Spring 2025 is here, and it's time to refresh your space with vibrant colors, natural elements, and light, airy vibes. Whether you're looking for a complete home makeover or just a few quick updates, these spring decor trends will bring fresh energy and style to your space.
11 Years of Helping You Dwell
A Holiday Home Tour
An Old Home That Never Gets Old
Sometimes pictures are worth a thousand words. Today we are sharing a tour of the childhood home of one of HYD’s own; Sara Kate Carr, known by most of us as SK. It is rare to find a home so lovingly preserved and so in keeping with the age and style that a home was originally built for. Historic homes are a lot of work and this house has been lovingly curated over the span of a lifetime. One could argue that the entire home and it’s contents are an intentional collection in and of itself. The shining star of the home was Linda Eubanks whose legacy remains in the form of her beloved family and the incredible home that she made for them. SK’s dad, Reavis, graciously agreed to share some thoughts about their home.
Reavis and Linda on their wedding day
Reavis and Linda
“Now that’s she gone, we love honoring her by cooking in her kitchen and using her beautiful things for holiday dinners and other occasions.”
Many people would never believe that this house was home to 5 children- 4 of which were boys, but Linda was always quick to clarify that her home was an extension of herself, an art form in its own right and that the kids acclimated and learned how to take care of it.
Tell us a bit about the history of your home and how long you’ve lived there.
The house was built for Frank Barber in 1927 and designed in the Virginia Georgian style by architect William Lord. We bought our home in 1983. We did not move in for 10 months because of the need of extensive renovations. Barber lost the house during the depression, and it was owned by the bank until the 40s. It then was sold and has been owned by various individuals over the years, including Frank Seely, Jr. (E.W. Grove’s grandson) We purchased it from Lamar Gudger, who had lived in it since 1960. He was a career politician and served in the Congress in the 70s and 80s.
How would you describe your style of decorating?
We have decorated differently according to the rooms. The living room is similar to Colonial Williamsburg. The Dining Room reflects 19th Century New Orleans. The Breakfast Room is in the style of New England. The downstairs Guest Bedroom is also of the New Orleans style. The Library resembles a Men’s Club room. The Veranda also reflects New Orleans and the Deep South (Wicker furniture, Ferns, etc.)
What does home mean to you?
It is the place where we raised our children. We have lots of family photographs of both sides of the family so it truly represents the blending of the lives of husband and wife into one new family.
Do you have any favorite pieces in your home?
Some of our most favorite pieces are in the living room and include a blanket chest from colonial New England, a corner cupboard from early 19th century Charleston, SC (made of Cyprus), a maple chest-on-frame from Rowan County, NC, and an 18the century Mahogany tea table of the Philadelphia style. There is an early 19th century hunt board in the foyer. The guest bedroom has an early 19th century 4 poster mahogany bed. There is also a mid 19th century schoolmaster’s desk in that room. The breakfast room has an unusual Pewter cupboard made of Walnut, reflecting a Southern Origin.
A family tradition of hosting large Christmas dinners sometimes including nearly 40 people required tables to be set up in multiple rooms to accommodate all the guests. The family loves to host dinner parties and Linda loved to go all out on the decor. Any excuse to celebrate and throw a fanciful party was a good one.
All photos taken by Sara Kate Carr
For those of you wishing to help with the recent flooding in the Asheville area,
click here for opportunities to give. Thank you!!
A Writer’s New Oasis: A Home Tour with Celia
Edenvale: A Holiday Home Tour
Every home tour is unique and wonderful in its own way, but this one is extra special. I was able to sit down with Bill and Chris Alley (Taryn’s lovely parents) to talk about their home and what it has meant to them over the last 46 years that they have lived in it.
The original structure of the home was built in 1857 and sold a year or so later to Samuel Shannon McCampbell and Sarah Smith McCampbell. In 1899 an addition to the back of the house took place and the original entrance to the home was shifted to the other side of the house. The accompanying 50 acre farm was registered in 1927 and was formally named Edenvale. In the 40’s or 50’s a recreation room, an apartment, and a garage were added to the side of the house. Bill and Chris purchased the home in 1976 and did some renovating in the 90’s to remodel the kitchen and open it up a bit more. Just being in the house, it’s clear that its owners over time have loved and cherished the home. While the house itself is full of history, the contents of it are equally rich in story and history.
