Adventures In Styleland!

My Mothers 1st Home.

Design was a natural calling for me, the daughter of an italian seamstress from Brooklyn, I learned at an early age the profound effect space and surroundings can have on your thoughts, your moods and your life. I feel my creativity is a God-given gift – one that flowes from my Mother. Our home was always a place of inspiration and beauty.

Sundays with Mother Theresa were a day set aside from others.  On Sunday, when the table was set,  it was like a journey back to a dinning hall from centuries ago, with candles burning in sconces, or candelabra’s on the table and a beautiful chandelier overhead (which still hangs above my sisters dining room table today). China and crystal  adorn the table. The waft of the freshly made sauce hung in the air, as the dinner course emerges, the freshly baked panettone with raisins, oranges and nuts was kept warm in the oven for desert.

At Holidays my mother would decorate, with simple boughs decorated with fruit slices, cinnamon sticks and glass ornaments that were handed down from our Grandmother. Our gifts were wrapped in neutral colored paper that was used to make sewing patterns, and decorated with fabric rosettes and tassels from drapery tie backs. She had a box of ribbons that she would reuse, gorgeous organza and beautiful soft colored silks. Our presents were gifts themselves, a gift of love and her time. She made our clothing, draperies and upholstered our furniture in exquisite fabrics. Her handmade clothing and furnishings had such a strong influence on me. I’m honored to be part of a legacy that embraces the imaginative spirit and creates beauty for the enjoyment of others – this is what I truly love doing.

To me, interior design is about uncovering the heart and soul of a person, a family, and then reinterpreting that essence in tangible, creative ways. I believe the aesthetics and emotional feel of a space are just as important as the functionality. Your  environment should provide inspiration and comfort, while supporting and facilitating your daily routine.

Enjoy some pictures from my past.. This is the world I came from..

Beautiful Damask walls, Curtains made by Mom, She also made our dresses!!

Wow looking at this picture, really tells me why I love damask!!! My mothers dress was so pretty,  love the ruffles around the neck and down the front, I would wear this today!! She always had such vision!!

One of her clothing designs, my sister wore to a family wedding!!

I remember coming home and my sister modeling this!! The chiffon blouse and silk pants that matched!!! What a creative design.. My mother was always on the cutting edge!!! I loved this so much, she made me an outfit too, in a powder blue and white!!

In the background on the walls is a stencil that my mother found. It was a roller and the design was applied vertically. I found a link to these rollers on Apartment Therapy. They are still sold on Etsy from The Painted House.

My father was our handyman, he was amazing by himself but, together they were a design team!! He always helped my Mother, he was a upholsterer, painter, carpenter and just a loving, devoted husband!! Together they created my world, and impacted my life as a designer.  I believe your interiors should be an accurate reflection of you – your individuality, your personality, your life. I uphold authenticity and simplicity as guide posts – two qualities I find to be intimately connected.

As always stay tuned for more Adventures in Styleland….

XOXO

M

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