Wendy Hyde Lifestyle

A Fond Farewell

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 15:41:00 +0000

I am writing today to say farewell to blogging.

I have loved this blog.

I started The Shabby Nest in 2008, and it has been a source of joy, it has provided me with many opportunities, experiences, and relationships. Not long ago I re-branded the blog as Wendy Hyde. I hoped to breathe some new life into it.

But as time marches on, I have realized that I am not able to give it the attention it deserves, and I have decided that it is time for me to retire from blogging.

I have decided to leave the blog on the internet as an archive (at least for the time being),

but it will no longer be updated.

Thank you for being a part of my blogging journey.

xoxo

Wendy

Extraordinary Women - Paige Knudsen

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 16:14:00 +0000

Welcome to another installment of my interview series with

Extraordinary Women Over the Age of 40.

Today, I'm very excited to share an interview with photographer extraordinaire, Paige Knudsen.

Paige and I met through the blogging world several years ago, and have had the privilege of becoming real life friends as well.

I have long admired Paige and her courageous attitude toward life. She is an amazing inspiration to me and I just know you'll feel the same way.

Say "Hello" to Paige!

-What was your view of "aging" before you hit your 40's and how has it changed?

Oh gracious! We’ll start off with aging right out of the gate! I’ll be honest with you, the year I turned 50, my first born daughter married & moved across the world. Well, the United States actually, but it can feel like the world! I live in Georgia & she moved to California. My second moved to Philadelphia for a year for work. Change is often times bittersweet for me & there was a lot of change in a small period of time, which just so happened to be an age milestone as well.

Having said that, I lost my first husband to cancer when he was 35 & I was only 30. I remember being vividly aware of hearing people talk about dreading birthdays. I told myself I’d never take a birthday, or aging for that matter, for granted. Sometimes I need a little reminder to be grateful for every year! And to top that, I really don’t think 50 is as old as I used to! Around the time I turned 50 I was having a conversation with my dad and told him, my goodness why didn’t you tell me that at 50 I’d feel 30. If you’re 70, how old do you feel? Is it still 30?! He laughed!

While there are many days I wish (for a moment) to be a little younger, I am super grateful for my life! I want to be a 'young at heart' senior citizen (one day) & grow old and love on grand babies with my wonderful hubby. We celebrated twenty years of marriage this year & I’d love many many more! Now 70 doesn’t sound old at all!

-What is something you consciously let go of and didn't take with you into your 40's?

When I was in my 40’s I launched two businesses. I left a twenty year career as a pediatric nurse & started my own photography business. I felt brave & empowered & excited for this new journey. Simultaneously I began working with a fair trade jewelry company that was in it’s start up phase. Our four girls were in school & college and there was more freedom in our schedule as well. I was offered so many opportunities to travel with both jobs, which included several trips abroad—my first!- to use my photography skills. It was perhaps my favorite. But I honestly say that about each age…I feel it has truly kept getting better! True story!

-When and how did you realize your passion in life? Has it changed as you've grown older?

My passion in my 20’s was to care of children with cancer, so I went to nursing school. I wanted to serve them, build relationship with them and their families & be a positive caring person in their life. In my 30’s I continued that but my passion was really to love on my family. In my 40’s was when I stumbled upon Noonday Collection and really the desire to partner with women globally, many who were widows as well, to represent their jewelry and other handmade pieces was birthed. Literally the same time I had friends asking if I’d shoot for them. Photography had been a hobby up until then.

Becoming a photographer has been just another component of that same passion- to love on people, build relationship with them & encourage them. Early in my career as a photographer I was capturing a young mom. The property was gorgeous, the lighting was perfect, there was a breeze blowing, and she was radiant as the sun came out from behind the clouds and gave her the most glorious backlit beauty. I stopped & turned the camera around to show her what I had captured. I told her she was beautiful & then let her see herself as I saw her. She began to cry. It was a powerful moment for me to realize I was indeed doing what I was on the earth to do at that moment. I’ll never forget it and honestly while every photoshoot can’t be that epic, I set out for them to be!

I’ve built relationships with many young families who I’ve photographed the birth of their babies, milestones for them and honestly all celebrations. I just returned from a month in Italy where I was invited to photograph an event. I feel the last 30 years I’ve honestly been able to do what I love and make a living from it as well which is one of life’s greatest gifts!

-What ignited the fire in you to finally "pull the trigger" and pursue your passion?

I’m fortunate that I’m married to my biggest cheerleader. I was nervous to step out on my own. Photography is an art that someone invests in initially before they see the final piece of work. There must be trust there. I feared - what if they like my art but don’t like my art of them? We’re our own worst critic aren’t we? Anyways, he said let’s try it for a year & see how it goes. That was eight years ago. Most months I have more work than I can keep up with so I’m eternally grateful to him for believing in me!

-What's one of your best tips for making difficult decisions?

I’m a verbal processor so I really like to talk things out with him when making difficult decisions. My faith is of utmost importance as well so I spend much time in prayer as well. Thinking through the big picture and trying to step out of the emotional component of a decision and look at things more pragmatically is also important to me. I can tend to want everyone to be happy (especially happy and not mad at me) so I can labor over decisions too- ha ha!

-Change can be scary. What helps you overcome any fears/insecurities, or excuse-making, in order to courageously leap onto a new path?

Oh girl, change is scary for me for sure! Can we talk about the Enneagram here? Kidding.

We are knee deep in a season of change. Honestly we have been since our oldest of four went to college. Our girls are all close in age therefore it’s been non-stop for several years. My husband will begin a new job, a big career move for him, in two weeks. Our youngest will leave to serve on a mission based gap year for 9 months in just a few weeks. So I’m sitting on what feels like a big cliff looking out on a whole new world…and I’m a little apprehensive

I’ll be honest! Here again is where I rely on my faith that I know I have a Heavenly Father who will work all things together for my good and his glory. I read scripture and let those promises, that I cling to, wash over me and help change what may be negative thinking into hope filled prayers. It’s very important to me to be an encouragement to others. So I never want to say anything that would make a younger mama worry or fret over this stage of parenting. Even in my 50’s I’m still learning, I’m still curious. I want to have a fresh mindset, I want to be open to do something a new & better way and I always want to be a student! I feel like those things will serve me well in this time ahead where much is changing, and many new thing are on my horizon! I sure don’t want to sound cliche but also just being grateful for opportunities, I think, will help go through new things!

-What do you consider to be your most essential priorities at this point in your life?

While I still feel like a newbie in this stage of life where much is changing I want to be aware of what priorities are essential and if I need to switch gears, be able to do that effectively. We love our family and want to be a support to and cheer on our girls as they are all in new stages in their lives. I once heard someone say they felt they had the gift of availability.

While my husband and I both still have full time careers we’d love to be available more for, not only our daughters, but for younger couples. We both want to cheerlead for younger families. Time with Dan has always been a top priority for me. We made the commitment early in marriage when the girls were all quite young that we’d slip away, if even just for a dessert. and we’ve kept date nights and now date weekends a priority ever since.

-Have you found that you have developed more in your personal style (fashion or interiors - or both!) as you've grown older? How has it changed/evolved?

I think Wendy & I became friends when I went through my declutter stage! I am a collector at heart & hold meaning, value & sentiment to many things. I’m also easily distracted with clutter! The way I most live in both worlds is by changing the little details & decor in our home quite often. While my furniture may be several years old, the things I keep on tables, bookshelves & dressers changes frequently! I have been a big fan of neutral decor with pops of color here & there for quite some time. I really love juxtaposing modern, antiques & some classic style as well!

-Is there a beauty or make-up tip you wish you had learned about earlier?

Is there a beauty tip I wish I had followed earlier? YES…GIRLS!!! Use your sunscreen & moisturize your face every morning & every night! I use Moroccan oil on my face, I have super dry skin, and love it! I’ve never ‘done’ anything to my skin professionally to reverse the signs of aging but I sure hope my wrinkles end up more like laugh lines! Is that wishful thinking? I’m new to having my nails done and I’m really loving that luxury! All the cute water bottles that keep water ice cold has helped me become a much better water drinker!

