Tag Archives: pennsylvania

back to design

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I’ve been a bit secretive and quiet on social lately, but I can finally share some news with you! A few months ago, I took on a very exciting interior design project – a dream job. Many of you may not be familiar with my design work, as I don’t share that aspect of my life here as much, but I’m hoping to change that. I’ve been in the business for 20 (gasp) years now and branched out on my own in 2007. It’s been a wild ten years of entrepreneurship, with many ebbs and flows, but I’m so very grateful to be making a living doing what I love. This project came along at just the right moment, as the kids have finally reached their school years, and I have a bit more time on my hands (emphasis on a bit). Designing an entire home, especially one as grand as this, is a challenge that I readily embrace, and look forward to sharing with you.

Having lived in Pennsylvania for seven years now, I’ve become deeply enamored with the history, art, and architecture of this region. I’ve walked in Wyeth’s footsteps, toured historic homes, and attended quite a few preservation fairs. Designing a stone farmhouse has been on my interiors bucket list longer than I can remember, and this home checks that box in a big way. Adding to my delight is the fact that I had the honor of helping my (amazing) clients select the Okie-inspired home. As a designer and proud Pennsylvanian, I have a great admiration for architect Brognard Okie’s work, and this home was meticulously designed and built to capture the spirit and character of his renowned properties. I can’t wait to infuse this incredible space with a modern edge, while respecting and maintaining it’s historic charm. More to come!

summer in the poconos

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kids

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We spent our summer vacation at our favorite local lake (and house)…it was our fourth year at Lake Naomi! I get emotional looking back at previous years – I seriously cannot believe Henry + Marie are five. I unplugged as much as possible, and rarely checked social media. That ‘s a tall order for most of us these days, but for me especially since it’s partly what I do for a living. The time off was so refreshing, and our days were filled with fun and memory making. Things I don’t want to forget about this year include (but are not limited to): watching the kids as they bravely navigated the pool during swim lessons, eating fresh blueberries on the beach, family kayaking, rainy day monopoly + movie night, sandy showers, bunny spotting, long lazy afternoons, and a lantern-lit date night. It was family quality time at it’s seasonal best.

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strawberry season

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Tis the season for strawberries, and if you live in the country, strawberry picking! We’ve taken the kids almost every year to our local orchard – this year we managed it just in time, right before the heat wave. The picking window is always brief, which is part of what makes it so special. Henry and Marie were giddy to have a fresh patch to pick, frolicking and filling their baskets (a handful ended up in their bellies first). There’s nothing better than biting into a fresh juicy berry in the field, warmed from the sun. While it’s still not “officially” summer, we welcomed it with smiles and berry-stained hands.

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we’re moving!

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Bon weekend friends! My apologies if you came here from Instagram hoping for some juicy, life-altering news. We are indeed moving, but not abroad as we had expected when we sold our home two years ago. We’ll be staying in Chester County, Pennsylvania which we love (and where we’ve been for 8 years now), but moving out of our industrial loft and into an apartment complex. This will be another temporary move (1-2 years) which we had hoped to avoid, but we decided the pros outweigh the cons (I’ll spare you the list). Our current home has been a refreshing change of scenery for the past two years, a fun challenge as an interior designer, and a super pinterest-worthy space. Speaking of which, I’ll be sharing more of it before we move (or soon after). It’s funny how a hard deadline like moving can light a fire to get things done.

This time around the kids are old enough to grasp the idea of moving and that home is wherever we are. The walls that surround us don’t define our family, and that’s been a big lesson for us all. As we did before, we’re involving the kids with as many decisions as possible to better equip them emotionally for the move. The fact that our new place has an awesome pool and is dog-friendly is already helping to soften the blow…and yes that’s a hint that we’re looking to add a furry member to our family soon! If you have children and have any tips to help ease the stress of moving, please share. Also, if you’re interested in some goodies from Henry + Marie’s closet (as well as a few random items from mine), follow @shopfleurishing on Instagram – there are many items already listed, with more to come. Spring cleaning is in full effect!

image courtesy of ashley lynn fry photography

 

forward motion

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I’ll be honest, it feels very odd to return to my usual content, especially since this happened before the election. While I’m resuming my “regularly scheduled programming”, please know that behind the scenes I am working harder than ever to do my part in brightening the future of America. I plan on sharing a separate post with helpful links very soon. Thank you to all of you who have commented, emailed, and reached out via social media to thank me for sharing my thoughts. You are not alone – we are not alone. So here’s to forward motion, to progress, and focusing on the positive.

 

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trainside

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We had every intention of introducing the kids to an old-fashioned train for years, but somehow it only just happened. While we have many options in our area, we chose the WK&S Railroad in Kempton, a privately owned heritage railroad company founded in 1963. They operate over a landlocked remnant of a former Reading Railroad line – ring a bell, Monopoly fans?! They have quite an impressive collection of motive power, to include two Porter steam engines (circa 1920’s-30’s) that they are currently restoring. The 1940’s coach we rode in has been immaculately preserved, and was pulled by one of their three diesel engines. The gentleman you see below has been working at the railroad for over 40 years, and uses a family heirloom timepiece to keep things running smoothly – this place truly transports you in time.

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