Blue and white

I seem to always put blue in a bedroom.  I find that blue- either soft blue/gray or blue/green, creates an inviting, serene, spa like room.  And I like when my clients' agree with me.  Who would want to turn down a calm, serene bedroom??  


Phoebe Howard, interior designer everywhere in the South, creates perfect bedrooms every single time.  Below is an example of one of her blue bedrooms.  

Sigh... such a serene bedroom. (source)

One of the condos I am working on has three bedrooms.  The color palate is steel blue, tan, cream, and chocolate.  Currently one of the bedrooms is used by a stylish teenager.  I want to create a fun room for her while using these colors.  I have to keep in mind that it is a rental property that will get beat up, so washable fabrics and durability is key.  The client wants white matelasses for the rental property.  However, these are some things I would buy if we didn't have to worry about renters.

The proposed bed for my teenager provides the perfect backdrop for blue and white. 

I have found some great blue and white bedding options that you can find in stores and online.  

Pottery Barn had some pretty ones:

Great duvet cover option for a boy's room

Such a pretty blue/green washed damask look.

My favorite out of all three.

Pine Cone Hill options:

 New bedding by Pine Cone Hill, very masculine.

 Pretty damask quilt.

My favorite linen duvet cover from PCH.

These items from Dwell Studio are perfect for my beach condo, but I think have since been discontinued:

This one is teal, but screams hip teenage girl.

Perfect for a lake house or the ocean!

And we can't forget the wonderfully, amazing John Robshaw:

The movie "The Change Up" featured duvet, quilt, and shams all by John Robshaw. (*side note duvet and shams have been discontinued) (source)

I understand that not everyone has my taste in the design of a bedroom. I came across these rooms which feature wonderful accents of blue and white. 

This person is a true lover of all shades of blue! (Side note: love the rug.) Image from "Domino" (source)

Very masculine bedroom and bedding. (source)

Oops this one goes back to my pretty serene category.  I just like all the fabrics (damask!) and the cute pom-pom trim on the drapes. (source)

This is for the fancy lover of navy. (source)

Very fun bedroom by Phoebe Howard. (source)

Phoebe Howard again.  Love the headboard to bring pattern to the room. (source)

My ideal bed consists of a nice sateen sheet set- preferably bamboo or something else super soft; a cozy fleece blanket; a solid coverlet with coordinating shams; and a duvet cover folded at the bottom with matching euros.  Top it off with a decorative throw pillow and you have yourself a wonderful bed.   

I have several clients that have allowed me the luxury of custom bedding.  This is a great option when you live on an Island where there are not options.  You can customize the bedding to fit your exact specifications.  It doesn't have to be anything ornate or fancy.  When you have a trusted seamstress anything is possible.  

I'll keep you posted on what is actually chosen for the teenager's bedroom.

Now go jump in your freshly made perfect bed and enjoy some much needed beauty sleep!

Southern Style

I am a Southern girl through and through.  While being in Cayman I have tried to stop saying "y'all" and have started saying "you all" but it is so much easier to join it together.   People are always asking where I am from because they can't quite make out my accent.  Steven and I consistently discuss things we miss about the South.  We plan on moving back in a year or two.  You just can't beat warm Southern hospitality.


As I have already discussed Cayman style, I think it is important that I discuss Southern style as that is what I try to blend together in my designs.    


The wonderful Celerie Kemble said "Southern style means friendly, comfortable, approachable interiors.  In the South, it's all about being welcome."


Here are a few things that come to my mind about Southern style that I think represent what Celerie says.  They are in no particular order.




1. Plantation Home

Twelve Oaks

When I think about the South I think of Gone with the Wind and "Tara."  This is allegedly the home they modeled Tara after in the movie.  I love driving through the country and seeing these big beautiful wooden homes dotted along the road with their beautiful oak tree lined driveways.  The beautiful columns and shutters framing the windows.  I would love to live in an old home with all the beautiful moldings, fireplaces, grand staircases, and mysterious attics.  However, I would not like to live with the electrical bills in the winter or Southern summers.




2. Big porches with a swing

Perfect for thunderstorm watching. (Source)

3. An amazingly sunny sunroom.

(source)

I can't think of a house on my street growing up that did not have a sunroom.  They are a perfect room to curl up with a good book or have a lunch when it is just a bit too chilly to sit outside.  Everyone likes to bask in the sun like a cat right?

4. Wicker furniture

I know some people cringe at the idea of it.  They think of their Granny's wicker furniture from 1972.  But, wicker furniture has the ability to fit into any style.  It's the element of texture and natural that completes a space.  If a room feels a bit too cold, place either a rattan, seagrass, wicker, or my favorite-something caned to warm it up.  Don't forget, it can be painted for whimsy.  