Isn't she delightful? Thanks so much Paige!

You can find Paige online here.

xoxo

Wendy

Waking Up The House

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Sat, 29 Jun 2019 17:30:00 +0000

Hello Lovelies!

With my emphasis on Sanctuary, I have been giving a lot of thought to a related philosophy of mine that I focused on here on the blog a couple of years ago called Honest Decorating. Many of the ideas are similar - if not as developed - as those I have been recently sharing, and so I searched through my archives for a few of my previous posts that I thought would be relevant to share again.

The first one I wanted to share was about my morning routine in my house...I call it waking up the house, and I think it's worth revisiting.

Please enjoy (and then let me know your thoughts!)

But first (if you'd like to click through) a quick review of my Honest Decorating philosophy.

As I have been contemplating all of the different facets of what I consider Honest Decorating to be, I started thinking about the ways I honor our home.

Honor our home.

What does that mean, exactly?

Well, I believe - as I've mentioned numerous times - that the home should be a haven and an escape from the world. Because it plays such an important role in our lives, we should treat our homes with respect. One of the ways that I do that, is by "waking up my house" each morning.

Many years ago, I started reading a website called FlyLady. Anybody heard of it? The FlyLady shares ways that people can get organized. The thing I really love about her philosophy is that she refers to housekeeping as "blessing your house". What a wonderful way to think about taking care of our houses! And, by extension, taking care of our families and ourselves. That concept goes right along with what I am talking about today.

"Waking up my house" is my morning habit of getting the house ready for the day. Of "blessing it" for the coming day as the FlyLady might say. I work full-time outside the home as an interior designer, so I make my morning routine simple and quick. But, everyone benefits because our house starts the day in a relatively clean and organized way.

The first thing I do when I wake (assuming it's light outside) is open all of the blinds in the house. I love to let the morning light wash through the house.

Then I make sure that my bed is made. The kids are in charge of their own beds, and although, sometimes I'm tempted to remake their beds in my own way...I refrain. It's important for them to learn to "wake up" their own spaces.

After breakfast, we all make sure that our dishes are in the sink. (The kids each have a dish day...and often, during the school year, the clean dishes don't get put away until the kids get home from school. This is something I'm okay with, as long as all of the dishes they use in the morning get rinsed and put in the sink to be loaded into the dishwasher that afternoon.)

The kitchen counters and the table get wiped down, and the appliances get a quick wipe down as well. This is not a thorough cleaning, just a chance to make sure there are no spills or crumbs.

After I'm done getting ready, I make sure that my bathroom counters and sinks get a quick wipe down as well.

Then before we leave for school and work, I take a quick peek in the bedrooms to make sure that the beds are made and the floors have been picked up. And right before we walk out the door, I make sure that the living room is straight.

This might sound like a lot...but it actually only takes a grand total of about 15 minutes.

Even on weekends and holidays, I like to follow this routine because it allows the house to start out each day in a relatively clean state. We all know that it doesn't stay that way for long though, right? Ha!

Later this week, I'm going to share how I "put my house to sleep" every evening. These two routines are my ways of honoring my house and the people who live in it by taking care of it. What about you? Do you have any routines that make housekeeping a bit easier? I'd love to hear!

xoxo

Wendy

Decorating Your Home Can Help Your Family Relationships

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 18:51:00 +0000

Welcome Friends!

Isn't it interesting how when you are focused on something in your life, you keep being led to things that support your belief? This phenomenon is always a good indicator that I am focusing on something important. And that is exactly what is happening as I develop my philosophy that our Homes are Sanctuaries.

I love this quote...but in this case, I would extend it to say that you can be certain also of improving your Home. And the study I am about to share with you shows the importance of this, and definitely supports the idea that our Homes are very important to the quality of our family life.

Brigham Young University recently completed a study that illustrates (according to study co-author and Professor Larry Nelson) that

You can put two people in the same space but how they feel about that space affects how they interact with their family members

In the study, they determined that the size of a house has little bearing on the way that the family interacts, but rather the way the house feels to them. The layout of the furniture, whether the house is comfortable and attractive - all of those aspects effected the family's relationships and interactions more than the size or price of the home.

The authors of the study believe that parents should use the physical aspects of the home, including furniture arrangement and decoration to help the family feel more secure and to help foster family relationships.

According to Carly Thornock, one of the other authors of the study,

There’s a lot you can do to nurture your relationships with your family without saying anything. As a parent, if you want your kids to feel close and connected, you could consider putting their pictures on the wall in a highly visible spot in the home.

I agree! Making sure that your home reflects the importance of and the interests of your family members is an essential part of creating a family culture. Put up their pictures! Display their collections!

Moreover, this study goes right along with my belief that we don't have to have the latest and greatest of everything. We don't need the largest homes. What we need are thoughtfully designed and articulated spaces that make our families feel cared for and loved. And that is something that can be accomplished on any budget.

xoxo

Wendy

Extraordinary Women - Jennifer Rizzo

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Sat, 22 Jun 2019 23:02:00 +0000

Welcome to the third installment of my

Interviews with Extraordinary Women Series.

Today's interview is with a dear blogging friend of mine, Jennifer Rizzo.

Jen and I have known one another since I first started blogging back in 2008.

She is insanely creative, and a gifted entrepreneur.

I admire Jen so much and I am so excited for you to get to know a little bit about her as well.

Welcome Jen...

What was your view of "aging" before you hit your 40's and how has it changed?

Before I hit 40, I thought 40 was really old, and near the end. Now that I moving into my late 40’s, I realize that there is still plenty of time, but it’s moving faster. I think that’s why I decided I needed to move forward with my dream of opening a store. I didn’t know what I was waiting for, because time wasn’t waiting for me.

What is something you consciously let go of and didn't take with you into your 40's?

I consciously let go of caring what other people thought. In my 30’s I really felt and wondered what other’s thought. In my 40’s I realize the only opinion of me that matters is mine.

When and how did you realize your passion in life? Has it changed as you've grown older?

My passion has evolved and changed as my life has changed. I realize that all of my life experiences build on the next thing, and lead me to the next step. I feel like I’ve been so lucky that I’ve been able to walk out many of my dreams in this life, and I plan to continue following the things that are placed in my heart. The biggest thing is realizing when one dream ends, there’s always something else that can replace it. I’m not very good at sitting still, so bring active and busy makes me happy.

What ignited the fire in you to finally "pull the trigger" and pursue your passion?

The only way I can say it, is it was a “God thing”. For the last 5 years, I had been looking in my town for a studio space where I could operate a small shop with it where I could teach workshops, and sell handmade items. Our home is really small, and I was out of room at my kitchen table. For the last 12 years, Beside DIY/ lifestyle blogging, I had been wholesaling to boutiques, doing markets, shows, and antique store booths, selling on-line, art licensing, product design, and teaching. My blog and art business had outgrown my home.

My husband and I looked at location after location in our town and didn’t find anything. I had such a strong feeling that it was supposed to be on our main street. One day in May I was walking with a friend, and looked in the window of a vacant space and I could feel a whirl in the pit of my stomach, and a really strong pull inside. My husband and I called on it and went to look at it. I just felt likethis was the right time. I asked my friend, Autumn, if she was interested in jumping on board, and we signed the lease! We opened The Collective LHE + Makery in Downtown Lisle two years ago already!

What's one of your best tips for making difficult decisions?

While I don’t believe in being led my emotions, I am a big believer in praying it out and following where I feel led.

Change can be scary. What helps you overcome any fears/insecurities, or excuse-making, in order to courageously leap onto a new path?

It’s taking that first step that’s the hardest part. I think it’s realizing that small steps along the way are just as important as big scary ones, and it’s super important, no matter how small, just to start.

