styling your guest bedroom

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday drawing near, some of the most important and special moments are spending that time with friends and family. HYD is here to help you pull together your guest bedroom so your guests are sure to feel right at home.

Some great simple items to add include:

1. Throw: It doesn't matter if it's folded up nicely or draped over the bed, an extra throw is sure to keep them cozy & warm.
2. Good Book: Something that showcases your personality and makes your guest feel extra welcomed.
3. Table Lamp: Table lamps not only make a statement in a guest bedroom, but also provide your guest with enough or as little light as they may need.
4. Coasters: Not only can coasters double as a pretty accent for your bedside tables, they will also protect them.
5. Candle: Keep the room smelling great with you favorite scent!
6. Tooth Brush: Just in case they forget theirs!
7. Hand Cream: It is winter after all.
8. Wifi Sign: For ease of access & right at their fingertips for any device they may have with them.
9. Notepad: It's always handy to have a notepad to jot down notes. Don't forget the pen!
10. Fresh Flowers: Succulents are great options, as they require minimal care, but you can never go wrong with fresh flowers. You may also be able to walk into your backyard and pull together an arrangement. 

Whether your guest bedroom is fully decked out, or as minimal as they come, welcoming your guest with open arms never goes out of style. 

Shopping with conscience this Holiday Season

Are you having trouble this holiday season finding the right gift for a loved one? It can be hard to find well made and meaningful gifts while on a budget but we have compiled a few ideas and along with a list of some of our new favorite shops to help you with those last minute gifts on your list.

Over at HYD we are trying to adopt a few new shopping practices...

1. We are learning to buy less but to buy better.

2. We are working on curbing our impulsive purchases and implementing the discipline of saving up for items that will last longer, are better quality, are made ethically, and are ultimately more meaningful.

With those things in mind, here are a few shops we have stumbled across recently that fit our broader vision. Keep reading to see our top picks from each shop.

1. Spartan Shop 

Japanese Cloth Napkins

Wooden Walking Elephant Toy

Black amber and turquoise pocket knife

2. The Citizenry

hand crafted Mexican glassware

Apron

Ceramic Pitcher

3. Lost and Found

Brass and leather key chain

Bud vase collection

Mama cat and Kitten finger puppets

4. More & Co.

Jams and Marmalade made in Maine

city scape puzzle

throw blanket made in the USA

5. Rala

Downtown Knoxville tote bag

Farmers Market baseball tee

National Park explorers guide

If you would prefer not to purchase a physical item as a gift we have ideas for that as well!

-Consider making a donation in someones honor to a Gatlinburg relief fund to help victims of the tragic fire in our very own Smokey Mountains

-Purchase tickets for a play, musical or concert to give as an experiential gift

-Plan a dinner date to the restaurant of a loved ones choice and make a home made certificate saying "dinner's on me".

-Give the gift of organization and purchase a Help You Dwell Gift card for a friend or family member.

A renovation home tour

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A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of interviewing Abby Jones and got a tour of the lovely home that she and her husband Stuart renovated. We are so excited to share pictures of their home and the transformation that took place in the 8 months of hard work that it took to make this house their home. 

After several years of renting, Stuart and Abby took the plunge and bought a house from a friend. The house was a project. With a rumored condemnation order on the house, graffiti covered walls, and an unpleasant smell, it was quite the undertaking. Abby shared that walking through the house for the first time, they were quickly able to envision a restoration. It had good bones, french doors, "disney princess" windows, and buried under the muck, some beautiful floors.

Original French Doors

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One of the biggest selling points for them was the lofted bonus room that they have designated the Prayer Room. Abby and Stuart share the prayer room with their community as a way to offer a space to rest, pray, or worship. 

I asked Abby what home means to her and she shared that to her, home means rest. Abby's desire is to cultivate a space where people come in and feel that they can be themselves. As Abby and Stuart are small business owners, work is busy, stressful, and can become consuming--home is where they unwind and get away from the daily grind. Abby said it perfectly when she said, "our home is a facilitation of community and relationship". They chose their home for many reasons but one being that several of their friends are now their neighbors. One habit they have started is meal sharing with those neighbors. After realizing that sharing the work and only having to cook one night a week would benefit everyone, they came up with a plan. 6 nights a week, a meal is cooked by one of the neighbors to feed 12 people. Each neighbor takes a night and cooks a simple healthy meal. Often times everyone ends up eating together but some nights the food is disbursed between everyone. It's become an awesome tradition that makes it easier to spend intentional time with those they love and share life with.

Here are a few of the questions I asked Abby in reference to her home.

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Dining room looking into kitchen

How would you describe your style of decorating?

I would say that it has changed over the years. In 2012, when we first got married, I was more into the cozy, antique look. When we started designing this house I realized that I actually gravitate towards clean lines and more modern elements. We don't have much storage at this house and I knew I didn't want to clutter it up so we have kept things pretty minimal. One of the best decisions we made with this house was to wait to fill it. We took the time to figure out what we really wanted and saved for more quality items. We still have some antique items incorporated into our home along with our new purchases. Our dining room table was gifted to us by my parents. It was my grandmothers and I ate all of my meals around it as a child. We love pieces that have a story and meaning but also have discovered that we love to buy new things together.

