Mountain High

Kitchen by Dan Carithers

As the temperatures rise here in the South (as, I imagine, everywhere else), it makes me think of a tradition held in some parts of the country of retiring to higher ground for the summer, where the air is crisper and even a few degrees cooler makes all the difference in the world.

Foyer/hallway by Kim Winkler of Westbrook Interiors

I think a mountain house can be warm and inviting - and atmospheric in a rustic sort of way - without being cliche or overbearing in its presentation of theme. (Although a few antlers here and there are to be expected!)

Great room by Kathleen H. Rivers

The room above is from a house located in Cashiers, North Carolina. Cashiers and its close neighbor Highlands (covered by Southern Accents some years ago) are two hot spots for escapees from cities across the South (such as Charlotte, Atlanta, Charleston, and even Birmingham).

I think this room is a great example of tastefully rustic design, which Rivers says was inspired by the mellowed, layered look of English country houses. Southern antiques and handsome fabrics mix beautifully with exposed wood beams, weathered stone, and exotic tribal rugs.

Paneled bathroom by Westbrook Interiors

As you are probably beginning to see from my selection of photos, there are certain fabric patterns I favor for a rustic, mountain or lake house setting; gingham, ticking stripe, and crewel being the front-runners.

Dining area by Jane J. Marsden Antiques & Interiors

I love all the fabulous rugs used by these designers. Whether tribal or traditional oriental, rugs can really complete a room, don't you think?


Bedroom by Jill Morris



Vignette by Phoebe Howard



Guest house living area by Marshall Watson and Jeffrey Kilmer

What a beautifully eclectic room! I love how it has crewel and gingham, a fabulous mix of antiques (Swedish, Italian, English), flashes of gold accents, and those perfect lanterns. A lot of thought was given to the wall treatments, as well, where a combination of beadboard (around the fireplace) and multiple layers of pigment and glaze, applied by decorative painter Judy Mulligan, was used.

Porch by Myra Hoefer

You've got to have a place to take in the cool mountain breezes, too!

Bedroom by White Webb

When paired with a simple iron bedframe and unfussy furnishings, the crewelwork becomes the star of this elegant room.

Living room tableau by Elaine Griffin

We are finishing off the post today with a picture that, I think, perfectly exemplifies sophisticated mountain style. With a deer-head chandelier, neutral fabrics on classic furnishings, oversized hurricanes, and a grand oak-leaf arrangement, this room perfectly illustrates a theme done right!

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend (for my Stateside readers) and I hope for a great week ahead for everyone!

Baby Boom

Design by Melissa Ervin

It must be that time of year (or just my age), but it seems like everyone around me is pregnant! I am so happy for all those expectant mothers out there (my own sister included!), but, today, I want to focus on one friend in particular who has enlisted my help in her nursery design.

Like many mothers-to-be, she has a lot of different ideas of what she wants the nursery to look like: spots and stripes, animal themed, gender neutral, little boy blues all the way, etc. One design idea that she had was to do a Charleston beach-themed nursery (since she has a large family of in-laws from that lovely city). This is the idea that I immediately loved and ran with....


Design by Melissa Ervin


The first thing I did (as usual) was to gather inspirational pictures to guide me. One designer I came across early in my research was Charleston-based Melissa Ervin. Her designs were perfectly suited for this project and instantly gave me ideas for the color-scheme of the nursery: blue and green.

Paint by Benjamin Moore


I then set out to find the perfect shade for the wall color. I stumbled upon the color above, Sweet Bluette by Benjamin Moore, while perusing the Pottery Barn website for baby furniture. As the name says, it is such a sweet color: calm and soothing and perfectly suited for a baby's room.


Mahogany Etagere from Mecox Gardens


I am pretty sure she is using white baby furniture, so I felt the accent furniture in the room should provide a bit of contrast (otherwise you can end up with a washed-out look). Mahogany and other dark-stained pieces, like this gorgeous etagere from Mecox Gardens, give the whites and blues of the room a beachy Colonial look that ties in nicely to the Charleston feel. Plus, the shelves on an etagere provide extra space for baskets, blankets, books, and anything else that needs to be easily accessible.

