Iconic Holiday Homes

The holidays offer comfort in many different forms. Comfort in being in the presence of your loved ones, the comfort of eating the same food for the holidays, and the comfort that comes from repeating stories year after year - the stories that bind you as a group and keep you connected through mutual history. These shared memories are not always from experiences that you actually lived, they can be from other sources, like movies. 

"Holiday Classics" is a term that seems to start earlier and earlier each year; currently it begins right around Halloween. Holiday Classics are shared across families, but the must-watch movies of the season are personal, and often, generational. While Home Alone and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas are staples with my children, I prefer Love Actually or The Holiday when kids have gone to play with their gifts. The beauty of Holiday Classics is that they can both hold the attention of everyone in the family and/or provide a perfect background to the current holiday. The familiarity of these movies has become part of the tradition itself. 

While I love movies, I have a special place for iconic holiday movie homes. The decor in and outside of the houses say so much about the trends of the time and work themselves into the theme of the movie itself. Clark Griswold - you lovable holiday buffoon, the holiday light display in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is now a cultural synonym for an overzealous, desperate parent who attempt to earn your family's love. Before Clark goes overboard on the exterior of his house, let's take a gander at this completely overboard bathroom. Consistent with the 1970s and early 80s trend of running with a room color until you fill all the space, this bathroom is exactly why you need a home decorator. You like pink? Great! But let's not plaster the color in every nook and cranny possible. Sometimes, Clark, less is more.

What holiday would be complete without a visit from America's favorite 8 year old trickster, Kevin McCallister. Home Alone is favorite for the whole family, a child's fantasy of being without adult supervision while watching rated R movies while eating candy and jumping on the bed. Or the adult perspective of being so wrapped up in holiday and hosting and eating and traveling that you could actually fly to Europe without your youngest child. Throw in a cameo by John Candy and the comedic face of Joe Pesci while his head is fired by a blowtorch, and holiday magic is made. 

But let's talk about the house itself. There isn't much in this home that's actually alone. The house is full-to-the-brim with patterns and rugs and furniture and decor. Of course the chaos of the holiday is going to be overwhelming, with a room so jam packed with stuff that you can barely see a child standing front of the hearth, much less have space to sit and open Christmas morning presents, something is bound to go wrong. Perhaps if Mr. and Mrs. McCallister had focused their energy on the important things, instead of filling every corner so full that nothing can be enjoyed, they would be enjoying a holiday in Paris. A decorator would be able to funnel this energy into a tasteful room that can be altered for the holidays, but doesn't need to stay outfitted for Christmas 365 days of the year. Thankfully, this Winnetka, Illinois home was outfitted specifically for the movie, but does not have the permanent-Christmas decor in real life. 

 

For a newer holiday favorite, The Holiday is a great example of tasteful design perfectly reflecting the characters that live there. Kate Winslet plays Iris, a newspaper columnist in Surrey, England. She, of course, lives in this quaint, snow-dusted cottage that is filled with soft, comfortable furniture, roaring fireplaces, exposed stone walls and natural wood beams. The space is friendly and inviting just as someone might describe Iris. 

Compare that to the angular, symmetrical Los Angeles home of Cameron Diaz's character, Amanda. Not a leaf out of place in this high-powered movie-trailer creator's beautiful mansion. 

The inside is possibly more perfect than the outside. The natural light, the neutral color palette, it is as clean and crisp as you can get. Cold, devoid of personality, the kind of place you live in but is not meant to be *lived* in. Similar to Amanda as a character, she is impeccably styled, emotionally unavailable and keeps everyone in her life at arms length. Underneath it all, she is searching for meaning and love in a world of fake people and false realities. In both cases, life and home, you need to be willing to get a little dirty.

I hope your holidays are filled with comfort and joy. If you ever need help infusing your true personality into your own home, I would love to set up a meeting. 

Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! And cheers to a joyful new year!

Bringing It Home

Santa trucks are coming! And so are the holidays. And so are the visitors. 

I live in a community where the majority of the population are transplants. This means that most of the time, our celebrations are filled with friends that we regard as family, not necessarily true blood-bound family. The holidays create a different dynamic, this is the time of year when people are more likely to make the effort to visit their actual family, even if that family is not nearby. 