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What is your relationship to your belongings?

It's a bit of a mix. Some pieces have been in my family for generations. For example, I have a quilt that was my grandmothers when she first became a mom. I love the deep significance of items with a story. It's all about casting vision for what you enjoy--marrying the pieces of deep meaning with the pieces that you just really like. I love the idea of passing pieces to my own children one day. Stuart and I have been really intentional about what we keep and about what we buy so our furniture and belongings really mean something to us. 

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How do you balance working from home with your home being a place of rest? (Abby is a food blogger) 

I do all my recipe testing, recipe development, pictures and video in our home. It doesn’t feel like work at this point, it mostly it feels like creating. I think I’ve tried to keep it that way because I don’t want it to feel like a chore. For me, cooking/baking is my creative outlet, it’s how I get my alone time. Creating great tasting and beautiful food is restful for me. When we lived in the old city, Stuart worked from our studio apartment but as we are both introverts, we realized that separate time is really good for us. Stuart now has an office away from home which helps us draw the boundary of being able to leave work at work and rest at home. Having the two separate spaces has been really life giving. 

How is your home an extension of yourself or your family? 

I love hosting and I love creating. Our home allows me to do those things on a daily basis. We have great lighting for being able to shoot for my food blog, we have a prayer room that is designated communal space for our friends and neighbors and we have a layout that is conducive to hosting our people. Our home, specifically, our prayer room is a reflection of what our heart is- to provide space for community, creativity, and rest. 

Thank you Abby and Stuart for letting Help You Dwell share your renovation journey and your beautiful home with our readers!

*All photos were taken by Stuart and Abby Jones

When Your Home Invites You to Grow : Home Tour with Ashley Wells

Ashley's home: 1927

This month we had the pleasure of talking with the lovely Ashley Wells and touring her beautiful home. She owns a gem of a house in East Knoxville where she lives with her adorable pup Junnie and 3 good friends. The home itself is full of history and character. The previous owners even put together a file of pictures of the family who built the house back in 1927 along with the history of the home and the original blueprints.  

This table was original to the home!

The original owners of the home: The Cunningham Family

One of the reasons we wanted to interview Ashley is because her home has been an outlet for her and a respite for many. She remarked that her home has given her the space to host a myriad of events and people and has allowed her to grow and become more open as a person. I was so intrigued by the way she spoke about her home being an agent of change for the way she views hospitality and community. Ashley's home has been the site of all kinds of events. From house concerts to baby showers, Ashley has hosted it all. 

Dining Room

Foyer

Entry Way

Let me set the scene for you. On an unsuspecting road in East Knoxville, up a hill and behind a grove of tree's, sits a beautiful, historic home with elegance dripping from the rooftop. Ashley has done an incredible job of making a gorgeous and glamorous home feel inviting and unassuming (which can be hard to do!) Ashley has a great eye and her taste is well exhibited in her house. After living in a loft in the old city for 6 years, Ashley bought her home which sits on a 5+ acre plot with a hillside, fruit tree grove, and the most beautiful (and massive) magnolia I have ever seen. Talk about a change of scenery! Living in the city is very different from occupying a property where your closest neighbor is down the road, but Ashley wouldn't trade her Mt. LeConte view.

Image by Texture Photo

This beautiful Magnolia was planted the year the house was built.

Of all the things Ashley has learned through the process of owning a home, she said learning the value of hard work and the sense of ownership that comes along with pouring your time into caring for a home and acreage, has been a life lesson. Her favorite thing about the house is the openness of the main floor. "I can invite as many people over as I want, all at the same time!" Ashley's home feels like a huge family reunion (in the best way) wrapped up in walls and a roof. Her hope is that people feel a sense of welcome, that they could walk in without knocking, or drop by unannounced and feel right at home. 

Ashley's home has such an intentionally beautiful feel to it and I asked her how she maintains balance in creating beauty but not letting it dictate her life. She responded with some great advice, "The second it becomes un-fun, is the second you need to take a step back. You've got to learn to love the imperfections!"

Guest Bedroom

Living Room

Built in detail

Often times, people (women especially) work hard on their homes to impress other people, or to meet an unrealistic expectation but Ashley seems to do a great job of working on her home in a life giving way. She's found the balance of enjoying the projects but not letting them get in the way of living life. One of the biggest lessons she has learned in home ownership is that you can't be afraid to ask for help. Whether it's calling friends to come hang out for a weed pulling party, or opening her home to room mates who help share the work load, she has found that doing house/yard work is way more fun and less overwhelming when you are not doing it alone. Amen to that! 

Ashley in her bedroom -- that wallpaper is to die for!

