{Giveaway is Closed}
What makes a house truly a home?
It’s not always buying the latest trend or popular things of the moment, decorating a home merely to make it beautiful. But more so, it’s surrounding yourself with the things that make you and your family feel comfortable, loved and special. We all have those fond memories and family treasures that we want to surround ourselves with.
If you enjoy family photographs, heirlooms, and having special things around your home that express who you and your family are, you’ll enjoy this book.
Written by Monica Rich Kosann, it’s a beautiful book filled with treasured memories of her spaces, as well as many of her clients. Monica is a nationally recognized fine-art portrait photographer who has worked with many prestigious families and celebrities, as well as a designer of jewelry and home accessories. Her work has been profiled extensively in national print, such as Town & Country and Elle Decor, as well as television media.
Photos from Monica’s website, Fine Art of Family. Monica believes that we should all live with what we love and find ways to incorporate those things into our daily fabric of life. I couldn’t agree more. 
{Photo: Monica Rich Kosann}
Instead of hiding away the family photos, Monica has clever ideas for displaying them stylishly and showing them off to visitors, without having them in the way. I love her ideas on grouping silver frames with cherished family photos. 
I too, love to display family photos. We have them sprinkled around the house, from the master bedroom, to the living room, my office and my husband’s office, with our family members displayed and enjoyed every day.
Monica also believes in living with and loving collections by displaying them in an artful manner to enjoy every single day. I couldn’t agree more. I enjoy my plate and dish collection grouped on a wall or on the sideboard. That’s living with what you love. 
Insulators grouped together make a collection in that beautiful shade of turquoise.
Did you know that 3 or more of something is a collection? Begin with a few and build from there. So what is it that catches your eye? Collect it and have fun displaying that collection. 
Pretty books grouped together can be enjoyed as beauty or literature. 
A basket of shells and driftwood captures memories from our visit to the beach one summer. Priceless and sweet memories of walking on the beach, picking up every one of these salty treasures.
Monica sent me my very own copy to treasure and she has generously offered to give a book to my readers too ($30 value), so if you’d like a copy for yourself, just leave a comment on this post, telling me what your favorite treasured collection for your home might be.
What is that special thing that you love and are living with too? Cherished family heirlooms, family photos, or pieces that you have collected yourself?
Are you living with what you love? I hope you are!
{Giveaway will be open until Saturday evening.}
I am starting a bottle collection. So far I have an old large French wine bottle (a splurge but I love it) and a couple of handmade bottles. I would LOVE to add a seltzer bottle but they have been way too pricey so I will just have to keep on looking (—not much of a chore for someone like me and a reason to shop all the flea places!) I love your blue collection on the mantel–who couldn’t love that spark of color!
My favorite collection that I have started is my patch/pin collection. Whenever I go to a new place a get a patch or pin and display it in my home.
We love family pictures on display everywhere. We have been married for only three years and have a one year old son, so wedding pictures, baby pictures, hiking pictures, and everything in between!
I have a wonderful collection of cookbooks. I also collect Dept. 56 Snow Babies.
I have a collection of souvenirs and photos from a trip I took to China with my father.
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I have several collections (dishes, Christmas carolers, old family photos, books), which I love, but 2 of my favorite collectibles are things that I inherited. I have several Lladro figurines, which I inherited from my mom. The porcelain is so beautifully crafted; and I just love the colors and the flowers! Perhaps even more special, though, is a Russian samovar (a metal urn, used to heat water, for tea), which belonged to my father’s great aunt. My family came to the US from Russia in the early 1900’s. They were peasants, so they had very little in the way of material goods; but most families came with a trunk, which they filled with the things they would need the most. A samovar was a highly prized possession. I always imagine the samovars, probably wrapped in blankets or clothing, then placed carefully in the trunks, where they would be safe. My samovar is a small brass one, with a rooster-shaped spigot, to dispense the hot water. Whenever I see it, I am reminded of the journeys of my ancestors, the losses and hardships they faced and the courage they demonstrated in coming to a new land. It reminds me that I am strong enough to face and meet the challenges of my life! I have been updating my house (my mom’s decor, from the ’70’s) so my samovar has been put away for awhile, but your blog and others like it are motivating me to begin living with the things I love, once again! Thank you for inspiring me!
My favorite collection is my cookbooks. Couldn’t live without them!
I would love this book to add to my collection! My fave collection in my home would have to be…..my roosters and my empty picture frames. Stop on over if ya get a chance Rhoda! I have a book giveaway you may just love as well! I am giving away How To Create The French look by Annie Sloan. Have a great weekend!:)
My great Aunt Frances in Greensboro, NC always displayed her collections-and to this day I love doing the same! Her home seemed cluttered to most people, but to me -a treasure trove of all things family and all the things that she loved the most. I would love a copy of this book-it just screams ME; and my husband would finally see that YES, there are people out there like me.
How Nice! Thanks. I have a few treasured collections, but one very cool set comes to mind. I have portraits of three of my children’s great grandmas (so, my husband’s and my grandmas) in very similar postions and dress and age, taken in the 20s, and framed beautifully. We cherish them!
My collection has become black and white photography of family. We have a wall of old black and white when you enter our front door. It keeps growing.
I think my favourite of all my little collections would be my old cameras. I’d love to get some real antiques in there. Some day I hope to find a great glass front cabinet, and build a natural history collection, like the Victorians did, instead of having rocks and feathers scattered all over.
I have several collections, but my favorite, most cherished are my antique linens that belonged to my great, great maternal grandmother. Would love to win this book!
I try to only use things I love in my home. I love family photos. I have been collecting ironstone, some milkglass and other older white/cream dishes for a couple of years now and love them spread throughout my home. And of course in the summer I have lots of shells from beach trips through the years. 🙂
I am a avid collector and I love to display as much as possible. I do rotate things with the season. To name a few, I collect Madame Alexander dolls, family photos, sea shells, heart shaped rocks (my grandson & I go on adventures to find them), Wallace Silver Bells for each anniversary, Christmas ornaments from our travels and also watercolors from our travels, angels, Hummel figurines that include a dolly, wooden potato mashers, … I could go on & on& on. I am very sentimental.
Hi! I just landed here via Twitter and I’m so happy to have found you! I’ve recently become a Southerner (ATL) so I’m looking forward to see what I can learn. 🙂 I collect a lot of things but my favorite has to be art. I try to pick up a piece – high and low – from all my travels.
The only collection I have are my Christmas ornaments from every vacation we have had. I have family photos plastered every where though!
elkmeese at yahoo dot com
I live with all sorts of collections that I love……my 1930’s grater set from my grandmother; antique clocks from my great-uncle, uncle, aunt and father-in-law; Christmas ornaments from the early 1940’s and 1950’s; and a large collection of cookbooks……
Sounds like a great book. Thank you for the chance to win!
Starting ‘real life’ next year after grad school and travelling through 50 countries. This would really help me!
Thanks for the chance to win!!