Beauty in Simplicity

a quick announcement before the main part of my post today:
the homewardFOUND shop makeover is FINALLY happening!
i am so excited to finally get in there to make the changes i've envisioned...

 now... on with todays' post:

this time of year, it seems we all do a bit of cleaning and clearing, 
ready to embrace the simplicity of a blank calendar and clean rooms.

i'd like to share some inspiring 'simple' decor with you, along with a story...
(you're starting to notice that this is a regular thing now, right? ;) ) 

once upon a time, 

there were two incredibly talented men named Joe and Jermonne

who created a look that was all their own...

Barn House style.

when they came on the scene, back in the early 2000's, 
there was no shiplap craze, no galvanized metal repros in every store.
there was no JoJo on HGTV,  no Restoration Hardware as we know it today...
because their designs influenced the market and all who followed.

they hosted a beautiful vintage show on their farm in the Pacific Northwest,

a gathering of great ideas, original style, and a group of fun & talented people
that drove design trends and appeared in magazines everywhere.
i have been inspired by their spirit and their aesthetic for years now, 
and i'm sure you will be as well.

continue reading to see more of their inspiring creativity...


take a look at what their own booth at their show looked like in 2011:

yes, that's a temporary booth in a two day show!
the Boys did nothing halfway, and i learned so much from them...
about shows, about design, about business, and about life.
my booth was right next to them at the show above, and i watched as
a talented photographer captured their booth for a magazine feature. 

their own personal aesthetic in their restored farmhouse 
was as unique and masculine as they are...

feed sack and driftwood as art installations

simple accessories: interesting wood finds heaped in a bowl, and a stack of guest towels

 it was a rustic yet refined style,

a mix of rough farmhouse + worn industrial that felt warm and welcoming.

they filled their home with the beauty that came from simplicity...

soft, natural colors. a mix of textures. streamlined yet detailed vignettes.

a gathering of objects both found and fine that enhanced every corner of their rooms.

an old screen door on the entrance to the laundry room added charm
and that memorable 'SLAM' that we all love...

i was lucky - beyond blessed - to spend time in that lovely home, on their farm,
as a vendor in their vintage show for several years.
[they were also gracious enough to be vendors in my show -
their booth at my show on my farm is shown in the photo of them above]

in the stillness of morning, i snapped the images you see here.

they aren't perfectly staged and styled shots - 

because that's not how 'the Boys' lived.
over the years, other photographers chose to stage and style these interiors for magazines,

yet to me, their own perfected rustic style needed no help at all.
It had depth and heart and soul, all on its own - every day.

isn't that exactly what we ALL want our homes to be?
not perfect, but
simply beautiful...

the Boys sold their farm, relocated to Texas, and are no longer in business.

but that doesn't mean they can't still inspire beautiful decorating... 
and I knew you'd enjoy their wonderful style!