Style Matters

Why does style, design, and decor matter? Here's the thing, my friend, style isn't just about superficiality. It actually brings several benefits that can enhance our well-being and confidence. In this epsiode, I break it down into four categories: emotional well-being, relationships, personal development, and confidence. By paying attention to our homes and cultivating a signature style, we can create spaces that truly reflect and support who we are. And let me tell you, it's not just about following trends or seeking validation from others. It's about embracing our unique taste and designing our homes in a way that brings us joy and fulfillment. So, if you're a homeowner or someone looking to create a personalized living space, this episode is for you. To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along t

How does the concept of value affect our spending decisions when it comes to our homes?  Being budget-conscious doesn't mean always going for the cheapest option. Instead, I believe in being realistic about what we can afford and understanding our own criteria for assigning value to things. Consider other factors like who made the item, how it was manufactured, and the materials used, when determining its worth. By prioritizing these factors, we can make more informed decisions that align with our values and contribute to a sustainable home. In this episode, I outline three key aspects of the slow style philosophy: using what we have creatively, researching before making purchases, and investing in high-quality, long-lasting items. By applying these principles, we can make mindful choices that reflect our personal style and financial situation. So if you're looking to make more informed spending decisions and create a home that aligns with your values, this episode of Slow Style Home is a must-liste

If you're feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by the constant roadblocks and unexpected costs that come with renovating historic homes, then you are not alone! Despite your best efforts, your vision for preserving and restoring these architectural treasures may be hindered by permits and regulations, limited availability of authentic materials, and the complexities of integrating modern conveniences while maintaining historical integrity.  HOWEVER, you're also not alone in your passion and determination to rescue that piece of history.  Jenn MacDonald and Michael Lemieux, hosts of "Houses With History," will give you plenty of motivation to keep going!   To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).

Have you ever heard these myths about collecting art? Myth 1: Collecting art is only for the wealthy elite. Myth 2: Buying art is complicated and requires extensive knowledge. Myth 3: You need to visit galleries and auctions to find quality art. In this episode, our guest Alex Farkas will debunk these myths and reveal the truth about how the online art platform UGallery can turn you into a confident and knowledgeable art collector. To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).

My guest today is psychologist-turned-interior-desiger, Anita Yokota. When she embarked on her career as a therapist and saw clients in their own homes, she began to comprehend the impact of their environments on their mental and emotional health. Her in-home visits exposed her to a variety of home environments, and she soon noticed a correlation between the state of a home and the emotional climate within it. This insight led her to help clients organize their living spaces, which in turn reduced tensions within the family. After 20 years in therapy, she made a pivot to her creative passion for interior design. She has created her own home therapy method, an approach that combines tangible organization with cognitive feelings, and she's just released her first book, also called Home Therapy. In our conversation, Anita shares story after story about how to heal yourself and your relationship using intentional design.  To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to creat

In this episode, I lay out the philosophy behind my Slow Style approach to decorating.  You'll get the big picture overview of why I think we need it, how it's different from how we're currently decorating and designing our homes, and what the benefits are to you when you use apply it!  If you want a quick rundown of Slow Style, this is a great place to start!  To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).

The Style Matters podcast has evolved into the Slow Style Home podcast!  Listen in to see why and what to expect from the updated show.  To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).

My guest this week is designer Heather Jorde, who also writes the blog, Restless Oasis.  We talk about design philosophy, moving houses, incorporating sentimental objects into your decor and how to personalize a cookie-cutter new build.  To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).

I have a lot of fun talking with my guest this week, Jewel Marlowe.  I've been dying to get to know her because I could tell from her style that she's someone who would probably make me laugh.  And she does not disappoint!  Jewel is the blogger behind Jeweled Interiors and also works as an interior designer.  She is a master of the mix, meaning she can take three objects that look like they have nothing in common and figure out how to make them all work in the same space using the magic of color, pattern and scale.  And luckily she's able to share how she does this during the episode.  Jewel has honed her talents over the 13 different homes that she's lived in as a military spouse.  So if any of you can relate to that, this one's for you!  (Replay from 2018) For more info on the Slow Style approach to creating a home you love, go to littleyellowcouch.com This episode was originally aired in 2018 and it's one of my all time favorite interviews!  Please leave a review of the podcas

My guest today is Danielle Postel-Vinay, author of "Home Sweet Maison: The French Art of Making a Home," which gives you a pretty good clue as to what we'll be talking about.  In Danielle's book, she encourages us to embrace the idea that our homes are our sanctuaries and a visual representation of who we are, which makes them very special places.  I'm so excited to share this conversation with you today!  (Replay from Feb 2020).  To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).