Historic Edenvale
Samuel Shannon McCampbell and Sarah Smith McCampbell
The real estate listing from 1976 when the Alleys purchased the home.
Without further ado, we will give you a glimpse of what home means to the Alleys,
What does home mean to you? What do you hope people feel when they come into your home?
Home is a warm place, a place of comfort, a place to relax and enjoy family. We always hope that people feel comfortable and welcome when they come over. We are not very formal — in fact the sitting room gets used only a handful of times a year. We always invite people into the living room.
Bill on the back porch
Over the years we have loved hosting parties. Some of our favorites have been 4th of July parties by the pool and annual New Years Eve parties. One year we went all out and all of our friends wore tuxedos and formal gowns. We jump on any excuse to have people over. I (Chris) am also a part of several groups that have met at our house over the years— a stained glass group, sewing group, etc. Having our home full of people is one of our greatest joys.
Chris and Bill Alley
How would you describe your style of decorating? Has your decorating style changed over time? Eclectic. We love antiques — mostly primitive and informal pieces. Most everything here has a meaning or a story. Many pieces have been passed down from family members. We’ve been collecting since we were young — if something wasn’t an antique when we bought it, it probably is now. We actually met when we were both living abroad in Greece and several pieces of art and decor were purchased from our time there. We love to hunt and love finding unique pieces to add to our space.
Chris found this framed tapestry in Greece and fell in love with it.
Stairway Detail
Do you have a favorite room in your home?
Our favorite rooms are probably the family room and kitchen. It’s where we spend the most time and where we entertain.
How about a favorite piece or item?
“Each other.” (It’s fine, it’s fine- I’m just over here crying at how cute the Alley’s are!)
We could find something we love in every room. One of our first purchases was the large chopping block in the kitchen. It holds a lot of meaning to us. The green and red cupboard in the kitchen is also a big hit — it gets decorated differently depending on the season.
What is the most challenging thing about your home?
Cleaning and maintaining. When you are a collector, it becomes much more time consuming to clean. Living in a house for a long time, while wonderful, also gives you lots of time to notice all the little imperfections. Because we’ve been here for 46 years we haven’t had the natural purging process that occurs when you move.
Dining Room Mantel
What kinds of things have you all collected over the years?
I (Chris) make stained glass pieces so over time the pieces I’ve made have become a collection of sorts. We collect Santa Clause figurines, snowmen, pitchers, and we have a really neat little medicine cabinet in the bathroom with all kinds of vintage and antique medicine bottles and apothecary items. I (Bill) love playing golf and a friend of mine and I made a life goal to play the top 100 courses. We’ve played 50 of them and 9 of the top 10. I have collected hats and bag tags from each of the courses.
Bill’s golf tag collection
Vintage medicine cabinet filled with collected items
How is your home an extension of yourself or of your family?
It’s old and we’ve grown into it. Most people who know us can’t separate us from the house. It’s definitely become a part of us.
A huge thank you to Bill and Chris for sitting down with me to tell me about and show me their beautiful, memory filled home.
For more tips on how to make your house a home, subscribe to our blog and sign up for our newsletter. If you’d like us to help you in your own home, please call 865.245.9080 or email info@helpyoudwell.com.
We can’t wait to help you dwell!
Photography by Katie Norrell
Catani Home Tour
Wright Home Tour
Welcome to the lovely home of Blair and Debbye . I had the pleasure of sitting down with my “aunt-in-love” Debbye in November to talk with her about her home and what it means to both she and Blair. If you ever get the chance to visit, upon walking in it feels like a home away from home, a respite, and the kind of place that you could easily curl up on the couch and get lost in a book or a conversation. Enjoy this unique home tour.
Doing Dishes with Flanders - Knoxville's Dish Shop
Doing Dishes 1912 Washington Pike Knoxville, TN
If you’re a new friend of Help You Dwell or new to Knoxville, welcome! Let us introduce you to one of our incredible local resources… Doing Dishes, a pretty little shop selling vintage, antique, and collectable china by the piece.
One of our favorite parts of owning and running a company is working with other small businesses around town! We’ve been so amazed by the local companies and business owners we’ve met over the past 7 years. It is so important to us to partner with folks who serve our clients needs. We were delighted when we discovered Doing Dishes and have grown quite fond of owner Flanders Setchel and Lola Marie- the shop pup!
We sat down over the weekend to learn more about Flanders and her journey to quickly becoming Knoxville's dish queen.