For many of us, this creates a self-created frenzy of "readiness" for hosting. Take the laundry list of household To-Dos from the last year and insist that they are completed in the next few weeks in preparation for the anticipated guests. The frenzy is amplified if our guests haven't seen the house in a long time (or ever before) and if we have made any design changes to the space since the last visit. 

The same concept applies if you happen to be hosting a big event; a retirement party, a birthday or even a dinner party with friends. 

Hurry! Unbox and hang all of this stuff by Thursday! 

Suddenly, the artwork you had framed months ago but is still leaning against the wall needs to be hung!

Those last half dozen moving boxes that you never got around to unpacking must go!

The gallery wall must happen before breakfast! 

The guest room that you haven't thought of since, well, maybe ever, needs new blinds! And curtains! Our guests are coming from the west coast so we can't possibly let the east-facing room be this bright!

Previously, we were going to go light on the Christmas decor this year, but now my in-laws are coming and we need to deck the halls!! 

In my heart I know that my in-laws will not mind if the artwork isn't hung or the garland is left off of the stairway, but it feels deeply important to complete these tasks. It is as if though my effort in perfecting things before a visit or event is a reflection on the appreciation I have for others willing to travel and share the event with our family.  

Everyone wants to be proud of the home they create, and I want that luxury for each and every one of you this holiday season. I know that for myself, when I am going through a difficult time - what I lovingly refer to as the "Struggle Bus" - I both need things to be done AND have no will to complete them. 

Every one of us has times where life is just too much to handle. A period of illness or the lethargy of winter or funneling all of your energy into helping someone else can leave you feeling sad and empty in your own space. This holiday season, I would like to help a few of my supporters who are on the Struggle Bus. Do you know someone who could use a boost? Decorating for the holidays or updating the color of their walls, please let me know if someone comes to mind who is going through a hard time and could use some happiness in their lives through design. CLICK HERE to nominate someone who is currently on the Struggle Bus, we will reach out to the chosen winners by December 1, 2022. 

Delayed Expectations

 
It took until my senior year of college before I heard of anyone pursuing an undergraduate degree in supply chain management. Since then, the idea of having everything from luxury items to daily necessities delivered to your front door has become commonplace. Add to that an increase in products that have parts made in several different countries, and a world where it seems everyone has a credit card saved and poised for instant purchases, and the phrase “supply chain” becomes common knowledge. 

Fast forward to today. Now you mix together a global pandemic, a labor shortage and a few weeks earlier this year where there was a ship, quite literally stuck in one of the major world shipping routes, and you get A Big. Ongoing. Problem. A problem that has created this year’s catchphrase: “Supply Chain Issues”.

So many products, sitting in a shipyard

Supply Chain Issues is a problem that hits me straight in the gut, personally AND professionally. Every order, every deadline, has a little asterisk next to it with the possibility of being delayed. I’ve seen delays before, but this has been a bit different. Maybe the doors are in stock, but we’re missing the glass, or the hardware, or the paint. Custom upholstered items have been especially difficult to anticipate, with a current minimum wait time of 24 weeks. 

This is a time where the relationship between designer and client is paramount. There is benefit to working with an experienced designer in this unique situation, I am familiar with a wide variety of options that can take us from idea to reality. Part of the consultation for any project is setting realistic expectations. The last thing I want is for a client to be waiting on an item without any recourse. When the original choice of a product is unavailable and a client is unable or unwilling to wait it out, I have a line-up of options in my back pocket. If a vendor is experiencing extreme delays, I can pivot to another vendor, or suggest another option that keeps the design and scope of the project intact. I am in constant communication with my vendors and in turn, my clients, to keep them as updated as possible on where we stand with a project. I am also tremendously thankful for the patience and grace of my clients as we navigate this global challenge together. 

We Appreciate You!

 This August we are taking time to acknowledge and thank the people who have made my business possible - Our Clients! 

CW Interiors truly began when I was a girl, observing homes and the people who live there. Why was this house built? What motivated their choices? What would I have done differently? Motivation and choice has always been a fascination of mine, how they influence each other and work their way into every nook of life. 