Sisal rug and raffia bed. (source)

Wicker and a porch oh my! (source)

Love a good window seat mixed with painted wicker chairs (source)

Color, caning, and a cute ticking. (source)

5. Beautiful yards filled with flowers.

When I picture the late 60s neighborhood where I grew up, I always imagine it in the Spring.  The azaleas are in full bloom, the daffodils are out, the dogwoods are blooming, and I am playing in the creek.  

These beautiful images from Southern Living show exactly that- wonderful yards from the South.  The old Live Oak with Spanish moss takes me back to Charleston... sigh. (These yards prove exactly why you need a porch swing to view the beauty!)

6. Curtains

I'm not sure where our love affair with curtains began.  We all remember the scene in Gone with the Wind.  I prefer Carol Burnett's interpretation.

(source)

Curtains are a necessary element in my book.  They add just the right touch of softness to a room.  They are also a great way to add a whimsical pattern because most of the time they are pushed back so you can't read a big bold pattern, but add just the right amount of color.  

Typically I like to use panels solo, but sometimes the room calls for a valance.  Roman shades can be the perfect solution for those windows that you don't want too fussy.  With fabrics, you can be creative with the style. Don't forget, trims and tapes are also fun to play around with. 

Phoebe Howard creates perfectly precise rooms every single time.  She does not allow her clients to not have curtains.  She states that not having curtains is "like a face without eyebrows, something is missing."  Well said Mrs. Howard.   

Below are examples of Mrs. Howard's myriad of curtain styles.  You can read her article on her blog here. 

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7. Patterns- specifically toile and florals

It is rare in the South to find a home void of pattern.  We are not much for neutrals.  Just open up a Southern Living magazine from 1992 and patterns will blow up in your face.  

I think it is because a toile print or a floral is timeless.  They do not go out of style, perhaps the color will (mauve) but the pattern stands the test of time.  

Eddie Ross used a variety of patterns (source)

Fabric repeated on headboard, shams, and trim on drapes. (source)

Modern use of toile in neutral with pops of Tiffany blue. (source)

This house is in NY, but it shows a modern toile print in teal! (source)

8. Antiques


You can always find antiques in a Southern home.  Generally, they have been passed down through the family.  When you have an antique or two in a room, it adds that sense of timelessness.  A great room has an antique or two, a trendy item or two, a pattern- two or three, natural element, and curtains!

This room gets a little trendy but a wonderful mix of color, pattern, and antiques.  (source)

Antiques don't have to make a room feel stuffy!  (source)

 Love the elegance of this room, but still mixing old and new. (source)

While I am currently a designer in the Cayman Islands, I am trying to capture the feeling that Southern style emulates, all of course with my Southern hospitality! 

Cayman Style

Today is going to be a little more history...oops I lied on the last post.


It gets a little warm here...everyday it is the same temperature... 84 degrees with a low of 77.  The only thing that changes is if there is a breeze.  While in the summer the temperature doesn't get much warmer, apparently it is blistering because the humidity is thrown in. As a Southerner, I can't imagine it will be any worse than Charleston in July.  Hopefully we will at least have an ocean breeze.  

 Typical Cayman style home, circa 1900. Heritage Garden at the Queen Elizabeth Botanical Park.

Original Cayman style homes were made for the climate.  The homes were of very simple construction, usually with palm leaf roofs and walls.  The palm leaves were excellent at keeping out the rain.  Bare floors and plenty of windows would have been used, and hammocks were used as the beds.  To keep the house cool, the kitchen would have been a separate building on the back.  The homes were used only for sleeping, if you were going to socialize, you would use your porch.  (You can still drive around and see people porch sitting.  It is a wonderful way to feel the breeze.)  On their porches is where you would find the only use of decoration.

Traditional Cayman architecture with fretwork and cheery paint.

With a home constructed of palm leaves, one can imagine it is not able to hold up to the hurricanes and tropical storms that the island faces.  Not many of these homes remain on the island.  With the island becoming populated with different cultures and becoming more wealthy, two story homes and varying styles begin popping up on the island.  Most homes are now constructed with concrete to help withstand the weather.   The homes I have been in, are ten years old or are one of the condo buildings along Seven Mile Beach constructed after the 1970s.

Image showing the condominiums along Seven Mile Beach

Castillo Caribe, 45,000 sq. ft. home on South Sound owned by a software genius.

I wish I could say that the image above is one of the homes I have been in.  It is currently on the market for $60 million.  If you are interested, please contact me because it does need some updating!  

Hurricane Ivan in 2004 caused a tremendous amount of damage to the island.  Most homes needed renovating afterward due to the high levels of water that washed over the island.  Since then, a wave of new construction and updating has happened over the island.  

Most of the clients that enter my store are residents of Cayman.  Most are not born Caymanian, but now live here full time.  They want their homes to look like where they used to live- dark furniture, leather, or microfiber.  While the rest of my clients, come half a year or less.  With half of those, renting out their condo.  The people that have their condo on the rental market want the tropical rattan look.  While the rest of the people do not want to see one palm leaf or wicker piece.

