Interiors: House Tour, Chapel Hill, NC

February 27, 2017 | 4 Commentaries

One of the things on my North Carolina “must-see” list during my recent visit was “tour Kristie’s house.” Seriously. Have you ever asked an almost-stranger for a house tour? Because I have. Okay, so Kristie isn’t a complete stranger. She’s one of my sister’s good friends, and I have actually met her a couple of times.

So, on this visit, Kristie graciously opened her home to me for an after-school visit. And lucky for all of us, she allowed me to snap a bunch of photos to share right here on White Cabana (no styling involved, btw!). You may have seen a few photos floating around Instagram (the kitchen, the porch, the art), and I know that if you did, you were itching to see more. Well, today’s your lucky day.

Let’s get to it.

The foyer is bright, welcoming, and so beautifully curated. Kristie’s collectibles are from all over – furniture stores, HomeGoods, antique markets, the ReStore, consignment shops, and Craigslist.

The kitchen’s waterfall marble island and chandeliers are show stoppers. In fact, the lighting throughout the home is so well-chosen.

(custom cupboard doors will be painted soon!)

Are you drooling? Yes, I know you are! I had the same reaction, so there’s no need to be embarrassed!

Kristie made much of the art in her home including the colourful pieces framed in gold on the dining room gallery wall. Stunning!

(side note: I took a page out of Kristie’s design book, and picked up this swan for my bedroom. It’s nowhere near as refined as the one in this dining room, but I love it. #copycat)

The powder room is almost done. Kristie is just waiting on a mirror. I think it looks great as is, actually!

In the living room you’ll see my most favourite piece of art – made by Kristie! It’s a 3D piece made of paper! In.cred.ible. The 10+ foot ceilings are a nice touch, too.

Hallways were given attention, too.

ink art made by Kristie and her daughter (and a pineapple for good measure)

Kristie paid careful attention to the design of her kids’ rooms, too. I could move into either of them. I really wanted to grab the federal mirror off the wall and stuff it into my carry-on, but I thought her little boy might notice. Darn.

We’re just about at the end of this tour, unfortunately, but I’m leaving you with one of my favourite spaces – the screened-in porch. The porch is a common feature in homes in North Carolina. It’s a pleasant room for lounging and entertaining during the fall, spring, and summer months. I’d easily sip on a mint julep while lounging on this sweet soft blue sofa.

Kristie – or Dr. Kristie, I should say, since she has a PhD in textiles (who knew that was an option!?) – and her family recently moved into this home and undertook a great renovation where the kitchen space was re-jigged and expanded, walls were painted, hardwood was installed, and art was hung everywhere.

There are still things on the must-complete list as all renos seem to have, but for now, this place is set, and the whole family is enjoying their new home.

Thanks, Kristie and family, for letting us peek into your gorgeous home!

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Design: Manhattan vs. Chapel Hill House Tour

July 2, 2015 | 4 Commentaries

A few of my friends and loyal blog readers have been curious about my sister’s move (with her husband and four kids) to North Carolina last fall. Their Manhattan home was featured on Style Me Pretty Living a year ago (eek!), but since then, a lot has changed. They’ve been renting a home in Chapel Hill while they kept their eyes on the housing market. Since they were renting, my sister and brother-in-law didn’t make any drastic changes to the house. They did, however, change up the lighting and unpack just about all of their furnishings in order to make the house feel like a home (even if only a temporary one). I thought it would be interesting to show you how they translated their Manhattan style to their Chapel Hill home.

Living room: Manhattan

The Manhattan living room was fairly spacious, and it had to function as a very multi-purpose space (extra bedroom, play room, TV room, etc.).

Living room: Chapel Hill

In Chapel Hill, the living room is a proper living room. The kids play and watch shows in here, but the living room doesn’t have to be a multi-purpose space. My sister and brother-in-law didn’t purchase additional furniture for this large space, but they did make slight changes to their art and accessories collections.

Kitchen: Manhattan

By Manhattan standards, the kitchen was large. They did a lot of cooking in here, and the kids made a lot (a lot!) of messes on these gorgeous wood floors. The kids climbed on the cabinets, opened and closed every drawer and door a thousand times each day. Thankfully, the carrara marble and the Ikea cabinets held up nicely. My sister made the art. Nice, right?

Kitchen: Chapel Hill

The Chapel Hill kitchen is large and bright! There’s a seat-up bar as well as an eat-in area. My sister and brother-in-law added new furniture to this room (stools, table, chairs, etc.) and installed a new pendant light.

Master Bedroom: Manhattan

Again, by Manhattan standards, the master bedroom was large. That’s a king size bed in there! Plus night stands! It’s pretty luxurious as far as Manhattan bedrooms go.

Bedroom: Chapel Hill

In Chapel Hill, my sister and brother-in-law hung the art from their Manhattan kitchen in the bedroom (the ceilings are so high!), and kept everything else the same as in their Manhattan bedroom. There is a lot more space to move around the bed in Chapel Hill!

Kids’ Bedroom: Manhattan

In Manhattan, the kids’ room included many fun books and toys, and everything was so neatly organized (until the kids started taking everything out of the shelves…an every day occurrence!).

Kids’ Bedroom: Chapel Hill

In Chapel Hill, the kids have a lot more space in their bedroom…and they have a dedicated play room, too. As you may remember, the Land of Nod really helped my sister add some interesting pieces and decorations to personalize the room for the kids. The initial pillows are still a favourite of mine, and the kids do actually use the bench. Isn’t it cute? I think they added another crib since the Manhattan tour (who can keep track of all those kids!).

Office: Manhattan

They transformed a deep walk-in closet into an office for my brother-in-law in Manhattan. While I was scared of the black walls at the beginning, I ended up really liking this small space. It looks really clean in the photo below, but, trust me, it didn’t always look this way.

Office: Chapel Hill

In Chapel Hill, my sister and brother-in-law converted the dining room into an office space, and they have been really happy with this decision. They each have a desk, and the new bookcase helps them stay organized. The mirror was originally in the Manhattan master bedroom, and the light and rug were in the Manhattan dining room.

And that’s the tour for now. I think it’s really fun to draw the comparisons between the two homes. In New York, they really needed to think carefully about small space living, and in Chapel Hill, they have a bit more room to spread out. It’s so nice to sit together at the kitchen table (or on their outside deck), and I’m thrilled that there’s an actual guest room for me (and their other guests, too)!

My sister and brother-in-law will be moving again, and I have been excited to share some design advice (as if they need it) with them. The place is already beautiful, but there are going to be some really great changes ahead.

Design: Classic White in Chapel Hill

May 28, 2015 | Leave a Reply

My sister recently sent me photos of her friend’s home in Chapel Hill. I nearly fell off of my chair when I saw them. It’s gorgeous! It is clear that the homeowners designed each and every room with thought and care. The colour combinations, the furniture pairings, and the rugs especially grabbed my attention. That said, the homeowners have kept some rooms (kitchen, laundry) very classic with the use of white. I think this was a smart move because full renovations to these spaces can be costly. While it’s relatively affordable to change furnishings and paint, kitchens are much more expensive to renovate.

Okay, enough of the chit chat. Let me show you what I’m talking about. You must check out the whole home. Aren’t the kids’ rooms beautiful? I’m also loving the rattan chair in the master. Such a beautifully designed home, don’t you think?

Photos by Corie.

Update: Yesterday, The New York Times published an article about Chapel Hill that may be of interest to those of you who have been to the area or who are planning to visit: 36 Hours in Chapel Hill-Carrboro, NC.