I recently moved into my own house. I've got a lot of rooms to decorate, and plans are underway! Most importantly, I want my home to be a safe, peaceful, comforting and reflective dwelling place. I want each room to be a reminder and a strengthener of my Catholic faith. And just as important, I want my visitors, who will be mostly non-Catholic/nominal Catholic to experience God in a deep, transcending way when they spend time in my home. I want it to be a refuge for both my company and I.

I was wondering if you have any ideas, especially ideas concerning religious art. Also, what should every Catholic have/display in their home?

These are things set in stone so far for my house, though not all of them are up/purchased yet.
-at least one crucifix in every room.
-Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. I can't decide wether to get two seperate pictures, or one with them side by side.
-A big Divine Mercy picture. This will be the centerpiece of my livingroom, and the first thing people will notice as they walk in the door.  
-a large picture of Mary decorated with flowers. I already have this one up. She's hanging in the sitting area in my livingroom where people can't help but look at her. It's the picture that often goes by "Innocence" with her holding baby Jesus and a lamb, with a beautiful flowing white gown. I've embellished it with a generous bouquet of white lillies and daisies with greenery and dangly leaves hanging down. On either side there are decorative candles with ornate golden holders.
-I've plans for a "Last Supper" picture to stretch the length of the table that sits against the wall in the dining area.
-a home altar. It's not up yet, and I need some help with it!
-holy water fonts by each door and by the bed in each bedroom.

What do you all have on your home altar? Should I burn candles at all times? What kind? Where do I get them? Should there be a centerpiece hanging above the altar, like a crucifix? Any special liturgical books I should keep on it?

I'm very much a theme type of person. In other words, what pictures would be fitting for a bathroom, or sitting/reading room, the porch, etc.?

Do you have any unique religious arrangements in your house? Maybe you could tell us, or better yet show us what they look like!

Are there certain seasonal decorations/traditions that should be present?

Anyway, I would much appreciate any ideas. I am super excited about this whole decorating bit, I can hardly contain myself!

While it's good to have publicly visible symbols of the Faith, it seems less advisable to be ostentatious about it, to have it as an overwhelming theme of the house, as though it were more than a house.  Just my two cents.

I've often thought about just that. I don't want it to be an automatic overload the moment people walk in the door. The house has an upstairs and downstairs, so all of those things I mentioned won't be contained in one area. So far, the only thing that might really stand out is the Divine Mercy picture. I'm ok with that, though. I hope the religious decor won't be an overwhelming theme, but it will be the theme for sure.

The home altar will be in my bedroom, I've decided. A discreet, private place. It seemed most fitting for some reason. Maybe with a family down the road it would be in a more public place, I don't know.

My opinion is for you not to be concerned in the least with what people might think - you put up as many (or as few) pictures and statues as you want - the more the better if that is what you want. Lord knows a woman alone these days needs all the help (protection?) she can get - and I do not mean protection just from the outside world!

One piece of advice - whatever pictures or statues you might end up having in your house, have them - AND THE WHOLE HOUSE blessed at your earliest opportunity.

As for candles, 51% beeswax for the altar. Place a crucifix in the center or hang one on the wall above the center of the altar if possible. It does not have to be a great big crucifix either.

I know you are zealous for the Faith, and are in touch with your feminine side when it comes to decorating and making a home a home --

Please don't take this the wrong way, but you sound like you're going to end up over-doing it.

For example, you don't need holy water fonts in every room. The main entrance, maybe.

You don't need to burn candles constantly or anything, unless it's a sanctuary lamp and you have the Real Presence in your home chapel :)

I'm all for having a home chapel, but I think there's a time and a place for everything. Each room should have a crucifix and holy pictures -- really, what else is worthy of being on our walls? -- but only one room should be your *home chapel*

I mean, your whole life should be Catholic -- I'm one of the largest proponents of Integral or "Monday thru Friday" Catholicism -- but a Bible belongs in your living room or bedroom, not your kitchen. You don't need a Bible in the kitchen. You are cooking there, not reading Scripture. Understand what I'm getting at?

