TULUM.

So, I'm finally back from Mexico...back to work...and back to the real world. Truth be told, I was rather antsy to head home. I guess that's what happens when you do what you love everyday, and for that I know I'm beyond blessed. With that said, vacation was absolute perfection...and more. How amazing it felt to detach our minds from all of those stressors, and be reminded of us...of how good we are together...but also how blessed our lives are. And that is the very reason I so love to travel--crossing those borders--and the depth and perspective we unabashedly gain by doing so (or, I hope that's the same for you). For there are things in this world that I want, and think I need, until I'm immersed in other cultures, amongst other people, who's everyday lives truly are actually a struggle. A struggle for clean water, and wholesome food, and education, and personal safety, and money. And family. And life. And here I am, the traveler who seemingly has everything, basking in their sun, on their beaches, ordering their drinks, and passing by their roadside stands...in my rental car...which I flew to...because I could. So yes, I am home. Refreshed and humbled with a new perspective. Ready to work hard, so I can give...and bless others...and grow my business...for the good of other people.

But back to topic--Tulum. People, this place is amazing. I almost don't want to tell of it, as I know it won't be such an undiscovered gem for long. (In fact, Maple and I were trekking amongst the cliffside Mayan ruins that were down the beach from our hotel, and ran into someone we knew from Charleston..?!?!). But, as a designer, I'm fueled by my travels. Inspired by every new and stimulating surrounding. And the people. And their arts. And their language...their heritage...and their passions. So here's a little glimpse into Tulum--the enchanting, secluded beach community that's rife with laid-back locals and chic Europeans, and is brimming with an amazing air of passion for design and the arts...and insanely good food.

Our view from dinner...amid the most amazing little Italian restaurant...complete with homemade pastas, San Pellegrino, twinkling candles, white-washed woods, antique olive jars, and 'gratzis'. 

It was perfection.

Speaking of perfection...I found it in this yellow door. 

Isn't my Maple a stud? Here he is anticipating the BEST dinner we've EVER had, my friends. And there is absolutely no exaggeration to this statement...and we like food. 

It's called Hartwood, my friends, and I long for the day we return to dine on their brilliance.

Our little boutique abode was so-well designed (which, of course, is the very reason I chose it). Just look at those doors! Who wouldn't want to wander through?

The interior of our cabana was so simple...yet so inspiring. Poured concrete. Moulded plaster. Crisp, white bed linens. A thatched roof. Amazing lighting. A lush, tropical view. And a pop of color. 

And those Tulum sunrises...

Every bit worth the 6 o'clock awakening.

It's no secret that I love a quiet, inspiration-filled morning...

and also my coffee. 

Tulum offered the best of both.

She was closed, but I didn't mind. That's perhaps a bad sales strategy: to outfit your storefront with such witty doors that those wandering by look forward to them being shut.

A lovely vignette. Perched outside the Italian restaurant, as you find your way back to the beach.

 And, our cab ride back to the Cancun airport. Nothing exciting. Just the two of us, happy as can be to have been blessed with an amazing week together...even happier to get home to our family, our friends, and our work...so we can em-better the lives of others, not just our own.

Enjoy your lives, my friends. Make the most of them. And love with every ounce you have. We only have one, as we were so sorely reminded when our plane touched down in Atlanta, and we were confronted with the devastation in Oklahoma. My heart is still hurting for them, and my prayers will never stop.

VAY-CAY

Hola amigos.
Just checking in...only to check out.
And this is why:

Peace out USA...work...and technology. I'm going to drink a Pacifico in the sand.

See you in a week, lovelies!

The Home Depot | Patio Design Challenge

Friends. Remember this little sneak peek I shared with you a few weeks ago? Remember the few mentions I made about Home Depot, and working our little tails off to whip our courtyard into shape for their Spring Patio Challenge?

