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Southwestern Rugs Have Really Brightened My Home (Even Though I’m A Minimalist)

Southwestern Decor Is Really Comforting, But I Still Love Minimalist Style

western cowboy looking at oceanSouthwestern decor has a profound capability to please by holding memories and human connections by generating a specific western atmosphere. Nowhere has decoration been more striking to me than in a Chashitsu, or Japanese tearoom, where decorations are few but leave virtually nothing to be desired. I’ve been fortunate to have opportunities to participate in tea ceremonies both in Japan and the USA, and the extent of décor’s importance is certainly not exclusive to any one culture, however, the Chashitsu provides exemplars of the impact that a single decoration can possess.

At some point or another, we’ve had the experience of stepping into someone’s home and being bombarded by décor of every shape and size. While this can express passionate sentiments, it is often overwhelming for visitors. In contrast, a typical Chashitsu essentially contains a seating area for guests on tatami mats, a corner where the host makes tea, and an alcove—the only location where two pieces of removable decorations are presented. The host carefully selects a large scroll of hand-drawn calligraphy, and one seasonal flower presented in a minimalistic arrangement. Yet, these two objects suffice to create a mood in an otherwise simple room. The decision to introduce a decoration is also a decision to bring new meaning into a space, and the combination of seasonal flower and handmade scroll provides a sense of human intimacy with nature that is cognizant of the present moment.

Memories and relationships are undoubtedly significant aspects of décor. It’s no surprise, then, that in many homes the memories associated with an ornament or piece of furniture play a major role in whether the host chooses to display it. Furthermore, the power to evoke similar memories in guests makes décor even more meaningful. In the Chashitsu, the calligraphy scroll serves this purpose. More often than not, the phrase on the scroll is a prompt of the past and makes the ceremony itself memorable. The phrase for my most recent tea ceremony translated to, “one time, one meeting,” meant to remind guests of the ephemerality and inimitability of a meeting, which is priceless. Certainly, we can recall particular items exhibited in our own homes that express the bonds that we share with other people.

Though the Chashitsu is a proponent of great minimalism, balance can also surely be achieved even with more décor. Nevertheless, it’s a monument to the power of two decorations, highlighting that décor matters in the sentiments that it induces. Perhaps we need only to reach out an arm’s length to understand that décor matters due to its emotional influence on us. It’s sometimes difficult for me to hold my two opposing views of interior design. One one side, I love the simplicity and minimalism, but I also find southwestern decor to be extremely warm and welcoming. I guess people are complex and there’s no reason to pick sides. But one thing I know for sure, I really love the southwestern runner rugs that my mom bought for me as a housewarming gift.

Southwestern Decorating Tips

That’s the hardest easy question I have been asked. Personally, growing up I wasn’t like most girls. I played sports, I went hunting, I was outdoors more than I was indoors, and wasn’t afraid to get down and dirty. I was the girl that got made fun of and didn’t get invited to little girls’ parties…I was considered one of the guys growing up and still to this day. I love decorating and putting my heart into my room décor for the simple fact that not everyone is going to see it and I can be completely myself with it! I can have my dark grey walls with my deer skulls hanging from the wall with all my horse-back riding medals hanging from them and my riding trophies next to them. In my room, I can have my ‘guy like trophy wall’, a Southwestern ceramic vase on one side and the other an extended closet because like most girls I have a shopping problem.

The best part about my room is that I can be myself in it and be proud of my trophies on the wall that I get to look up at every day! I love looking out my window that’s directly in front of the foot of my bed and getting to see all the family pictures or friend pictures hanging around it. To be reminded of all the memories of those who truly understand me and love me every day is my reminder I am loved for who I am. Those reminders keep me alive every day, they keep me fighting my depression and anxiety. The organization in my room that I keep helps me cope with the hectic life I live. Between having 2 jobs and 4 side jobs, plus being a full-time college student, and the harsh world full of rude people constantly fighting me and pushing me to fail. Its calming to come home and just lay on my floor or bed and look at my room décor and see the memories that my room tells that keeps me fighting. Then there are times where life is getting to be too much, and I need a distraction, so I will go to my room and reorganize it and clean my room and redecorate until I am calm again. I can truly say the décor of my room is why I am still here today.