My non-professional approach to interior design and decorating is to keep it simple – white walls, clean lines, and no clutter (the hard part!). In fact, my favorite color palette is white, black, and grey, with a few colorful accents. Some people find such a design approach too cold, too plain, and sterile; I find it calming. I look at it simply as a blank canvas on which my personal style (in furniture, art work, unique collectables or even antiques) can take center stage. Where your design comfort lands on that line between “cold, plain, and sterile” on one end of the spectrum and “cluttered and chaotic” on the other end will depend on what is added, where and how it is implemented, and to what extent it is applied. The key is to find that point along the line that makes you feel the most comfortable in your space . . . there is no one solution that fits all – nor should there be!

The use of paint and colorful artwork, of course, are most often the means by which we enliven our living spaces; the display of colorful hand-blown glass shown here is another approach. Such a mobile collection allows for the removal or addition of items, which can result in a changed look with minimal effort. Most of the glass bowls, vases, and decanters in these displays were created by the Blenko Glass Company, which began its handicraft of hand blown glass in 1893. For more information on Blenko, check out The Blenko Glass Company.