8 Tips to The Secret of Amour in Your Home

6 min readFeb 9, 2022

February is a short month but let’s make the most of it with love and cozy winter nights. We are sharing 8 tips to the secret of amour in your home.

1. Soft Color Palette

The subtle implementation of a new color palette can make your space feel warm and inviting. Start small by incorporating color with a couple accent pillows, blankets, fresh roses, a tray of candles and maybe some antique books, and you’ll begin to see how soft, romantic colors will emerge and elevate the overall space.

2. Textural Pillows

Use varying textures such as velvets, luxurious cottons, chunky knitted fabrics, woven fabrics in a warp and weft pattern to create depth and warmth in your living or bedroom. You can also throw in a traditional fabric like a damask or linen ruffled floral to add some charm.

3. Soft Blankets

Nothing makes you feel more safe and cozy within your space than wrapping yourself up in a plush blanket. We suggest this Luxe Faux Fur Throw from Pottery Barn or this Shiny Chenille Throw Blanket from Target.

4. Candle Glow

Illuminate your room with the soft ambient glow of candles. The smell of scented candles stimulates the part of our brain that is associated with our memories and emotions and can positively affect our emotional state and relationships. Rather than turning the TV on after a hard day at work, light a collection of candles and watch your evening change. We love this Farmhouse White Mini Heart Dough Bowl candle by Southern Peach Candle Co. For more beautiful and fragrant candles visit her website.

5. Ambient Lighting

Nothing takes the romance out of a room like bright sterile fluorescent light. Add a few layers of light to your space with ambient and accent lighting and always use dimmer switches for an instant romantic glow. Sit down with a cup of tea and browse through the vintage lighting options on Etsy.

6. Loveseat Lounging

Adding a loveseat, settee or bench to the end of your bed is not only a charming place to cuddle with your partner or pet, but can add architecture and structure to your bedroom. We recommend adding a few toss pillows and a blanket in soft fabrics such as chenilles, velvets, and fur. We adore this GDF Studio Megan Classical Tufted Loveseat.

7. Mood Setting Music

“Let’s Fall In Love” by Ella Fitzgerald. Curate a collection of songs on your playlist from Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald for an elegant evening.

8. Fresh Flowers

Bring life, color and romance into your space with fresh flowers. We love roses, tulips and hydrangeas. Look for bouquets with soft tones of pink, white and be generous with eucalyptus in every bouquet.

Every Plate Tells A Story

As we strive to attain sustainable living, Vintage is at the forefront. Something about Vintage is transcendent. Vintage not only is sustainable, making use of what already exists, it survives the trends- and more importantly, it tells a story of a life well-lived. The difference between a supermarket romance novel and a timeless classic is curating the right pieces and arranging them in a way that captures the moment in the imagination of the “reader”. As much as design is constantly evolving. There are objects that stand the test of time and one of them is plates.

There are everlasting patterns, styles, colors and shapes. Even though some patterns go out of vogue they can work their way back into the home in fresh and interesting ways. For example, you can take a traditional plate and give it a modern look by hanging them in a floating style on the wall. Alternatively, you can take a simple collection of white plates in various sizes and shapes to create a strong textural moment in a room.

Some of the highest impact vignettes emerge from repurposing Vintage pieces you already have — things that have come to you having lived a life from people you know. They carry the memories of lingering moments at Grandma’s carrying her recipes that bring to mind close times with friends and family enjoying moments that linger in our memories. To add flavor to this feast, a meandering trip through the aisles of a local Vintage store can inspire a plate display that can be the focal point of any room and leave you with that same sense of nostalgia.

I did both! I had several plates that spoke to me at my local vintage store. There they were, priceless heirlooms sitting idly in a cabinet collecting dust yearning for the appreciation they once had with the families that treasured them. These lonely travelers caught my attention, but they needed something. Then it hit me like the inspiration of an artist inspired by the light glinting from the subject they need to capture — that fleeting moment they want to be remembered and appreciated by all. These plates had a story to tell of a life well-lived, but too long unappreciated. Like a member of a jazz ensemble, I knew my part in this improvised composition that was playing in my head at the moment: “Play what’s missing”, I went on a quest for the missing pieces of my vision, and with delight I added them to my story like missing pieces of a beautiful puzzle.

I reveled in finding the perfect plates to complete this French plate display and rushed home to display them as though they were in a hidden display at the Louvre, waiting to enthrall anyone who longed to experience the untold story these once lonesome pieces longed to convey. It is with joy that I share my re-creation from these time-worn travelers with my friends and family and with all our readers. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did, and love the story they tell. I also hope you find inspiration in the moment I capture to seek and create your own out story from your time-travelers.

10 Tips to Design A Plate Display

Vary size and shape
Start with a focal point plate and build your design around it
Stick with one style or motiff
Consider patters and how busy you want your design
Mix florals with solid color plates
Create a bold color and modern look with bright colored plates
Choose an assortment of white or similarly colored plates in different sizes
Choose a design style, such as shabby chic, English country, French farmhouse, modern design
Consider hanging plates on either side of a mirror or peice of art
Consider the shape and effect you want on the wall