Tuesday, March 31, 2015

The Beautiful Architecture of San Miguel de Allende


            I’ve just returned home from an inspiring and rejuvenating art trip to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico.  San Miguel recently became a UNESCO World Heritage site and the Colonial and Spanish influence makes it such a quaint, beautiful place.  I was so fortunate to be visiting when the vibrant purple Jacaranda trees were blooming.  And the 'rooftop culture' of dining and outdoor spaces is a year round luxury in San Miguel with the beautiful weather.  Here are a few of my favorite architectural shots from the trip that I am so excited to share!












            Stay tuned this week as I share more from my travels, including a phenomenal Tres Leches cake recipe I learned taking an authentic cooking course!

Have a great day,

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

The Latest and Greatest from Scalamandre


            Today I was able to go to the unveiling of Scalamandre’s new and reinvigorated collection and boy was I impressed!   Scalamandre dominated the high-end fabric scene in the mid to late 1900s and you couldn’t sit in airliner without sitting on Scalamandre.  Think the glory days of air travel!  Under new ownership, Scalamandre is reinventing their products while paying homage to their unique style and classic prints.  I was impressed with the high durability of the fabrics while maintaining such a soft touch, so you don’t have to sacrifice comfort for style with the new collection.

            Feast your eyes on the new collection of striking chinoiseries, paisleys, and abstract prints in traditional and exciting contemporary hues!







            What do you think of the new line?  Are you a fan of their newest patterns and colorways? 

Have a great day,

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Spring Cleaning: Feng Shui Style


            As the weather heat up, I know it’s everyone’s favorite time of the year: Spring Cleaning.  Lately I have been refreshing myself on feng shui principles to use for some fabulous of clients of mine and it has me thinking how to add the principles to re-energizing your home this spring!  Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art practice of placement and harmony between a person and their surrounds.  Energy flows within a space, so creating a harmonious area encourages the flow of positive energy and decreases the negative.  It’s amazing how much good design principles work and feng shui have in common and even more so with your home organization!  Here are some tips for you to reinvigorate your home this spring!

Open Your Doors & Windows

Now that spring is here, let the breeze move through your house and clear out the old, stagnant air.  It’s great to focus on the areas that usually don’t get a chance “to breathe,” so keep your closet door open and allow a good amount of time for air to circulate throughout those harder to reach spaces.  Your front door is especially important as it is “the mouth” to the energy that flows through your home.



De-clutter!

Clutter correlates with stress and it doesn’t take a feng shui expert to say DUH to that!  Hanging onto the past bogs you down.  Spend time weeding through your closet.  Clear out those places where the junk seems to accumulate like your coffee, table, nightstand, or that dreaded “junk drawer” in the kitchen.  Metaphorically, you can’t accept new experiences if you’re already full, so allow yourself that extra space to invite new and exciting experiences!



Create Your Power Spot

Your “power spot” is an area that can inspire, relax, or nurture you but mostly importantly, it's a space just for you!  You can create a power spot by choosing objects or colors that have symbolic meaning to you and most of the time, that’s already in your home.  



Celebrate the Season

Consider spicing up a few of your rooms with seasonal accents.  From putting a bowl of fresh, season fruit out in the kitchen to a new potted plant, you can re-energize your home with a few small touches that embrace the season.  Mirrors are an interesting principle in feng shui, as they are reflective they can disperse energy throughout your home.  Consider placing them to maximize the spring and summer daylight in your home!



            One of my favorite elements of feng shui is the personal quality.  Certainly there are guiding principles, but everyone’s needs are different and feng shui caters to that.  I hope you are able to use some of these ideas to make your Spring Cleaning go the extra mile!

Have a great day,


Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Green With Envy: St. Patrick's Day Kitchen Edition


In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we are going to look at everyone’s favorite room—the kitchen in all its green glory!  Kitchen remodels are one of my favorite project types, because the transformation can be so stunning and allows me to be so creative.  Green is a popular color for kitchens because it has a natural vibe and the yellow brings vibrant, yet restorative energy.  This emotionally positive and nurturing color is fantastic when you consider this is the space where you nourish your family, start your day turning on the coffee pot, and inevitably end up entertaining!








            The final kitchen is one I did for a client and it was so thrilling to receive the Excellence in Remodeling Award from the Home Building Association of Charlotte award.  My inspiration was an artichoke and what a fun project it was!  Would you consider livening up your kitchen with splashes of green or even green cabinetry?  Don't forget to check out our Pinterest board for more gorgeous green kitchen inspiration!


Happy St. Patrick’s Day,