Image by Texture Photo

I asked Ashley a lot about her decorating style because I was basically drooling the whole time. One thing that was particularly interesting was the fact that she noted how much her home has changed depending on who is living there. She's had several different room mates over the years and said that the feel of the home shifts depending on the people that occupy it and the things they bring into it. I love that concept--that the people make up the home rather than a home defining the people.

Most importantly, home ownership has been an empowering experience for Ashley. "It's been hard but rewarding. I've learned to give myself grace, that life is more enjoyable when I'm not aiming for perfection. I've come to recognize that a house; that decor, is such a small thing when you look at life in terms of the big picture. I'd rather spend my time and energy enjoying the people around me. As long as my home fosters community and creates space for people to know and enjoy each other, that's what really matters to me."

Image by Texture Photo

Thanks so much Ashley for inviting us into your home!

Organizing Kids Rooms

Playrooms and kids' rooms are often some of the hardest spaces to organize. Finding a good balance of knowing when the toys are taking over but also keeping a wide range of options to foster creativity and fun is a challenge. Organizing for kids is a hard task. While respecting what an individual child enjoys playing with, there are ways to purge without ending up with lots of tears over toys that are missed.

Image from Houzz.com

1. Talk with your kids about what happens to toys that they let go of. Help them see the story that they play a part in when they donate toys to children that may not have toys to play with like they do. If you have a child that gets excited to participate in the process of purging, let them be a part of the process. Ask them which toys they would like to share with a less fortunate child.

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2. If your child isn't as willing to let go of things, take a few weeks to intentionally notice what toys they spend the most time playing with and which toys are neglected, or maybe they have grown out of. For children less willing to purge when the toys are taking over, try boxing up all of the toys that you believe they are done with. Keep the box in a hidden location for two weeks and if they haven't noticed or don't seem to mind that the toy is gone, give it away. Concentrate on helping your children value relationships more than things.

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Koloro Magnet Set

3. Specific toys to keep: Try to keep toys that help foster creativity, furthering education, and thinking skills. Art and Craft supplies, dress up clothes, building blocks, games, etc.

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4. If your kids share a room, help them make their own space feel special. Sometimes kids need their own space and sometimes they need to learn how to share space well. Whether your kids share a room or have their own, making an effort to hang their favorite poster, frame their best art creation(s), create a reading nook, or frame a photo of your child with their best friend can make them feel proud of their own space and, hopefully, lead to taking more responsibility of keeping it in order.

Photo: James Henry / bauersyndication.com.au

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5. Kids clothes.
It's amazing how quickly kids grow out of their clothing. This is an ongoing process. Each season, go through each closet and toss or donate items that are worn out or no longer fit. If you have younger kids that will grow into things in the future, just keep the well maintained items & box up clothing by size and sex and store somewhere other than their closet if you have the storage space available. When it comes to kids closets, make sure items are stored in a way that makes it easy for them to become more independent. Can they reach the things they need to? Is it obvious where things go?

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6. Kid storage.
Coming up with a way to organize toys and games that is conducive to kids can be complicated. Bins can be a great help as a solution. This unit has the ability to do both store in bins and on shelves which can be helpful with multiple shapes of toys. Getting items off the floor and onto shelves or in bins is a must.

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7. Kids books. The best advice here is have lots to choose from on shelves that your kids can easily reach. Color coordinating can be a fun project for kids and is much more practical in re-shelving than alphabetically.

Mini-Library by Oeuf

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8. Art supplies. Which supplies do you want them to be able to access without you present? Which supplies do you only want used with adult supervision? This changes with age so reorganizing is necessary over time. Going through and tossing broken, dried up etc. Storing in a way that allows kids to participate in clean up process. I've had great success over the years with a small chest of 4 drawers. It has grown with the kids starting with a drawer for play-doh, one for wooden puzzles, one with all kinds of paper to now holding all sorts of markers, paints, clay & older kids art items. 

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As always, HYD is here to help if you're needing a little boost to get these projects started. Just drop us a line at info@helpyoudwell.com or call us at 865.245.9080.

Huge Sale this Saturday!

We're breaking from our regular blog topics this week to let you now about an awesome sale we are hosting this weekend! If you missed the flea a few weeks ago, this is your chance. If you made it to the flea, this sale will feature a similar caliber of items. If you are looking for unique antique or vintage pieces, this sale will not disappoint. 

From art deco glam to retro vintage, we will have it all. The sale is a glamified garage sale and we are so excited to be a part of it. 

Here are a few pictures of a fraction of the items you will find at the sale. Grab a friend and head on over to 5720 Paula Rd. this Saturday from 8-2pm. We will be there rain or shine and can't wait to see you all! 

See the craigslist ad here for more details and pictures. We hope to see you there! 

Spring Cleaning Tips

Image via Terrain

For a few days there it felt like Summer and then I had to pull the ice scraper back out for my windshield in the mornings. Thankfully, I think we've had our last frost now and we couldn't be more ready for some sunshine and warm weather. I find myself more motivated when Spring comes to put a little extra effort into things. We've found a few links from around the web to inspire you for the season.

