WHAT DO YOU DO FIRST THING AFTER YOU WAKE UP | warm lemon water if i’m in that GOOP mood, coffee, read devotional

ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’D GIVE AN ASPIRING ENTREPRENEUR | You win some, you lose some. /
And something I think of often that Amy Poehler is quoted as saying, “Rooting for other people’s failure does get in the way of your success…when you can wish good things for people and rejoice when they get it, so many gifts and blessings come to you that you can’t even imagine.”

FOOL PROOF DINNER PARTY TIP | good low key background tunes (Leon Bridges, Motown, jazz, old country) and an easy but foolproof and delicious recipe that is nearly ready when guests arrive. (see anything Ina Garten)

BOOK YOU’RE READING RIGHT NOW | Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

WHAT DO YOU BRING WITH YOU EVERYWHERE YOU GO |Water. I seriously cannot be without it. I’m like a fish. I have a reusable bottle with me at all times.

THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME | Chiang Mai, Thailand.

YOU’VE DONE AN AMAZING JOB AT MAKING THIS HOUSE FEEL SPECIAL – WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR TRICKS | Designing a home is such an ongoing and evolving process, especially your own home. We actually haven’t bought too many things for this house because I’m pretty particular about what I want. I think buying what you love and collecting and gathering over time. I guess William Morris summed it up pretty well, “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” We’ve got a long way to go on things I’d love for our house but I also resist the urge to just buy things to have instant gratification or fill the space. It’s worth taking your time and collecting things with a story that you truly love that can move from house to house with you as well. That being said, It’s possible to get “the look for less” at whatever stage you are in if you can have a discerning eye about choosing things that look upscale and classic. Tim Gunn said it best, “make it work”.  It’s all in the presentation. Know where to spend and know where you can save. Also good lighting is key- lamps lamps and more lamps. I’m a lamp addict. We rarely turn our overhead lights on. It makes for a much cozier atmosphere.

WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU’VE LEARNED SO FAR THIS YEAR | To quote Alec Baldwin from a guest stint on Will & Grace, “The hurrier I work, the more behinder I get”.

HOW DO YOU UNWIND | a standing date with Jeopardy every weeknight

FAVORITE SONG TO DANCE TO | Something by Robyn or Sia

WHAT CAN YOU NOT STOP THINKING ABOUT | Food. always. But also currently absorbed in art and painting and the Women of Abstract Expressionism – Helen Frankenthaler, Judith Godwin, Mary Abbott, etc…

WHAT’S THE BEST PART OF HAVING YOUR OFFICE OUT BACK, BEHIND YOUR HOUSE | The commute.

NECESSARY EXTRAVAGANCE / SIMPLE INDULGENCE | natural skincare products / fresh flowers

YOUR FAVORITE 3 THINGS IN YOUR HOUSE | 1. The hutch in our kitchen -it was all beat up and dirty with chipped paint and we restored it ourselves. We made it look like a totally different piece of furniture. The power of paint and a little elbow grease! 2. Ginger jar from the 1800’s (or earlier) found at an antique mall and at such a good price. 3. My collection of magazines and books…y’all can go ahead and bury me with them.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR HOME | relax, spend time with friends and family and cook.

YOU KNOW YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON | God & family

TWO THINGS YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB | the freedom to be creative everyday and that my job involves making things look beautiful.

WHAT SURPRISES YOU ABOUT RALEIGH | that our art museum, NCMA, is so great. Love that they have pieces by some of our favorite abstract artists: Frankenthaler, Motherwell, Diebenkorn, and Kline. It’s a great place to just walk around and clear your mind, get inspiration and enjoy the art and beautiful light.

DREAM DINNER PARTY GUESTS | Ina Garten, and Jeffrey of course. Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton.

WHAT’S ALWAYS IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR | Sweet Tea (it IS the house wine of the south), Topo Chico and/or Pellegrino. Greek yogurt, Duke’s mayo, half-and-half, spinach and fruit.

3 FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT YOUR HOUSE | our kitchen (I reworked the floor plan when we found this house to have a larger kitchen and open dining room because the kitchen was so important to us!), lots of natural light, and a large master closet.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PERFECT WEEKEND | It would be in Charleston or anywhere at the coast. Brunch, walking along the battery and house gazing. Antiquing, some time at the beach, lots of burgers and/or fish tacos.

FAVORITE PLACE TO BUY CLOTHES | I like to keep things pretty classic so you can typically find me in head to toe J.Crew and/or Madewell. The more I can channel Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy or Lauren Hutton, the better. Though one of my goals this year was to buy more made in USA and less but better quality pieces so I’m always on the hunt for smaller batch more locally made classic items as well.

NETFLIX OBSESSION | Abstract (documentary where every episode is about a different person in a different creative field- faves were the interior designer and graphic designer, surprise!), Cooked, Mind of a Chef, A Chef’s Table, and loooooved The Crown and Stranger Things, can’t wait until the next seasons.

WHAT’S YOUR NEWEST MUSIC DISCOVERY | I’m always listening out for new music, I’m embarrassed by how much I use the app Shazam. But I more often gravitate back to artists I’ve listened to for a long time or older music in general. We’ve been on a jazz kick lately in the studio while working or painting.

WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU | I wanted to be an archeologist or a marine biologist when I was younger. I have always loved exploring, digging around and finding things, analyzing them and learning their stories. To this day, I’m the beachcomber bringing home too many shells and found items.