Treasure Hill Cottage

Living out in the countryside brings you to a harmonious peace with nature. A city girl most of my life, my husband and I retired to the outskirts of Knoxville, Tennessee. We wanted to escape the traffic and the pollution that accompanies it, the racing noises and the, as we call it, concrete jungle. Far away from everything we’d ever known, we made a tiny, yet cozy, home for ourselves.

My favorite aspect of our roost is the elongated, wraparound porch that stretches from our red front door to the sunroom located around back. At dusk we rest in our patio furniture out back and sip red wine as we discuss our post-retirement goals in life. And as we relax I can hear the gentle tweets of local birds as they snack on their dinner from our Victorian birdhouse. Life is good!

People who decorate their homes in ultra modern designs make me cringe. There’s nothing appealing about primary-colored tones used to accent large geometric shapes – and to call any of this art is just wrong. Not to mention that the furniture and fixtures that accompany this genre are flat out repulsive. There’s nothing warm or inviting about short-legged, wide-spread coffee tables or a want-to-be chandelier composed of a single stainless-steel beam and a light bulb.

The way a living space is decorated says a lot about the person who dwells there. And the last thing I want my home to say is frigid, dull and tasteless. I prefer to embrace a variety of styles and cultures in my home décor. One of my favorites is British Colonial décor because it’s easy to find and offers a sophisticated, yet rustic, appearance. Every room in my home is equally intriguing as it is inviting, and that’s the way I like it!