Revealing Redesign on HGTV.com!

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It has been looking and feeling a lot like Christmas around here, and I have some exciting news to share! HGTV.com was looking for mantel designs featuring interest and beauty that would last through the whole winter season, not just the holidays. I am proud to announce that HGTV has featured my design, and you can read the whole article here!

Have you started thinking about how you want to decorate for the holidays? I am looking forward to helping clients create a comfortable and beautiful setting for all of their get-togethers and quiet nights at home.  It is fun to help them re-think the decorations they may have had for years, and use them in new ways, as well as bring fresh greens and fresh ideas in to make the most of their homes.  I have some big plans for my own house too, since we are hosting Christmas dinner for our whole family.

In the weeks to come, I will be sure to share some photos--it is always fun to take a peek at how others decorate, and get some new ideas for your own four walls. Be sure to visit the HGTV article for even more inspiration!

I don't know about you, but I can't wait for the smell of fresh pine, the twinkle of the lights, and the excuse to eat more chocolate.

And if you want some help creating the right mood, just drop us a line, and you'll be well on your way to a peaceful, beautiful home for the holidays!

What Are Your Intentions?

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Over the summer, we had the wonderful opportunity to visit Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home, a 5000 acre plantation in Charlottesville, VA. Our family had been there once before, and couldn't wait to go back and share the experience with our cousins!

It is amazing to see all of the incredible attention to detail that Jefferson put into everything that he did. With clear thought and careful planning, he created a stunning, remarkable place where beauty and design perfectly intersect with function and purpose.

How about in your own house? I know that you and I don't live in a home as grand, but nonetheless, it is no less important that we "start where we want to end up" with our houses and all the spaces within them.  What are your intentions for each room? What do you want them to do for you? Have you thought about it? Named it?

If you are frustrated with a room, it could be that what you want it to be and do is totally different than what it is currently...like a laundry room that has become a catch-all and now has sports equipment at your feet as you try to put a load of wash in.  Or a master bedroom that you wish was your retreat, and yet you have a pile of papers you have been meaning to go through on the nightstand....

hmmm.

After our visit to Monticello, I came away with an even deeper appreciation for the importance of being intentional with a home's spaces. Jefferson was masterful at this, and we are still admiring the results 200+ years later.

I don't know that it was his intention that the verdant expanse of green just outside would be used for getting one's wiggles out after having to be quiet and patient on a long tour of the house....

but it works really well for that.... in addition to whatever he had put it there for.

Now, Henry, our intention is to get a picture of you. Smile!

Thank you, Emily, for your wonderful pictures of our day at Monticello.

A Saturday Drive

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You know, sometimes you just have to get out of Dodge--even if it is only  for a few hours and not all that far from your own town. Getting out of the house and seeing different surroundings can be so refreshing.

And there is nothing like taking a stroll out in the fresh air with one of your favorite people in the world.

Even in the early days when it was just the two of us, my husband and I would  jump in the car and drive somewhere out in the country. My husband likes to explore old railroad grades and towns, and maybe ride a tourist railroad....

And I, of course, love the buildings and the HOUSES!

I always have a soft spot in my heart for the ones that seem a little lost and forlorn. In our family it is known as a house that "needs a friend."....Boy, wonder who would want to do that?!? OOH, just give me a chance!

The shadows are growing long, and we drive back home tired and happy....

and look forward to our next adventure.

The Reluctant Hostess

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Yep. That's me. It is sad to admit, but lately I have noticed a total lack of enthusiasm on my part for hosting get-togethers. Strange, since I used to love it!  I used to view it as a chance to use a little creativity and set the stage for a terrific event.

Seems the weather today is in keeping with this post. Want to come over tonight for a glass of wine on the deck?

Here are some more inviting settings... this one is perfect for the Mother's Day Dinner I host annually.

On a beautiful Fall afternoon outside...this one would be great:

What would make the PERFECT party?!?  I know that I am not the only one that gets hung up on that P word when having people over. I would have no problem getting the room beautiful and setting the mood, but can YOU bring the food?

I was reminded earlier today that extending oneself through hospitality is about CONNECTION not perfection. I stumbled across a blog post about the book The Reluctant Entertainer by Sandy Coughlin.  Kristin over at We are THAT Family reviewed the 10 Commandments of Hospitality as outlined by Ms. Coughlin, and I wanted to share the ones that I found most meaningful....and the ones I need to remember as the holidays approach.

Commandment 1

Hospitality is not about you. It’s about making others feel warm and welcome.

Commandment 4

Avoid perfectionism. Put fear aside-it’s a robber of anything good.

Commandment 8

Be creative. Use what you have. Keep things simple.

Commandment 10

Life impact is everything. Experience intimacy and meaning in sharing a meal and gleaning from other’s lives.

Here's to the season ahead with all of its beauty and the many chances to be with the ones we care most about. May we all open our homes and hearts and bravely engage in hospitality, always remembering to keep things simple and meaningful as a gift to ourselves and those we love.