I don’t know if we ever overcome fears until we actually take the risk and see how it works out. It’s that leap of faith! That’s when I really turn to praying when I’m walking out the will for my life.

How do you make your time work for you so that you are able to fulfill family and professional roles, but still have time to "create" and develop yourself?

When you are juggling so many balls, one or two are going to drop. I don’t have the time to create as much as I used to, and that’s the real bummer in running a business. I just give myself grace when I don’t do everything right, or get to everything I’m supposed to. My kids have had to take on a lot more responsibility and even though I have mother-guilt about it, they are actually better for it.

What do you consider to be your most essential priorities at this point in your life?

My faith, my family, and my business are my biggest priorities. Everything else squeezes in on the sides.

And a couple just for fun...

Have you found that you have developed more in your personal style (fashion or interiors - or both!) as you've grown older? How has it changed/evolved?

I have! I’m much more open with what I want to ear and take bigger risks. It helps that I don’t care as much what other people think. When I worked from home, I wore gray sweatpants all day long. The hard part of working out in the public is putting on make up every day and nice clothes every day. The good thing is it forces me to look for cute outfits and I have fun because I like to get creative mixing vintage pieces with new.

Is there a beauty or make-up tip you wish you had learned about earlier?

White eye shadow on your cheek bones. It gives the skin a glow-y look, and highlights them!

Thank you, Jen!

You can find Jen on line at JenniferRizzo.com

Until next time,

xoxo

Wendy

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Our Homes as Sanctuaries: Resources For Renters

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Sat, 08 Jun 2019 18:02:00 +0000

In all of my discussion about our homes being sanctuaries, and how they can help us heal from emotional trauma, I wanted to make sure that my readers who rent didn't feel like they were unable to create sanctuaries for themselves because their spaces don't "belong" to them.

I can promise you that this is not the case.

For most of my adult life, I have been a renter. Aside from the two years my then-husband I owned a home, and the home which I purchased after my divorce (Hydeaway Cottage- where my children and I currently live) I have always rented. So I know a great deal about how to make a space that isn't technically "yours" feel like it is.

And today I wanted to compile a few of my best posts on how to make rental spaces feel like your own. There is really no reason why you can't make any space you live in a sanctuary. No matter where you are or what your circumstance. It's the intentionality of what you do with it that creates the sanctuary in it - not the space itself, not the cost, not the color of the walls, or the furniture. It's the love, authenticity and as I mentioned, intentionality.

But since you are here on my site, my guess is that you love decorating as much as I do.

So here are a few ideas to help you out... (links are below each photo)

HOW TO DECORATE: MAKING A RENTAL YOUR OWN

DIY RENTER TIPS and REPAIRS

DECORATING DILEMMAS AND HOW TO SOLVE THEM

MAKING A MUDROOM

My hope is that you can create a home wherever you are. And that you can make your home a refuge from the cares of the world, a place where you feel happy, calm, and content.

xoxo

Wendy

Our Homes Our Sanctuaries Blog Series

Our Homes Our Sanctuaries

How Our Homes Help Us Heal

Resources for Renters - you are here

How Our Homes Help Us Heal

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 02:51:00 +0000

This post is a follow up to my previous post on my philosophy that our homes should act as sanctuaries for us and our families. I believe wholeheartedly that, especially in today's world, our homes need to be places that we can escape, rejuvenate, revive and prepare ourselves to be the best that we can be as we go out into the world on a daily basis.

And so today, I want to talk about the concept that our homes - as part of being sanctuaries or refuges- can act as places of emotional healing.

If we believe that we are affected by our surroundings, which I believe whole-heartedly, then it not only matters what those surrounding look and feel like, but also what we purposely put into them to provide emotional nourishment as well.

For example, I have two great passions. One is interior design (surprise!) and the other is writing. And so I use my house to nurture both of those passions.

Even though I am short on space in my house, I made it a priority to add a mini home-office to my bedroom complete with a desk, lamp and computer where I can sit down (in peace) and write to my heart's content. This little nook keeps me from having to work at the dining room table or the living room sofa in the middle of all the family goings-on. And it validates my need to create through the written word by providing an area dedicated to my craft.

My entire house, on the other hand, provides a workshop to perfect my design ideas.

As I was mulling over what I wanted to share in this post, my mind was brought back again and again to a piece that I wrote back in 2011 in response to a blog post written by my friend Myquillyn also known as the Nester. I want to share part of it here.

It starts with a quote from Myquillyn's post:

Nobody accuses the writer who is restless with the pen and a blank page of trying find her contentment in the wrong place. Is the singer who changes the arrangement, the pianist who craves the keys, the painter who tweaks the canvas, the collector searching for that one last treasure, the songwriter who paces the floor waiting for the perfect words, are they looking for meaning and contentment in all the wrong places simply based on what they are passionate about? Is it about time they smartened up and stopped wasting their time? No one would dare accuse them of such. I think they are created to pursue their art.

That quote was my "Aha!" moment. It made me think about myself and my own desire for a beautiful home. And how that may be interpreted as materialism or discontent. But it isn't. It's my form of art. Like Nester, I have been interested in decorating spaces since I was a little girl. I talked my father into building a window seat for my bedroom. As a teen, I read decorating articles with interest, and incorporated ideas into my own room. When I moved into my college dorm, unable to choose furniture for the room, I went on the quest for the perfect bedspread and wall art. I put up a wallpaper border in my college apartment (no judging, it was the 90's!). It's just a part of who I am.

And now to quote myself from the comment I left on that particular post...

I am in complete agreement with you about purchasing intentionally and about being intentional in the way we decorate our homes. I too have purchased things just because they were “cute” and "a good deal” and I figured I could use them at some point, or even because they were all the rage in blogland at that point in time. However, everything was put into sharp perspective for me when my husband was in a near fatal car accident this last summer. My job (which was a 6 year contract) also came to end at the same time. Here we were, in a precarious situation…with no income…living off what little retirement we had. There was absolutely no way in the world that I could go out and spend money on my home…whether the purchase was a good deal or not was irrelevant.

And yet, I am a designer in my heart. It is my passion. It is my art. I felt an intense need, perhaps even moreso because of the tenuous nature of our situation, to create a home that was beautiful, comforting and nourishing to my soul. A place where my children were at home. The fact that I didn’t have any money to do that with was not a deterrent, it was a challenge. And so I set about arranging, and rearranging what we had. I learned that I didn’t have to purchase anything…good deal or not… to decorate a home. And I made a lovely home. And some people [may have thought that I was] spending money I didn’t have on decorating my home... And although I shouldn’t have needed to justify things, or explain that I hadn’t spent money on what I had done…I did justify it, I felt the need to vindicate myself... just as you said, sometimes those of us with decorating in our blood are deemed to be materialistic and superficial. I don’t believe that is the case. It certainly wasn’t my intention during that time. It isn’t my intention now.

And there's the truth of it in a nutshell. I redecorate to nourish my soul. It is a passion. It is an art. I expect those around me to pursue their passions. I encourage them to hone their art.

And that is exactly how I know that our homes can help us to heal. My home helped me to heal during the very difficult period of time after my then-husband's near-fatal accident. And today, my home continues to help me to heal from the heartache of divorce. It helps me face single parenthood with a happy heart. It helps me to deal with my anxiety.

And your homes can help you with your emotional healing as well. Whatever your passion is, make a place for it in your home.

Do you love to paint? Place a small easel near a window.

Do you love music? Dedicate a corner in your living room to your instrument.

Do you love the piano, but have no room for one? I do too! We have a small keyboard. It's no baby grand, but it can create some beautiful music.

Whatever your passion, there is a way to bring it into your home.

Carve out a place, no matter how small, where you can pursue your dreams - a place in your home where you can be authentically you.

