Gone are the days where the dream was to live in a Pottery Barn catalog. For me, the days have passed where I even value having 6 matching chairs around my kitchen table. Instead of having the perfect house, I want to have a house filled with warmth and meaning. And the brilliant thing is? It generally costs less to live and decorate that way.

5 easy ways to fill your home with meaning:

Be like Jules from Pancakes and French Fries and follow the William Morris rule. He once said, “If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”
Take note of your favorite stores, your style is likely influenced by them anyway. Why not take a look at some of their design elements next time you are shopping and incorporate them into your home. I noticed that my house looks a lot like Madewell, although it has been completely unintentional. (A lot of white, wood, navy, and brass!)
Use family images wherever possible. You can make a huge print for as little as $3.29!
Fill your walls with lyrics to hymns or songs that have particular meaning in your life. My oldest son Noah has always particularly LOVED “In Christ Alone” and Lindsay Sherbondy from Lindsay Letters makes this insanely beautiful canvas with a portion of the song. It’s huge and beautiful–and also, it comes in tons of colors so you can tailor it to your taste.
When you travel, bring home art, bits of nature, or sculptural pieces as souvenirs. Instead of grabbing a stupid t-shirt in the airport, pick up a beautiful bowl or wall-hanging at a local market or boutique. I will even bring home shells or rocks that I’m drawn to. I have a variety of jars full of sand, water, and pebbles from different trips.