1. Three looks for Spring

2. Spring Cleaning Decluttering Inspiration

3. The prettiest cleaning tools you've ever seen

4. Prepping your garden for spring

5. Dogwood Arts event calendar: If you are looking for things to do around Knoxville. Dogwood Arts hosts a wide variety of events celebrating spring and gardens all over Knoxville.

Thoughts on Labels

Image from LiaGriffith.com

We've experimented with a number of different labeling techniques when organizing for folks and have found that it really boils down to personal preference and category of items.

Obviously, pretty labels make a space look nice but we've found that different kinds of spaces, for different ages of people work best.

For pantrys, home offices, and general areas that are either out in the open or used mostly by adults, we love finding nice looking labels that help create uniformity and cohesiveness rather than adding distraction and chaos to your belongings.

Image from A Cultivated Nest

For labeling files or purely functional items (think office supply rooms for commercial properties or basic garages) label makers are the way to go. Everything is uniform in type and size and the labels are very readable. We recommend "Brother" brand label makers for this type of thing.

Image from pinterest- original source unknown

We've found that for young kids, it's often helpful to label toy bins, craft storage, or kid closets with pictures along with words. We like having both because it encourages word association, reading, and spelling while it makes it easy for pre-reading age kids to take charge of the clean up & put away process.

Here are a few websites where you can find free printable labels to use in your own home.

General Labels

Bath and Body Labels

 Pantry Labels

Clothing Closet Labels

What kind of labels do you use in your home?

Happy 2nd Birthday To Us!

HYD is officially 2 years old!

Image by Texture Photo

We've done a lot of organizing, staging, planning, selling, and moving since we started. 122 individual spaces or projects are represented in the graph below which is CRAZY to think about! It's been two years full of wonderful people and amazing homes and we couldn't be more excited about where our third year will take us.

• Kitchens
• Closets
• Attics
• Garages
• Basements
• Home Offices
• Business Offices
• Sun rooms
• Guest Rooms
• Living Rooms
• Dining Rooms
• Laundry Rooms
• Pack and Move
• Pop Up Markets
• Kids Rooms
• Garage Sales
• Staging Sessions
• Master Suites
• Play Rooms

• Kitchens
• Closets
• Attics
• Garages
• Basements
• Home Offices
• Business Offices
• Sun rooms
• Guest Rooms
• Living Rooms
• Dining Rooms
• Laundry Rooms
• Pack and Move
• Pop Up Markets
• Kids Rooms
• Garage Sales
• Staging Sessions
• Master Suites
• Play Rooms

Thank you for encouraging us, hiring us, welcoming us into your homes, and joining us in the journey to bring peace and order to homes all over Knoxville. Cheers!

The Dreaded Paper Piles

If you have paper piles everywhere, feel overwhelmed with starting a filing system, or feel like your current filing system isn't working, we have a few ideas for you...

1. Create an active set of files that are easily accessible (not in your file cabinet). Use this to keep track of the paper that come in regularly. Think school, sports, events, and other family/kid related paperwork.

2. Each year, go through your file cabinet top to bottom and shred the things that are no longer relevant or needed. If you're not sure, check this list to see what's safe to toss and what you need to keep.

3. Move things online- many services offer the option of going paperless. Take the time to switch your regular service bills to online billing methods to save paper and save space in your file cabinet.

Image from Space for Living Blog

4. Start with an efficient and organized set of tabs. Half of the battle of paper organization is figuring out how specific to be when creating labels and tabs to keep things in order.

5. Figure out what system works best for your stage in life, time, and personality. Maybe simple is best for you- try this 4 file system. There isn't an end-all-be-all best way to file, so finding a system that works for you is really important and will make all the difference in being able to stay organized.
 

Lastly, If you can't imagine facing the paper on your own, give us a call and we will work through it with you!

Home as an Offering : Home Tour with Lindsay Heath

We sat down this week to interview the lovely Lindsay Heath about her house, her decorating style, and her philosophy on home. If you've never met Lindsay, the best way I know to describe her is that her presence feels like a warm hug.

Honestly, to focus on Lindsay's decorating style and her home in it's purely physical sense would be a disservice. Lindsay has a natural eye for creating beauty but what struck me the most about our visit was the overwhelming sense that when you walk into her home, the pressure is off, you are invited, welcomed, and appreciated.

With a knack for quirky items and for the cast off's of both friends and strangers, Lindsay and her husband Jonny have created a patchwork home that incorporates the practical, lovely, and eclectic parts of life in every sense. One thing Lindsay said that I've been thinking about a lot is that "space is defined by the people who inhabit it and use it". With a desire to make the people around her feel more important than the things she surrounds herself with, she aims for making spaces feel touchable and approachable; like you can enjoy yourself without having to worry about your surroundings. She mentioned that over the years she has come to find that an object can evoke a memory but that she doesn't have to retain the object in order for the memory to continue. Lindsay loves the creative aspect of decorating with objects that can be repurposed or reimagined. She loves finding unwanted objects and looking at them in a new way... kind of like when you find a house that's about to be demolished so you pick it up and move it two blocks over to save it... yes... she actually did that!!! (more on that at a later date) She shared with us that many, if not most of the things, in her house have been given to her and she in turn passes things along when she no longer has the space or need for them.