I promise it is worth it. Because we are here on this Earth for a finite period of time, and our one true purpose is to develop ourselves in all the ways that are good, to do everything that we can to reach our highest potential. If you love to do something, and it brings you joy and peace, make space for it in your home. And then make space for it in your life on a daily basis.

xoxo

Wendy

Our Homes Our Sanctuaries Blog Series

Our Homes Our Sanctuaries

How Our Homes Help Us Heal - you are here

Resources for Renters

Our Homes Our Sactuaries

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Fri, 31 May 2019 20:52:00 +0000

I have posted many times on this blog about what I believe is the most important thing when it comes to our homes. And that is - that they are our havens.

But as I have been dwelling on, researching about, and further diving into this idea, I have come to feel that the term "haven" really isn't strong enough. And I have decided instead that we really need to view our homes as Sanctuaries. And treat them with the reverence and importance that such a term indicates.

The term Sanctuary is by definition: a sacred or holy place. A place where one seeks refuge.

And that is just what our homes should be. Places of refuge. And as such, they should be places that lift us, build us, comfort us, and bring us to a higher level.

Which is why I feel that designing and decorating our homes, far from being frivolous pursuits, are highly important activities that actually bless the lives of ourselves and our families.

A couple of months ago, a friend of mine sent me a screen shot of a quote she had seen on Instagram. I wish I knew who to properly attribute the quote to, but she said that it made her think of me and my philosophy about houses. So I want to share it.

We create homes after the manner of our Creator. We organize. Divide. Form. Beautify. Diversify. And then within those walls of creation, we shelter and nourish life. A home has geography. It has atmosphere. It is a point from which we depart and to which we return. If someone walked into your home, what would they hear, see, smell, feel and taste? What type of world have they just entered?

So beautiful, right? Our homes are quite literally, our chance to create the best possible world for ourselves and our families. The most important decision that I made for my children after my divorce was purchasing our little home, which we affectionately call Hydeaway Cottage. I longed more than anything to give my children the stability of having a "childhood home" which is something they hadn't had up to that point as we moved around so much.

Our house is small. And the furnishings in it are not expensive, but I have strived to make it a beautiful place for my children. A place where they feel loved, protected and cared for. A place they will always remember as home. And honestly, design is part of how I accomplish this purpose.

My friend Gabrielle Blair (Design Mom) has this to say:

To my mind, a thoughtfully designed home is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your family. The items you've chosen to surround you, both the practical and the decorative, tell your family's story. They foster important conversations. They influence the likes and dislikes of your family members. They have the ability to prevent or cause frustration. They form the backdrop to your child's childhood.

I am passionate about helping others turn their homes into Sanctuaries. And I believe 100% that it doesn't have to cost a lot of money to do that. (In fact, I am proof that it doesn't have to cost very much money at all.) And I am excited to further explore this idea in future posts.

Let me end with this quote from the author biography of one of my fellow design bloggers, Kristy Woodson Harvey who says:

Creating a beautiful home can be the catalyst for creating a beautiful life.

Let's work on doing that together.

xoxo

Wendy

Our Homes Our Sanctuaries Blog Series

Our Homes Our Sanctuaries - you are here

How Our Homes Help Us Heal

Resources for Renters

Extraordinary Women - Gen Sohr

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Wed, 22 May 2019 20:31:00 +0000

Welcome to the second installment of my

Interviews with Extraordinary Women series.

Today I'm thrilled to introduce you to Gen Sohr.

I was first introduced to Gen through One King's Lane when they featured her beautiful Nashville home in their Designer Homes series. Gen and her husband Benjamin run Pencil & Paper Co., a full service residential and commercial design firm and lifestyle brand.

She also has impeccable fashion sense...and I love following her Instagram account because she is constantly sharing the most darling clothing items - especially dresses!

Please enjoy this interview with Gen Sohr...

What was your view of "aging" before your forties and how has it changed?

When I was younger forty seemed so far away. Obviously when you're in your twenties it seems like a life time away. I can remember when my mom was in her forties saying to me "you never really feel the age that you are, you kind of always feel like you're in your twenties." And I've found that to be incredibly, incredibly true.

So now I just turned 48 and I'm on the brink of 50, it seems so much younger to me than I ever imagined it would. And even thinking about sixty or seventy, if feels not that far away anymore and so it still feels young to me. I think that's how your perception of aging certainly evolves.

What is something you consciously let go of and didn't take with you into your 40's?

I have felt like this is the most exciting time of life. I have confidence in my career path. I have confidence in the choices I have made with family and love, and all of those things are so much easier and seem figured out now. The exciting thing is that now I've really fine-tuned what my goals are for the next year, and even the next ten years, and I really have the time and energy to focus on those things. In terms of what I've let go of, I would say judgments and other people's expectations. As you get older I feel like that all fades away. And I feel like I have much more clarity about my direction.

When and how did you realize your passion in life? Has it changed as you've grown older?

I think at a very young age I knew that I really enjoyed beautiful things - and creativity, and fashion, and interiors, and color. The same things that I really love today. I think I was born with that. It has certainly evolved with experiences such as travel or the different positions I've held. As a VP of Creative for different retailers, I've learned from every one of those things. It's certainly matured my eye. And I have so much more life experience and exposure to travel and inspiration, and these beautiful things that mold your aesthetic.

What ignited the fire in you to finally "pull the trigger" and pursue your passion?

To be honest, I think I'm one of the lucky ones. I started my career in fashion. I was very lucky to fall into an amazing position with Banana Republic at a very young age. Before I even graduated college, I worked as a sales associate which very quickly evolved into me being a regional visual coordinator, and then ultimately ending up with a position two years later in San Francisco with Old Navy at the beginning of the launch of that brand. So, I have been really fortunate to always be in a creative field. But that creative field has evolved and landing in this world where I have my own business was definitely an evolution.

I spent fifteen-plus years in retail in Corporate America leading other brands and helping to define their vision and customer experience, When I was in my mid-thirties, my then boyfriend, Benjamin (now my husband) and I moved to Nashville to be closer to his family and kind of escape the crazy lifestyle of San Francisco and working non-stop. Making that move was a really big life decision and pushed us out of Corporate America. We both continued to consult and travel for a couple of years, but ultimately realized that in terms of lifestyle, we needed to do something on our own.

There was not a great retail opportunity in Nashville in 2003 when we moved. And it ultimately pushed us into starting our own business which was really exciting! That decision happened pretty organically. Benjamin and I both really loved buying homes, renovating homes, decorating homes. And then they would usually end up being published - our first Nashville home was published in Domino.

Ultimately, the true trigger for starting Pencil & Paper Co. is that Benjamin and I built a ground-up house - our first full construction, full design home. And people literally started to knock on the door to ask about it. We'd find people taking photos in our yard, and that launched this idea that we could be creating beautiful homes for other people. Again, I think it has been a very organic experience. We started with interior design and flipping houses which has really morphed now into a complete lifestyle brand where we're developing our own product lines: a dress line, an art line with One King's Lane. We launched our rugs with Annie Selke. And we just launched a perfume this week. We've created a full vision of our lifestyle experience, and it has been fun to land in that place.

What's one of your best tips for making difficult decisions?

I will say I have always been pretty confident in my decision making. Sometimes it's a little slower than others. The idea or the confidence to leave Corporate America has probably been my biggest challenge so far in terms of career. I had a really great position as a VP with a lot of creative freedom and a team that I loved. And all of the financial benefits and the safety of all of that. But ultimately, I wanted to be able to spend more time with my son.

I wanted to be able to be home, and to drive him to school and pick him up, and not miss what is probably the most important part of my life. So that really forced me to take the leap - which has been truly the most exciting opportunity to date - of started Pencil & Paper Co. And really being able to drive that vision. It has been unbelievable exciting! Of course, it has been challenging, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

If I could tell myself anything, the corporate experience was amazing, it was probably the PhD of retail, being with Gap Brands, but I would have left sooner to start something on my own. I feel like if I had done that sooner, I would be further along in my personal goals of creating my own brand. So that is something I would tell my younger self.

