a confession and a correction

I was wandering through the creation story this morning and saw this verse.

And in the ground, the Lord made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. (Genesis 2:9)

Pleasant to the sight? It caught me in the heart and I had to blink back tears. I love to see and make and hold and enjoy beautiful things. Sometimes I feel guilty about this. Or, if not guilty, just like it's an extra, unimportant thing to be easily dropped when more important things come along.

I've long loved this quote--

Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. (British craftsman and poet William Morris, 1800s)

--but haven't known how to reconcile it with the spiritual side of things, thoughts on simplicity, etc. I tend to believe that prettiness is superfluous. It's a gift to know that God--on purpose--made his garden a delight to the eyes.