All Things Appliances   While often taken for granted, our home appliances make household chores a breeze — if you select the right ones. Today, there are more appliance options than ever before, designed to speed up cooking times and make our lives easier. Many of my Austin interior design clients are surprised by just how soon appliance selections need to be confirmed in the build process. To help you stay on track, I’m sharing my Interior Designer’s Guide to Appliances. Use this guide to help plan appliance layouts, select features, and pick the right style for your home. Get ..read more

My Joy is a Matching Mug Collection  My resolution this year is to find joy and authenticity in my home. I’ve given a lot of thought this holiday as to what sparks joy for me and what doesn’t. This not only includes home design items but also conversations and interactions. (Interpersonal areas are not my expertise, and therefore, I won’t delve into these topics!) Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot about what sparks joy, how to be my authentic self, how to reflect that in daily life and at home, and how to cull out the things that don’t support it.  Like many do this time of year, I ta ..read more

Trends — Here Today, Gone Tomorrow  Let’s talk about a topic near and dear to my heart: interior design trends. While they can be fun and get us talking about ideas, they are becoming a growing challenge in the world of design. The pervasiveness of connectivity, HGTV shows, and social media has created an environment where my Austin interior design clients are ultra-aware of style factors coming in and out of fashion. And that target moves faster than ever now! Trend awareness isn’t a bad thing. However, homeowners need to be mindful of just how short trend cycles are and that many o ..read more

Let’s Talk Tile   Ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, glass, concrete — you have a lot of choices to make when it comes to selecting tile for your home, and that’s just the material options! As with any topic, there are many subtleties related to tile. If you are researching for your project, you’ll learn about these factors and decide what’s important to you. I’ve helped my Austin interior design clients find the right tile to fit their homes, lifestyles, and budgets. To give you a leg up in your journey, I’m sharing a brief overview of what you need to know in my Interior Desig ..read more

A Focus on Fireplace Design   Due to long Texas summers, most Austin interior design clients don’t need the heat from a fireplace for most of the year. However, many homeowners still gravitate toward this comforting focal point for what it represents: warmth, togetherness, and a sense of home.. I’ve found during the design process that many people picture the style of fireplace they want without realizing how closely those design details are tied to functionality and code requirements. Let’s review the technical and stylistic considerations in my guide to fireplaces.  Linear Fi ..read more

Let’s Have a Cabinet Conversation…    Last month, we talked about doors, and I have spent the last few weeks diving deep into vendor comparisons for both doors and cabinets, so this month let’s talk about cabinets. Cabinets significantly impact the look, feel, and function of your space, from the kitchen and high use areas, to custom built-ins for storage or display. Here are some considerations for choosing the best cabinets for your home. In this blog we’ll review details of cabinet construction, styles, and finishes.  My Guide to the Best Cabinets for Your Kitchen, Bath ..read more

So, I Have This Thing With Doors…    Last month, this interior designer took a step outside and dove into exterior materials for your home. Writing about masonry and roofing got me thinking how exterior elements connect to interior spaces as well as the transitional areas we touch as interior designers. The most significant transition points in a home are doors, and I have a special place in my heart for them. Since I have this thing with doors, I wanted to share a guide — focusing on both beauty and function.   Doors are this metaphorical design element, layered with ..read more

I am often compelled to address topics when I see confusion in the market, and lately there have been cool and creative things happening with countertop surfaces. I can tell some homeowners are unclear about the details, so I’m going to outline popular products and strategies along with pros, cons and considerations… MATERIALS GENERAL NOTE A trending look for a while has been white counters with marble veining. Those who know about natural stone know that white marble is too porous to be a good kitchen surface - at least for anyone who wants to avoid stains or discoloration. Most popular ima ..read more

The purpose of this post is a reminder to approach our homes from a place of feeling inspired rather than competitive. Recently I’ve noticed how many talented professionals are in our industry: from architects, builders, & interior designers, to artisans, product designers, & photographers. What a great community of creatives to lean on! And so many ideas for you to tap into. Dive into your home adventure with joy rather than peer pressure as the driving force. Take a moment to appreciate and learn from the talent around us and tap into that energy stream. If you’re a professional in ..read more

Our Finery Launch Party, at Austin’s luxury Alexander Marchant showroom, was a special milestone. QUIRKS & OBSESSIONS As someone who cares about design and its effect on our lives, I admittedly have some quirky obsessions and pet peeves surrounding style and functionality. At a high level I love simplicity and elegance (in particular, designs that are anchored in raw function, but with a subtle twist), and I react with deep emotion to things that seem functionally stupid or fake. My husband can attest to the number of pictures he receives via text from my walks, with captions like “See? I ..read more