Change can be scary. What helps you overcome any fears/insecurities or excuse-making, in order to courageously leap onto a new path?

Change is very scary, but I will say, if you are a hard worker and you have confidence in your skills and your vision, it is really not as scary as it seems. I've always had the confidence that I can make anything I set my mind to, happen. So although leaving the financial security of Corporate America was scary, a couple of years into working on my own, I am more financially successful than I was working in that world. I am in more control of that. And that has been a major opportunity.

How do you make your time work for you so that you are able to fulfill family and professional roles, but still have time to "create" and develop yourself?

I would say that as a creative, that never shuts off. I think 24 hours a day, I feel like I'm in that creative world. I see things that inspire me, and I might stop and think about how I might translate that into an idea for work. But the most exciting part of running our own business is that yes, I get to control my time. Which means that I can drop my son off at school, and I get to pick him up. And I am able to spend that hour after school with him re-connecting. But I am working from 9-3 everyday in the office, and then I come home and I work more into the evening.

One of the misconceptions is that you work less when you work for yourself. But because I am really passionate about what I do, and it's creative and I truly love it, I never shut that off. So I might be working on a project at 10:00 at night and always on the weekends. But again, it's integrated into my everyday life and it's something that I have joy doing. And with my husband and my son - they both love to vintage shop and they both love fashion - so I'm really fortunate that kind of connection runs from work to family.

What do you consider to be your most essential priorities at this point in your life?

Family. My husband, my son and those relationships. We have a really large extended family in Nashville, and my stepdaughter who is away at school at University of Michigan. All of those things are so important to me. As well as my parents and family that are in Miami. So that is top of the list. But, my ability to spend so much energy around creating our business, and as my son grows older, I feel like I have more time and more focus to be able to move the passions we have around as we create a lifestyle brand. We're much more efficient at this point, and because I have very specific goals in my head, I feel like we have moved much faster in the last 24 months than probably the first fifteen years of my career. So that's been really exciting!

Have you found that you have developed more in your personal style (fashion or interiors - or both!) as you've grown older? How has it changed/evolved?

100% ! I feel like I have found my most authentic self from a style perspective - probably from an everything perspective - as I age. So at 48, I have more confidence. I know exactly what I want to wear. I love color. I love pattern. I love vintage finds. And I have the confidence to wear what I love and not care what the trend is. I feel more authentic and loyal to that personal style now. I have defined that and it probably won't change.

People ask me all the time, "why do you always wear your hair in a ponytail?" That's just part of my signature style. It works for me. It feels authentically me. I think one thing I would tell myself as a younger person is that finding your personal style and having the confidence in that and the consistency in that from how you to dress, to your home, to how you throw a dinner party, that is important. I feel like my voice is very clear in that now, which I so appreciate.

How has it evolved? I think it has been more refined and more fine-tuned. I've always loved what I love. Pattern. Color. Vintage. But I feel like my specific voice around that and my twist on it is very clear now.

Is there a beauty or make-up tip you wish you had learned about earlier?

Yes! Take care of your skin. I can remember reading that a zillion times as a teenager and not really realizing what that meant or how important that is. Staying out of the sun. I'm fortunate that I am fair so I never really baked in the sun because it didn't do me much good. But the idea of wearing sun screen every single day, and exfoliating your skin, and seeing a dermatologist, and really giving your skin attention at a young age, is something I wish I had done more of. I feel like my skin routine is much more focused on washing my face every night and taking my makeup off, using a moisturizer, and using sunscreen. I wish I had started using anti-aging products so much earlier.

Again, I think the same thing applies to your beauty or make-up routine - finding what works for you. So, for example, a red lip. I am passionate about that. It makes me feel happy, awake and alive. And people recognize me now for a red lip, or my hair being pulled back in a messy knot, or the really bold glasses that I wear. All of those things create a signature style. And to know your signature style is important. I wish that I had defined that in a more clear way for myself at a younger age. But, of course, some of that is just evolution, and it makes me excited about the next 20 plus years of my life and living at a time where I know what my goals are and what I love. I know what I'm passionate about. I know authentically what feels like me, and I have a really well-defined personal style.

Thank you so much Gen!

You can find Gen online at Pencil & Paper Co.

Until next time,

xoxo

Wendy

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with some of my favorite quotes form Iconic Women

Extraordinary Women Interviews - Tauni Everett

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Wed, 15 May 2019 09:00:00 +0000

Age is just a number. I truly believe that. But ever since I turned 45, I have become passionate about helping women over 40 to live their absolute best lives. And I am in the process of turning this passion in to a full-blown business that I am CRAZY excited about!

If you'd like to know a bit more about what I mean....I shared my Curated Lifestyle manifesto here. Make sure you take a minute to read it and get a feeling for just what this new movement is all about.

In the spirit of this new adventure, I wanted to introduce an exciting feature to my blog. A series of interviews with extraordinary women in their 40's and beyond that I admire!

I believe that as Perennials (forever blooming and ageless) women, we have so much to offer the world with our unique perspectives and enthusiasm for life. And I know you'll agree as you read the insights I've been gaining from these fabulous ladies.

To kick this series off, I'm excited to introduce you to my good friend,

Tauni Everett.

I first met Tauni when I moved back to Utah from Massachusetts in 2010. She is an amazing woman full of life, heart and a healthy dose of business savvy. If you've been a part of the blog world at all for the past several years, you may know Tauni as the founder of the Snap Conference. But there is so much more to her than that.

Welcome Tauni!

What was your view of "aging" before you hit your 40's and how has it changed?

Age was a much bigger deal at 20 than it was at 30 or even as I approached my 40’s, but I still take it as a HUGE compliment when people are surprised at “how old I am.” LOL

What is something you consciously let go of and didn't take with you into your 40’s?

Needing to fit in with the “in crowd.” The older I’ve gotten the more I’ve realized the best thing in the world is to have friends and be friends with everyone. Running with a “squad” or belonging to a specific “tribe” typically only leads to hurt feelings on some level.

When and how did you realize your passion in life? Has it changed as you've grown older?

For years I tried to figure out the one thing I did better than anyone else…I took golf lessons to see if I was like Tiger Woods (I’m not). I took art lessons to see if I was like Georgia O’Keefe (also a no). I’ve dabbled in graphic design and crafting where I do okay, but I am no Heidi Swapp, Martha Stewart or Joanna Gaines.

It took years, but during my 30’s I realized I am excellent at connecting people to one another and helping others build a meaningful business. Today, I am absolutely passionate about helping women grow their personal brand.

What ignited the fire in you to finally "pull the trigger" and pursue your passion?

I’ve never been afraid to pursue my dreams (thanks Mom + Dad!). It’s lead me to countless career opportunities. I worked with the NBA, Olympics and multiple presidential candidates before starting and selling my own company. I’ve also traveled to more than 35 countries.

It just took me a bit of time to settle in and focus on a career that truly had meaning - something that provides opportunity and allows me to give back. I love working as a business coach for mompreneurs!

What's one of your best tips for making difficult decisions?

If you’ve got a big decision ahead feel free to take advice from others, but at the end of the day follow your heart.

Change can be scary. What helps you overcome any fears/insecurities, or excuse-making, in order to courageously leap onto a new path?

Change is almost always scary. When I face a fear, I walk myself through a mental exercise called fear leaping. I ask myself, “What is the worst thing that could happen if I…” Then, “Okay. What if that happens? How will I handle it?” I almost always realize that the worst possible thing can be worked through and really isn’t that bad.

How do you make your time work for you so that you are able to fulfill family and professional roles, but still have time to "create" and develop yourself?

The key to maintaining order in my life is setting boundaries (knowing when to say no) and maintaining a block schedule. It allows me to fit in all of the most important things in my life, from family to work and even “me” time.

