HAVE YOU SEEN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF HOUSE BEAUTIFUL?

THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF HOUSE BEAUTIFUL

IS ON NEWS-STANDS AND IN MAILBOXES EVERYWHERE!

 WHEN I saw this issue at the Grocery store…I had to buy it on the spot (even though I SOMEHOW HAVE TWO subscriptions to House Beautiful!!) . BUT, I could not wait to flip the pages and find out where the amazing PINK HOME was. Imagine my absolute joy in finding out the home belongs to one of my biggest sources of HOME DECORATING inspiration – A VIRGINIA GIRL -Katie Ukrops!!!

INTERIOR DESIGN BY  RICHMOND DESIGNER SUELLEN GREGORY

If you google “katie ukrops” – my old country house blog will come up on the first page. I have been LOVED  her home since AN earlier version graced the pages of Domino Magazine in 2008

I was inspired to paint my living room Benjamin Moore Pink Cloud!

THIS MOMENT IN TIME was a turning point for me AND my approach to decorating. Up until that point, I HAD MY FAVORITES AND I knew what I liked but I was always getting so distracted and muddled by what others were doing…But the bottom line is – I have always loved pink.

I am featuring KATIE’s home…not so much to sway you to the PINK SIDE OF THE ROOM  (I am certain many would DIE before they put pink in their homes) but to impress upon you how important it is to do YOUR THING. Which is not always the “hottest thing” or the most trendy thing….but instead it is the  AUTHENTIC to YOU – THING

 PINK is not a color choice to which many subscribe but what I realized was that  I do LOVE pink and that MY home is MY home…and YOUR HOME is YOUR HOME and that is the wonderful thing. It would be such a boring cookie-cutter world if we all liked the same things!  Your home should reflect YOU. Not some MAGAZINE OR SOME BLOGGER OR SOME HGTV idea of who you want to be or wish you were but WHO YOU ARE – right now.

What colors do you LOVE?

What colors do you HATE???

What styles? And if you are struck down with decisional paralysis … find someone who GETS YOU, someone who can help you find YOUR style.

I realized that I when I was completely authentic and employed  my favorite colors …I was happier and much less apt to tire of my decorating choices.  Katie’s approach to pinks and pastels was mature and classic…right up my alley.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT HER NEW LIVING ROOM – is that She did not “throw out the baby with the bathwater” but instead she has reupholstered and slipcovered her very beautiful, timeless and stylish pieces from  in updated colors and prints.

The High gloss pink walls – the icing on the cake – are not for everyone but I THINK THEY ARE VERY FUN!!!

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I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO PICK UP THIS ISSUE OF HOUSE BEAUTIFUL – I HAVE A COPY IN EVERY ROOM!!! – IT IS A FANTASTIC ISSUE WITH SO MANY AWESOME PAGES OF RESOURCES AND DECORATING AND COLOR INSPIRATION. I THINK IT MUGHT BE ONE OF MY FAVORITE ISSUES OF HOUSE BEAUTIFUL EVER!

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LETS TAKE A LITTLE TOUR OF KATIE’S HOUSE – COURTESY OF HOUSE BEAUTIFUL

THIS DINING ROOM  GIVES ME SO MANY IDEAS FOR THE NEW HOUSE! THE LIGHTING! DIVINE!

Maybe it is because we both love pink, maybe it is because we both just sent daughter’s to college…or that she owns an Art Gallery – named “QUIRK”  – but I think Katie and I could be friends…!!

XO