The closest to reality TV I get is The Great British Bake Show. I love me some Pru and Paul. The Britts are just so nice to each other when competing. We can use more of that, don’t you think?!  Love is Blind is not something I would normally gravitate to, but since they are in D.C., we thought — what the hell let’s have some fun with it and play BINGO!

Do you know what excites me about fall and October? Apart from celebrating my parents’ birthdays, football, crunchy leaves and golden hues, it is the perfect balance of ‘cooler weather, I can still do things outside without fear of getting the Zika or ‘humidity exhaustion’ (I bet that’s a thing) - AND it is permission to do none of that and stay inside with a warm cup of cider or ‘a nice calming indoor activity’.

Window treatments can do so much more than just provide privacy. In bustling spaces like kitchens or rooms filled with hard surfaces—think cabinetry, tile, and stone—softening the space is key to enhancing comfort. The absence of upholstered items and rugs can make these areas feel stark and noisy. In one of our recent projects in Villamay, we transformed a cozy kitchen nook with a custom flat Roman shade crafted from a stunning artisan textile.

I tend to be a strictly no kitsch girl when it comes to holidays, with the exception of Halloween.  Halloween is the holiday where I break out all of the skeletons, giant spiders, and tombstones. My love of Halloween décor doesn’t stop at home, and each year our collection of spooky floral décor grows at Helen Olivia. Here’s what’s new and frightfully exciting for the season ahead:

When it comes to modernizing a traditional home, it often requires a delicate balance between preserving its original charm and incorporating contemporary elements. This 1940s home in Beverley Hills, Alexandria, underwent a remarkable transformation thanks to the collaborative efforts of Convene Architecture and Marks-Woods.

At our upcoming Patina Tag Sale, we will present everyone in line with a marking system for the items they wish to purchase. We recommend that everyone bring their own packing material, bags, bubble wrap, etc. This will be a credit card/check event only, no cash. This is a one-day sale. All the final details will be shared on Friday, September 27, the day before the sale.

I LOVE October. It’s the perfect temperature, I can wear sweatshirts with sandals, mellow creme pumpkins hit the candy shelves, the leaves are peak color, and Halloween. Those are all good reasons to love the month, am I right?! I’ve never been one to dress up for Halloween as an adult, but I revel in the joy it brings to children.

At Boxwood, I adore this time of year, September kicks off fall and holiday season planning. We conquered our summer entertaining with vibrant shades of pink, blue and yellow, with picnic baskets and acrylic champagne glasses and beautiful linen napkins. Now we welcome with open arms – the oranges, reds and browns.

I recently had the pleasure of completing two charcoal portraits and displaying them in my studio window. It was such a joy to overhear passersby exclaim, “Oh, I know who they are!” as they recognized the subjects. Children, in particular, are the ultimate judges of how well you’ve captured someone’s likeness—always brutally honest and refreshingly direct.

There was a time (cue “I Dreamed a Dream”) when writing was all we had. I’m not talking about hundreds of years ago, quills and inkwells and carrier pigeons (but I am a little bit). I am grateful to be of the Xennial generation; we were kids in the 80’s AND 90’s. What if autumn IS the adult version of summer? I am eager to reconnect with old friends and autumn is the permission to exit summer and welcome cozy letter writing by a fire...

Hotel Heron has a vibe, and if you’ve been there you know it.  History meets modern meets eclectic meets warm is how I’d describe the furnishings and finishes. Every detail has been selected with care and thought. When I was invited back to the hotel in my official florist capacity to collaborate on a wedding styled shoot, I hoped I would find the same feel carried through to the events space.

I like to give my stores a personality. Each one is distinct. When we tell people that we own all three they usually see the resemblance, but for the most part, we’ve done a good job of imbuing them with their own unique personality. Honestly, figuring out who they will be is most of the fun. What do they look like? Smell like? Even sound like?

We are fortunate that we get to experience all four seasons in Alexandria. As we draw closer to October, our thoughts turn to fall and all it has to offer. One way to add a little fall flavor to your outfits is with your jewelry.

With the kids back in school, the kitchen has become a focus again — this is where the day starts and ends for many. Here a few tips to help everything go smoother in the morning (and after school), so you can find what you need and get to where you need to be on time!

Indulge your soul in high-quality finishes and a rare detached garage with an in-law suite above (ADU!) The trim, millwork, casings, and craftsmanship is unlike anything you've seen in Alexandria.

This week we're looking at kitchens and bedrooms. A good night’s rest and a great morning breakfast are essential for the school year. Here are some small and large changes to keep your student (and yourself!) on track.

Recently, my family took a trip to the Pacific Northwest. Our first stay was in a funny little house tucked away in a corner of a tidy community with homemade signs that asked us to watch out for the family of roughly eight deer who made their home there. Surrounded by evergreens, the house was on the edge of a bluff high above the Straight of Juan de Fuca.

As summer winds down, the season of transitions is in full swing for our family! This week marked some big milestones as we sent our oldest off to Virginia Tech for her first year, while our middle started high school, and our youngest began middle school. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster as we navigate this new chapter, but we’re grateful everyone had a smooth start!

Patina is busily preparing for our designer tag sale which will take place on Saturday, September 28. We will feature vintage pieces — mainly French, along with art, lamps, tables, upholstery, garden items and lots of accessories.

I have another muse in Maine, nestled in Winter Harbor. To get there, I have to walk down a meandering path through the woods until I hit the water. By the time I'm halfway down, I can hear the waves crashing in the distance and smell the salty air. Perched atop the large rocky edge of the water is a tiny one-room house...