Themes - Love them, or Leave them?

Whenever I return from a holiday by the sea, I always find my home to feel a little boring; a little dull, and not quite as cheerful as I imagined it had been the week before. I know the light is different by the ocean, and the place where we stay is decorated kind of "beachy", but for some delusional reason, I still expect to walk in my front door and feel like I am still on holiday.

Crazy really. After-all, a holiday should be different. Even if I stayed home, wore my bathing suit for a week, listened to a CD of the ocean, and spritzed salt water in my hair, it still wouldn't feel like I was on vacation.

After a week or two, I settle back into my home, enjoy my new tan, sort through the bathing suits, and vacuum the sand out of the car (which is a little like trying to clean up the pine needles from your Christmas tree). The lawn gets mowed, I prune and water the plants, and I try to remember what was normal. I make long lists of things that I should be doing, I get distracted by thoughts of sand between my toes, and I find myself longing again for blue and white nautical accessories.

Truthfully, there is rarely another time when I like a theme. But, immediately after vacation, I understand why so many people go in that direction; wanting to recreate a permanent space in their home that evokes a happy memory. Unfortunately (as I bust my own post-holiday bubble) those places exist somewhere else for a reason. It gives us something to look forward to. Something special.

People who live in the English countryside, don't dream of a quaint, thatched cottage, because they already have one. Nestled in a quiet village, or a beautiful, abandoned field, their home feels right; the colors compliment the English weather, and their home perfectly suits their relaxed lifestyle. While we are dreaming of castles and long, brisk walks to the pub, they are dreaming of sunny skies, sandy beaches, and an extra large bathtub.

With themes, a little does go a long way. If you want to remember a place, or a holiday, choose just one or two elements to decorate your home. It can be as simple as a pile of shells from the beach, or as bold as painting your kitchen a gorgeous, deep ochre. Whatever you decide to do, think of a way to remember the happy times, without trying to duplicate them....

The photograph above is a still from the delightful movie "The Holiday".