Talk about amazing… Recently I had the pleasure of meeting a very talented woman with a remarkable home. Miss Kandi has a fantastic eye, not just for decorating, but the architectural details as well. Between her creative vision and her husband’s proficiency in carpentry, there is little they cannot accomplish. Perhaps my most favorite feature of their 1904 home is the kitchen’s fireplace (bottom right), followed closely by the second set of stairs, which would have been originally used by the house staff.

Thank you again Miss Kandi!

This is one post subject I will have to revisit again - and soon! I found SO many fabulous fireplace images, I couldn’t possibly share them all in one sitting. Which style do you like best?

This is a fun post I started a while back… Stairs are one of those structural details that doesn’t have to be boring. Just see for yourself!

Next up, Arts and Crafts. One of my absolute favorites, this style developed in response to the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century. At a time where machines were quickly replacing talented artisans with inferior products, the Craftsman Movement was about celebrating traditional skills and creativity as well as emphasizing the natural qualities of materials. Important names to note during this period are William Morris, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Gustav Stickley.

Qualities to describe the Arts and Crafts style: earthy color palette, natural materials and finishes (wood, stone, slate, leather), built in’s (cabinetry, shelves, benches), stained glass, dark/rustic hardware, beefy/tapered columns, handcrafted textiles and ceramics, and an overall emphasis on nature.

Honest to goodness, I love this style. Arts and Crafts is classic, a great balance of not-too masculine or feminine, it’s architectural, and I love the emphasis on nature. See for yourself.

Another popular style is Shabby Chic. The keyword here is WHITE. Characteristics of Shabby Chic include slipcovered furniture, vintage items such as linens, accessories, and furnishings, distressed pieces, as well as floral and toile fabrics. Although this style is often thought of as more casual, I would have a hard time letting down my guard with so much white. In a nutshell, I’d describe Shabby Chic as feminine, light, and airy.

My style? Mid-century/Bohemian. What does that say about me? I like to walk a fine, yet complicated line between classic-linear-graceful-modesty and artsy-funk-organic-fantastic. But that is just me.

Probably one of the best things about my job is the opportunity to explore, celebrate, and play with the variety of styles that exist. No two people or families are alike, and our interiors should honor that which makes us different.

So! Consider this the first in what will be a new series dedicated to style. First up, Traditional. What characteristics define this style? I would say Traditional is classic, sophisticated, possibly more on the formal side, with lots of symmetry. Check out these gorgeous images:

HGTV does have quite the cast of some very talented people nowadays. My most favorite of all is Emily Hendersen, host of Secrets from a Stylist, and recent winner of HGTV’s DesignStar.

Besides being cute and a bit quirky, I am fascinated by Emily’s approach to interior design as well as the format of her show. Her “Style Diagnostic” and layered approach to personalizing a space certainly helps this design professional to think outside the box. Secrets from a Stylist offers oodles of information - a definite must see.

My MOST favorite episode to date was the Bohemian/Mid-Century living and dining area. This is me, to a T.

Next up - Orange! (Sorry Orange, you didn’t get much of an intro there). Orange is one of those colors that most people either love or hate. Personally, I have to admit that Orange has found it’s way into my heart.

From Red-Orange to Yellow-Orange, this color is known to suggest humor, happiness, encouragement, adventure, spontaneity, creativity, and abundance. A common element in nature’s palette, Orange is frequently represented as the undertone of many wood grains, soil/earth, sunrises and sunsets.

Hello and welcome! Great to have you back :) Next to be featured is a color that has made quite an impression on me. So much so, that I even went so far as to include it in my business name! That’s right, you guessed it: Purple.

Purple, or Violet, is known to embody passion, drama, artistry, spirituality, opulence, determination, independence, wisdom, intrigue, and wit. Feast your eyes on these delicious images:

Next to be featured in our series is a color that has grown in popularity in recent years. Is it a fad or could it just be timeless? Decide for yourself. Please welcome, Gray.

Before you jump to conclusions about Gray as simply a color for industrial, modern, or masculine spaces, hear me out. Gray can be a flexible neutral such as with stone or with furniture. Gray can also be warm, as represented with taupe. But the thing about Gray that has made it so popular in recent years is that it is stable. When life is uncertain, unnerving, or tumultuous, our homes have to work harder than ever to be our refuge. Simply put, Gray is safe.

Here are some images to demonstrate the subtle strength of Gray.