With one of the most interesting career paths of anyone I've ever met, Flanders has been a florist, gardener, server, real estate agent, jewelry shop owner, certified egg handler on a chicken farm, horse trainer, organic veggie farmer, and was a singer in the band the "Red Hot Mammas and Sultry Ladies" that covered torch songs from the 30's and 40's. Flanders came to Knoxville in 2012 by way of Rough and Ready, CA (yes--- that's really the name of the town!!). Doing Dishes became a reality about 1.5 years ago and has quickly become Help You Dwell's go-to spot and highest recommendation to clients who are looking to sell china and dishware. Flanders has been collecting china since the mid 80's and started selling it in '92 to support her dish buying habit. She comes by her love of dishes naturally-- her mother Doris (who you can often find in the shop) designed a line of china for the Carmel Valley Ranch Resort in the 80's. If you think Flanders sounds interesting, you should ask her mom about the time she almost adopted an elephant.
When asked "Why dishes?" she says "For the sake of entertaining. I have a deep affection for feeding people. I love gathering a few friends and setting a beautiful table. The different textures, colors and flavors set the mood for an unforgettable event." Flanders states that she always has 5 sets of dishes at the house at any given time in order to host a variety of different kinds of meals. There's a great quote that she stands by, "I'd rather eat a hot dog off a beautiful plate than beef wellington off an ugly one."
Flanders hosts at least 2 dinners a month and enjoys gathering an eclectic group of people for a beautiful meal and an exchange of ideas. She loves hosting conversations between people who might not ordinarily sit down at the same table- people with different ideas, political views, and backgrounds. For Flanders, setting a beautiful table and using beautiful dishes is a celebration of hospitality. In fact, she mentioned that she ended up selling some of her living room furniture to accommodate a larger dining room table so that she could host larger crowds. Her largest dinner party ever? She recalls a large party back in CA where some 250 people showed up--and who can blame them: her dinners sound idyllic!
So what is "Doing Dishes"? It's a little piece of dish-heaven on earth. If you are looking to buy or sell China, this is the place to go. She offers dishes for every price range and even has a dollar table. In addition to beautiful dish ware, Flanders stocks locally and regionally made goods like soap, stained glass pieces, and other gifts. She will be crafting gift baskets for Mothers Day as well! You can find out more about Doing Dishes on the Facebook Page or you can stop by the shop: 1912 Washington Pike Knoxville, TN 37917 (open Thursday-Saturday).
Flanders and DorisWe can help!
Ready to get organized?
If you have china or other vintage and collectible dishes you’d like to part with? We can help!
Glad Tidings
We want to wish you all holiday season full of comfort & joy. For those of you celebrating Christmas, we hope it’s one full of peace & celebration. Enjoy this beautiful Christmas poem from Madeleine L’Engle…
He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace
He came when the Heavens were unsteady
and prisoners cried out for release.
He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine. He did not wait
till hearts were pure. In joy he came
to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
He came, and his Light would not go out.
He came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made Flesh
the Maker of the stars was born.
We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!
How to Plan an Estate Sale
Organizing Book Reviews
One of the most interesting parts of our job is being invited into peoples homes to help them make sense of their belongings and their homes. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been working with folks who have such a hard time with clutter and yet own just about every home organizing book that has come out in the past 5 years, a vast array of bins and baskets in every size, shape, and color, and have a thing for planners. It’s tempting to think that the next book or tv show or podcast will offer you a piece of advice that will change everything, but it’s just not the case— we’ve rounded up a few of the top selling organizing books that have come out in the past few years and given an honest review of them here for you.
Good, Better & Best Rug Placement
There is really no wrong way to incorporate a rug into your space. It is truly up to the you & what fits your lifestyle and look. But, if you need a little help getting started, one of HYD's former team members put together this quick guide and some helpful tips. So don't worry, we've got you and your floor... covered.
How to Organize Your Bathroom
Ideas for Displaying Art in Your Home
A Home by the River | Home Tour with Carrie Savage
Easy Ways to Organize your Linen Closet
A Writer’s New Oasis | Home Tour with Celia
White Station Architectural Finds
“The legs are salvaged balusters from a Victorian house in Virginia. The apron is window trim off a farmhouse in Tennessee and the oak boards for the top are barn wood planed from a barn in Tennessee. This is a table with a story!”
