The Blog

After shopping and sourcing at Mississippi estate sales for 20 years now, one of my favorite interior design styles is what is called Grand Millennial. This decor trend is inspired by traditional design and has a nostalgic feel.    There are many benefits of shopping my collections versus shopping big box stores. Your space will look like you hired a...

The new collection from Annie Selke is a collaboration with Kit Kemp, the founder and creative director of Firmdale Hotels. The colorful collection of rugs, bedding, and more is inspired by Kit's favorite destinations-New York, London, and Barbados. I recently watched a webinar where Dennis Scully of the Business of Home interviewed Annie and Kit. The ladies described their collaboration...

Meeting Ashley Whittaker at a book signing for her coffee table book "The Well-Loved House" was a dream come true for me! Ashley first was on my radar after she was featured in Domino Magazine back in April 2007. I had gone on an interview for a job at Domino (I sadly didn't get the job) and would devour every...

I have always been curious about what is next in the worlds of fashion and interiors. Trends are a fun way to provide little updates to our homes and help to inspire the way we think. I listened to a Chairish webinar earlier this fall and am so excited for what they see coming next.  The first trend is the...

The main ethos behind my brand Mississippi Maximalism is being inspired by the homes and closets of the estate sales and charity shops in my home state of Mississippi. When I would sell at markets and events in other states, people were often surprised to find out I was from Mississippi. I guess they mistakenly thought we live simple farmhouse...

I recently came across a chair at my local Salvation Army thrift store and purchased for $3.50. My mother did some repairs and we recovered it in 1970s suiting fabric from a Tupelo, Mississippi factory. When deciding what to price it at, I did some research and discovered designer James Mont. James Mont was born in Istanbul and emigrated to...

I have two kinds of clients that I work with decorating interiors-the first is home staging to sell their house and the second is clients wanting to create their dream space in their home. This article is for clients that are redesigning to stay in your current home. If you are looking for help staging to sell, check out this blog...

Are you staging to sell or redesigning to stay? I have two kinds of clients that I work with decorating interiors-the first is home staging to sell their house and the second is clients wanting to create their dream space in their home. I'll make another blog post on my redesign services but this one will focus on home staging. ...

Used for thousands of years, wicker as we know it gained popularity in the 1800s Victorian Age. With trade routes becoming established, and the discovery of rattan’s (the base used under woven wicker) strengths, wicker was due for a revival during the Victorian Age. Wicker furniture was lightweight, lower cost, and easy to clean. We're blessed here in the south...

Taking a rental home from drab to fab! I recently staged a home in the downtown historic district of Columbus, Mississippi. The home had tenants for the past ten years, so there were many issues. Staging helped to highlight all the character that you can only find in an older home. The entire interior was painted white. Most of the...

The perfect look for spring! My first spring in Mississippi is one of the most memorable. Never before had I experienced the explosion of new growth and sunshine. I was 10 years old and spent hours at my grandparents picking flowers and exploring. The cottagecore trend reminds me of that more simple time in my life and is such a...

Built Before the Civil War and located in Columbus, MS, next on my list of the Move to Mississippi series is this beautiful home located right across the street from Mississippi University for Women. This property caught my eye about 5 years ago and has since been renovated. The home sale is already under contract with a sell price of...

Get the scoop From design professionals (including me!!). I was recently quoted in an article on RealHomes.com titled "10 ways to make your living room look better for free, according to interior designers" written by Kaitlyn McInnis. Since the past year has been "spent treating your living room as your home office, restaurant, bar, and personal movie theatre, it could use a...

Built in 1858 and located in Greenville, MS. Look at what Reader's Digest named as the most beautiful mansion in Mississippi! I first visited Belmont in the summer of 2013 for an estate sale and quickly developed a crush. Since then, the over 8,000 sq. foot home has gone under a major renovation and is now a bed and breakfast....

Sometime in the last few years, I was fascinated to learn of Julia Reed. Growing up in Greenville, Mississippi, Julia Reed is the author of 8 books. She wrote about politics, southern life, and food for Vogue, Newsweek, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the New Yorker, the New York Review of Books, theWashington Post, Elle Decor, Southern Living, Garden & Gun, US News...

Next on my shameless promoting of Mississippi homes is this one-of-a-kind historic property. It was built in 1870 and completely renovated in 2018. This renovation was super exciting because it was featured on HGTV pilot program ''Hammer to the Manor''! The property features original floors along with a new modern floor plan with 21st-century amenities. Located right in the middle...

I'm excited to debut a new blog topic featuring real estate in Mississippi. I've started to offer home staging services so staying on top of the market will be fun! First up is this gorgeous antebellum home. Located on the Southside of downtown Columbus, this 5 bedroom, 3 bath, has over 4500 square feet of living space. I adore the...

In the early 60s, philanthropist Rachel “Bunny” Mellon had acquired a plot of land on the Caribbean island of Antigua. Architect H. Page Cross was hired to create the villa that Bunny would later admit "the house I love the most". Used as a winter retreat after the holidays, Bunny decorated the home with Billy Baldwin. These first five photos...