For those of you who follow me, you know I moved to California from a traditional home in New England… a 1917 stone and stucco Connecticut cottage to be exact. I grew up in older homes with lots of character and even lived in a historic brownstone building in NYC when I was first married. “Modern” just wasn’t part of my vocabulary. When we decided to buy a house in Santa Barbara, I was at first drawn to the older Spanish homes that…
I’m not a floral designer and I wouldn’t exactly say I have a green thumb, but I love the beauty that plants and flowers bring to a space whether it’s the kitchen, living room, or even the bathroom. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a house full of blooms. I gather mine from my local grocery store, the Farmer’s Market, Home Depot, my backyard, and in one instance, the Internet.…
I love a good vignette. Simply put by Australian NZ House & Garden writer Janet Dunn, “In the world of interior design, a vignette is a small, pleasing picture formed by grouping several objects…an arrangement that tells a story about you and your home.” A good vignette leaves you wanting to see more. It can be made up of collections, vacation finds, flea market treasures or family heirlooms curated over time. A vignette can be outdoors, on shelves, mantels, or tabletops. As a dear friend…
My mom and I both share a passion for decorating. Over the years and through many different homes, we have collaborated our ideas. When we visit each other we invariably take on some decorating projects in our respective homes. Last year, we revamped the cottage’s living room and rehung the gallery wall. This year we edited the master bedroom and added some touches of blue and so on.…
As I was doing some New Years purging of my desk, I came across the real estate brochure from our previous home in Westport, Connecticut. I hadn’t looked at it in some time and so with fresh eyes I studied the pictures of the home that we had lived in for twenty years. I only wish I had some of the before photos- they are probably buried somewhere in the garage in our old photo albums.…
Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love a good decorating book (magazines too, but that’s for another blog post). Books make great gifts for anyone who loves interiors and home design. The problem is, everyone is afraid to buy them for me because they think I may already have it. Chances are they’re right. While I’m buying the newest design books as a gift for family and friends, I may or may not buy them as a gift for myself too……
I still love Christmas as much as I did as a child. I love the way it smells of cookies and pine needles. I love the taste of eggnog and wassail (and of course the cookies too). I love the sparkle and magic of the decorations. I love the carols and music, which I start playing the day after Thanksgiving. I love our Christmas traditions and starting new ones here in California. But most of all, I love spending time…
I’ll admit it. I have an addiction…to pillows. I’ve learned through Instagram and Pinterest that I am not alone in my pillow hoarding. You know who you are. I fall in love with pillows, like most girls fall in love with shoes or jewelry. Here’s the rub, I buy them without even knowing where in our home they are going to go! I have pillow covers stacked in closets and drawers- and don’t get me started on the down inserts!…