Emerson once advised: “Pictures should not be too picturesque,” and I think advice that sound could be applied to all areas of life. Think “Tammy Faye Baker.” I’ve finally grown up enough to wear less makeup, a lighter tan…and to know that not every piece in my home has to be the “statement piece.” Too picturesque. Current trends give us housewives the chance to throw about anything we love into a room, and, surveying it for what Diana Fox calls “dustworthiness,” weed out the junk. It’s made decorating harder than ever. In fact, it’s made some people a little crazy. Case in point—while shopping a popular discount store’s website, I was asked to select a label for my own personal style. One of the selections was URBAN FARM. Urban farm? Emerson would choke on that image: Goats on my rooftop skyrise, chickens on my terrace? I had to click the link, just to see. Maybe I am a city girl in overalls at heart. Nearly every piece was “busy,” and a roomful of Urban Farm would be disastrous. I do want fresh style in my home, but I also want items that will transcend time and place, a label I have personally dubbed “Suburban Charm” as an alternative to the farm idea. Recently Diana opened her magical book of goodies at Bliss Home to show me the perfect alternative to gimmick style. No one knows better than Scott, Lisa, and their team at Bliss how to pull off a stylish look without wasting money on something rickety or tacky. As she normally does, Diana placed into my repertoire a piece that will travel to most rooms and stay a very long time in my charmed collection. In fact, there is no online retailer or local store I have found who can offer this look and quality, and I have looked…. (I am a careful curator of good stuff.)

This sturdy piece is functional, authentic, and stylish—and will slide into any room without taking center stage, leaving me more room to exhibit my shiny goodies. Best of all, it’s not a pocketbook thief, so I’ll still have some money to buy seeds and cultivate a small garden in my huge backyard, suburban-charm-style! I know Emerson would approve.
Contributor: Tina Ensley




















