On making a home: a few questions

"It seems to me that, whether it is recognized or not, there is terrific frustration which increases in intensity and harmfulness as time goes on, when people are always daydreaming of the kind of place in which they would like to live, yet never making the place where they do live into anything artistically satisfying to them." -Edith Schaeffer

Lately I've been in a bit of a quandary about my decorating style. Not that I don't like what I have; it's been so fun collecting things slowly. Everything has a story and a process of how it got here. It's not all coordinated but if it feels cohesive enough, (or of it's a couch that paid less then $10 for!) I can easily forgive it for not being perfect. My quandary comes in that lately I've start to think that maybe being a good and responsible wife actually means investing in some things of value - rather then always buying the biggest score at the next auction.

Living a Beautiful Life by Alexandra Stoddard is one of my favorite books. I found it when I was much younger, still living in my mother's house, and I didn't realize how much it has influenced me until I picked it up again in the past few days.
Either that woman is reading my mind or else she has greatly impacted the way that I think.  
She's an interior designer, and though the concepts she presents are timeless, the book itself is a bit dated. Even so, as the title suggests, it's full of warm thoughts and ideas about making a home and living well. Special soaps, good towels, engaging the senses in the tasks and rituals of daily living is what she's all about.

"I've become convinced that only by paying careful attention to the simple details of daily tasks and to our immediate surroundings can we live vitally and beautifully all the days of our lives." 

This is the very core of what I believe! It thrills me and sets me glowing with purpose ...while at the very same time I've realized it's the very thing that can be completely paralyzing.
This means every single detail of every daily task that I do is monumentally important. Taking out the trash is not just taking out the trash, the task must be completed with scented bags and a proper container chosen specifically for it's pleasing aesthetic.

 Edith Schaeffer brings a wonderful balance to this concept in "The Hidden Art of Homemaking" - which is, I think, the best book ever written on creating a home. There are so many wonderful quotes and things I could say about this book!
("Ugh read it! I know you'll love it!" My brain still works in quotes from the movie You've Got Mail).
She has a compelling way of suggesting that you can create a beautiful life virtually out of nothing.

"Express yourself not only in selecting things to buy, not only in your choice from many things displayed in a store, but also what you can produce yourself, with some degree of originality, craftsmanship or artistic creativity." 

She even adds that keeping waste out of landfills would be one of many good reasons to rescue things from being tossed out and instead "turning them into an object that has purpose and charm in your home."

 She is so encouraging, no matter what your life situation; single, married, mansion, a one-room cave in the rocks or a different hotel every night, making the place where you lay your head at night functional and beautiful is one of the most important pursuits you can accomplish!

I love having an entire house to decorate and fill with found treasures, but it was really so simple when all i had was a few boxes stashed in the back of my jeep that went everywhere with me.
Recently after ordering -and paying full price! - for some window treatments I didn't like, I am becoming more happy with what I've been using as an excuse for curtains, which is mostly old linens, burlap bags, and some my mom and a sweet neighbor gave me. But does that mean I should keep limping along with my old yard sale coffee pot or should i invest in the one i really want? Wait, I already know the answer to this one! Few things are more important than really good coffee. There is probably no other ritual done with greater frequency in this house; it should certainly be done well!

Clarita wrote an inspiring and beautiful post on "Making a 5-Star Bed" that has me convinced of the absolute necessity of 1000-thread count sheets, but there are a few other decisions that aren't quite as easy.  

Since we've established that the smallest details are what make up the whole of a life well lived, how do you decide which are most important to focus on, and spend money on? Which details do you make do or "make from nothing"?
How do you decide what is essential to invest in for the home that God has given you? (I'm so glad we can go to Him for wisdom on these things.)

I will probably calm down soon and just go gather a bunch of lavender to keep on my bathroom sink but I'd love to hear some thoughts on this subject. I always have an opinion about this sort of thing and I'm pretty sure you do to.
Do I really need to not rest until I've installed a proper trashcan?