Well, I've been superbly patient, wanting so badly to tell you just what in the world I was up to...and what in the world we did with our dilapidated little courtyard. But, somehow, someway...I kept it all to myself...until this morning. Because friends, it's finally published on Home Depot's amazing DIY-centric blog, The Apron. And I can finally show you.

So let's start from the beginning. Maple and I made an unbelievably swift decision to uproot our Charleston lives and plant them back in Lexington, Kentucky. We found a quaint little cottage, hailing from the 1800s, nestled amongst an up-and-coming corner of downtown's historic district. The cottage needed work. But it's courtyard really needed work. See what I mean?

It was red. And terrible. Filled with broken beer bottles, rusted bottle caps, and lifeless weeds. And heinous, splintered boards disguised the adjacent building's windows. And...that RED. Really?!

So we worked, and we worked...and then we worked...and family and friends helped (thank you ALL times one million, especially that incredibly patient, hard-working, selfless Maple of mine). And we painted. And we built things. And it kept snowing. And I stressed. And we worked. And then somehow, someway, it turned into this:

A bright, airy, sun-filled courtyard that's just beckoning to be lived, worked, and entertained in. It's just so incredibly happy out there...and so not red.

And didn't the incredibly talented Bradley Quinn Photography do a stunning job with the photography? He captured my vision and my work so perfectly well (and guess what, he can do it for you, too)!

So there you have it, readers. My entry for the Home Depot Patio Design Challenge. Please go check it out on their uber-amazing blog, and take a peek at the other talented participants' entries. We all worked so hard, and are so appreciative of HD for asking us to take part in such an incredible experience.

So, HAPPY SPRING! I'm headed outside...to that courtyard...with coffee...to work...and enjoy it.

HAPPY FRIDAY.

LATELY.

Well...it's happened again. It's been a bit of a whirlwind, and I've been busy...on the road...with little time to blog (thank goodness this world invented instagram), but super exciting things have been in the midst. So here's another 'LATELY'--all the things my little design studio and I have been up to as-of-late, and those things of which we've been wildly smitten:

All of my last week was consumed by High Point Market...despite the chaos, it's pretty much a designer's paradise. So, this girl traversed a few states in a wee little rental car (33mpg is life changing), and this is what she found:

An absolute treasure-trove of gorgeous antiques and vintage finds. I made my way home with a few key pieces, which (bad for me, potentially good for you), I won't be holding onto. Secrets secrets are so fun :)

Rugs. Potentially my favorite selections of a design project. Especially when they're as rare and stunning as this antique Oushak runner. 

Exquisite lighting. It's just so important. Never settle, friends, when it comes to lighting fixtures. 

Malachite. In planter form, nonetheless. And yes, she has a twin. And, if I had an extra $1500 just hanging out in my pocket, I would have found a way to squeeze this pair into that little rental car.

Most showrooms were...ordinary. This showroom was extraordinary. How much do you want to curl up on that sweeping, plush sectional right now? Geoffrey, bring me my cappuccino.

And, back to Lexington...and back to reality. An amazing reality for a client, that is...as this wallpaper combo is in full-swing throughout their abode.

And speaking of full-swing, much-needed progress is being made in #ClientHorseFarm's kitchen. Dark, moody island to ground the gleaming white perimeter cabinets. Just wait 'til we get that Carrara installed.  Modern, yet tailored and classic...just what the client ordered.

And #ProjectAtlanta tile selections are finding themselves client approved this week. How gorgeous is this combo? Just love me a graphic greek key border...especially when it's paired with this marble hex. 

If I were a bathroom floor, I'd want to be this.

Between all the studio happenings, and working on our own little cottage (kitchen cabinetry is nearing install...can't wait to show you what we've been up to!), there hasn't been much time for liesure. But, we did find time for a Kentucky Sunday...well-spent at the races. Can you believe My Maple's dad was a jockey? So wish I could've met him. Almost felt like I did that Sunday.

