THE HEART OF A HOME

They say the kitchen is the heart of a home. Being in Virginia Beach all weekend for my husband's marathon somehow reminded me of the importance of eating well, which of course reminded of the importance of having a well decorated kitchen. Go figure? One of our upcoming projects is a backsplash makeover.

Searching for tile in a home store is like searching for which candy you will choose to scoop into your little plastic bag. There are many options! Just like many things in your home, kitchen tile may help to convey your personal style. The location of your home plays a huge role. For example, if you live near water, glass mosaic tile is beautiful. The way light reflects glass tile really brings the ocean or the lake indoors. What if your style is tuscan? Using deep colors-such as reds, blues, oranges-is lovely. What if your style is modern? There are so many cool, sleek options. For me, I am always drawn to shiney, white subway tile. I enjoy making the backsplash a clean, timeless backdrop and not the focal point in a space.

Image 1: Elle Decor, Image 2: House Beautiful, Image 3: Traditional Home, Image 4: Elle Decor, Image 5: House Beautiful, Image 6: Veranda, Image 7: House Beautiful, Image 8: Veranda

HOME LIGHTING PROJECT

A new project that I have taken on is finding a chandelier for our foyer.

In keeping with the historic arcitecture of our home, I wanted to find a fabulous antique chandelier for the entryway to replace the fixture that came with the house. A must on my check list was finding something with a gold finish. My thoughts were either lantern or crystals. After looking at pictures of Andy and Kate Spade's New York apartment on New York magazine's site the other day, I was instantly drawn to the beautiful crystal chandelier in their foyer! The shape of this piece happily blends the classic and modern look of their home.

Soon after, I discovered a fabulous antique crystal chandelier at a local antique store. I knew instantly that the porportions would be perfect and add the much needed sparkle! I decided to take advantage of the layaway option. Not many antiques stores offer this, so if you are wanting to keep your spending in check, why not?!

A before and after photo is coming soon...

Don't let high profile interiors intimidate you. You can get wonderful inpiration and practical ideas for your home!