Beautiful, functional

"If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." said William Morris, designer, writer and artist from the late 19th Century. His words are still relevant today, perhaps more so as everything seems to be immediate, disposable and ephemeral.

I thought of William's words the other day having spent much of my Christmas break prowling the house trying to bring some order and tidiness to the mess that seems to constantly appear while I am away at work....one of my irritations now that I no longer live alone. I am I think, a bit of a neat freak, while those with whom I share the house, notably daughter and her Dad, seem to be happy with accumulated detritus covering benches, chairs and floors.

This sweet picture found on Facebook from @MyFrenchCountryHome elicited a sigh from me...I love the order it shows - that the items displayed have both beauty and functionality, that fresh food can be displayed for use (without the cat wanting to jump up and lick them!) I think though, what I enjoy most is the sense of history the items have. The green patterned soup tureen from a day when serving home made soup at the table was both common and a demonstration of foodie craft. I dont have a soup tureen. I have made soup and it was good, but ladelled out directly from pot to bowl.

Do you think the eggs came straight from the yard? I would like to think so, though today the warnings of not keeping eggs cool for risk of salmonella probably renders this items sadly redundant in a 'modern' kitchen.

This is a sweet kitchen. It oozes home rather than house. I seem to have spent the last ten or so years of my life trying to make a home out of inumerable houses and mostly failed. I have been transient in a way that leaves one unfulfilled where as travelling, being in transit, is something that grips me and drags me forward...I am thinking that I am still searching for the right place to be 'home'. I have an inkling of where this is and I am journeying there. This blog, in so many ways is the story of that journey.