Speaking of My Maple...he's so dapper. You should check out his new company website--perhaps I'm biased, but he and his biz partners are pretty amazing, and their site certainly shows it:

www.harrisandward.com

And girls, don't let anyone ever tell you you're anything but a princess. Can't you see? I'm 27, and still hanging onto that card. Thank goodness I have six princess nieces who won't ever let me forget it. Yesterday's princess birthday party was a smashing success. I had my very own team of purple-eye-shadowed, pink-lip-glossed, poufy-dressed princesses making me, my makeup, and my attire nothing but princess-approved.

So, there you have it friends. My lately. Anything but boring, at least in my design book.

Oh, and this post requires a dedication: to Corey #2...my second favorite Corey...Corey Roppel. Let's just say he's my blogging accountability. So cheers to you, CR, and your big 3-0!! Are you so nervous?!

HAPPY MONDAY, Y'ALL.

GET ME OUTSIDE.

Well...I don't even know what happened to today. Aside from being buried beneath a mile long to-do list, working on client design plans (yay!), and taking care of much needed business housekeeping (boo!), I've eaten nothing but handful after handful of Trader Joe's powerberries. Have you had them? Don't try them. You'll have to hide them. Truly...aside from my 7am french toast, they're all I've eaten today.

Anyway, Kentucky has finally decided to relinquish spring weather, and it couldn't be more incredible. I can't even believe how much I missed that amazingly plush bluegrass we're so lucky to step foot on. So, I inevitably find myself channeling thoughts of outdoor design, and wondering if my powerberries will melt in the sun? Probably. But here's some inspiration for you, as I hope your Tuesday's filled the same springtime goodness!

 The most amazing outdoor bar ever? 

Why, yes...I can't believe you asked.

Uber-classy Tom Scheerer, making us all teem with jealousy over his humble 

little Bahamian abode? Yes.

Perfect backyard dwelling, or design office of my dreams?

Well...yes.

 Just...yes.

If only you didn't have to wait like 8 years for vines to fill in like this.

Perfection.

And Wisteria? I may love it even more than powerberries.

So, friends. Happy Tuesday, happy spring, and happy thoughts of the outdoors. 

We may all be tied to a desk, but here's to hoping your day's been just as productive as mine's been.

Hannah Maple Studio on Style Me Pretty | Living

Hello, my lovely readers. Somehow, someway it's already Friday, and my business and my projects are keeping me a busy little bee. It's been an amazing week, full of exciting happenings, but perhaps the biggest, most flattering, most exciting of them all is the fact that THE Style Me Pretty--yes, the style-laden, iconic blog that we all know and love--has featured my interior design work on their Living blog this morning. Here's a sneak peak, but, with all ado, we'd be super flattered if you'd go check it out :)

Seriously pinching myself right about now. A huge thank you to the lovely ladies at Style Me Pretty for the mention, and to the amazing Kristin Tatem Photography for capturing my project so well!

With that said...

HAPPY FRIDAY.
Go enjoy your weekend!

LATELY.

Well, folks, it's finally beginning to feel like spring around here...and this girl couldn't be any happier about that change in dreary, snowy weather. There's actually sunshine today! And, even though Easter was full of drizzle and void of sun, it was relatively warm...and wonderful. Hoping the very same rang true for you and your families. So, here's what was happening on my Easter holiday, and, all last week in my design world:

 All of my life-long Easter dreams came true: I spent that Sunday afternoon with yellow, fuzzy peeps. Like, the real kind. Not the stale marshmellows that no one possibly likes but everyone still gets in their Easter basket peeps. No, the real, live, living, breathing, blue-egg-laying, cute as can possibly be Easter peeps. Baby chickens. I may have smuggled one home. Or two. Shhh.

My Maple found his partner in crime. It was love at first sight between those two. A two-week old baby cow, who my two-year-old niece so cleverly named Cowgirl. Don't let her fool you...she's much less innocent than she looks. I have the bruise to prove it. She headbutted me from behind, when I was the least bit suspecting, and lifted me off my feet. All for some milk. Cowgirl's got spunk.

