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I am a green, verdigris, and aquamarine enthusiast, neat-nick, and intrepid gardener. My passion for styling interior living spaces began at a young age with my grandmother and aunt, re-decorating rooms inside, while planting flower gardens outside. I haven't stopped. My first apartment, a tiny studio in Pasadena, California, with its outdoor patio space, was a rewarding challenge in living small functionally, but beautifully.
After earning a degree in history, and teaching for a few years near Pasadena, I moved back home to Massachusetts where I completed courses in interior design, including color theory, residential design, and architectural drafting. I fell into the museum field due to my love of old buildings and a desire to restore them. While managing historic house sites for a museum in the Boston area, I did a myriad of projects that brought out the beauty of each historic properties. I fixed gardens , re-staged (interpreted) seven of the eight historic houses owned by the museum, oversaw renovations of caretaker apartments as well as being a key team member for a large award-winning historic restoration which required my expertise in wallpaper, textile, furnishings, and lighting research. I honed my skills in overall project management, organizing, kitchen design, and downsizing. Barns, basements, and attics stood no chance against my skilled visions for them: they were de-cluttered, downsized, and organized - and transformed into structures of equal parts beauty and function. There is something exciting about witnessing old houses rehabilitated or restored and "made new" again. My interest in historic buildings grew and led to my completion of a masters degree in historic preservation. Practically Beautiful Home grew from my consulting work with clients, friends and family who wanted guidance with color selections, design and staging, to clutter-control and downsizing. I like the idea that our living spaces can be both beautiful and functional at the same time - Live-able for everyday. My husband Al and I live with our dog, Percy in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. When I am not working, I can usually be found tackling projects at our house, spending time with our niece and nephew, or outdoors hiking, boating, photographing landscapes, skiing, volunteering - always drawing inspiration from my surroundings, and always finding new ways to create practically beautiful homes. |