Unknown designer

The pictures above and below are additional examples of rooms from which I gathered inspiration. I love the blend of wicker, wood, sailcloth drapes, ticking stripes, and rope above, while the photo below displays a modern, yet coastal, vignette that I found very pleasing.


Vignette by Jennifer McGee



Capiz Sconce by West Elm


Good lighting in any room is essential, but, in a nursery, it is especially important to have a variety of lighting sources that can provide a range of brightness: from soft (for bedtime) to cheerful (for playtime). Overhead lights can be so harsh, so I prefer to use lots of table and floor lamps, as well as sconces. I like the West Elm sconce above for its diffused light and beachy vibe from the strings of capiz shells, and the driftwood lamp from a local antiques store (below) because of its texture and, again, beach feel.

Driftwood lamp from Urban Suburban

So, without further ado, the following photos show my idea board (aka, my computer screen) with a collection of pieces for the nursery.

I know it is hard to make out everything in such a small picture, but I will try to describe it as best I can...

The picture above shows the curtain panels (Audry Chenille Dot in green from Pottery Barn), the driftwood lamp that would sit atop the etagere (maybe with some straw baskets below and a palm or fern plant on top), the white crib with crib sheet (Jungle Friends Crib Sheet from Pottery Barn), and green gingham bedskirt (Gingham Ruffle Crib Skirt also by Pottery Barn.... what can I say, they have awesome baby stuff!).

Again, I apologize for the poor picture quality, but, until I can figure out a better way, this is how a technologically-challenged person like me puts ideas together! The pic above shows a gorgeous palm painting by Carol Tokarski, the West Elm shell sconce (one of each would hang on either side of the painting, above a changing table that would probably also be in white), a precious little sea-creature mobile (NoJo Sea Babies Musical Mobile from Babies R Us), a comfy chair from Mecox Gardens (a must-have in a nursery), green ticking stripe fabric to cover the chair, a dark wood, barley twist table from Etsy, a nautical star floor lamp (Star Motif Floor Lamp from Mecox Gardens), and a sweet and colorful little book to read to baby at bedtime ("Mister Seahorse" by Eric Carle), all set against the Sweet Bluette wall color in the background.


Cole and Son "Palm Leaves" Wallpaper - another fun pattern that could work in this room


Obviously, there are a million more things that can be done in this nursery, but I think you can get the feel of the room from the items above and begin to imagine the soothing space it could be. I think this room shows that if you want to do a "theme" (like my friend's Charleston beach look), it doesn't have to end up looking theme-y. It can still be classic and serene, while still sweet and perfect for Baby.

I look forward to seeing what my friend actually does in the room, and I can't wait to meet her little bundle of joy, too!

Have a great week everyone! 

Soothing Neutrals

Living room by Garrow Kedigian

After the busy weekend (and yesterday's extensive post of it), I wanted to focus on some easygoing rooms that make you just want to say, "Ahhhhhh".

Design by Erinn Valencich of Omniarte

Using a palette of creamy ivories, washed-out blues, greys, and greens, as well as a bevy of natural textures from linen to seagrass, these rooms please the eye with their serene composition.


Bedroom by Elizabeth Martin


I love that this bedroom uses five different patterned fabrics, but doesn't feel in the least bit busy or garish.

Seating area in Kips Bay Showhouse by Charlotte Moss

Bedroom by Joe Minton for the Southern Accents Riverhills Showhouse

Bedroom by Ginger Barber

Is it just me, or is gingham popping up everywhere? This pretty pattern is one that is definitely growing on me.

Living area by Chad Eisner



Living room design by Phoebe Howard


What a lovely room for our last post. I love the florals, the bobbin chair, and the peachy beige on the walls of this room.

Here's to a happy (and, hopefully, stress-free) day!

Gingham that will make you grin

I came across these pictures of a room by Jeffrey Bilhuber a few weeks ago and they are just so fun, I had to share! I can't say I am a big fan of gingham but, after seeing this fabulous room, Bilhuber may have won me over!

Cozy yet playful, bright yet grounded, this room has it all: those parquet floors, the gilded arm chairs, the plush fringed sofa, that peacock!

Bilhuber obviously has a keen eye for design, but I love to see his sense of humor shine through in this lovely interior. I mean, how many people do you know who can pull off matching mossy green Abe Lincoln prints so elegantly?