Sometimes I see too much beauty.

Favorite bloggers Homes on Parade.  Gorgeous magazine spreads highlighting the newest trends.  Unending Pinterest pins of serene master bedrooms, spa-like bathrooms, gourmet chef kitchens . . .

Though I love scouring magazines and blogs for inspiration there are times when it leaves me with a sense of discontent.  Is anyone else like me?  

When my friend Leslie of GoodbyeHouseHelloHome hears anyone complain about their “lack” she says,

     “Poor American!”

   Yes, poor me, with my large Southern Colonial filled with treasures pulled together over years of collecting, thrifting and inheriting.

Though my home is not what magazines scream that it should be, it is a home that reflects who I am and what I love.

This is one room I wanted to change when we bought our home in South Carolina last year. 

My powder room:  Standard issue cabinets, countertops made of some indeterminate material, and Dark. Green. Wallpaper.

In my discontent I made plans . . .  I wanted to take down the paper and replace it with a fresh graphic print, I wanted to find an antique piece that could be turned into a stunning vanity fitted with a gorgeous marble sink, I wanted new light fixtures that dripped crystals, I wanted . . . I wanted . . . I wanted . . .

Then something happened.

Tweet: Because I couldn’t have everything I wanted, or maybe because I began to feel like I shouldn’t have everything I wanted, my attitude changed . . .

. . . and my feelings about this room changed.

When I really began to really see the wallpaper, it’s botanical print and soothing color appealed to me more and more.  I love boxwood and have decorated with preserved boxwood throughout my home (HERE).  This wallpaper encompasses the powder room in boxwood and reflects the lovely view of nature seen through the bathroom window into our backyard. 

My solution was to embrace the beauty of nature by hanging some botanical prints (downloaded free from Vintage Printables).  I displayed them in CLEARANCE frames from Hobby Lobby (sometimes I buy my frames at the thrift store and paint them but this time HL’s were less expensive).

Next I put a few magnolia flowers in a vase (leftover flowers from THIS magnolia swag in my kitchen).

Finally, I put a large tray on the counter and dressed it with an antique lamp and vintage stacked containers (both belonged to my mom) along with some pretty green soaps and a couple of new hand towels from TJ Maxx.

The tray and the tissue holder are tiled with shell-like material . . .

. . . and when I put them on the counter I noticed that the sink is shaped like a large white shell. Insert SMILEY FACE here!

I’m happy with my new powder room now even though not much has really changed . . . except my way of thinking.

Mr. OTN and I have a long list of things we talk about doing with our house, but lately, I’ve been feeling the need to step back and make purposeful decisions based on what’s really important to us.  Maybe this week it is to do a fresh update in my dining room (hanging wallpaper this very week!) or maybe it is to take a portion of what we have and share it to bless someone else.

At peace in my Southern Home.

Blessings,