Pottery Barn Dreams

I remember the first time I received a Pottery Barn catalog. It was the Christmas 2003 catalog. I know this because I still have it. When I opened the pages for the first time, I nearly swooned. It was warm, it was comfortable-looking, it was beautiful. I loved everything in there. I wanted to go broke decorating my house with every little item. And I still feel that way every time I look at it...except the going broke part, we're already there...and, without one item of PB furniture.

I believe that it is very hard to find what your true style is. You can look at home magazines and like one style and you can window shop at furniture stores and admire a few of the items. But, it's when you walk into a room, be it literally (in a store) or figuratively (in the pages of a catalog) and what you see takes your breath away and simultaneously makes you feel all warm and fuzzy...you've found your style. So, as cliche as it may sound to some of the more eclectic or traditional decorators, Pottery Barn is my style.

Since that Christmas 2003 catalog, I have tried to receive as many of their regular catalogs as possible. Hey, they're free. And I have to say that my level of infatuation for their products has had ups and downs. I still love the warm colors of the fall and winter lines, but find myself picking and choosing from the spring and summer items. While I love bright colors, I prefer them as accents, not main designs. But, no matter the season, I can always pull out the PB catalog and feel my heart melt looking at my comfy, cozy ideal living room, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. I think it's the clean, uncluttered spaces and fun designs that capture my heart and hold my attention. Maybe one day, I will be able to afford to leaf through each page and order to my heart's desire. Or maybe, I'll have to content myself to poring over each new catalog and at least match the wall colors the best I can and taking joy in a freshly painted room that mimics the ideal. Oh, to dream of clean rooms, beautifully decorated and wonderfully organized.