Lindsay is the first renter we have interviewed and we were especially interested in what she had to say about decorating a rental. Upon moving into their home they were asked not to paint or hang large things on the wall. As a result, Lindsay has used her limitations to find creative ways to dwell and make the space feel like home. Large art pieces lean against the walls, thumb tacks or Velcro strips are used for lighter objects. Lindsay has found that sometimes limits help you see things in new ways, limits force you to think creatively.

We asked Lindsay what "home" means to her and she mentioned the end of a stanza in the daily reading in the book of common prayer. It reads, "May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you; may he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm; may he bring you home rejoicing: at the wonders he has shown you; may he bring you home rejoicing: once again into our doors." The lines resonate with Lindsay in that to her, home is a place to welcome people in from the weariness, from the pace of the world.

"Home is a place for gathering and celebrating and for relaxing and eating: the really elemental practices. Home is the hub of human activity. The way that we relate in homes can be so formative- be it through decoration, presentation of food, accessibility to objects. Our relation to all those things that make us human make up a home; a place that can encapsulate all of the best parts of human life. "

Another unique thing about Lindsay and Jonny is that since they were married, they have always lived with other people- sometimes other married couples, sometimes single folks, but always someone. We asked her to tell us a little bit more about that decision. "On a practical level, when we got married, it made sense financially to share the expenses with others along with the fellowship, the space, the being known and knowing. The incidental disciplines and sacrifices of being not as able to hide the things that as humans we are tempted to hide and the discomfort of sharing space have been an unexpected and challenging reward. With the different people we’ve lived with, we always sit down and talk about all the reasons to live together, economic, practical, division of labor, fun -- but the primary reason we share a home with people is to become more like Christ. It’s been a very consistent practical way to be challenged and to challenge others in the comings and goings of every day life. Living with others creates a lot of opportunities to do that hard work. It has been a great way to keep in check the temptation to hold onto things tightly. Living with others is often inconvenient but there is an ethic of being uncomfortable that I’ve found to be a wonderful crucible-- that’s been a refinement of my walk towards Christ."

New Years Resolutions vs. Life Changes

Drawing by RabbitWifePen&Ink

Do you make resolutions each year? If you are like me, I usually make a few but rarely keep them. What's interesting is that I often find myself making the same resolutions that I tried to keep the year before. Change takes time, especially big changes. Here are a few tips on how to make changes for life rather than new years resolutions.

1. Involve your people. Whether your tell your friends, family, or co workers, make sure that your community knows what you are working on. Feeling a sense of accountability often helps keep you on track.

2. Be realistic. Think about what your current "normal" is and take that into account. Don't set your self up to fail. For example: I have a goal of walking 10,000 steps daily but in general my daily average is more like 4,000. My life goal will be to be active for 1 hour (aka 10,000 steps) 3 times a week. Once I get to a place where that is my normal, then I can adjust to make it more of a challenge and say maybe 5 days a week until I work up to 10,000 steps daily. Focus on small steps to create a change of lifestyle over time that's sustainable.

3. Figure out your motives. If I have a goal of losing weight or of eating differently, it's important that I understand why I have that goal. Do I believe that I will be more loved or admired if I attain this? Am I doing this because I feel pressured by someone else or by a physical problem? Am I searching for happiness or fulfillment? I've found that my motives usually make or break a change.

4. Come up with reminders for the life changes that are hard to remember on a daily basis. One of mine is to drink at least 64oz of water every day. I am doing a few things as reminders or as motivation. I bought a water bottle that has measurements on the outside, I track my intake through an app on my phone, and I must always accept when someone offers me water. These little things help me stay on track.

Purchase here

5. Schedule a monthly check in with yourself. Make a list of your daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly commitments and re evaluate whether or not you are able to fully commit in a way that is meaningful. If not, start eliminating. When your schedule is maxed out you are less likely to be able to add new changes into your routine.

image by allaboutami

6. Make a plan for how you will accomplish your life goals. For example, if I want to begin the habit of storing my clothes in my closet or dresser rather than all over my bedroom floor/furniture, then I first have to purge my closet and storage space until all of my clothing fits into the designated area in a manageable and comfortable way. Once I have a spot for my clothes I'm much more likely to hang them back up or fold them to store in my dresser. Often times our bad habits make sense. If my closet is jam packed and has no room or order, then I'm likely to leave my clothes on a chair where I can easily find them BUT if my closet it organized, I'm much more likely to make use of it.

Did you make resolutions this year? How are they going? Any tips or ideas you would like to share?

Merry Christmas Eve!