As my curiosity developed into a passion, I began helping friends make design choices within their own homes. How can I help a friend who is starting over in a new place make her house a home? An acquaintance from long ago is back in town and not sure where to begin after her parents sold her childhood home. Little by little these consultations for friends became phone calls from a stranger who received my name from someone else. I thrived in difficult environments, consulting with people who were working through unexpected life events, and developed a skill for understanding complicated needs. 

Before too long I was working full time with friends who began as strangers. I was then and continue to be astounded at the level of trust my clients instill in me. When design is approached from the viewpoint of motivation, it takes time and effort to realize the source. I have clients that know exactly why they are making a change. “I was told I couldn’t have children and now I’m pregnant with twins”, that motivates a certain kind of change. “My mother is no longer able to live alone, she moves in next month”, this motivates a completely different kind of change. Other clients have more opaque reasons for making a design change. This is part of my job as the designer, build the trust, find the motivation and make each change - difficult or celebrated - a beautiful, personal, livable choice. 

Trust does not come easily to everyone. For every person who made that first call, took a chance on my expertise, whether a friend or a stranger, I appreciate you. You have trusted me enough to let me into your home, and therefore, your life. 

I am overflowing with gratitude; I get to live my passion everyday because of the trust and confidence that my clients have in my ability to realize their dreams. Thank You!

Growing Up...and Out

 It’s that time of year when millions of kids across the globe prepare to leave home and begin their first experience of living away from their families. College. Not everyone goes, not everyone goes away for it, but if you do, you may be moving into a dormitory. This bizarre space where we charge young people lots of money to live with other young people in a place that is owned and operated by the school. Oftentimes there is a short window of time to move in, and at the end of the school year, you have an equally short period to move out. No storage, no carryover, 10 - 12 months of living space and then “So long, Charlie”. 

What people do with this short-term living space varies greatly from person to person. In preparation for moving to school, I gathered up my mom (or was it the other way around!?) and hit the Laura Ashley store running! It was another space to decorate! I couldn’t be expected to live, study and thrive for a full year in an ugly room, could I?

The pillow shams match the wallpaper! Everything coordinates with the curtains! My clock radio and bunny ear TV add the perfect touches!  (Trust me, my style has evolved.)

Other members of the CWI team handled it differently. “The more I bring, the more I need to move out at the end of the year.” says one of my non-designers. “I just needed my desktop computer, a set of XL twin bedding and my telephone,” says another, further highlighting the massive change in technology in the last few decades. Some people thrive in a clear, uncluttered workspace. Less is better for focus on the work, which is arguably the true goal of attending university. 

We polled moms about setting up the dorms of their college-bound kids. These were some of their responses:

• I am inclined to go all in but he has zero interest.

• Thinking of a combo of utility and cuteness. Our mindset on decorating is simple but stylish and comfortable. We aren’t the type to go all out like some of these people do.

• I want it to look like something out of a magazine…has to be super comfortable and feel like home!

Setting our kids up with what they need is only half of the equation.  The OTHER half is how we as parents approach it.  

The most zen of us thinks practically that if their kids have what they need to function, then mission accomplished. No distractions. I envy them.  

The healthy, happy-medium moms balance wants with needs. Some fuss, but not too much. I envy them, too.

Then, there are the moms (you can’t see me but I just raised my hand) who think, irrationally, “How can I cram enough love for one year into a single room!?”  or “My 18 year-old has wanted nothing to do with me for the last three years, but he/she wants to do this over the top thing with me now, so LET’S DO THIS!”  Do we know that having a light up neon smiley face plugged into the wall isn’t required for academic success?  Yes.  But consider this: Price of light up neon smiley face? $29.  Experience of bonding while planning this dorm room together?  Priceless.  

There are even services now, like this one at Dormify.com, that let you set up a full registry for dorm room supplies. Not a terrible idea for someone who is already facing the ever-rising cost of higher education!

