorate. By printing their names and meaningful dates (births, marriages, etc.) in stark black on the pale brown burlap, she creates a frameable wall hanging that invites conversation.

“With home gallery walls being filled with lots of family photos, the simple display of numbers adds a unique touch,” says Hathaway, who sells her work through her Etsy business, Emma & the Bean.

Beyond celebrating names and dates, there are many ways to combine decorating and personal storytelling.

Here are three creative approaches to celebrating your personal story through your home: Repurpose clothing Somewhere in the back of a closet there may be an old sweatshirt from college or a T-shirt that you loved for years but never wear anymore. Why not bring that memory-infused old clothing into your living space? A tutorial on diynetwork.com offers simple steps for creating a pillow cover out of a treasured T-shirt. Don’t have one that speaks to your history? Hunt at a vintage shop or online for clothing that captures a moment from your childhood or a decade of your life. Photos without frames Framed photos are great. But to share your history in an especially compelling way, consider going really big. Choose a black-and-white image from your childhood or a vintage photo of your ancestors and have it printed on a huge scale.

You can have it mounted on a canvas with no frame for a modern look, or visit one of many custom wallpaper websites to have it printed as a mural that partially or entirely fills a wall. Eazywallz.com will print a large wall mural from your uploaded photo (they suggest using a photo that’s eight megapixels or larger), which arrives as a peel-and-stick decal. A five-foot square mural costs about $150 with shipping costs included. Mark your words It’s popular to decorate with inspiring phrases or well-known quotes. But what about the most meaningful words from your own history?

Choose a saying that your parent or grandparent often repeated, or a quote from a relative that is meaningful to you. Then use stencils to paint it onto a wall in your home, or use decals.