Well, we have officially made it to summer! The heat is on the rise and we have been working very hard helping our clients with their renovations and design updates. From kitchen and bath renovations to new construction projects, we are always excited to help our clients turn their houses into homes. Every now and then we all need a break from our everyday 9 to 5 and this year I am very grateful that we finally get to travel! Oh, how travel influences interior design! I love travelling to new and exciting places and have missed it this past year. But now, I am on my way to NYC! Well, actually not until September, but we are going! I am taking my daughters on their first visit to The Big Apple.
Early in my career when I was in merchandising, I traveled to many different cities in search of new accessories for our inventory. San Francisco, Atlanta, High Point… to name a few. But New York City was one of the best places to shop for new and unique furniture and tabletop accessories. We would attend the accessory market at the Javits Center and the Pier and take in all the new tabletop accessories that the hundreds of vendors would show. There were so many wonderful items to view, and I loved hearing the stories from each vendor of how each item was incorporated into their latest collection. I would make the trip each fall and even had the opportunity to take my mother on a shopping trip one year. I loved it and so did she. I also love the city itself. With so much to see and so many things to do, it was a highlight every year.
My daughters are extremely excited for this trip. I had planned this trip for their 21st birthdays but then COVID hit and all things were put on hold, as I’m sure you are well aware. So now this trip will be their 22nd birthday/college graduation presents and we are staying a few extra days to make sure we have time to do and see all we can. It has been quite a while since I have been back to New York, but I am so excited to take a real vacation and am looking forward to experiencing it with my girls. We are going to have so much fun!
I have also been busy on the home front. I moved into a new home and both of my daughters graduated college. To put it short and sweet, I moved on the first Saturday in May, Taylor graduated on the second Saturday in May and four days later Mia graduated. We moved each daughter out of her apartment and into the new house. Whew! I would be very happy not to see another cardboard box for a while. Taylor graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a degree with a BFA in creative writing and has decided to attend graduate school at the University of North Texas for library science. Mia graduated from Sam Houston State University with a BFA in studio 2D, creating digital illustrations and concept art. Both are currently working in their field and I am so proud of their accomplishments!
Since moving, I now have a chance to repurpose some furniture I have. We love repurposing existing furniture for our clients and I will be doing the same for myself. I have a pair of chairs that I have loved for many years that will be the perfect project. They previously belonged to my long-time friend and college roommate’s grandmother. Thus, we affectionately call them “Grandmother’s Chairs” Grandmother left these chairs to my friend, who has since down sized to her current home and no longer has space for them. The chairs are currently upholstered in pink silk and are at least 60 years old. The fabric is worn of course but the frames are in great condition. To bring them back to life, I will be reupholstering them in a more modern woven fabric, perhaps the modern geometric fabric shown above. They need some tender loving care and we have just the right resources to make sure that happens. I will share before and after photos soon. I am so excited!
I hope everyone has a wonderful summer. Stay hydrated, stay cool and be safe!