My approach to designing a dorm room follows the same general process as a large scale design project. Discern intentions and aspirations for the space, and curate fixtures and finishes to reflect your goals. An example mood board looks something like this:

You then pick and choose what you like! Contact me to shop this mood!

For me, design is a love language. It’s about feeling comfortable in a new place and making that new place my own. That can translate to helping someone remodel their multi-thousand square foot empty house, or decorating a 200 square foot temporary dorm room. The intention is the same, put your personal stamp on it and it will be a place you love to live. 

Evergreen Fog

CW Interiors has been hit hard by the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon. We’re willing to bet that this has at some point happened to you too! The Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon is the fancy name for Frequency Bias, Frequency Illusion, Red Car Bias, Recency Illusion; all the same mind trick. The mental awareness of a new *something* that, once you start thinking about it, seems to exist everywhere. 

Ever since diving into the world of the Color of the Year, the colors of 2022 are popping up everywhere! Our rewatching of Friends shows that Monica was decades ahead of her time with a Veri Peri apartment. The walls, chairs, doors of the apartment are a lovely shade of periwinkle. While watching Jeopardy!, we notice that the background is none other than a pleasing wave of blue to periwinkle. Take a glance around Target and you will find yoga mats, planners, water bottles and nail polish all in Veri Peri.  

Maybe Veri Peri is not your cup of tea, thankfully, it doesn't need to be! There are plenty of options that are just as cutting edge! Just ask Ellen, who decided that the perfect color for her newly reclaimed office was the Sherwin-Williams color of the year, Evergreen Fog. All of the various colors of the year were clouding our color search, so much so that I recommended that we look to other options for the space. The Baader-Meinhof effect was on my mind, whether real or imagined, Evergreen Fog was popping up everywhere! Ellen was unafraid. She had found her match. 

I have known Ellen for seven years, she was one of my first clients after I relocated to The Woodlands. I worked with her and her husband on making their new house feel like a home. Several years later, now with a child, they were ready to move into a larger house and upgrade their “starter” furniture to a more grown-up style. After 10 years of marriage, during which she often set aside her preferences and gave way to her husband’s headstrong choices, the relationship landed on hard times and they decided to separate. As part of the separation it was decided that Ellen would move back into the original home that we decorated together years before. This time, we updated the decor to make the home her own. We were on a new mission; remove everything that cast a shadow on her spirit and let in the light!

The front office was dark and weighty and brown, none of which were her choices at the start. Our goal was to have a beautiful, feminine space for Ellen to proudly call her own. A place of peace and levity to enjoy while working from home. 

A fresh coat of paint was essential. Evergreen Fog was the path forward. Evergreen Fog has been described as a "calming and sophisticated green with greige (the lovechild of gray and beige) undertones".  

Paint colors can be tricky. What looks good on a sample card can look completely different in a room. Anyone considering a color change should view the options at different times of day, in different kinds of light before committing to any color on the wall. Here are some comparison photos to demonstrate the many personalities of Evergreen Fog:

At 8:00 am, this lovely shade of green is a pale, peaceful tone, gently kissed by green. It is a beautiful choice for brightening this dark space. This particular angle and time of day accentuate this hue in the completed room.

3:00 pm comes along and the undertones have changed! It is still a great color, just a bit different than what you saw seven hours before. Is it gray now?? Is that still a good choice for you?

For Ellen, all signs point to yes! She wants the whole office changed from the dreary, thick brown to this serene versatile color. 

I love being able to help people feel comfortable in their space, and the experiences driving a design change is crucial to presenting the right options to make the change a success. 

There are so many options available when decorating, or redecorating a home. When I work with a client, I want to understand why they are looking for a change. This information motivates design boards, product suggestions and an overall theme to the project. With Ellen, we worked systematically throughout her home to make choices that reflect a strong, resilient woman who is firmly taking the reins of control to her life. This is perhaps best demonstrated in the light fixture we chose for the office. After the color refresh, we added a statement light fixture composed of dark iron and leather that gives off all the feels of a superhero. It was not love at first sight for Ellen, but through the trust that we built, she moved forward with the suggestion. Now it’s her favorite item in the home.