It’s been awhile since we’ve highlighted a local maker, but we have a treat for all of you! If you have a love for architectural salvage or re-purposing beautiful old pieces, look no further. White Station Architectural Finds is the brainchild of Blair Wright, a local Knoxvillian who finds, restores, and re-purposes all kinds of pieces, picked from all over the US.
Blair Wright. Window pediment and box of balusters
About 5 years ago, preparing to be a vendor in an antique show in Clinton, Blair’s daughter Natalie suggested his Alma mater as a potential name for his craft. White Station High school in Memphis, where Blair attended, has roots dating back to the late 1800’s.
Baluster lamp
Baluster lamp
Blair loves the hunt and he loves the process of restoration and re-purposing. Blair comes by his love for picking honestly as he spent much of his childhood being drug through old homes all over the deep south by his mother and grandmother. Read more about how his journey with architectural salvage began and evolved, here. (click on the “story” section to expand)
Newel Post, corbel, and stool
In regards to picking, his favorite place is New York as he has access to many kinds of things there that aren’t available in Knoxville. Because Knoxville doesn’t have as many fancy historic houses, it’s harder to find the more intricate and elaborate pieces here or in surrounding areas. With a network of salvage yards in the North East, Blair enjoys digging through barns, shops, back rooms, and estates to find his treasures. He much prefers stumbling upon a barn or shed full of stuff than walking through an organized, barcoded storeroom.
corbel
baluster leg sofa table with reclaimed oak tabletop
corbels and window pediments
spindles repurposed as jewelry stands
window pediment
antique column
plinth block vase/decor
On a recent trip to Virginia to pick up some balusters that he bought through Craigslist, he ended up being invited to look around the rest of the home and barn, resulting in the finding of a large amount of antique shutters and a pair of arched french doors. These jackpot moments are part of the thrill for Blair. With Facebook marketplace becoming so crowded, Blair often finds pieces at Auction as well.
Arched french doors
Shutters repurposed as decor. We love the texture these add to the space.
Aside from selling his pieces in Clinton antique fairs, Blair sells to a few local and regional shops, and through pop ups like Help You Dwell’s Flea markets and Pineapple Consignment. The next opportunity to see and purchase his work will be at The 15th Annual Clinch River Fall Antique Fair
Part of being a good picker is knowing what your buyers are looking for. Blair has a working relationship with local shop The Back Porch Mercantile (take a closer look next time you are there-- the corbels holding up the back counter were finds from White Station), The Painted House in Cookeville, and a few other stores in the area. One shop may cater to a more primitive style while another may have a french provincial style. Blair has a system in place that allows him to do the grunt work of digging and picking to supply local shops with pieces they wouldn’t ordinarily have access to.
Of all the salvage he has seen, this piece still haunts him-- he refers to it as “the one that got away”. While on a trip in New York he found this gable from an old house and after trying to think through transportation and a plan for the piece, he had to pass it up.
If you can’t make it to the Clinton Fair, you can always direct message Blair through Instagram if you are interested in something you have seen of his. Additionally, if you have architectural salvage that you are trying to offload or are hunting for a particular piece, contact him. He’d love to take a look!
Creating an ongoing wish list
I often find that when my birthday, Christmas, or Mother’s Day comes around, I have such a hard time thinking of things that I would like to receive as a gift. I’m not alone when it comes to having a hard time thinking of gift ideas on the spot— enter the ongoing wish list. Whether you create a Pinterest board, a registry, or simply a list on your phone, having a specific place to keep track of items that you would like at a variety of price ranges can come in super handy. In the same spirit—- we’ve found that keeping a running list of things to gift to others makes birthdays and holidays much easier. If you hear a loved one mention off hand that they would love to have something or if you have an idea for someone when it’s not close to a gift giving time, jot it down in a note so that you have quick ideas when the time comes. Pay attention when you are out with friends and family and notice what they consider buying or linger over in various stores. Keeping these ongoing lists will reduce the stress and scramble when you remember 3 days before a birthday that you need to get a present for someone you love.
What about you? Do you keep an ongoing wish list? Here are a few things on ours if you want to see…
These Linen and Cotton Bowl covers from Food 52. Double win— they are beautiful and help reduce single use plastic at the same time!
2. These awesome one of a kind wind chimes <3<3<3
3. Personalized address labels
5. These lovely watering cans from Terrain.
