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FAVORITE ELEMENT:The lovely living room. There is something about the subdued color palette, oiled wood wainscoting, comfy Eames lounge chair, and collection of little treasures that never fails to relax even the weariest of moods. It even has vines growing in through the window from my garden. Very Grey Gardens without the mess. Weird Fish: The dreamy turquoise walls layered with silvery old bottles, bright red coral, and chocolate brown beams. The Corner: The tree silhouettes on the wallpaper and the worn gold light fixture next to the satiny olive green paint that covers the mezzanine. BIGGEST CHALLENGE: Letting go! In my home, I can always be on top of what gets integrated into the design (much to the chagrin of the boys I share my space with ...I can be quite opinionated). When working with clients, after the project is completed I need to let go of the evolution of the space. In most cases, clients do really well on their own, but sometimes a misstep can change things in a way that does not serve them well. WHAT FRIENDS SAY: That my spaces feel relaxing and cozy, and that they want to spend hours looking at all the mini still life arrangements. They ask if I could help them re-do their houses, and then they try to steal my cats. BIGGEST EMBARRASSMENT: The sun room/art studio/kitty paraphernalia catchall space in the back of my house. A girl needs a little mess, but nobody should be able to see it.

PROUDEST DIY: From The Corner: The chandelier that I created out of reclaimed mercury pendant lights that I then rewired with old Italian cloth cord and hung from an iron base. The iron worker forged it to from my drawings beautifully. From Weird Fish: The custom tables fashioned out of wood, resin, and old ceiling tins. BIGGEST INDULGENCE: The Flocks Pouf in my living room. It is knit out of wool from a single flock of sheep in New Zealand. Gorgeous and fully worth the cost. From The Corner: The counters made out of lovely African Bubinga wood. We were able to get four counters out of one piece. BEST ADVICE: Create your space out of things that you adore. Edit out the rest. Your space should feel like a sanctuary from the rest of the world. This can be achieved on any budget with color, personal ephemera and a bit of elbow grease. And it is all in how the little parts work together. I can drive my clients crazy with my attention to detail, but they always end up telling me that I helped them learn to put care and thoughtfulness into all elements of their home and business. DREAM SOURCE: Les Puces in Paris, the Souks of Morocco, Charles and Ray Eames' living room, vintage shops in North Porthland, the Bahamian seashore...