To ensure our lake cottage had room for all our books, we made some creative, and charming, design decisions ...
Proprietress Katie takes you on a tour of the Nell Hill's Visual Director's countryside home, where furniture and finishings are all featured from the shop!
To ensure our lake cottage had room for all our books, we made some creative, and charming, design decisions ...
Thanks to technology, many of us log a lot of work hours from home. So a high-functioning home office has become a must. Unfortunately, there’s no natural spot for an office in my old house, so Dan and I had to get creative. Dan’s office is squeezed into a tiny extra room upstairs that barely […]
After visiting Mary Carol Garrity's home last autumn , I knew I had to go back for her spring tour. Ready for some eye candy? Mary Car...
Happy Monday! I’ve been having fun brainstorming about home improvements around our house and looking at lots of blogs and Pinterest boards for inspiration lately. I thought it would be fun …
If you missed part one of this tour, you can find it here. When I left off on part one, we were headed to the kitchen and I teased you with this shot of the breakfast nook. Here’s another look at it. I love the framed map! This is an older home, so the kitchen...
Proprietress Katie takes you on a tour of the Nell Hill's Visual Director's countryside home, where furniture and finishings are all featured from the shop!
Is it strange to get excited about your bathroom? Maybe. But I sure love this little space in my cottage. I’ve long been a believer in making every room in your home equally lovely, even those out-of-sight private spaces like your bath. So when we were remodeling our little fixer-upper on the lake, I knew […]
Here's how I gave my newly renovated home vintage cottage charm, filled with character and warmth.
If the only time you see your china plates and platters is when they’re filled with food, you’re missing out on a sensational decorating tool. Wash off those gorgeous works of art and use them in your everyday décor. Here are three ideas to get you started. One glance at my storage cupboards will reveal […]
Last weekend I drove to Atchison, Kansas, home of Mary Carol Garrity, founder of Nell Hill's. It was her open house weekend, and I had to see her home for myself. I was surprised to see that she lives on a typical street, the kind you see in the "historical" district of most Kansas towns. In other words, some houses were large and well kept and mixed in were small, tidy bungalows. And then there were the houses that probably fell from grace 40 years ago. I think I saw a sofa on someone's front porch. Yes, it was that kind of historical neighborhood. But Mary Carol's home was the grandest on the block. The inside of the home was decorated for Christmas and the outside was decorated for autumn. I've read in her books that when she's having a party, she has drinks ready just inside the front door. It gets the party started and the tray stand blocks off access to the upper floor at the same time. Pretty clever! She literally covers her walls with art work. I love the line of prints above the door. Everyone was ooing over the dining room table. The walls are a deep midnight blue, which is striking against all the magnificent trimwork in the room. I'm sure a setting like this would be magical during an evening dinner party. I loved the breakfast nook. I suspect it was a converted butler's pantry. I love the built-in cabinet! By the way, the kitchen was charming, but TINY. Let's go outside! She used a lot of orange for her autumn theme, but it didn't scream AUTUMN since it was paired with bold colors. She's big on lanterns right now. They were EVERYWHERE in both of her stores, Nell Hill's and Garrity's. I thought the flowers and urns were a nice departure from the usual candles, especially during the day. There was a lot of statuary scattered throughout the garden, filled with pumpkins, moss, and pinecones. I've read on her blog that she doesn't have much of a green thumb and has alluded to having a gardener to tend the outdoor spaces. With two stores in Atchison and one in Kansas City to keep her busy, I understand! If you are ever northeast Kansas or Kansas City, visit one of her stores. They are a delight and the prices are very reasonable for small home decor items. Mary Carol often in her stores, so look for her and tell her hello! If you pin, please be sure to give Mary Carol credit for her work.
To ensure our lake cottage had room for all our books, we made some creative, and charming, design decisions ...
Learn about the design trends of cluttercore and clustercore taking the internet by storm, including how to recreate them in your own home.
Before this turn of events, I had the pleasure of going to visit our long-time customer, Gail, and her home in nearby Lawrence, KS. I am always so excited to see a Nell Hill’s home and this one is breathtaking! It was just like its owners – warm and inviting. I had such a fantastic time speaking with Gail about her home and I am thrilled to be able to share it with you today!
Learn about the design trends of cluttercore and clustercore taking the internet by storm, including how to recreate them in your own home.