Muffin man was pretty fond of her, too. Looking all dapper in his chambray shirt, navy cords, fringed mocassins, and riding cap. He could teach us all a thing or two about rodeoing with class. Isn't my sissy-in-law so gorgie? And of course that baby of hers! 

I spent an afternoon antique-ing for a big upcoming venture of mine, and stumbled across this steal of a deal: an antique Moroccan hanging lamp. I even met the adorable 90-year old man who's booth it was in--he bought it 40-some-odd years ago from an antique show. This gem is old. And I'm going to hardest time letting her go. For now she will look pretty in my dining room. Safe keeping...of course.

I hired an assistant. She wears glasses. But maybe she wouldn't even need them if she'd just brush her hair out of her eyes. She also lacks opposable thumbs, so she's proven quite useless. But she does look quite cute curled up in the window, lazily barking at studio passerby's.

I started a new project last week with the most amazing new clients. I'm so excited to work with them, and do wonders to this sprawling house on a gorgeous Kentucky horse farm that's been neglected for far too long. Glad they're the new owners, and want to instill so much life back in her.

Now that it's finally not snowing, my Home Depot patio design challenge can finally be finished, which is exactly what I've been working on this week. The proof is in this DIY project: a blockprinted Indian-esque tablecloth. Can't wait to show you the final result!

And speaking of that patio, she'll have lots of cozy pillows...

And some other fun touches. Blue and white stripes, anyone? Yes, please.

So there you have it. My Easter...and my lately. Must go...baby chicks need feeding. Just kidding, I really didn't steal them...or...? 

HAPPY MONDAY.

PARADISE FOUND.

So, I don't know about you...and your current whereabouts...but I'm in a part of the country that's been all-too-friendly with winter for far too long, and I am really super over it. You know the notion "out of sight, out of mind?" It must work with seasons, too...right? Well, I'm giving it a try. Winter, we are done. And I will no longer think about you, or see you for that matter. So here's to spring. And here's to summer. And here's to lively colors, bold prints, sunny shoulders, teenie bikinis, and a late spring vacation to Latin America that I can hardly, hardly wait for:

Yep, in preparation for vaca, I'm going bottoms-up on citrus-infused, pretty-hued beverages, and channeling thoughts of Marysia Swim's geometric bikini, luxe turkish beach towels, Mara Hoffman's lively coverups, ethnic-inspired textiles paired with ocean-hued paint, a clutch that's worthy of Latin America, pretty in peach Nars blush, chic leather sandals, and thoughts of lounging amongst this insanely chic poolside.

What about you? Just as ready for warm, beach-beckoning weather as I am?

HAPPY WEDNESDAY.

DESIGN ICON: LISA FINE.

If you're enamored enough with design as I am, then you're probably in a constant state of self-education...incessantly absorbed in all-things design...fervently on the hunt to find more, see better, and therefore do better. And, if you know me at all, you know that I love spaces that aren't overly contrived, or "designed." In fact, that's sort of my design mantra, to wrap rooms in a "collected" aesthetic, full of furnishings, artwork, and accessories that are representative of you, your family, the places you've been, the sights you've seen, the things you most love, and all those stories you tell.

Perhaps no one does that better than the uber-chic Lisa Fine.  One glance at her home--and her interior design--and you feel like you know her. She's obviously well-traveled, well-cultured, and well-educated--with an air of sophistication, balanced by a casual ease. See what I mean?

{images via elle decor}

Feminine, yes...but well-balanced by dark and sultry tones, hard lines, and bold contrast. The rooms are all exuberant, but grounded by an informal ease. And don't they all tell such amazing stories? I could just sit in each one, and be so easily entertained...imaging all the lands she's ventured, the sights she's seen, and the faces she remembers.

And there you have it, my career aspirations: to be a savvy world-traveler and collector of storied things, and to bring those sights and that education back to my clients and their homes, to help them achieve their own collected, storied spaces. Such amazing inspiration, that Lisa Fine is!