Editor’s Letter
Each
time I prepare to write this note to you, I like to take a few moments to go back through the editorial articles and pick out something—a room in one of our home tours, a creative grouping or even some insightful decorating advice from a featured homeowner—to help inspire my thoughts. This time, my eyes kept being drawn back to our cover and a sign that reads, “May your journey always lead you home.”
As I work on this column at the end of March from the comfort and safety of my own home, that simple quote surely seems applicable to the journey we all are facing as we navigate not only the present situation but also the future and what will eventually evolve into a new “normal.” Although at this point I am not quite sure what each day will bring, one of the constants I am thankful for is my home of 21 years.
While spending more time inside my house, I have had ample time to consider why we—especially as country decorators—put so much time, effort and passion into filling each and every room with cherished photographs, family heirlooms and well-curated collections. On any average day in the past, the meaning behind those objects probably was not at the forefront of our minds; the furnishings we have dedicated years to acquiring blended into the interior landscape as decorative accessories that also have a spot in our hearts. However—as we all have experienced—our homes have been propelled from being simply a nice place to live into a secure place to take shelter, and it’s important to make an effort to disconnect from the present when possible and reconnect with our pasts. All those beloved belongings that we surround ourselves with can help bring a sense of peace and escape by eliciting fond memories of fun family vacations, holiday celebrations and days spent scouring antiques shops for a special treasure—all things we aspire to do again.
My sincere wish is that by the time you have this issue in hand, we as a world and as a country are well on our journey to recovering, rebuilding and recreating an everyday life outside our homes, too.