We moved recently from a downsized townhome to a one level house. This meant we needed some new furniture. We’ve filled up the den and turned a little den off the back of the house into a combination sunroom/library. We had enough to decorate one guest room in a beach theme but the other one sat empty for a while. Since it’s located across from our offices (My husband took another bedroom for his office) I got an idea to make it a “literary” room. We bought a mattress and a few pieces we found at flea markets and antique stores. Now we’re putting the finishing touches on it but it’s been so much fun! I find myself going into this room to read or talk to my daughter who is far away (in Japan) or to sit and absorb my love for the written word. I thought I’d share what we’ve done so far. I like to mix things up so this went from the “literary” room to the “birds and words” room. Or “Bird by Bird” as Anne Lamott famously wrote. See what you think!
This is the bedding. It has birds and berry bushes on it. I love the blues in this spread. Some of the pillows came with the bedding set but I added the one in the middle to throw in a modern twist. And I found the girl picture (she has a bird sitting on her head but you can’t see it here) online. The throw is a Pride and Prejudice theme with a peacock and the beginning of the first chapter. The unframed picture laying on the bed is a print of the famous “The Singing Butler” by Jack Vettriano. It will be framed and put on a wall soon.
When I saw the bird comforter, I thought of the poem by Emily Dickinson. “Hope is the thing with feathers …. that perches in the soul….” And that’s how the room became “birds and words.” I hope to put a copy of that poem in a frame and hang it on the wall, too. This room is all about hope. I hoped to be a writer. I hoped to contribute to my family’s income. I have hoped a lot of things and I’m one to never give up hope, so I sure identify with that poem.
Here is another view. We found an old school desk and painted it white. The chair in front of the desk belonged to my mother. I wrote my first stories sitting in that chair (in high school and later) and then my daughter used it for years. It made its way back to me when she and her husband moved to Japan. It’s probably eighty years old at least. The three plates near the closet have what else, birds and words, on them. A fifteen dollar flea market find! The jewel encased mirror was made by a local artist in Louisiana. And there is an old Underwood typewriter sitting on the desk. My father-in-law gave that to us.
Around the next corner, we have my comic book chair. My husband said “I don’t get it.” But it was perfect to bring a modern twist to my little room. It’s three woman chatting away about a man, of course. It’s Girl Power with 1972 stamped on it. That’s the year after I started high school and begin having that hope in the soul about being a writer. And the women chattering away reminded me of Jane Austen’s books. The red tiled heart came from a local artist in Grapevine, Texas. And the picture is actually a Regency type scene of a man and woman standing by a horse and carriage in front of an inn. Got a good deal on that in an antique mall. The cabinet came from Wal-Mart! Have to have a little Wal-Mart in there! But the books on it are classics. We found the little heart shaped side table at a flea market.
I added Jane Austen books and some of my shoe knickknacks and YaYa Sisterhood plaque to this shelf.
And finally, we have red all over the room. Another heart here and a shoe that declares JOY, along with some classic books, including “O Pioneers”, “A Tale of Two Cities”, a “Gone With the Wind” companion book and a book of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry. Told you I like to mix things up! Up on the top shelf, I have a battered copy of “The Flame and the Flower.” Scandalous, right? That along with poetry books and a tiny pamphlet on birds and gardens. I also have a plaque that contains the Scripture passage from First Corinthians 13, Verses 4 – 8. After all, that passage explains love in its perfect form.
That’s it so far. I have one more picture on order. It’s of an old typewriter with birds, flowers, a horse, a rabbit and all kinds of things cascading from the keys like a bouquet of possibilities. It represents a writer’s imagination. I can’t wait to hang that one, too! I hope you enjoyed this tour of my “birds and words” room. I want my guests to let their imaginations run wild when they rest in this room. What’s your favorite room in your home? How did you decorate it?
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I love the room. It is so much fun working with furniture and decorating. I redo furniture as a hobby. I noticed your Yaya plaque. I have one just like it. My sister and daughters and I are Ya Ya’s. We love to travel together and have so much fun. Enjoy your new room.
Thank you, Linda. It’s good to be a Ya Ya!! I wish I had more time to learn to redo furniture. My sister is very good at it. Thanks for stopping by.
I thoroughly enjoyed this peek into your ‘birds and words’ room! I had to laugh when you mentioned The Flame and the Flower because I read through Woodiwiss’s books like a scythe through tall grass back in the 80’s. I guess that makes me scandalous, too. 😉
Same here, Becky. I was just married and with a baby and my husband worked at night. We lived in Atlanta. I couldn’t sleep so I read romance novels. I create that for giving me the nerve and hope to write my own.
Credit that!! Auto-correct!!
Thanks for sharing your pictures of your new home.You have a lot of good creative ideas.My husband and I are also thinking about moving to a one level ranch home with a much smaller yard.I would love to see pictures of how you decorated the rest of your house.
Thanks, Diana. I’m not a great decorator but I love lots of light and color. I might share more on another blog. I do love our little library room. Maybe that one will be next.
Super love!! I want to stay in that room! Also, I will use it as inspiration for when my guest room is finally done.
Danica, you are welcome here anytime and I will make sure to have it open and available!!!Thanks for stopping by!
I want to see the beach room!
For the past three summers we rented a house near the beach in Maine and the owners had it decorated so beautifully with beach-themed items and colors. Lots of lighthouses, seashells and everything in shades of blue and yellow and light green. It was so cheerful.
Another scandalous F&F girl here too, but I credit an article on Rosemary Rogers and Shirlee Busbee for giving me the dream. When I read about two ordinary women who worked as secretaries and typed on their lunch hour, I dared to dream that maybe one day I could publish a book too!
I love your cheerful room, Lenora, and I love the Emily Dickinson poem. I have a bookmark with that poem tucked into the side of my bedroom mirror. I’ve also always loved her poem that begins, “There is no Frigate like a book to take us lands away.”
Hi, Cate. I hope to hold some writer retreat now that we have more room. Maybe one day! The beach room is being occupied by our college student son right now. I fear to go in there. But I do have pictures of that one somewhere. (My friends back home wanted to see it.) So I will have t do a beach-inspired blog I think.
Thanks for stopping by!
Love it!
Thank you, Ginny. I wish I could transport all of my writer friends to that little room. We would have tea and scones! And chocolate and pizza and … well, it would be fun!
Love your ideas and the way your room has evolved. Such a great example of a theme inspired decor – makes me want to get busy in my home that needs a lot of redoing.
Emily Dickinson’s poem, “Hope is the thing with feathers” is one of my favorites. Before I retired from teaching 2 years ago, I taught a poetry unit to my fifth graders at the end of the year, and that was one of the poems I included. The students analyzed and illustrated the poems according to their interpretation. This was an important poem as my students were about to embark on a new stage in their education – moving from elementary to middle school.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you, Betty. It’s one of my favorites. What a great way to encourage your students. Thanks for stopping by.