Dark & Moody

It’s finally raining here in California, of course all I want to do is snuggle up in a fuzzy blanket on the sofa. I’ve pulled together my favorite dark and moody interiors to share and match this cloudy weather.

Photo Cred: Villa Betula

The mustard yellow upholstery and plum throw pillows matches perfectly with the indoor foliage. A room for my own heart!

Photo Cred: Puerto Rico: The Gallery Inn

I am loving this medieval charm and beautiful staircase banister that nearly touches the ceiling, wrapping the entire room in wood and colorful textiles.

Photo Cred: The Future Kept

I am always a go for anything houseplant related, this eclectic space holds plants, pottery and gold accents warming up the cool space.

Photo Cred: Abigail Ahern via Culture Trip

You can find me here in this plaid chair covered in faux fur pillows, all the colors and textures in this living room work cohesively together. Of course one can’t miss the fern and flowers at top this mantel!

Are you a fan of the rain? Or would you love to hangout in one of these cool spaces above?

XOXO | Stephanie

Summer is here

Summertime to me is all about bright colors and the warm sunshine. The interiors switch from heavy textiles to light throws for the furniture. It’s all about bringing the indoors out and enjoying the time in the sun. Of course it doesn’t hurt to get a little tan during all these either. I hope you enjoy my collection of summer fun below.

Photography credits in order of appearance: The Beverly Hills Hotel, Amanda Mercado A Glam Lifestyle, Jacquetta Wheeler Moroccan Villa on AD, Monika Hibbs, Jennifer from FleamarketFab on Glitter Guide, Glitter Guide showcases Simona Wohlner's home that La designer Layne Kula designed.

Design in Charleston

Who doesn't love coffee table books?! Said Nobody EVER!

My passion for design never stops even on vacation. To my surprise along our journey down king street in Charleston, SC we noticed Mitchell Hill it looked like a store we couldn't pass up.

Abstract & Geometric forms are all the craze right now.

Patterns & Colors around every corner.

Transforming traditional chair forms & re-upholstering the piece with high contrast textiles. The pillows are also beautifully showcased with one larger square pillow and a small lumbar support. When deciding on throw pillows for your space, one must first know there color scheme. Pillows are always best when the scale of the pattern is different than the one next to it. Mixing with colors & texture brings an added interest to the seating arrangement. 

Remember those tips next time you find yourself staring down the pillow wall. Questioning yourself on if you need another pillow or not?! We all do it!

What is your craziest must have when you find yourself in a home store? I have to pull myself away from the coffee table books & throws. I believe you need a different throw for every season! It's almost time to get the fluffy fur blankets out, yay to Autumn near.

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Castle on Craven

Known as "The Castle" in Beaufort, South Carolina.

Photographed shot by Stephanie (author) on vacation in Beaufort.

During our vacation in the low country one of our stops was in Beaufort, South Carolina. One day we decided to take the car for a drive and see what we could find. We discovered many beautiful 19th century homes but one in particular stood out from all the others. This house has earned the nickname "The Castle" due to the nearby river flowing alongside the property resembling a moat. One can only gawk and imagine what the interiors must look like in this twenty-three room mansion and the amazing views held from each of the seventy-nine windows. 

Well, we are in luck. Veranada Magazine got the story and captured an array of beautiful shots inside the getaway home of jewelry designer Elizabeth Locke.

Main entry & staircase

Photo captured by Veranda Magazine

Antique Cane Sofa & Chandelier.

Photo captured by Veranda Magazine

Elizabeth Locke, on the porch of her vacation home

Photo captured by Veranda Magazine

Large window opens out onto the front porch

Photo captured by Veranda Magazine

Nathaniel Russell House

The Nathaniel Russell House is a historic house at 51 Meeting Street in Charleston, South Carolina. I am breaking down our destinations as we adventure through the low country. 

Nathaniel Russel House - Charleston, South Carolina. The rectangular house has a symmetrical facade. The second floor windows are ornamented with white marble lintels recessed below roman inspired arches. 

Gardens leading to the visitors center

Front of house

I am absolutely in love with the gardens in the low country. The climate is humid and tropical, resembling a hothouse. It rains almost every afternoon so I doubt many people have to think about watering their plants. I live in California and envy this flourishing horticultural climate. 

The most important architectural feature in the home is the warm yellow ochre staircase hall that spans three stories. The spiral staircase is a canteliver design (the step above supports the step below). This was all accomplished by the use of wooden pegs, not a single nail or screw was used during construction. The center features a troupe-l'oeil painting, an artistic illusion to trick the eye into believing the design is 3d.  

Elipitial medallion to meet the second story

The shutters and pine plank flooring is original to the house. To prevent the furniture from being further damaged by the sunlight, the shutters are closed during specific times of the day. 

Adjacent to the spiral staircase sits the oval dining room. The walls are covered in turquoise wallpaper applied square by square and painted after application. Interesting fact about life in the south: they begin the day with breakfast; as much of us do, although they eat an early supper around 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Later in the evening around 5 or 6 leftovers/cold-cuts are served or available if people are still hungry, followed shortly by dessert. 

The oval drawing room is located on the second floor right above the dining room. This is where the women would retire to after dinner, separating themselves from the men. The brightly colored and ornate rug is reflected through the entire room with its apricot walls and detailed crown molding.  

This room is similar to what we refer to as the master bedroom. The walls were hand painted with a special brush to replicate how it would have looked in the 18th century.  The furniture in the home is not directly related to the Russell family, but pieces from the time period that they resided in the home. The Nathaniel Russell House is definitely a site to visit if you find yourself in Charleston, South Carolina. The surrounding area and neighborhood of this site allows for an incredible opportunity to walk around and enjoy the beautiful homes. The sister property to this house is the Aiken-Rhett House. I will share more about the Aiken-Rhett in later post. 

Georgian style four poster bed with upholstery hangings for ornate and warmth purposes.

Have you had the pleasure to visit Charleston, SC? If so what was your favorite thing about the historic downtown district? 

Please share comments below if you enjoyed the following post. Thank you.

Sweet as a Georgia Peach

Finding healthy snacks always seems 10x easier during the summer months. This season has a lot more fruits to offer my favorite Peaches and Nectarines. I store majority of my fruits in the refrigerator so they do not ripen as quickly. A nice cold peach in the morning of afternoon is a wonderful sweet treat.