The Whole Tory: Designer Gives “Thanks to the Memories”

 I just finished reading the September issue of O Magazine and must trumpet its brief Q&A with designer Tory Burch.

The stylemaker offers an intriguing list of “bests,” but it is her response to “Best Gift to Myself”—an ongoing letter to her children that she has been writing since their birth—that struck me as an especially good example of personal history. Burch’s lengthy dispatch to her twin boys already has filled the pages of two journals with keepsake recollections and memories. I can think of no more literal interpretation of “the gift that keeps on giving” than honoring and passing down one's history to those who means the most.

Read O’s entire Q&A with Tory Burch and let me know what family heirloom best reflects your history.

Go Postal! Decorating With Vintage Postcards

I love the stories that old postcards tell. Recently I came across a stash of these inspiring cast-offs wasting away in a dusty shoebox (pity, I know). If, like me, you are always on the hunt for cost-effective alternatives to high-priced design for your digs, incorporate this recycled craft into your décor. It’s a quick, thrifty fix and a great way to merge the past with the present. Just make sure there is one overriding theme to eliminate visual chaos (I’m partial to retro travel messengers).

Here, ways to adorn with old postcards on the cheap from some of my go-to resources.

1. Invest in low-cost wall art—HomeLife.com shows you how.

2. No headboard? No problem—source chicer slumber from the creative folks at Sunset Magazine.

3. Make a lovely tabletop collage with DIY tips from Dispatch from L.A.

4. Office lacking panache? Hang a postcard holder. I love this one from Apartment Therapy.

Thornton Editorial Link Love for Apartment Therapy

I have followed Apartment Therapy for years, but with more frequency since I purchased my 1940s-era cottage bungalow last summer—a "project" that reawakened my slumbering interest in interiors and architecture. Many homes featured on AT's daily "Hot House Tour" are period, so naturally, I’m a fan. Currently, I’m loving "Jeremy & Joe's Collections with History" nest—a historic Providence pad filled with a well-curated collection of objects and inheritables.

Take the tour! And, check out AT's Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan's essential decorating tips in the latest issue of House Beautiful.

Happy adorning…