If your house looks like you not only work for Autom, but they give you a 90% discount as well, then you probably are going too far :)

Good order in everything; a place for everything, and everything in its place. A time to read, a time to sleep, a time to eat, a time to work, a time to pray.

My opinion is for you not to be concerned in the least with what people might think - you put up as many (or as few) pictures and statues as you want - the more the better if that is what you want. Lord knows a woman alone these days needs all the help (protection?) she can get - and I do not mean protection just from the outside world!

One piece of advice - whatever pictures or statues you might end up having in your house, have them - AND THE WHOLE HOUSE blessed at your earliest opportunity.

As for candles, 51% beeswax for the altar. Place a crucifix in the center or hang one on the wall above the center of the altar if possible. It does not have to be a great big crucifix either.

Something else to do............on the back of your pictures and on the bottom of your statues, put the date and the priest's name in permanent marker that blessed them.

This is an interesting topic.  I do believe that a beautiful, tidy, and comfortable home  conforms to Catholic values.  And whatever devotional tools you need are what you need.  

Some people only need 1 crucifix.  Some may need 1 in each room.  It depends on the family.  Some need pictures around the home and some don't.  It's not necessary to display Catholic items to convince others of your sincerity.  

A family altar is non-negotiable.  However it can be ornate or simple depending on your spiritual needs and aesthetic tastes.  Compare a Spanish cathedral to a Franciscan monastery--very different but altogether an expression of Catholic faith.

At least one image (portrait or statue) of the Blessed Virgin Mary should be prominently displayed somewhere in the central part of the home.  It doesn't have to be huge but do try to select classic and tasteful representations.

You cannot go wrong with Our Lady of Guadalupe because God Himself painted her portrait!

Have your items blessed by a good priest.

One exception to what was said about kitchens.....if this has been an area of the home where tension or fighting has taken place then perhaps a blessed holy object should be displayed.  But I agree not a Bible because it could get soiled.

You are on the right track.  Keep up the good fight!!!!!!!!!

PS--satan will not like you doing this so be warned that you might get some blowback.

Fanatical is decorating your entire home in blue because "it's Our Lady's color."  

I appreciate the input, everyone.

Stubborn, I love the idea of putting the priests name and date on all of my sacramentals that have been blessed. I had not heard of that before, but now that I have I would like to do it from now on.

I feel like I may have given the wrong impression, though, which is my fault for not explaining enough. I don't want every room in my house to be loaded down with pictures and sacramentals. I simply want the right ones, and the important ones. Religious decorations aren't going to be the only decorations in my house. I have quite a few non-religious ones up already. I simply asked for advice on Catholic decorations, because that's what I need help with. I'm a minimalist. I like things simple, and I don't keep anything around the house that doesn't have some purpose or meaning. I don't want random religious things up, as pretty as they may be, just to have them up.

As far as rooms like the kitchen, bathroom, porch, etc, I don't imagine putting up much too much religious decor. Just enough to remind me as I'm walking through. I guess what I was getting at would be something like... if there was one religious item that you would place in your kitchen, what would it be? If there was one religious item you would place on the porch, what would it be?

I agree that too much would be overwhelming to people that walk in the door, especially if they are non-catholic. However, there are certain things that people may just have to be uncomfortable with. As Stubborn said, and he was right about my case, I need all the protection and safeguards I can get, being a single woman. So far, everyone that has visited has remarked on how nice the livingroom looks. The livingroom has and will have by far the largest amount of Catholic decorations. I don't think I've put anyone off yet... hopefully!

Having holy water fonts in each bedroom probably comes from my own personal experiences. During my conversion process, I would suffer from absolutely frightening night terrors. I don't want to go into details here, but demonic activity seemed to be outwardly present during that time, especially during the night. A friend perscribed holy water to me, and it took care of it instantly. The reason I want holy water at each door is because I want that extra safeguard that I am leaving behind anything bad that was heaped on me by the world before coming back into my home. Also, every time I use holy water, I make the sign of the cross, which is a powerful and effective demonic detterent. But maybe I am going overboard with the holy water fonts. I will keep considering it.

I appreciate your words of caution about not going overboard, and I will definately keep that in mind as I continue the move in process! Again, thanks to everyone for their input. :)