Can you guess where I went on Friday? Can you guess who I met? Oh my Heavens above, it is me and Mary Carol Garrity author, decorator most fantastic and owner of Nell Hill's! ~*~ It was a summer open house at Nell Hill's and her private home this Friday. Mom, Lindsey and I drove 2 1/2 hours to go visit. We stopped in at the store first, and then boarded a huge air conditioned tour bus that drove us to her home. Let me tell you, I was so excited when I spotted her standing at the top of the stairs to welcome us in. ~*~ Mary Carol, is one super sweet gracious gal. So warm and welcoming, an absolute doll! Would you like to see a little bit of what I saw? ~*~ ~ Part One ~ A Tour of Mary Carol Garrity's home Isn't this just beautiful. I love the columns and the urns full of ferns. Her beautiful front door. Do you remember this from her books? I love the topiaries in the black urns. (I'm going to paint mine black, too!) The wire birdcage that decorates the door was for sale in her shops! To the left of the front door was this beautiful outdoor seating area. The wicker was painted a dark turquoise and the iron chairs and table were black. The urn has ivy planted in it and white taper candles. See the stone riser, they were everywhere, and were for sale in the store for only $14. Of course, I had to have one of those! How exquisite are these windows? You can never have too many moldings can you! In the foyer, to the left was this little seating nook. She has used shutters instead of blinds on most of her windows. Look where she placed this mirror, it is in between two windows! This is the pretty scene you see when you first walk in the front door. If you have her books, then you have definitely seen this before. She has prints everywhere! This is the living room, and you will probably recognize those butterflies and bookshelves. She tucks little tables almost anywhere. The dining room. The topiaries are in little french pots that were for sale in the store. Lots of layers and lots of green moss and silver. She elevates everything on pedestals. The screened in back porch. You have seen this beautiful painted piece of furniture many times in her books. See the topiary in the white vase, I bought one just like it! Another corner of the back porch. Isn't it lovely? Outdoor refreshment area. What a beautiful way to ice your beverages. Gorgeous hanging baskets of ivy and candle chandeliers. Stepping down from the back porch was the hidden dining room area. Most of these items were for sale in the shop. Doesn't this just make you want to have a garden party? An outdoor seating area. Love the balustrade with the ivy and clematis clambering over it. An urn with ivy on a little black table. Walking down the garden path, back to the front of the house. Getting ready to walk past the garden gate. I think we all need one of these in the garden. This was the first stepping stone as you would enter the garden from the front. How whimsical! ~*~ Hope you enjoyed these pictures. I sure had fun taking them to share with you. I have even more to share next week of the store. Now I am off to wallpaper the chicken coop. How's that for a tempting ending so you will return for a visit! ~Jill~
If you missed part one of this tour, you can find it here. When I left off on part one, we were headed to the kitchen and I teased you with this shot of the breakfast nook. Here’s another look at it. I love the framed map! This is an older home, so the kitchen...
When I was dreaming of how to decorate my little lake house, I had a garden of options to chose from. Owning home furnishings stores loaded with looks you adore is like being a kid in a candy store, for sure. Any of the styles, color schemes and pattern mixes we spotlight at Nell Hill’s […]
Come with me to a secret spot in my cottage garden, where I have breakfast set for my princess. It's a magical place for make-believe!
When you have a crazy lifelong obsession with decorating, like I do, and you get to play with new styles, colors, patterns and decorating trends at work all day, like I do at Nell Hill’s, it’s hard to pick the one look for your home that’s your favorite. Maybe that’s why I tweak my home […]
Here's how to use monograms to add beauty and charm to your home and everyday life.
Proprietress Katie takes you on a tour of the Nell Hill's Visual Director's countryside home, where furniture and finishings are all featured from the shop!
Nell Gwynne, 1650-1687 : her life's story from St. Gile's to St. James's : with some account of Whitehall and Windsor in the reign of Charles the Second by Arthur Irwin Dasent. London : Macmillan, 1924. Location: The George Peabody Library, The Sheridan Libraries, The Johns Hopkins University Call No.: 792 .028092 D2606 1924 Cosway-style binding with painting of Gwynne. Extra-illustrated edition with 20 extra plates, 4 in color. Signed binding: "Bound by Bayntun (Riviere), Bath, England."
For more than three decades, Eileen Harris Norton has issued a clarion call for greater diversity in the world of contemporary art
If you missed part one of this tour, you can find it here. When I left off on part one, we were headed to the kitchen and I teased you with this shot of the breakfast nook. Here’s another look at it. I love the framed map! This is an older home, so the kitchen...
One of the best things about the holidays is the chance to fill your home with loved ones, whether for a few hours or a few days. If you’re having overnight guests this holiday season, make a fuss over them so they know how much you love them. Here are a few tips to ensure […]
Here’s how the story began: I had about 30 minutes to zip into the paint store and pick a navy color for the dining room walls of my Atchison house. An hour later, I was drowning in paint chips, completely overwhelmed and still no closer to finding my perfect navy. Can anyone relate? Picking the […]
When Dan and I downsized and moved into our little home by the lake, we had to rethink how we use so many of our spaces, the biggest one being our kitchen and dining areas …. In our Atchison home, we had a kitchen and breakfast nook, separated from the formal dining room by a […]
Here are some NEW HQ Stills of Nell Hudson in Season 2 of ITV’s “Victoria” MORE AFTER THE JUMP! SOURCE
Take a long, hard look at your home’s main living spaces. Are they looking a bit stale? Do they really reflect you, your passions, interests and style? If your answer is no, it’s time to make some changes. Thankfully, upgrading the look of a room doesn’t mean you have to completely redecorate. In fact, it’s […]
Here's how I gave my newly renovated home vintage cottage charm, filled with character and warmth.
Two versions of the Portable Baby House are now available for sale on my web site : www.nellcorkin.com Why not drop a hint to your favorie Santa?
