Joanna Gaines's Method Of Displaying Sentimental Items Is Beautiful And Functional

Prioritizing personal elements in home design projects is trending in a big way, but the concept isn't new to style maven Joanna Gaines. She has been incorporating storytelling and personality into her decorating schemes throughout her career. So when she showed off a vintage bowl full of photos and two baseballs on her Instagram, designers and amateurs alike were inspired to adopt and adapt the aesthetic. If you want to do the same, consider placing sentimental items in a bowl and displaying it in your home.

"What is one item in your space that tells your story?" she asks her fans on Instagram. For many of us, the response to that question may be heavy with dead air. In the recent past, styling trends have been centered on creating clean, organized, neutral, almost sterile spaces. In fact, we may not have much on display in our homes that speaks to who we are. But as Gaines has attested over the years, our homes are a reflection of us; of our history, the history of the place, and the things we love. So why not let a character-driven styling trend inspire us to proudly share a little bit about ourselves in our designs? 

Start by doing a little exploration of the things you love, then pick through some items you have that may represent those loves; gifts, mementos, family photos that add personality to your home, and similar items. Get inspired by the beloved designer and fill a decorative bowl with some of your favorite keepsakes. Intentionality and emotion are key to avoid ending up with what equates to a junk drawer in a bowl.

Rather than just grouping a bunch of random items together, coordinate by theme and then arrange the decor elements with purpose. Do you love games? Fill a wash basin with dice, wood poker chips, and playing cards. Remind yourself of that beach vacation with coral, seashells, and sand arranged in an oversized, blue glass plate. Celebrate your recent city trip with photographs of different destinations, meaningful receipts, and bus tickets inside a bowl you picked up on the trip. If you don't already have a bowl to use, try sourcing it from a thrift store, and keep your theme in mind when choosing the perfect vessel. Place the bowl in an area where one could flip through the items, like on a coffee table or side table.

Joanna Gaines says to focus on creatively curating objects to create your dream home decor scheme. According to the author and master designer, blending vintage, well-loved, and antique home decor pieces with new ones is key to creating a beautiful space. As Gaines says, "Our home is layered with small, personal details, such as family photos, artwork, and objects that speak to places we've been and our favorite memories," (per Livingetc). In her Instagram post, we can see how Gaines executed this philosophy by adding a collection of family photos and baseballs signed by each of her sons when they made a home-run hit to her vintage bowl. As Gaines herself is well known for attesting, the key to making a house feel like home is to fill it with things you love and that have meaningful memories attached to them.