I maintain my to-do list and my priorities using Trello, a free, web-based productivity tool.

What do you consider to be your most essential priorities at this point in your life?

The most important thing in my life is my family, followed by work with my clients and personal development.

Have you found that you have developed more in your personal style (fashion or interiors - or both!) as you've grown older? How has it changed/evolved?

While my personal style has evolved over time (I’d like to think it’s gotten better), I’ve always been drawn to classic American style. Casual preppy pieces, with simple clean lines, define my wardrobe and my home design.

Is there a beauty or make-up tip you wish you had learned about earlier?

It’s silly, but I didn’t know much about primers and pore refiners until about five years ago. I love them. Also, I wish BB Cream would have been around when I was younger!

Thank you for you insight Tauni! You can find Tauni online at TauniEverett.com

Until next time,

xoxo

Wendy

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One Room Challenge - Week 6 - The Half Bath Reveal

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Wed, 08 May 2019 11:00:00 +0000

Hello Lovelies!

I'm so glad you could join me for the final week of the One Room Challenge.

The Reveal of my Half Bath Redo!!

If you've missed any of the posts leading up to today, make sure you take a minute and

read through them

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Without further ado...I give you my half bath.

I picked up this adorable little "toilet" sign when I was shopping on Portobello Road last year in London. I have been saving it all this time to use for this redo. (That goes to show you the extent of my procrastination.) But it is the perfect finishing touch to the space.

Now, let me preface the remainder of this post by saying that I was on a very tight budget for this makeover, but I was able to accomplish the entire redo for well under $1000. The trick was choosing which items would make the biggest change.

The jumping off point for the entire redo was this gorgeous mural wallpaper that I found on Anewall.com. I had my eye on it for a very long time, and once I took the measurements and found out it was exactly the right size for two walls of my half bath, it was a no brainer.

And before I get to the rest of the room let me give you a little peek at what this bath has looked like for the past five years...

BEFORE

This is a real estate photo from before I purchased the home.

BEFORE

Here is the poor neglected state of the space for the past several years.

You can see how much help the space needed!

So the next thing that I knew I had to do to breathe new life into the space, was to replace the tired old granite countertop. I was able to score this gorgeous Bella Statuario counter from Della Terra Quartz (which has been discontinued) for a steal by finding a slab in the boneyard of a local granite fabricator. They cut the backsplash to my specifications - I love the sculptural quality of it.

Then there is the mirror. This beautiful mirror in around 100 years old and belonged to my grandmother. My mother was gracious enough to let me have it. Not only does it look fabulous, but it is a cherished family heirloom which makes it that much more amazing.

I talked about the saga of the faucet in my Week 4 post. But after a little tweaking we were able to get it installed perfectly and I love the personality that it gives to the space.

The darling rabbit artwork was a lucky Etsy find from a shop called ToadBriar. Kim, the owner, went out of her way to ship me the print priority and it got her lickety-split. I love the whimsy Mr. Rabbit adds to an already somewhat whimsical space. He is perfect!

This room is ridiculously difficult to photograph...but here are a few photos of the mural to try and give you the full effect.

The shadow cast by the frame onto the corner of the wall gives the illusion that the wallpaper is uneven in that space..it really isn't. Lol!

Some fun accessories. The candle was a Christmas gift from my oldest son. The smell of coffee is my absolute favorite and this candle is pure yum!

Unfortunately, my beautiful vanity light did not arrive in time for the photos to be taken, but I promise to share once I get it installed. In the mean time, here is one last look at the pretty vanity and mirror.

Thanks so much for joining me on my journey for this One Room Challenge. It has been so much fun to finally give this space the attention it deserves!

xoxo

Wendy

One Room Challenge - Week 5 - Tried and True Sources To The Rescue

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Wed, 01 May 2019 21:14:00 +0000

This post is sponsored by Shades of Light.

Welcome to Week 5 of my Half Bath redo for the One Room Challenge.

If you've missed any of the other weeks, you can follow along from the beginning by clicking the links below.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

It's clutch time now! Next week is the big reveal, and I'm in the home stretch.

So this week I wanted to follow up on my lighting dilemma.

Here's the thing.

From the get-go I wanted to use the light below for my redo.

It's The Uptown Bath Light from Shades of Light and I love it!

image via Shades of Light

I have had a wonderful working relationship with Shades of Light ever since I moved into Hydeaway Cottage 5 years ago. In fact, they have supplied almost all of the lighting in my house. You can read all about the different Shades of Light fixtures I have used in this post.

"So why didn't I just get that fixture to begin with?" you might ask. Well...that's a good question. And I don't really have a good answer.

Truth be told, I ran across the fixture below when I was searching online for my faucet.

I love the look of "library" lights and I bought it on a whim.

Now, sometimes "spur of the moment" purchases can be a good thing.

But this was NOT one of those times.

If you want to read more about the saga of the bathroom sconce, make sure and catch my previous post.

Well, Shades of Light came to my rescue. Not only was I able to get the light I wanted, but they shipped it out priority, so it should be here in time to be installed before next week's reveal.

So, here is the takeaway from all of this. When you find a source/vendor that has beautiful, quality products and excellent customer service...HANG ON TO THEM!

Having trusted sources for interior design fixtures, finishes, fabrics and furniture is invaluable. I can't stress that enough. And I am really thankful that Shades of Light came through for me in the clutch.

Make sure to join me here next week for the BIG REVEAL of my half bath redo! And check out all of the other participants in the One Room Challenge by checking out the links on their blog. You wont believe all the inspiration!

xoxo

Wendy

I received my lighting fixture at a discount from Shades of Light. All of the opinions expressed in this post are 100% mine. I love Shades of Light!

One Room Challenge - Week 4 - Setbacks and How to Overcome Them

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 21:30:00 +0000

Hello Friends!

Welcome to week 4 of my powder bath redo

for the One Room Challenge

This week I want to talk a bit about setbacks - one of which has to do with this pretty little light fixture right here...

But first, if you haven't had a chance to read my ORC posts for Weeks 1, 2 and 3,

make sure you do, so you can catch up on all the goings-on.

Now back to this week's setbacks.

Let me say first, that there are always setbacks when one decides to redo a space. It doesn't matter how simple and straightforward the plans are. Something inevitably goes wrong.

And this week, three things went wrong.

Let's start from the simplest and make our way to the most challenging.

As I mentioned in my last post, this week I painted. For the most part, the painting went smoothly.

Remember this dramatic color I decided to use? Exclusive Plum from Sherwin Williams.
It is fabulous in a semi-gloss. I can't wait to show you at the reveal!

There was only one hiccup.

Caulk.

When my counter top was installed, they apparently didn't sure paintable caulk. So there are a couple of spots around the counter where the paint just wont stick and the caulk is showing through.

There are a few different ways I can handle this, but I haven't decided which I want to use yet, so I will have to update you next week. This is minor and although it is a little bit irritating, it is easily fixed so I'm not stressing too much.

Setback #2 was a little more of a challenge. This is the faucet I am using. I found it online. It was a brand I hadn't heard of before, and I should have been a bit wary. But it is so pretty that my heart took over my head. I mean look at it!

Well, it turns out it is manufactured overseas and the fittings were the wrong size. Now thankfully, I was not trying to install this myself or things could have gotten really ugly. As it was, it just took longer to install and required my contractor friend to confer with a plumbing expert.

The final setback was the most difficult and I am still looking to resolve it.

Back to this pretty light...

I also ordered this light online. The brand had good ratings and so I really think the situation was just bad luck. But after the light was installed, I decided I wanted a higher wattage light bulb in it. Unfortunately, when I tried to remove the existing light bulb, the fixture literally pulled apart! (I am opting not to link to either the light or the faucet because I am not trying to complain about either product - but rather show the pitfalls that can occur.)

So, I had to return the light (thankfully the website I ordered from makes that process easy) and have a very inexpensive temporary sconce installed while I look for another light.

