A quiet place to perch.
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With Thanksgiving behind us and the rush of Christmas shopping and preparations ahead, take a little time to find your sanctuary—a little time to find a quiet place to perch.
We gotta step back and chill. Sometimes it means we need to create that special place in our house for just that purpose. I was reminded of this recently while on a trip with Princess Cruises when my sister and I visited The Sanctuary. It was just that: a place to perch for a while, to read, enjoy a healthy fruit drink, or just be still and think.
The Sanctuary reminded me of writing sometime ago about creating a sanctuary or as I like to call it “a quiet place to perch” in our own homes.
Soon after we moved into our current home few years ago I knew I wanted to set up a sitting area in our bedroom. That’s what they’re called you know, “sitting areas,” for sitting. Not standing, or dancing, or exercising. For sitting. A peaceful retreat for reading a book. A comfy spot to talk to my sister on the phone. A quiet place to perch.
I found this chair at a local home furnishings outlet, marked down an additional 40%. The mahogany side table was a steal at $45 found at a yard sale.
chair + side table + lamp = instant sitting area
I think it’s important to have an area in your home (especially if you have young kids) that’s an escape from the hectic, the noise, the screens (and the screams)–the many distractions that surround us everyday, because we all just can’t take off at the drop of a hat for vacation. That would be nice but not a reality for most of us.
Truth be told, I don’t take advantage of our sitting area like I should. A good deal of the time it holds the pillows from our bed, or a pile of whatever waiting to be gone through. But every now and then when things get piled up, not just on the chair but on my mind, the time comes to clear away the clutter and find the sitting place, neaten things up and re-create the escape. It beckons for a visit when it’s clean and neat.
I’d encourage you to find a space for a quiet spot to sit. You don’t have to spend a bunch on a chair. I still use a chair I found at a junk place for $40 years ago in another part of our home. Keep your eyes open for deals. I’ve even been known to use a thin bedspread, creatively pinned and tucked, to cover a chair that doesn’t necessarily match the decor of a room. A side table could easily be a trunk, a stack of old wooden boxes, or even a stool. I think you’ll find a mini respite well worth the investment. Let me know if you have any other creative ideas for creating a sitting area in your home. I’m always looking for new ways to do things.
Will you join me and try to be intentional about taking some time to just be still, quiet, and get away from it all each week? I think we all will be glad if we do. And our minds will thank us.
Updated. This was originally published September 7, 2011.
(Princess Cruises paid for my trip and expenses. As always, all opinions are my own.)
Quiet spots to unwind and relax are essential. Love your chair and especially the table. What a find.
Amy, you really did find the perfect chair from Pottery Barn. Love the feel of your charming “sitting area”.
Looks so comfy 😉
Wow, Amy. This is just beautiful. So happy to see this now as we are just finalizing plans for an addition. I’m thinking I need a little “me” space 🙂
xo
Stephanie
I love your chair! great sitting area. we have one of these areas in our bedroom. it so very nice.
OMG You’re speaking at Blogher Food?! I’m dying to go but we don’t have the funds. I’m also dying to meet you IRL… it’s like I know a celebrity!
I meant that all in past tense, by the way.
It’s late 🙂
We just brought a new baby home April 2nd. We have teenagers(yes, we are nuts)so its been a WHILE since I did the baby thing. I realized about Day 3 of feeding a baby every 4 hours that the bed was really uncomfortable for an old Mama like me(at 39 and pregnant, your Dr reminds you that you are “too old for this’ CONSTANTLY)and there was usually too much noise and traffic in the livingroom,etc..
I had a second hand sofa that I found a great, cream colored slip cover for and viola! I put the Husband and the 17 year old boy to work. I now have a really wonderful sitting area to read, feed the baby and just sit and enjoy her(like I was usually too busy to do with the others b/c I worked then). I didnt spend over $100 dollars for all of it: small sofa, slip cover, side table and reading light(I rehabbed from a thrift store)and a few brightly colored pillows from Target.
I love that concept. Very beautiful!