“This light fixture is the best example of why you need an interior decorator. I never would have chosen this for myself, but I love it, and I love how it maintains the flow of the rest of the house.” -Ellen, The Woodlands, TX

Starting over is hard. Starting over with a friend that has your best interest at heart makes it just that little bit easier - and maybe even a little exciting to see what lies ahead.

The Cherished Past

There is this bird, a Swinhoe’s Pheasant to be exact, that has been a part of my family for generations. In over 70 years, he has never missed a holiday, or a family meal, or a milestone event. He is strong and beautiful and reliable. This is why I had to save him.

He was chosen back in the early 1950s for my grandmother, Bee. She was beautiful and fashionable and loved having nice things in her home. The Swinhoe’s Pheasant was selected for her New Orleans home by an interior designer and became a member of the family through his constant presence. He lived a whole life with her, making memories as my mother and her family grew. He stood strong and proud accompanying special occasions like the night in this photograph. This is my mother, dressed to the nines, ready to be escorted to her first sorority formal by my father. The night would not have been complete without a picture in front of the family bird. He was there to observe memories I will never know, witness conversations I will never hear and stood strong through celebration and tragedy, one of which almost cost him his life.

This bird stayed proudly on the wall of my grandmother's home up until August of 2005, when hurricane Katrina swallowed New Orleans whole. Grandma Bee, who was then an 88 year old woman, watched her home, her neighbors homes and her city drown. She was rescued by boat and remained out of contact for over a week as she sheltered with nuns in The Ursuline Academy. The Ursuline Convent, located in the Historic French Quarter was the original home of the Ursuline Academy, and is still the oldest building the Mississippi Valley. The Academy was relocated in 1912, was saved from the flood, and provided shelter for those rescued in the wake of the storm. Grandma Bee stayed for days with no power or water or way out. It was then, and continues today to be a completely unfathomable tragedy.

Grandma Bee persevered, and once it was possible, she returned home to assess the damage. There was much work to be done. So many difficult decisions needed to be made, many of them regarding what to salvage and what to let go. Our beloved family bird was damaged, but not destroyed, and I made it known that I would take personal responsibility to restore him to his former glory.

I took this opportunity to bring him into the present, and include him into the updated aesthetic of my own home. We were fortunate. The water level didn't rise to the height of covering the painting, the damage was due to the length of time he sat in a damp house filled with inches of standing water. I took him to the best, Marty & Pat's Frame Shoppe & Art Gallery in Fort Worth, TX. Pat herself walked me through the choices, her recommendations were spot on.

He is now perched lovingly above the mantle, overlooking my dining room table. This piece is more than just a painting to me, he represents how a “designer’s choice” can become a fixture in our family story. He presides over our special occasions and helps to connect the times before to the memories yet to be made yet. Each piece has a story. Some of those stories touch us, stay with us and allow us to feel more connected to the people and places that the piece represents. In anticipation of Mother’s Day, I share this cherished piece from my past, and thank Grandma Bee and my mother for creating a loving legacy that is worth saving, salvaging and maintaining.

In Living Color

Buying a house is a very personal decision. Once that decision is made, making all of your belongings work in a new space can be a real challenge. Heck, it can be downright difficult. What if nothing fits? What if the colors are all wrong now? What if the style is just not ‘you’? Making this new house a home is where an experienced, custom designer can really help bring out the ‘you’ in your new space.

Each space starts with a detail that you love - natural light, something that can be made beautiful, though the idea of beauty is most definitely in the eye of the beholder. In my experience, beauty is in the eye of the homeowner.

Take this gorgeous beach house in the panhandle of Florida right off of the 30A beach strip. To some eyes, this is a blank slate to help clear your mind while oscillating between naps and the beach. The clean white and neutral shades are a breath of salt-filled sea air.

To my client, the new homeowner, this room was a canvas to be painted. Over the course of a four day weekend, we worked together to bring this home to life! Swapping out white-on-white lamps for vibrant green beauties and starburst chandeliers. Mixing the simplicity of the existing wooden dining table with bright and sunny orange chairs. With the addition of a versatile floor runner from Flor.com, the entrance was transformed from sterile to inviting. 