But there is always a bright side, and in this case, I realized that the metal shade wasn't a good choice for a powder room with dark walls. So now I have a chance to find a fixture that will give off more light. The only problem is that I might not have it installed before the reveal in two weeks.

So there you have it...a very eventful week 4.

Week 5 will involve finishing touches and styling so that I can get this pretty little space photographed to share with you in two weeks! This week should be fun. I'm looking forward to it..I hope you are too.

xoxo

Wendy

One Room Challenge - Week 3 - Why You Should Always Pick Paint Last

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 21:42:00 +0000

Hello Lovelies!

Welcome to Week 3 of the One Room Challenge!

If you haven't seen my posts for Week 1 where I talk about my overall plan including this beautiful wallpaper mural...

Photo: anewall.com

or Week 2 where I talk about picking out a counter top...

Photo: Arizona Tile

make sure and read them to get all caught up on the excitement that is my powder bath makeover!

But for today's ORC post, we're going to talk about paint. And, more specifically, the reasons why you should always wait until the end of a design project to pick the paint color.

Let's take another look at the gorgeous mural wallpaper I chose for the powder bath.

Photo: anewall.com

From looking at the image online you would guess that the mural is created in tones of charcoal gray, right? Guess again!

The gray in the mural actually has a markedly purple undertone.

But luckily, this ain't my first rodeo. So I waited until the mural arrived to choose a paint color for the remaining walls. The mural covers two of the bathroom walls, and I knew that I wanted the other two to be dark and moody.

I have several favorite dark grays that I could have chosen. But if I had gone ahead and picked out a dark charcoal gray and painted before I got the mural, I would have been sorely disappointed. And I would have been making a return trip to the paint store for a different color.

After using the mural for direction, I went with an unexpected- but beautifully moody - shade of plum-gray called Exclusive Plum by Sherwin Williams.

Photo: Sherwin Williams

It goes on the walls this week...and I couldn't be more excited!

Picking paint at the end of a project is always the best bet. It is what I do with my clients when picking out interior finishes for a new build because there are always several variations of a shade (gray for instance) and each one is nuanced in certain ways. So waiting for the other elements to be chosen guarantees that you can find a paint that will play well with all of them.

Join me next week for Week 4 - heading into the final stretch!

xoxo

Wendy

One Room Challenge - Week 2 - Countertop Conundrum

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 14:54:00 +0000

Hello Friends!

Welcome to week 2 of my powder bath redo for the

One Room Challenge!

If you missed week 1, you can find it here.

Image via Arizona Tile. This is not my powder bath...but it's hint at what's coming!!

This week I am going to talk countertops...and specifically, the challenge of getting what you want (or close to what you want) when you don't have the budget for it.

But to catch you up first, I am embarking on a budget-friendly redo of my powder bathroom after living with it in it's boring builder-grade state for the past almost-five years that we have lived in Hydeaway Cottage.

I will not offend your eyes with the before photos again in this post. If you simply must see them, I invite you to read the previous post, BUT I must warn you. They are not pretty. Ha ha!

So to prettify the bathroom, I came up with a grand plan. And in that plan there were two things that I absolutely wanted to include. A mural wallpaper with a grisaille feel to it. Check. (Again see previous post for details) And a marble countertop.

Screeeeeeech. Halt.

That part wasn't going to be as easy as I hoped, for two reasons.

Reason #1 Marble is finicky. I'm sure you're all familiar with the drawbacks of marble as a countertop surface. For all of its beauty, it is temperamental. It is easily stained, etched and otherwise damaged. And I might have been able to live with that if it weren't for...

Reason #2 Marble is expensive. And I am on a budget.

So what's a marble loving girl to do?

That's when I decided that quartz was the way to go. And I had one quartz in particular in mind...

image via Arizona Tile

Bella Statuario from Della Terra Quartz. Just look at that veining. Drool.

But there was another problem. This particular quartz has been discontinued.

I was just hitting roadblocks left and right and I was very discouraged.

Well...I put my design super-powers to work and hit on the idea of going to a stone countertop fabricator and checking out their boneyard (And what is a boneyard you ask? It is the remnant pieces of stone that the fabricator has leftover from other jobs - you can often get small countertops fabricated from these pieces for a discount). I truly did not expect to find Bella Statuario there, but the quartz gods must have been smiling on me that day because lo and behold there was one. single. partial. slab. in the boneyard.

Image via Arizona Tile

The image above is actually of Nouveau Calacatta which is similar to Bella Statuario but has warmer tones in the veining. (And lest you get excited - it has also been discontinued). But it gives a good idea of how the product looks when installed.

The counter went in yesterday and I am smitten. But I am keeping those images secret for now.

Such a tease, I am.

So my countertop conundrum is solved and I am on to the next dilemma....paint.

Can't wait to dive into that with you for next week's post.

xoxo

Wendy

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One Room Challenge - Week 1 - Powder Bath Makeover Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Wed, 03 Apr 2019 20:01:00 +0000

Welcome Friends!

I've taken a bit of a break from the world of blogging for the past few months. But I am so excited to be back! And I'm especially excited because I am back with a fabulous project to share.

I am taking part in The One Room Challenge!

I have participated in the One Room Challenge previously with a re-do of my daughter's bedroom.

And again with a makeover of my kitchen.

But just in case you're not familiar with the One Room Challenge, let me share what it is and what you can expect here at Hydeaway Cottage (in case you're new here - that's the name we've given our little house)!

The One Room Challenge is a bi-annual event where several designers each makeover a single room over a six week period. You can find posts of the participating designers and guests - like me - all linked up here. It's an amazing assortment of design inspiration and I highly recommend following over the next 6 weeks.

Here at Hydeaway Cottage I will be re-doing my powder bath. This poor neglected room has had nothing done to it during the almost five years we've lived here. (I know! It's like the cobbler's children not having shoes!) But now is finally the time.

So let's jump in to the good stuff.

First, let's start with the sad before photos...

Hey! At least I put up some art and threw an area rug down. Lol!

I realize these are the BEFORE photos so they're not supposed to look great, but I still apologize. The room is quite difficult to photograph given it's small proportions....with terrible lighting and neutral - blah - beige colors. I can't wait to breathe new life into the space!

BEFORE

And here is a sneak peek of a few of the items that I plan to add to the space.

First up, I'm adding a wallpaper mural. I've had my eye on a grisaille landscape for what seems like forever, and I'm so excited that I've found a place to add one in my home. It's going to be a showstopper!

And I'm also planning on adding some rubbed brass fixtures to the space such as the pretty faucet and light fixture below.

I don't want to give anything else away just yet, but be prepared for a new paint color and new countertop as well. This little half bath will be one pretty lady once this makeover is complete!

I hope you'll join me over the next six weeks and watch this transformation take place!

xoxo

Wendy

The Beauty of a Turkish Rug

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 17:11:00 +0000

This post is sponsored by Unique Rug Store. All opinions expressed are my own.

One of the great things about being in the design world for as long as I have is that I have really come to understand my personal style. I used to get caught up in the latest trends and everything I was seeing on Pinterest, Houzz, Instagram and out there in Blogland. Now don't get me wrong, I still get a lot of inspiration from all of those places, but I simply use it to add touches to my existing style.

I have learned that I am truly a Traditionalist at heart. Although I do like to throw in a more modern piece here and there for interest (for instance, my console table and lamps in my living room are more contemporary).

And one of the things that I have really developed a love for are beautiful rugs. Especially Turkish, Oushak and Oriental rugs. Their detailed patterns and traditional motifs make me happy. Can a rug actually make you happy? Why yes, yes it can.

A while back I was contacted by Unique Rug Store to see if I would be interested in a collaboration. And after taking one look at their products, I was hooked! The name "Unique Rug Store" is truly fitting, because they take vintage Turkish rugs and make them new again by overdying or even piecing them together into beautiful patchwork creations. They also have a selection of "decolorized rugs", vintage Kilim and undyed rugs as well.