Braxton Culler furniture can be found in most Seven Mile Beach rentals.

I would love to say that everyone here wants easy breezy Island furniture and decor.  White cotton or linen, natural elements, splashes of color, open windows, and swings on the back porch overlooking the ocean.  This is how my dream Island home would be.  The images below are from the Jalousie Plantation in St. Lucia.  It embodies my idea of what every home here should look like.  It also happens to be where Steven and I spent our honeymoon.

 A beautiful serene bedroom.  Throw a few pops of color around and it would be perfection.

 White exterior with fretwork, foliage, and a curved pool.

Comfortable outdoor furniture and a beautiful view to top it off!

While I would love for every home to look like the Jalousie Plantation, I know I would get tired of the monotony.  My hardest question would be "which white should I use today?"  Luckily, this is not the case for me.  They say variety is the spice of life, so I am lucky that my clients are requesting different things.  That is the beauty with interior design.  

Currently, I am working on two condos on Seven Mile Beach that are on the rental pool.  One does not want tropical prints, the other has them and loves them.  I will be blogging about these two projects to give you an idea of Cayman Island design style. 

**My research came from here.

Ok I promise that's the last of the history lessons... at least for today!

You live where?

  Cayman Islands are Southwest of Cuba

I am imagining a little history and geography lesson may be needed for some about the Cayman Islands.  Most people only know about the Cayman Islands as a financial center where people have off shore accounts.  The islands lie 300 miles Southwest of Miami, and 300 miles northwest of Jamaica. 


Grand Cayman is the largest island and is approximately 76 square miles, 22 miles long and 8 miles at the widest point.  The other two islands, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac are only 11 and 15 square miles and have a combined population of 2,000.  Grand Cayman has over 54,000 people from over 100 nationalities.   

Most of the population lives to the West of the Pedro St. James National Historic site.

I highly recommend moving to Grand Cayman if you are an a) Attorney, or have any legal experience; b) Accountant, or have any of the appropriate certifications; c) Canadian or English.  If you are either of the first two things move here and you will make buckets of money and you will not be taxed.  That being said, the island is very expensive.  Perhaps if you have previously lived in California or Manhattan, you will not notice a difference.  A gallon of gas is CI$5.50 which is US$6.88.  (That is why we have a Honda Fit that takes 7 gallons to fill up.)  If you are interested in moving here, this is the best website to use as reference.


Grand Cayman consists of white sandy beaches and Caribbean blue waters.  It is world famous for Seven Mile beach and scuba diving.  With temperatures in the 80s and sunshine nearly year round, it is a tourist hotspot.  Just yesterday there were at least six cruise ships in port.  We visited Grand Cayman on our Caribbean cruise last March and enjoyed Seven Mile Beach.

 I spent my afternoon on our backyard

Twenty yards off the shore you can find coral with tropical fish, stingrays, squid, and turtles!

How we got to Grand Cayman.

Steven and I were happily enjoying our life in Charleston, South Carolina.  One day I was perusing the ASID job opportunities and came across an ad to work as an interior designer in Grand Cayman.  I got so excited and immediately emailed Steven about the opportunity.  We had always talked about owning our own resort in the Caribbean.  This was our chance to partially make that dream come true!  I sent in my resume and received a response back within the hour.  We set up a phone interview for the next week.  There were many conversations between Steven and myself to consider this adventure.  Could we really quit our jobs, sell everything, pack up our home, and move to another country?  After three weeks and a video interview with the owner, I was offered the position with the intention of starting October 1.  I felt that life gave me limes so I was going to make margaritas and move to the Caribbean!

The October 1, got pushed back to a November 1 start date, then it got pushed back farther.  I was unaware of all the hoops an ex-pat has to go through to receive employment.  We did move out of our house in October to get it rented, sold most of our furniture, boxed up a few personal items and other things that we would want when we were to eventually move back to the South and moved into my parents' basement.  I received the email December 2 that I was approved to work in Grand Cayman.  We bought two plane tickets and made our way down Friday December 9.  

 December 9, 2011, Steven and I began our adventure with four bags, two carry-on and a guitar.

Our first Cayman sunset

Cayman is such a different environment than anywhere else.  It is a much slower pace of life and everyone really is on "Island time."  The fastest speed limit is 45mph, and you have to deal with traffic every morning and afternoon.  But when we finally do get home to see the sunset between the palm trees and into the crystal blue waters, you almost need to pinch yourself to make sure this is real!

This is a wonderful adventure that we get to experience together.  Fifty years from now our grandchildren will think we were so cool because we lived on a tropical island!






**Don't worry I don't plan on anymore history lessons!  My next post will be about traditional Cayman style.