Make Yourself at Home: A Guide to Decorating with Heirlooms and Antiques That Tell Stories

Pull your antiques and heirlooms out of the attic, the basement, or storage boxes and let them lift your spirit every day.

Make Yourself at Home is a guide to decorating with antiques and family heirlooms, not as mere objects but as storytellers, as vessels that breathe life into our living spaces. In Chelsey Brown’s newest book, we learn how to revive the lost art of creating homes that resonate with the lives they shelter, not by imitating the latest trends, but by embracing the unique stories of the people who dwell within.

Embrace the family treasures, antiques, and vintage pieces that possess an undeniable charm to enhance and create character within any contemporary design. Picture a vintage gramophone displaying proudly amidst sleek, contemporary furniture, or an intricately embroidered quilt adorning a minimalist bedroom. The fusion of old and new creates a drool-worthy juxtaposition, infusing spaces with character and charm that just makes you feel ＂at home.＂

Heirlooms and antiques are our time capsules into the past, and pieces that visually and emotionally stand the test of time. Whether it’s your grandmother’s diary, the silver pocket watch, or that thrifted armoire that didn’t even get passed down within your own family, these items bear witness to the lives (and loves) that came before us.

In her conversational, chatty style, Chelsey Brown advocates resisting the temptation to discard these sentimental pieces and instead embracing the emotional ties and historical narratives they represent. By valuing and preserving heirlooms and antiques, we not only ensure that their stories endure, but we create homes that tell a story of those who live inside. We’re designing unique spaces where you feel something and don’t just look like every other home you see on social media.

Author and TV personality Chelsey Brown started her award-winning blog, City Chic Decor, when she realized how little information there was about decorating and designing rented spaces. Chelsey is the author of two previous books, Rental Style (spring 2020) and Shut the Front Door (fall 2023). Chelsey and her work have been featured in print magazines and other outlets, including Today, the New York Post, CBS, ABC, NBC, BBC, Architectural Digest, Domino, MyDomaine, Apartment Therapy, and more. Her sense of humor and unique spin on interiors makes her a powerhouse figure in the world of decorating.