The rug which I chose is a lovely muted and intricately patterned Turkish rug that has been overdyed in Beige. A lot of times when we think of overdyed rugs, we picture vibrant hues, and they offer those as well, but the beige overdyed rugs spoke to my neutral loving heart. And this beauty looks perfect in my living room!

So if you are looking for a unique rug for your space - whether you are more traditional or more contemporary in style - check out Unique Rug Store! I bet you'll find something you love!

I received my rug free of charge in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

My Christmas Home Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Fri, 30 Nov 2018 10:00:00 +0000

Welcome!

If you're new here, let me introduce myself. I'm Wendy Hyde - an interior designer and lifestyle blogger - for years my blog was known as The Shabby Nest, but I've rebranded this year and I'm really loving the shiny new look!

I'm so excited to have you join me for this year's Holiday Housewalk hosted by my dear friend Jen at Jennifer Rizzo.

I have been participating in this Holiday House Tour since Jen first started it in 2008 and it's something that I look forward to every year! If you just joined me from My100 Year Old Home, wonderful! If you haven't been to visit Leslie yet, you can see her lovely house here.

You can also start the tour from the beginning by visiting Jen's blog here.

This is Hydeaway Cottage. Where I live with my four amazing kiddos. And this is our fifth Christmas in our cozy little home. We absolutely love it here, and I hope that you will too.

This year I decided to add some navy blue to my usually neutral-toned décor,

I absolutely love it!

Chinoiserie is my favorite, and the addition of the ginger jars to my console table/mantle this season is unexpected and elegant.

I have been collecting miniature Christmas trees - especially bottle brush trees for the past few years. I love this little collection on the bookcase in my stair landing.

My dining room is my favorite room this year. The vintage Blue Willow china is from my mother and makes for an elegant Christmas table.

I recreated the navy and gold artwork from a piece I saw in a catalog earlier this year. I knew it would be perfect for what I had in mind for Christmas.

A cute little hot chocolate station is ready and waiting on our kitchen island.

I hope you enjoyed this tour of Hydeaway Cottage in all of her Christmas finery!
If you'd like to see a few of the cottage's previous Christmas looks you can check out previous tours here (2015), here (2016) and here (2017).

The next stop on the tour is Rusty Hinge. Enjoy!

xoxo

Wendy

And make sure to follow me on my social media channels ⇓ for more

fun and behind the scenes craziness.

Simple and Nostalgic Thanksgiving Table Scape

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Sun, 18 Nov 2018 22:04:00 +0000

As I begin to center my home decorating around my idea of creating the Happy Home (not sure what I'm talking about? Hurry and visit this post) and Honest Decorating, I am making some changes to my approach. One of my goals this year has been to create beauty without purchasing new items - or at least purchasing the minimum possible. And I am happy to report that I managed to create a lovely Thanksgiving table using only items that I already had. (With the exception of the flowers - I did splurge a bit at the grocery store for them.)

Any decorating project needs a jumping off point, and for this one I used my mother's vintage Transferware as my inspiration. The rich brown tones are a perfect autumn shade and helped to give the place settings an elegant feel even though some of the elements were quite casual.

I paired the Transferware with inexpensive gold chargers that I purchased a few years ago at Hobby Lobby and a set of tan striped placemats and napkins that I've had for several years.

For the centerpiece I combined several items that I shopped from around the house, all of which were in tones of gold and brown.

Now, I love a full and opulent table setting as much as the next girl, but I also believe that there is elegance and beauty in simplicity. So don't feel like you have to fill the table to create beauty. Imagine this simple table brimming with all the fixings for a delicious Thanksgiving meal, and you'll get my vision.

Go shop the house, think outside the box and remember that simplicity is elegant!

Happy Thanksgiving, my lovely readers!

xoxo

Wendy

The Happy Home -Where Self Help Meets Interior Design

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 03:41:00 +0000

Photo Credit: Me, Interior Design: Alice Lane, Homebuilder: Ivory Homes

I feel like I have a tendency to start all of my blog posts with some variation of "so I have been giving a lot of thought to"...whatever it happens to be at the moment.

But, the truth of the matter is that I have been giving a lot of thought to something and even though I don't have the idea entirely fleshed out, I wanted to introduce it to the world because I feel like it is too good to hold back.

And what is this amazing idea, you ask?

Let me start by giving a little bit of background.

A few weeks ago on my Insta-stories I did a small and very informal poll.

(Are you following me on Instagram?

If not, I hope you'll hop over right now and hit that little follow button!)

I asked my followers three questions.

The first was whether or not they felt that their surroundings could influence their happiness.

As you can see from the responses, the overwhelming majority of respondents felt that their surroundings could indeed influence their happiness.

The second question was whether or not they felt that their surroundings could influence their level of success.

Although the margin was a little slimmer on this question, the vast majority also felt that their surroundings could influence their success.

And the final question was how they felt about the self-help industry.

This question was really just for me. I love the self-help/self-improvement industry, and I feel like I have something to offer to it that is not really out there yet. Although the response on this was more evenly split, there was still a majority that like the self-improvement industry.

So what am I getting at with these questions?

Well, the truth of the matter is that I have felt for a very long time, that our environments, our surroundings - in short, our homes - play a huge role in our overall life experience.

I have mentioned numerous times on this blog my belief that our homes should serve as safe havens and harbors from the storms of life. But even more than that, I believe that our homes can and should serve as the basis and even the genesis of our happiness and success.

I honestly believe that by creating a beautiful, organized and inviting atmosphere in our homes, we are setting ourselves up to perform at our best levels, to be the best versions of ourselves, and to be able to reach our potential for success.

What I hope to do in coming weeks, is to dive deeper into the different ways that we can set ourselves up for success in our everyday lives through our home environments.

I'm so excited to delve deeper into this subject with you!

xoxo

Wendy

Educate Yourself on Design - How to Decorate Honestly

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Wed, 27 Jun 2018 16:39:00 +0000

I have been giving a lot of thought to the idea of Honest Decorating/Living that I shared in my previous post. And it occurred to me that the reason so many of us have a difficult time with this concept has to do with the internet.

Now, don't get me wrong. The internet is a wonderful place to learn and to seek inspiration. I write a blog...I love other people's blogs. But, is it just me, or have you noticed that so much of what we see on blogs, or on Pinterest, or on Instagram, looks very similar?

This light fixture is from a Parade House that I worked on a few years ago. ( I use this as an example of the popularity of white walls and panelling - I love them too)

Honest Decorating/ Honest Living

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 19:09:00 +0000

As I mentioned in this post, it's been hard for me to keep up with blogging for the past couple of years. I have been thinking about the reason behind that. And I realized that it was really all about my own expectations for what was worthy of blogging about.

I felt like I always had to share a "WOW!" project.

Something that would make everyone "oooh and aaah".

I can't afford to add a fireplace to my house right now...but my console table and some firewood work to create a "faux fireplace". (We even hang our stockings there at Christmas.)

Inexpensive Boys' Bedroom Refresh - Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 21:23:00 +0000

My little boys' bedroom has been sitting in a state of partial completion for the last 3 years.

And it's finally time to finish it up!

Here's the catch. I have to do it for little to no money.

And today I'm going to share with you how I plan to do that.

But first, a few photos of the room in its before state.

3 Favorite Summer Recipes To Make This Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Sat, 02 Jun 2018 18:33:00 +0000

Since Summer vacation has officially arrived at our house, I thought it would be the perfect time to share some of our favorite summer recipes with you!

The greatest part about all these recipes (besides the fact that they taste fantastic) is that they are all very easy to make! Perfect for those lazy summer nights.

My Trip to England Part IV: Windsor

noreply@blogger.com (Wendy ) — Wed, 30 May 2018 14:52:00 +0000

Welcome to the 4th and final installment of my trip to England - Windsor.