The Beige Before

This home conversion didn't stop at the first floor, we completed a head to toe makeover! Incorporating existing furniture into the new design, this guest room became a joyful yet comfortable place to spend much needed time away from the daily grind. 

The Inviting After!

The addition of artwork and a fun geometric rug we give the same headboard and beautifully paneled walls a whole new look. 

Whether you are the person who prefers subdued, neutral tones or the person who must have vibrant hues in their life can reveal quite a bit about you. The science behind personal preference toward color is tied to things like personality type, mental organization, evolution and personal experience. Are you a clean, organized, focused person? You may gravitate toward clean whites and neutrals. Are you outgoing, energetic and social? Bright colors might be your lifeblood. In an evolutionary sense, blending into surroundings is beneficial for some. For others, calling attention to yourself is a way to attract others, showcase personality and build a unique place to live. 

Regardless of your preferences, every home can be personalized to fit your individuality. 

Color of the Year

Presenting, THE Color of the Year for 2022: Very Peri! Or: Laurel Leaf. Nope, it’s actually October Mist, wait, Arts and Craft, wrong again, Evergreen Fog, the list goes on. Apparently, there are many different opinions on the matter. Who are making these choices? What does it mean?

Starting with the Who, Pantone launched the idea of Color of the Year way back at the tail end of the last century. Announced in 1999, Cerulean was the first chosen Color of the Year. This marketing ploy was a brilliant way to pump new life into the vast world of color. The idea expanded across industries, influencing everything from clothing to furniture to home trends, decades before the idea of an influencer was on scene. The concept has been so widely embraced that now there are several colors of the year released by every color company that you have heard of, and quite a few that you haven’t. 

So, who is the who behind the Who? Is there some bunker of color specialists out there playing “Pin the Tail on the Next Color of the Year”? Or, is there an airy oceanside mansion where elite designers and artists gather to test hundreds of colors on all kinds of medium, waiting for the perfect color to make itself known? The answer is a blend of these two extremes. The Pantone company website states: “Twice a year Pantone hosts, in a European capital, a secret meeting of representatives from various nations' color standards groups. After two days of presentations and debate, they choose a color for the following year.”

A secret meeting of unnamed experts?! Days of presentations and debate somewhere in a mystery city in Europe?! The Color of the Year is big business! 

What does it mean? For a concept to have staying power, there must be some substance that resonates with people. The Color of the Year is a visual depiction of where we are as a society. Brilliantly, can be seen as both a reflection of where we have been, or a forecast of what lies ahead. The original Color of the Year, Cerulean is a calm and pleasing shade of blue. If defined as color that reflects society, 1999 was a year of hopeful anticipation toward completing the 20th century. If seen as a color shape the future, Cerulean can be seen as the calm needed after the dramatic panic of Y2K. 

2002 strikes me as another noteworthy year that can be demonstrated in color. After the horrific attacks on September 11, 2001 the world was filled with anger and unrest. Appropriately, True Red was chosen as the color of 2002. This fiery tone reflects on a most devastating attack on American soil, and takes us forward to the beginnings of war. What could be more fitting than True Red? Fast forward to 2021, we have an interesting twist to the trend by naming two Colors of the Year. Ultimate Gray and Illuminating, colors that demonstrate the dichotomy of despair and hope. By the end of 2020, society felt the grayness of despair for the unrelenting persistence of the COVID-19, but also was illuminated by hope that the tools available to humanity could power through the crisis. 

The examples go on and on. A marketing stunt that turned into an annually anticipated event, a reflection of society and a guide to navigating the future, the Pantone Color of the Year has rightfully earned its place in the world of design. Once you know the color, I promise you will see it everywhere! Here are some of my favorites that have come out so far this year:

Birdie Hall Brush Pots

These colorful, smooth crystal tumblers by House of Cardoon are a great way to add some Veri Peri to your life without much of a commitment. 

The Little Lumbar

I adore this lovely lumbar pillow from the Little Design Co.! It's perfect to add a pop of color to any room in the house. The greek design detail is versatile to mix with anything from a formal living to a beach house back porch. The deep blue is a great combination to the Pantone color of 2022!