It has been a rough winter in Santa Barbara. From the Thomas Fire to the mudslides, everything has been turned upside down. We have not had rain since the slide and with warmer than normal temperatures, it certainly doesn’t feel like winter. Although it is only the beginning of February, I was feeling the need for a bit of color and to lighten things up both aesthetically and emotionally.…
Being an optimist doesn’t mean I always think things are rosy. Two weeks of a giant wildfire terrorizing your community and neighboring towns clearly isn’t a good thing. But acknowledging the fear (yes, there was a lot of fear and worry), and then trying not to dwell on something I couldn’t change was a daily struggle. I tried to see the bigger picture. I saw tremendous acts of caring and giving from people just wanting to help. And don’t even…
Growing up, I wasn’t the biggest fan of fall. Oh, I loved the hot apple cider, wearing sweaters and boots, and of course the changing colors of the leaves…but sweaters turn into coats, leaves need to be raked and before you know it, winter is upon you! At the first sight of mums in the grocery store I would be resigned to the fact that summer was truly over. Maybe that’s why I never really caught on to fall decorating…
Summers in New England can be brutally hot and humid, especially in August. I was lucky to experience some beautiful balmy clear days, a little rain, and even a few fall like days. As a child, August was never my favorite month, even with my birthday at the tail end. It signaled the end of carefree summer days and colder weather just around the corner. I can appreciate August and September now. …
By far the question I get asked the most on Instagram, on my blog, and by clients, is “what color white did you use on your walls and trim?!” And not just my home, but my parents home as well. I thought I’d take a moment and go through the white choices and the finishes for The Little Glass House, the Little White Beach Bungalow, and my parents Vermont farmhouse, which still remains nameless!…
I have a confession. I’ve never decorated with blues in my own home. Yes, I’ve used aquas, greens, and a whole lot of white, but not the blues that you typically associate with coastal homes. I’ve certainly used them in other projects but I guess I felt it would be too obvious in a Santa Barbara house.…
So one day I get an e-mail from the homes editor at Coastal Living magazine wondering if I would be interested in being in one of their issues. At first I thought it must be a mistake and how did they even find me? Thank you Instagram! A few months after that first e-mail, on three rare sunny days (it had been a stormy February), Coastal Living came to call at The Little Glass House.…
Recently I was asked by a friend to help her furnish a beach/guest house that her college age daughter and a roommate will be living in. Eventually it will transition to a guest house for overflow family and friends. She has done a magnificent job taking an older quirky home and making it into a bright fresh inviting space that any guest would be thrilled to stay at!…