I am delighted to introduce you to the woman behind the rug and and linen brands Dash & Albert and Pinecone Hill.  Annie Selke is a true powerhouse of an entrepreneur and she’s also a lovely human being.  I remember when I first first encountered her Dash & Albert rugs, years ago, when I was poking around in specialty home decor shops in Maine.  I thought to myself, wow, those are not fun and colorful, I’ll be they will also stand the test of time.  And I was right!  Annie’s aesthetic is classic and timeless and elegant, but it’s also really, really fun.  Fast forward to this interview and my visit to meet her and her staff at her headquarters in Lenox, MA.  Her staff, by the way, love her, which says a lot about any business owner.  We met in her office and toured her warehouses and I also got to stay in her beautiful inn, decked out with all of her fabrics.  To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision yo

Toma Clark Haines, otherwise known as the Antiques Diva, has literally built an empire.  Over a decade ago living in Paris she started helping other ex-pats furnish their homes from flea markets and brocantes all over the city.  The thrill of the hunt was her hobby and her passion and soon it became her business.  A global business because there are treasures to be unearthed in every corner of the world!  She has a wonderful sotry, and even better she’s a great story teller!  She’s so generous in the way she shares and you’re going to feel like you have a new, terrific friend.  I know I do!   To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).

Kim Gordon is a designer, an artist and a business woman and best of all she’s incredibly talented when it comes to designing dream homes.  Not the kind of dream homes that are filled with luxury items, necessarily, but the kind of dream homes that really fulfill us in an emotional way, a creative way, and even a spiritual way.  Kim doesn’t shy away from the mystical, and get ready for that, because what I mean is that she connects your deepest desires with your intention for your home.  And then I’m telling you that everything just sort of works out magically in other areas of your life so I’m very excited to share her with you.  To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).

Windy Chien is an artist with several past lives which means she's one of those people you can relate to because her path in life hasn't been a straight line.  She's done many things, tried many things, had ups and downs, all before landing where she is today.  And speaking of straight lines, her medium as an artist has everything to do with lines... and more specifically, with the knots she creates out of those lines.  Windy Chen has just come out with a book, The Year Of Knots, detailing her 365 day long project where she challenged herself to learn and perfect one new knot a day and record her progress on Instagram.  I was blown away by the end result when I saw a video of her final art installation.   To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).

I’m really excited to introduce you to a new book written by my guests, Jill Singer and Monica Khemsurov. It’s called "How To Live With Objects," and it’s a compilation of many things: their philosophy and approach to design; a primer that introduces us to history and context around specific objects and schools of design; and an inspirational coffee table book that showcases the homes of people who have really developed a very personal point of view, aesthetically. If you are passionate about interiors, you need this book in your library. Here’s my conversation with Jill Singer and Monica Khemsurov, authors of "How to Live With Objects." To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).

It is my great privilege to introduce you to my guest today. Newell Turner is a bit of a legend when it comes to design and journalism. He’s responsible for the formation of the entire Hearst magazine editorial division, heading up three big shelter publications: Elle Decor, House Beautiful, and Veranda magazines. He’s just released a gorgeous new book called "Mexican: A Journey Through Design," which showcases not only his own photography but also his obvious love for his adopted country. The book is one you want to sink into and absorb the colors, textures, and exquisite details of various design eras throughout Mexico's history. But, if I do say so myself, this conversation with Newell is a pretty good companion piece because of how warm and candid he is. This has definitely been one of my favorite interviews I’ve ever done. Let's get to it. To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you&ap

My guest today is Anjie Cho, designer and author of “Mindful Homes: Create Healing Living Spaces with Mindfulness and Feng Shui.” What makes Anjie and her book so helpful is that she explains the principles of this ancient Chinese approach to creating spaces in a way that we can use in our modern lives and contemporary homes. Even if you’re skeptical about alternative medicine (and Feng Shui is kind of like a diagnostic and curative plan for our homes), you’re going to get something out of this episode. And that’s because Anjie understands that not all of Feng Shui needs to be applied literally. Without spoiling it any further, let’s get started with Anjie. To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).

This is such a delightful episode thanks to my guest, stylist Dee Campling. She’s just come out with a book called “Camper Heaven: Van Life on the Open Road.” And if you’re imagining hippies living in VW buses back in the 70s, you won’t believe how that lifestyle has evolved! Dee shares the many ways and reasons people are creating these homes on wheels, from decked-out ski chalet-style horse trailers to modest but beautiful, portable weekend vacation spots. But what’s so great is Dee’s enthusiasm for the whole endeavor. She’s so wonderful to talk with that you’re going to be inspired to buy a camper van by the end of this episode! Here’s Dee. To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).

My guest today is Sara Hillery, a designer in Richmond, VA. One of her great talents, in my opinion, is her ability to mix the qualities of elegance, something that’s been a hallmark of southern homes for decades, with a feeling of energy. In other words, she is able to combine youthfulness with wisdom and grace, as well as a maximalist’s penchant for detail with the sensibilities of minimalism. You’ll have to go to the show notes page on our website to really see what I’m talking about after you hear the conversation! To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).

We’ve had Ki Nassauer on the show before—a couple of times, actually—and that’s because she loves antiquing, thrifting, repurposing, and collecting anything vintage. And if you know me and my Slow Style approach to decorating our homes, you know that I think that every house and every room really needs to have at least one thing that’s from a different era than the one we’re living in. Ki has spent her career working in media all around filling our homes with antiques and is currently the editor-in-chief of the online magazine, Lived-In Style. I highly recommend you subscribe to it, by the way. What we're talking about today is her beautiful new book, which is also called Lived-in Style." Let’s get started. To use the Slow Style approach in your home, start with this free guide on how to create a vision that sets you up for every design decision you'll need to make!Sign up here to receive the free guide (and lots of suppport along the way).