(that vintage painting, the big wooden shelf, the baskets)
All of last year in my classroom I began the slow process of taking out all of the vibrant colors. All of the rainbow. As much of the plastic as I could. I took out the blue rugs and the bins of bright green. I took down all of the posters and the laminated letters. I slowooooly began adding all things 'natural'. Natural colored baskets to hold math manipulates. Wooded letters for the titles on my bulletin boards. A wooden lazy susan in the middle of tables for supplies. And you know what? Every time someone came into my classroom they said, "it's so calm in here". And that is exactly what I was going for calm. Children need a calm environment to work. And anything hanging in the classroom should be their work.
(that big wooden hutch, that table and chairs, and of course allll those teacups)
I saw it work right before my eyes in room 124 of my school. Like magic. I got so motivated to keep going I was often in thrift stores buying all of their baskets.
(old cabinets - you can't buy them like that - and that stove)
I think the same can be said of home. Wood is calming. And for me, vintage can be too.
(the table, the view, the old radiator)
Of course more than any way we decorate our homes it is the attitude and the atmosphere that is more critical.
"... what they most need is a warm secure home where they feel safe, arms to hold them and assure them that our God is in control, love that generously embraces who they are as they are, home that is a haven of goodness, beauty, with stories that bring light and hope. But someone is needed to conduct such a life. We must be intentional if this place that store's goodness will be a reality. Oh, that we might give our lives that our children will live to have hope and become virtuous". Sally Clarkson
(the sink skirt, the vintage trays, that wooden wall)
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