Image by Terrain

If you are in the throws of wrapping presents and trying to get everything ready for tomorrow, just remember that we are only a phone call away to help you with the chaos that comes after Christmas is over. When you have returns to take back, exchanges to make, a whole house of decorations to pack back up-- we are your girls! 

We are still offering 20% off Holiday tear down and organization if you call or email to book a consultation before January 1st.

We hope your day tomorrow is full of family, fun, and the sweet fulfillment of the advent season.

HYD wishes you and yours a Happy Christmas Eve, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
 

Old North Knoxville Home Tour

Image from Victorian Holiday Home Tour 505 East Scott Ave.

Each month we try to feature a home tour on our blog. We love being able to hear about what "home" means to different people and we treasure the relational aspect of being invited into someones house. This month we offer you something a little different. If you have never attended the Old North Knoxville Home Tour, we highly recommend it. We attended this past weekend and have pictures and ideas to share with you. Although each of these homes was built around the same time period, in the same Victorian style, it was neat to see how each homeowner's personal taste and style came out in the decor.

303 Oklahoma Ave

302 E. Scott Ave

We asked each home owner two questions,  "What do you love about your home?" and "What makes your home unique?". We got a wide variety of answers and loved hearing about the many renovation experiences and processes of restoring historic homes. Below are a few of our favorite responses. Enjoy!

"What we love most about our home is that we were able to take something neglected and dirty that most people would turn away from and rehab it into the gorgeous home it was intended to be. " (Leslie M.)

Photo by Alan Sims : Inside Knoxville 204 E. Oklahoma St.

"Our home is unique because it has a distinct juxtaposition of modern and traditional features. We kept the rooms in our house segmented (vs. an hgtv-esque open concept) because each room in our house serves a specific purpose. All of our doorways are very tall and wide, so our rooms still feel open without sacrificing purpose. We believe that old homes should be maintained to serve their original purpose, and at the time of construction, our home would have been very modern and featured the best of the best. We tried to echo this in our renovations and do a modern interpretation of a Victorian home- we put new light fixtures where original light fixtures were placed, moved walls and doorways to original locations, and designed the home so that the purpose of each room was consistent with the original design. Maintaining historical features was very important to us, and we kept this in mind as we gave modern interpretations and new life to our home." (Leslie M.)

"We rarely ever turn a light on during the day. The huge windows let natural light abound and breathe such life into these old walls and hardwoods. That's what I love most." (Jenna V.)

302 E. Scott Ave

302 E. Scott Ave

302 E. Scott Ave.

"The thing we love most about our home is the neighborhood! Old North, with its gracious front porches and proximity to Happy Holler businesses means that you are always meeting a friend or neighbor as you walk down the street. Everyone here is so friendly and we love having impromptu dinner and drinks on our front porch with friends.  (Cat S.)

221 E. Oklahoma

221 E Oklahoma

221 E. Oklahoma

"Our house is filled with art and antiques, made by and gifted by family and friends. We also have many souvenirs of our travels together as a family. We think that these personal touches bring warmth to the space, and remind us of our favorite people and places every day. Our house is unique in that it hasn't been "remuddled" like some Victorians--we enjoy the original fireplaces and woodwork of the home and all of its original bones. We are also lucky to have an unusually wide front porch, which means that it can function as an extra room in our home--we have a "living room" with a sectional and a dining area out there that we use all the time when the weather is nice!" (Cat S.)

225 E. Oklahoma St

225 E. Oklahoma St

225 E. Oklahoma St.

We loved seeing how creative people were able to get with their space. Some of our favorite ideas were using old mantels to create faux fireplaces, making great use out of porches and outdoor areas to extend living spaces, using a ladder as vertical (and pretty) storage to hang blankets, and utilizing architectural salvage as art and decor.

If you would like a home by home review of the tour, check out Inside of Knoxville's blog. Pt. 1 &  Pt.2

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's been a big year for Help You Dwell and we are thankful for so much.

We are thankful for the beautiful building we get to work in and the amazing people we share it with.

Image by Rebecca Ridner

Image by Rebecca Ridner

We are thankful for the wonderful events we've been able to be a part of in our new space.

Grand Opening of The Hive: Image by Rebecca Ridner

Summer Pop Up Market: Image by Texture Photo

Tuesdays Together: Image by Texture Photo

We are thankful for all of the wonderful people and companies who have hired or collaborated with HYD this year and for the hard work you have put in to making your home a place of peace for you and your loved ones.

KARM Thrift Tour

Image by Texture Photo

Doing Wonders with a Covered Wagon : Home Tour with Buddy & Kathie Odom

We had the privilege to sit down with Buddy and Kathie Odom last week to see their beautiful Fountain City home and to get a glimpse into their philosophy of life at home and creating in and around it.

We've always begun our home interviews with the question, "What does home mean to you?" We weren't expecting the answer that followed but if you've spent any time with the Odoms, you know that an unexpected answer is what to expect.

