Besides writing about things, I have another passion. I adore interior design and various home decor. One of the ways I keep my sanity is to visit shops that are likely way beyond my means to gain inspiration. The colors, patterns and textures enrich me. They create moments. They fulfill stories. They allow us to chose items of elegance, depth of meaning and a mirror to one’s soul.

This photo above is from HD Buttercup’s unusual 2nd floor display. The entire level is filled with shabby early 20th century decor. Dark wired fans, rustic wooden floor. Dark walls and old time French and American posters, crackled, beaten, worn and haunting. The painting reminded me of Dick Whitman, catching a ride out of town – running from his own self in the tail end of the dustbowl, waiting to get back to Chicago to reclaim his old high school flame before she marries the town brute.

The whole store does that. There are so many potential stories and human lives to be lived out in the details of each living room display, artifact, price tag and rugged texture.

These are the items, if we chose to buy them, that define us. The beautiful things we put in our homes not only provides function, but they stimulate energy that allows us to be the person we feel on the inside. How you feel depends on you. But making our surroundings beautiful is a start.

I dedicate my love for luscious, beautiful home decor to Jeannie from “I Dream of Jeannie”, whose little lair of billowy curtains and lush pillows set inside her gem encrusted bottle, has set me on a lifelong course to emulate that look.

(To my wonderful followers – I’ve started another blog that will be dedicated to home interior design over at http://www.dormerandmass.wordpress.com. I’d love to gain some followers. Once I do, I’m going to make it official and pay to have the “wordpress” taken off so it’s a stand alone blog.

Also, please visit my instagram account @dormerandmass. Also find me at @drotmil for my random photos. And if you love Basset hounds, I’ve created an account for my dog Baxter over @BaxtersBelly. Enjoy!!)