Put yourself in your home

Trends come. Trends go. Your personality will always be exactly that — yours! Why not forget about the latest and greatest trends and stick to decorating your home in a fashion that best represents you.

As you set the stage for a room, your imagination can soar. An eclectic assembly of pictures can become a lively grouping in an overlooked space, your favorite collections can be cached in a unique setting, and furniture can change its personality with the changing of the seasons.

Carol Rochan and Jana Demarais, owners of Gatherings in Marysville, have taken their love of vintage and antique pieces and turned it into an eclectic home decor store. Filled with European charm, the store provides a valuable lesson in following your heart as you fill your home with treasured finds.

The act of decorating is a continual process at Gatherings, so whether she is decorating her home or her store, Rochan taps into the power of accessories to bring excitement to a room.

“I come up with a theme in my mind, then take one piece that is integral to the design and build around it.”

A recent display at Gatherings demonstrates Rochan’s technique. A large faux zebrawood mirror and a contemporary lamp were the launching points of a display that mixed a buffet from the 1930s, a silver equestrian trophy cup, a bust of a horse, and a grouping of shells.

“I love taking things you wouldn’t normally mix to create a display,” Rochan said.

Rochan’s tastes tend to be very ornate, but she does not restrict herself from choosing contemporary pieces that add a clean, modern design to her rooms. As she and Demarais gather things in the store, they face the challenge of incorporating all the different styles within one space.

“We find the things we love and marry them together,” Rochan said.

In their displays, the two women are not afraid to regroup favorite pieces, corral items on trays, or layer pieces with fabric runners and stacks of books. The same rules apply within your home to create dynamic visuals that add warmth and personality.

At Chrysanthemum in Stanwood, owner Jennie Schirman offers whimsical gifts and goods for the home in a nature-inspired setting. Chrysanthemum harbors soothing displays of items native to our region, and its owner offers practical advice to personalize your home in unexpected ways.

“Think about who you are,” Schirman said. “Your home should reflect your personality. If you’re feeling at home in your home, visitors will feel the same.”

With a knack for decorating, Schirman takes found objects, family treasures, and a bit of the unusual to create unique displays in her store. Because so much around your own home can be adapted, Schirman’s ideas can easily be incorporated into your home.

“That’s why people love shops. We use unique ideas such as photos of the biggest catch, bait boxes and antique reels to decorate the store,” she said.

An eye catcher displayed at Chrysanthemum is a duo of sleds placed high on a wall. The Yankee clipper sled and the toboggan are just two examples of treasures you might find in your own garage.

Schirman also suggests foraging in the great outdoors for treasures to decorate your home. Nests blown out of a tree, rocks gathered from a garden bed, and shells found on the beach can be displayed throughout the year. For the nature lover, Schirman also recommends topping a mantle with apothecary jars filled with bird seed, found feathers placed in a vase, a stack of Audubon books and a pair of binoculars.

At Rustic Impressions, also in Stanwood, you will hear similar advice. Owners Pat Powell and Becky Tiland provide a delicious contrast of elegant and primitive beauty at their store.

“To me everything goes with everything,” Powell said. “I love to mix and match.”

Like Schirman, Powell suggests that “you pick out something that’s you, something that makes you happy. I like a house with an atmosphere that feels good.” Within her own home, Powell mixes a bit of the old with a bit of the new. Some of her pieces make a definite statement.

“I have a huge llama statue that sits on our fireplace,” Powell said. “It just catches your eye when you come in. It’s definitely out of the ordinary.”

One of Powell’s favorite decorating tricks is to take a contemporary grouping of furniture and add something to break it up.

“You can add in some rustic things and throw in some different colors,” she said. Powell and Tiland often surprise customers with unexpected color combinations when grouping furniture, pillows and throws. “Customers are amazed when we show them how it turns out,” Powell said.

The same gutsy attitude toward color can work within your home. “If you have a blah-looking couch, take off the pillows and throw on some new ones,” Powell suggested. “Put rugs under things to brighten up the area and paint your wall with an accent color. You can take away the blah and pull your room out of a boring situation.”

Powell also recommends using unexpected things and unique layouts in your home. Rethink your room and hang objects from bookcases, doors and windows. Feature odd pieces of glass, such as decanter stoppers, old bottles and canning jars, as art. To create layers of height, use clay pots, ceramic vases, and old-fashioned stemware as pedestals for other decorative objects.

“Throw your favorite saying on the wall or choose a pillow with an element of surprise,” Powell also suggested.

Speaking of pillows — a favorite pillow at Rustic Impressions reads: “Behind every successful woman is herself.” The same is true when it comes to decorating. Behind every successful room is your personality.