Transitional Style uses a careful balance of Modern and Traditional design elements (I discuss what Modern Design is here...FYI it's different from Contemporary). The result is a timeless, classic interior that feels polished but comfortable. Transitional interiors should never feel too precious or overdone. They should be as comfortable for lounging on a Saturday morning as they are for entertaining on a Saturday night. Transitional interiors are, above all, livable. I like to divide Transitional Style into two categories. I do this because when someone tells me their style is Transitional it ..read more

If you've followed me for any amount of time you probably know how I feel about trends in the Interior Design world. I find them to be, at best, a distraction from creating a meaningful, unique interior. At worst, they can hijack your home and your very soul. Ok, that might be a bit dramatic, but I take this shit seriously. And if you've seen "The Truman Show" or "Stepford Wives"...well you've glimpsed how soul-sucking conformity can be. Usually the only time I'm up for design trends is when they make things more available that I love anyway, or bring back something classic in a new, unexpecte ..read more

Burl wood is having a major design moment right now, and if you are already familiar with it you know why. This highly sought after material is full of visual texture, character and depth. It has the ability to elevate the simplest furnishings to heirloom status. But why? What is so special about it? First things first. If you're not familiar with burl wood here are some examples for you. Pretty stunning, right? So what exactly IS burl wood? It's not actually one species of wood. Burl wood can come from any tree that develops a burl. A burl is a growth that emerges on a tree when its typical g ..read more

When you think of summer what is the first thing that comes to mind? Is it the pool or beach? Grilling? Tending your garden? Sleeping under the stars? While all of these things do come to mind for me, the first thing I think is FRUIT! Living in northeast Ohio means that the best fruits only arrive come summer, and for a very short time. So I try to take advantage of their arrival. Berry picking is one of my favorite activities with my daughter every year. We usually make a full morning of it, going out early before the sun gets hot, and ending with lunch together. The berries usually end up in ..read more

It's been a labor of love but it's finally done...my Design Style Quiz is live! A little back story on this quiz. It became glaringly apparent to me over the years that a lot of people don't have any idea what their style is. But they can pick out what they like and don't like! I wanted a fast and easy way to help people figure out what their style is by picking out items they like. And hence this quiz was born. Just pick the things you like and the quiz figures out the rest! Also, almost no one's style is 100% of one thing. So, my quiz shows your top two results to make it even more personali ..read more

Sooooooo. You've heard the phrase "timeless interiors" and you're doing a little research. Smart move babes! Timeless is where it's at and I'll tell you why in a minute. But you've been Googling the heck out of that phrase aaand... ...le sigh. You find a mind numbing parade of similar, bland, contemporary rooms. The advice out there is all...neutral palette, clean lines, white linens, subtle patterns, less is more, less is more, beige, greige, White, WHIte, WHIIIITTTEEEE! And all you can think is that sounds like your own personal brand of boring, vanilla hell?! Whew! Me too darlin'. Me. Too ..read more

Hello my lovelies In this post we're going to take some time to break down a trend that isn't really a trend at all but the return of a classic. Let's explore the world of an ancient material...plaster! Plaster Basics Plaster has been used as a building material for thousands of years, from the earthen plastered mud huts of early civilizations, to the inner walls of Egyptian pyramids, to the frescoed ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. In the US, plaster and lath was the interior wall construction of choice from the 1700s all the way up to the 1950s when drywall panels were developed. But plaster h ..read more

If you’re the person that picks up must-have finds on your travels and fills your home with furniture and handicrafts from around the world you have global style. Global style is a type of Eclectic design, meaning that it draws from a lot of different sources. Global style has the rich traditions and histories of a world of cultures to draw from, so this style will never look the same twice. Some global influences that are seen frequently are Mediterranean, African (particularly Moroccan), South and Central Asian, and Central & South American.This is not an exhaustive list of course, and m ..read more

This topic is near and dear to me, because if there is one "decorative" item that I can't live without in my home it is art... ...paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures...you name it, I need it. Exhibit A below...the gallery wall in my dining room. I recently talked about why art is so important to me in an Instagram post here. If you want to understand my affinity for art definitely hop over there and give it a read. But while I find art to be a comforting, familiar thing I realize a lot of people find art intimidating. I think that stems from some outdated idea that art is somehow elitist ..read more

I have already talked a little about how Contemporary Style is different from Modern Style here. Check that post out first if you are unsure of the difference. Contemporary is a word that means "of the moment". This means Contemporary Design is always changing with the times. At one point, all of the major Design movements were contemporary. For example, in the 1920's and 30's Art Deco was contemporary. And in the 1930's to 60's Mid-Century Modern was contemporary. So what is Contemporary Style right now? Let's take a look at some of the trends! Contemporary Style How to Get the Look - Key Ele ..read more