I looked up the quote I recalled as similar to a recent comment of yours, Maeve. You probably know it already, because you so nearly expressed it the same way. From one of my heroes, William Morris:

"If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."

He also said:

"Simplicity of life, even the barest, is not a misery, but the very foundation of refinement; a sanded floor and whitewashed walls and the green trees, and flowery meads, and living waters outside."

May blessings abound.