How I Found My Style Sundays- The Enchanted Home

Hi, so happy to be here today. Thank you Pamela for inviting me to be a part of this wonderful series you dreamed up. My name is Tina, I am the voice behind my predominantly design oriented blog, The Enchanted Home. I have ventured into other areas of interest like fashion and cooking/entertaining  as they honestly reflect who I am and what I love but interior design remains my true love. Fabrics, wallpapers, trims, even buckets of paint make my heart beat faster, it's all so intoxicating!

I took design courses for about a year after college and feel design is my calling. Was lucky to have landed some amazing design jobs but the biggest one to date is my own home which is a "work in progress". We  moved just about a year ago after building for nearly four looong years. I am having fun taking it on but really anxious to get more completed rooms under my belt!  I love the immense inspiration and ideas that I have access to through blogging. Its such fun to see what goes on behind the movers and shakers in design..and I am so happy to be included amongst them! So here we go......

1- My decorating style is?

One big dollop of traditional, small scoop of French, a pinch of old world and a sprinkle of refined country. It has evolved in some regards, but from the start I have always gravitated and stayed true towards an interior that feels classically timeless and traditional, old world yet still fresh.

2- How did you "find" your decorating style?

Honesty, I think its in my blood and possibly was born with it, lol. My mother, who has wonderful taste and whose background is French, instilled in me at an early age, how important it is to keep a beautiful and elegant home. I remember bedrooms with beautiful linens, wonderful smells permeating the air, meals that  involved sterling flatware, good crystal and china. All of these early memories absolutely helped define my sense of design and desire to create a beautiful home myself. I developed my own style naturally as the years went on, but think that the basis of what I love is from my mother so......... thanks Mom!

3- What has been your most treasured find for your home?

Too many! Maybe the antique English secretary, or the gorgeous pair of oil paintings from G.Williams that I recently scored. Anything old or antique is really cherished since they are relics from another time (but make no mistake many of the new things I have I am madly in love with)!

4- What tips do you have for creating a beautiful home? Wow this is a long list..here we go!

Create soft lighting. I love the light that lamps and sconces bring, its soft (and flattering)! Of course its important to have "task lighting" but I do prefer in nearly all rooms except the kitchen, the soft lighting of lamps and sconces.

 Try to have fresh flowers of some sort in principle spaces that you see, use and    enjoy. I always have something blooming in my kitchen, master bedroom and foyer. They make me happy. 

I love candles and am very into wonderful scents. I love burning a candle in my kitchen (busiest room of the house) it allows the smell to permeate through the house. 

Invest in the best quality bedding you can.....sinking into a lofty comfy bed at night is the best way to end a day (afterall you spend almost half your day in bed, why not)! 

Have lots of pictures of those you love (pets included) to remind you of what is special in pretty frames throughout the house. A gallery wall of pictures in all matching frames is also a neat idea and one of my many projects for 2013.

 BUY WHAT YOU LOVE. I cannot stress this enough, I  would rather have one item that I love in an empty room over a full room of things that are so so. You will feel more inspired to create and build beautiful interiors when you surround yourself with things you love. I tend to stay with classics and am not much of a trend follower unless I just happen to love it

Start with your foyer, its the first impression your guests will have of your home and typically its a pretty easy space to tackle. Its amazing what a nice console or chest, with a lovely container holding an orchid, a pair of lamps and a pretty mirror can do! Its like an easy recipe for a sure thing that is bound to dazzle!

Keep an organized home. Nothing can spoil even the prettiest home more than clutter. Try to be as organized as you can, there are countless tips, websites and pictures on the web on how to get organized. Nothing feels as good as walking into a fresh, beautiful and organized home. Plus living in one is great too....you know where everything is at all times!

Last but certainly not least, what is unique about design and decorating is how subjective it is. There is no right or wrong. Its all about what you love and what makes you happy. I say you can never know too much, and I am constantly learning, soaking in all the beauty and inspiration around me. I cannot overstate the value in great design books, I have a small library of them and the really good ones are the kind you go back to over and over, and every time pick up on a new detail not noticed before. They are a really great investment!  Surround yourself with things you love and the  happiness is bound to follow.....

Thanks so much for stopping in and I hope you enjoyed my post even half as much as I enjoyed putting it together! Thanks again Pamela for including me in this fun series!! Happy decorating and hope you have a fabulous day.

Thank you so much Tina for sharing your home and decorating style with us! I have so enjoyed watching you build your dream home.

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Write by: AN - Sunday, March 3, 2013