My home is my sanctuary… a place where time slows down, where history breathes softly through polished wood, and where light plays across memories like poetry.
When you move into a new house, it takes a little while to find its heartbeat. But slowly, as the light shifts through the windows and your most cherished things settle into place, tiny sacred pockets begin to form. Today, I wanted to invite you into two of my absolute favourite corners.
The Quiet Reflection Corner
Actually it’s not a corner, is a small hall way, between my bedroom and my creative room – there stands a small cherry wood table. It is 72 years old, meticulously oiled into a rich, deep reddish mahogany warmth that feels grounded and full of story. Sitting upon it is a collection of things that feed my spirit every day.
First, those delicate, snowy white blossoms resting in the cut-crystal vase. Do you know what these little beauties are? They are Paperwhites (a variety of wild winter-blooming jonquil). They pop up effortlessly in the chilly winter soil without ever being planted—wild, unbidden gifts from nature. Their perfume is intoxicating and so sweetly potent that many people find it almost too intense for indoors. But for me? It smells like absolute heaven, filling the room with the pure, crisp essence of winter warmth.
Beside the vase sits a hand-blended candle made with essential oils I mixed myself, casting a soft, flickering glow. Next to it lies Twenty Reasons to Believe by local Perth author Kelley Chisholm—a deeply moving, inspiring book that reminds me of humanity’s beautiful capacity for hope.
And resting right above it all is an original piece of Indigenous art titled Dancing with the Spirits; (it will be hanged on the wall, eventually, I just moved in…). When the morning sun breaks through the glass door, the golden light strikes the canvas and transforms the picture into something ethereal and utterly surreal. It’s my favourite spot to stop, breathe, and just be.
The Soulful Keys
Then, there is my second favourite corner: my 1929 German piano, crafted by Wilhelm Haller in Berlin.
Despite nearly a century of life, it is still ticking along, full of rich, vintage character. Sitting at the bench, letting my fingers wander across those antique keys is pure magic… even if my playing serves mostly to make my dog look at me with absolute confusion (or maybe it’s just my questionable musical skills keeping us both entertained!).
There is something deeply romantic about filling a new home with old melodies, allowing a 97-year-old instrument to breathe life and light into these quiet walls.
What about you? Do you have a corner in your home that feels like a warm embrace the moment you look at it? Share here!!
