Reader Design: Leslie's Southern Home

July 20, 2018 McKenna Begin

I'm back in Richmond for wedding meetings this week, so it's only fitting that our reader design be in another traditionally Southern place. Let's check out Leslie's southern home in Birmingham, Alabama!

“I’m a Southerner through and through. I feel passionate about cultivating heritage in our home by rooting my designs in mostly a fresh traditional style. I think there is a misconception that traditional style is stale, boring or tired. I strive to create a home that is collected, classic with a healthy dose of the unexpected. But most importantly, I want to create a home that is welcoming and comfortable. I seem to find myself drawn to classic furniture with a bit of embellishment, whether that’s a beautifully carved leg, unique details or craftsmanship Thankfully, with the numerous ways to acquire thrifted pieces today, it is easy to create a home that fits my style and my budget.”

— Leslie

“After nine moves, I think we have finally settled in for the long haul with our current house I have dubbed #thetrailhousereno. A little over two years ago I fell in love with a house in our existing neighborhood that needed a ton of love. Somehow I convinced my husband to agree to rehabbing this home. We completely resurfaced the problem front facade with brick and took the opportunity to clean up the bad late 90’s architecture.”

“It is always hard to choose a favorite room but cooking is my love language, so the kitchen is probably a winner by default. It might be hard to believe, but the kitchen was a budget friendly renovation. We were able to keep the existing cabinetry and granite and recycle the old island into a beverage center. A new island was built to fit the kitchen’s new expanded view. We DIY’ed the backsplash and the reclaimed wood countertop and shelves.”

While much of the home is classic and traditional, there are nods to the "now" in a few spots.

“I would not say I am completely immune to trends. Adding a small trendy piece of pottery or the “color of the moment” in a throw is interesting way to inject life into your home. I thrive on change and yet, I do not subscribe to the notion of replacing larger pieces of furniture based on a trend. I say, collect timeless investment pieces and keep an open mind to trends that speak to you and work well with your overall design aesthetic. ”

One of those spots is Leslie's personal studio.

“Upstairs, in my personal studio, I took the liberty to have a little fun and depart from the underlining color palette of the rest of the house. It is also where I let the plant lady go wild. Even after over a year of working in this space, the room has the power to both excite and calm me at the same time. It is a perfect place to be productive and is definitely a bright, oxygen-filled space.”

This home is certainly one that stands the test of time while still having plenty of personality! Leslie, thank you for letting us in!

Follow Leslie along on Instagram at @deeplysouthernhome and check out her blog at www.DeeplySouthernHome.com

Reader Design: Rhiannon's Family Farmhouse

December 8, 2017 McKenna Begin

We're off to a home that's right after Joanna Gaines' shiplap-lovin' heart. Side note: is anyone else mourning the final season of Fixer Upper like I am?

Thank goodness for Rhiannon and her Spotsylvania, Virginia home. It may help fill the void a little bit, at least for today! She calls Chip & Jo some of her biggest inspirations, so it makes sense that her home has the same lived-in, cozy comfort that we've come to love so much.

They say that the kitchen is the heart of the home, and if that's true, then this heart is alive, well, and full of love. Rhiannon and her husband took on a lot of projects themselves to turn this into their dream.

From Rhiannon:

“Our open shelving is my favorite. I originally wanted to make the entire wall at my sink to be windows, but the expense was going to be too much. So this was my second choice, but it makes our space feel bigger, and I can completely redecorate them at any time and create a whole new feel in the room/space with the seasons.”

When redoing this space, they were conscious of anything too trendy or generic; even still, though, the heart wants what it wants.

“I always joke with my husband, “are our children going to make fun of the way our house looked in pictures 30 years from now?” But I’d like to think that subway tile, oak woods, and great neutrals will never go out of style.”

With such a beautiful, neutral backdrop, switching up the decor is something Rhiannon likes to do often - and let's be honest, I think it's something we're all guilty of. We can't stop those creative impulses! Luckily, we get to see this home decked out for the holidays; Rhiannon makes the most of every space and brings the festivity.

Even when it's not the holiday season, this home is always a place of welcoming and peace.

“I want it to feel cozy and comfortable but clean and minimalistic. I can’t relax in clutter. I’m always striving to find a good balance of simplistic but lived in. I never want my home to be the kind you walk into and your afraid to get dirty or mess up the pillows on the couch, I want people (as well as me and my husband) to feel relaxed and welcome. I think having a nice place to come home to where you genuinely enjoy your surroundings is so important and makes such an impact on day to day life!”

And while Rhiannon calls some areas, like the master bedroom, 'works in progress,' she has a surefire trick for instantly updating a space. Any guesses based on what you've seen?

They're fluffy, pretty, and easy to move around....

THROW PILLOWS! I think we all know that throw pillows have the power to dramatically transform spaces, and Rhiannon has that trick nailed.

“I like the ability to change the feel of a room with each season or mood I’m in, shelf decor and throw pillows are the easiest and most affordable way to do that!”

Rhiannon, thank you for hosting a tour today! We're wishing you the happiest of holiday seasons in your home. Follow Rhiannon along on Instagram for more at @rhiannonmlawson.

Reader Design: Aftan's Multi-Faceted Home

June 23, 2017 McKenna Begin

We're off to sunny North Carolina! It's a state that I hold dear in my heart, after spending four years at Wake Forest for college. But today, we're headed a few hours away from Wake to Raleigh, North Carolina where Aftan lives with her husband and Lucy, their 150 pound Newfoundland dog!

Aftan's home is multi-faceted - it is eclectic, traditional, Southern, and modern all at once, with each item selected for a specific reason.

From Aftan:

“When I’m styling our home, I like to try and make it feel cozy and inviting for others while still keeping the fun and funky vibe that I feel my husband and I bring to our home. I love when you walk in someone’s home and feel their personalities throughout the space. Not only that, but I feel like your home should tell a story. Who you are, places you’ve been, how you’ve acquired certain pieces, etc. So I try to make sure my husband and I are represented accordingly.”

One of Aftan's go-to moves is mixing and matching patterns and colors. Luckily for Aftan, that is super on trend right now, but she's been doing it for ages. So what if 'color' mostly refers to neutrals - black and white are neutrals, right!?

That said, a favorite of Aftan's are the stunning emerald green chairs in her living room.

“Our green chairs are definitely one of my favorite things in our living room. They were thrifted and given to us by our aunt when we moved into our home. They’re the first thing you see as you walk into the room, so they’ve been a great conversation piece as well as adding that pop of color that our space needs. ”

“Our chandelier was given to us from my in-laws who had it in their home for all throughout my husband’s childhood. Not only that, but they got it in a lighting shop Austria which is where my father-in-law grew up and his family currently still lives. Our dining room table and bench is also unique, and I can say one of a kind because it was made for us by a friend. It’s important to my husband and I to have unique pieces that are special to us while also supporting local artisans.”