"This isn't our home. We live in a covered wagon," says Buddy. What he means is; the house, the objects in it; they have meaning, they contain beauty, but that's not the make up of "home" to the Odoms. In a sense, the Odoms treat their house as a vessel, a place that fosters creativity, but they strongly believe that home truly is not made of material things. And Buddy says that Kathie "can do wonders with a covered wagon."

Kathie is an accomplished and well-known plein air artist but prior to diving into art as a career, she explained that in the past, her house had become a canvas because she wasn't yet practicing the art that she was created to do. "Plein air has given me the ability to create on canvas so it's lessened the intensity of the desire to rearrange and redecorate my home."

Kathie's Art Studio

Speaking of Kathie's art, one extension of their house is the studio out back that Buddy built for Kathie. The walls, lovingly and cleverly made of horizontal cedar boards, are covered with her creations. Once a piece is ready for the wall, the nail goes right in and up goes her next creation. Just walking in you are taken to all sorts places: Seaside, the Smoky Mountains, farmers' markets, old barns in New England, quiet streams, and so much more. It's so obvious her gift with the brush gives her such great pleasure.  She gets giddy explaining her painting experiences as passers-by ask her about her work, pray for her, or ask to buy the work right off the easel. Tucked away behind a shelf were her countless awards, but it's clear the experience itself is her greatest reward. There wasn't a corner of the studio that we didn't love. Each item has a purpose and a home.

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Back in the main house, Buddy and Kathie have a story for every item inside from countless pieces of furniture that belonged to various relatives, to a mason jar of dirt gathered from the garden of a previous home they lived in. Buddy and Kathie spent a good amount of time learning to dwell together in that garden in a season of life where they were empty nesters, a season where things in life were slowing down. Buddy added that each part of the garden reminded him to pray for a different person. They had weddings, rehearsal dinners, and birthday celebrations in the garden. The jar of dirt holds a lot of meaning, a lot of life. Buddy and Kathie have found in recent years that their current home has given them the opportunity to be creative together. They have learned to let themselves dream.

More than anything, the Odoms create a sense of comfort in their home. Kathie's desire is for her home to feel livable and not so perfect that you feel like you can't touch anything. Kathie talks about her relationship to their home and their belongings as "good ole friends", each item bringing back a flood of memories. They agree that it's best to only be 90% organized. Kathie recalled a time when she felt much more pressure to present her home in a certain way. She has found over time that she and her guests seem to enjoy her home more when it doesn't appear perfect.

As HYD spent time reflecting on this visit, we came away encouraged, educated, and grateful for our time spent on Gibbs Drive. The Odoms invite one in to a peaceful, ordered space that immediately takes the pressure off. It's obvious that homemaking is a team effort in their house and their gifts compliment one another beautifully. Buddy's attention to order and Kathie's love of color and texture allow for guests to make themselves at home no matter where their wagon lands.

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HYD is excited to announce that Kathie will be hosting her "Cabin Fever Oil Painting Workshop" at The Hive in February 2016. This would make a fabulous Christmas gift for the painter on your list. For more information, just click here.

These 5 Things : November 2015

Image by Sarah Musgrave

 1. Check out this excellent guide to styling your shelves. If you don't follow Emily Henderson's blog, it's a good one!

2. 6 Ways to Speed Clean to a Clean Enough House. A few time- saving storage pieces and ideas for getting the whole family involved in cleaning habits.

3. This list of 15 Holiday Hosting Shortcuts is chock full of good ideas to keep stress low and let the good times roll.

4. Instead of decorating for the seasons, try layering to build warmth in your home.

5. It can be a major challenge to incorporate a TV into your decor. Check out this blog entry for a few ideas. 

Chair Rehab

I've noticed something interesting lately....

A lot of people have a chair problem. What I mean by chair problem is that a lot of people can't pass up a good deal on chairs, have too many chairs, dream about chairs etc. Confession... I'm a chair addict. There have been seasons of life where my chair problem is in check but I realized a few days ago that I've bought 8 chairs in the last month. Hear me out, it was two sets of 4 and I have a place for all of them :)

We recently remodeled our porch ceiling and I'm so excited to finally make our porch an extension of our living space (I know, I know, I should have done this in the spring but it just didn't happen).

Before -this was hiding under a layer of vinyl siding

After

Our porch runs across the front of our house and around one side and I have a plan for the space. The front will be living and hanging out space and the side will host a table for 4. I'm working on a fairly tight budget so I'm trying to get creative and I've got a furniture rehab project up my sleeve.

Last year I bought an amazing table at Mid Mod Collective's Salvage Sale for a steal. I've been using it inside but happened upon an amazing little vintage 4 seater for $30 at a garage sale last week that I'm going to put in its place. The round table is making it's way to the porch but I needed chairs.

 The Salvage Shop posted this lovely set on facebook last week and I ran over to buy them before they got snagged.

