Many years ago, I had a gallery space that showcased area artists’ work. It was located in a charming renovated district saved from a sad decline. Not only was it a delight to be a part of bringing old architecture back to its glory and bringing area artists’ talents into public view, but it was also a delight to meet and chat with the people who were discovering this eclectic area of town. My gallery space had a loft, which allowed me to work on design projects when no one was in the gallery. It was a partially open loft, so I could hear people enter and could quickly leave my desk to greet anyone dropping in to explore. One day, two gentlemen came into the gallery. They [...]

Lazy warm days, iced tea, and plants dancing in gentle breezes reset my quiet winter thoughts to high-spirited thoughts filled with copious possibilities. The longer days seem to fuel these thoughts, stirring my superpowers for creating a gorgeous outdoor retreat. The fact that my gardening muscles haven’t been used for six months (or more) doesn’t matter; I’m feeling invincible and ready to bring an oasis to my slowly awakening landscape. No sweat…...well, maybe a little a lot of sweat, but sweating is good, right? Springtime is the time of year that tempts me to scurry off to the garden center without a plan. This is not a good idea, trust me. Yes, it’s true that garden centers can lift our spirits; they not only lift our spirits they touch [...]

I love color. Maybe that is why I love spring; nature is vibrating with color, enlivening everything, including us. Bright green leaves radiate against dark wet bark, flowers sparkle with dew, the sun seems brighter and the blue sky bluer, everything is waking up and vibrant. The whole world seems happy and is inviting us to join in. So just think, if nature can use color to lift our spirits, what could it do for us when we bring it indoors? Even though our spirits feel renewed when spring wakes up from its winter’s nap, many people tell me they don’t trust themselves to use a lot of color in their home or to select paint colors. They understand that color can wake up a room and they [...]

Springtime is rapidly approaching, and we’ll soon be opening windows and doors, inviting the fresh air and longer days to fill our home and our senses. This seems to be a perfect time to give our home some love. Below are some thoughtful ideas that will fill your home with joy and gratitude…    choose a few or choose them all, then watch your home return the love— over and over. Invite friends over. Whether it is a holiday gathering, a housewarming, a home blessing, or just a neighborly drop-in, welcoming friends and family into our home is a meaningful event. It fills the rooms with laughter, love, and camaraderie. Sharing our home is a fun way to feed our home’s soul as well as our own soul. Those good [...]

That verse was written 2,000 years ago….  yet it still resonates today. How amazing is that?!? It’s also amazing how many interpretations and meanings can be taken from that one verse. One of the ways I see it is that space needs to be at the center of our life in order for us to have room to open our thoughts and discover our true purpose. Yet to have this empty space we need external support. The key seems to be finding the balance with our surroundings so that it allows space for us to grow. I love this, because our surroundings, whether a home or office, shape our behavior, attitude, health, emotions, and mental acuity.I think we all desire that balance; yet our busyness distracts us and achieving [...]

I love the idea of a blog creating a place for us to gather; a place just waiting for us whenever we take a break from our busy day; a place where we feel at ease and welcomed, inspiring us with helpful tips, insights, and morsels of food for thought that we can savor along with our tea (or whatever drink we prefer); a place for friends to gather and have good conversations that honor the beautiful people we are. After all, we are all beautiful and, if you’re like me, yearn for more beauty and harmony in our life. But for that to happen, something must change and change can be challenging since it shakes up our routines as well as some dust. Even so, change always stimulates the [...]

“A real rebellion in art would be to show people that there is real beauty and grace in the world.” Photographer Rodney Smith said this years ago, and it has been my anthem ever since. In fact I try to bring it into everything I do. The Redefined Home is my passion because it allows me to bring beauty and grace to others as well. I absolutely LOVE helping others redefine their homes and fall in love with where they live. Where we choose to live touches us in ways we may not be aware of. The purpose of this blog is to open awareness as to how our surroundings shape our lives. It came about as a direct result from clients telling me they had never thought [...]