Image by The Salvage Shop (Chairs purchased from them as well)

Now I know what you are thinking, "Won't bamboo get destroyed outside?" and as a friend put it "they kinda remind me of old ladies playing bridge" (haha) but a little DIY makeover will fix all of that. I'm going to treat the wood with an outdoor sealant to protect it and I'm going to recover the seats and chair backs with oil cloth.

Here is where YOU come in... I would love to get everyone's opinion. There are so many great options. I know I want something kind of vintage inspired and I'm thinking I want something pretty colorful. Which one would you pick?

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4

Option 5

Option 6

P.S.  We highly recommend both The Salvage Shop & Mid Mod Collective for one of a kind, vintage, and eclectic treasures.

Fall Capsule Wardrobe (With a Twist)

Well it's officially getting cool enough to pull out some long sleeves. I won't lie, I've enjoyed the lingering warm weather but I'm really excited about sweaters and boots.

http://adiaryoflovely.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/weekend-wear.html

My summer capsule worked really well for me. My mornings are so much simpler and I don't spend nearly as much time getting ready. I did notice that there were a handful of things that I really didn't wear more than once or twice and that I want more variety in my next capsule.

A new idea I'm trying out this time is having two capsules: A work capsule and a weekend/not working capsule (focusing on nicer items). Towards the end of the summer I noticed that a lot of my clothing was looking worn out and realized I don't have many articles of clothing that are a step up from the everyday. I'm hoping that having these two separate capsules will motivate me to wear the grungier stuff for working (because organizing and helping people move tends to wear on clothes) and invest in some nicer options for nights and weekends. This could also work if you have a career that requires a nicer dress code. I think having the two separate capsules makes it easier for me to by pass the items that don't make since for the activity. I keep mine in separate places for the convenience. My work clothes are stored in drawers and my nicer clothes are hung up (sans sweaters that just do better folded)

Mid clothing tornado

Excuse this extremely unflattering picture of me but it had to be included. This is proof that I do understand what it's like for all of you amazing clients who give up things that you have sentimental attachments to but just don't make sense anymore. I've had this plaid shirt since high school. It doesn't button. It hasn't buttoned for 5years. I let it go this week. It was hard but I'm not regretting it.

I pulled out all my cool weather clothing from storage and tried on everything earlier this week. The quick try on eliminated about 15 items. Onto the hard part; narrowing down the things that I still like and wear. Again, it always helps to have a second opinion so I called in my trusty business partner. With Taryn's help I was able to narrow down even further and came up with 40 items. (The technical number is supposed to be 37 but I'm extending grace for myself-I'm also not including work wear in this number) I also know that there are a number of items that I would like to replace but don't want to get rid of until I have replacements. My mindset going into the fall is that if I purchase items, I have to trade them out for items in my current capsule. If you need incentive to purge, we are hosting a pretty amazing Fall/Winter Clothing Boutique and you will want to make room I assure you!

I know my closet's not pretty, but this is real life people. You work with what you've got :)

Sweaters and knit shirts

Sidenote: When I packed up my summer items to store I filled only one large tub instead of the two I filled last year. This is great news because we have fairly limited storage at our house.

Below is a run down on what I kept...

Fall Capsule Nights and Weekends: 40 items

3 sweaters, 14 shirts, 1 vest, 2 pairs of corduroys, 1 pair of black pants, 5 pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of booties, 3 pairs of boots, and 8 pairs of other shoes. (Self diagnosed shoe addict over here)

Fall Capsule Working wear: 16 items

2 pairs of Jeans, I pair of black jeggings (I'm kind of embarrassed that I have these but they are so comfortable), 9 shirts, 2 sweaters, and 2 pairs of shoes (that look terrible but I still love to wear them)

Have any of you tried out capsule wardrobing? What do you think? If not, what's holding you back? I'm super curious to know if some people just don't like the concept or if it seems daunting etc.

Fall To-Do List

Source

Do you ever get to the end of a season and realize that there were so many things you planned to do but never got to? Us too.
There are so many fall festivals, holidays, and events going on and we've made a to do list of sorts to help get the ball rolling for your harvest plans. We love the idea of having seasonal bucket lists as well; things that aren't necessarily all planned out but a list of ideas for the occasional Saturday when you find yourself with no plans.

Source

We suggest carving out an hour with your calendar ASAP to get things on your schedule.

Festivals: Click on the links for more info

• Happy Hollerpalooza (This Saturday- Sept 26)

• Tennessee Fall Home Coming Folk Festival (Oct 9-11)

• Open Streets (Oct 25)

• Foothills Craft Guild (Nov 20-22)

Activities/Holidays:

Photo by Sarah Musgrave

• Host a bonfire

• Take a hike in the Smokies (not sure when trail to choose? Check out the Top 10) If you are looking for a family friendly hike with young kids, "Andrew's Bald" is perfect.

• Plan and purchase or make Halloween costumes for your kids (Need some ideas? Here are a few)

• Seasonal decorating (Southern Living's Fall Decorating Ideas)

• Tailgate with friends before a football game

• Finalize Thanksgiving plans

What kinds of things are on your to do list for this Fall?