A HOME withHEART: Suzannah Hamlin Stanley
January 30, 2014
Goodness knows the world is full of talented people. Many of those people are online, sharing their gifts with the world, and I admire many of them and learn so much from them. And once in a while I come across someone online whose skills just wow me. Suzannah from Adventures in Dressmaking is one of those people.
I’m an okay seamstress, but I have real respect for folks who are super handy with a needle and thread. Not only is Suzannah a master with a sewing machine, she is also brilliant in the kitchen and all things DIY. The woman taught herself how to make coconut butter for pete’s sake (and shared it on her blog). She is so inspiring and if she didn’t live in Portland, I would try to convince her to give me private sewing lessons.
I asked Suzannah if she would be up for sharing more about her home for the “A Home withHEART” series, since ya’ll know I just love a great home tour. I’m always so fascinated by people’s homes, how they choose to decorate them, and what their favorite spaces are. Here is a look inside Suzannah’s serene and beautiful home.
Q) Tell me about your favorite rooms in your home.
A) I don’t know if I have a favorite room. I love them all (almost!). I love getting to spend time in the kitchen when I have time to cook an amazing meal, I love reading magazines on the couch in the sun on weekends, I love sleeping in our cozy bed and bedroom… so come to think of it, I do have a few favorite pieces! Kitchen cabinets, couch (and rug and DIY coffee table), and bed (DIY headboard). I have more faves, too, but that’s a good list!
Q) How did you come up with the design/concept?
A) I’ve been collecting home decor ideas for years, before Pinterest, back when Design*Sponge and Apartment Therapy were just babies. There’ve been a few homes that have really stuck out for me and I’ve pinned images from, and I like to think about the style I’m going for when I pick out pieces. Which is why it’s nice to have a whole home to decorate–some rooms are more girly, some are more simple and classic, some are more playful. Now, I sort my inspirations by room or type (bedrooms–my fave!, whole rooms, little accessories, offices, sewing/craft rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens). And I favorite Instagram images that I want to go back to for ideas from real people I follow!
Q) What do you love most about it?
A) I’ve wanted to own a home for years, and after moving about once a year every year since the beginning of college, I was so excited to have a place to call our own and do some more permanent decorating and choices in. So really, what I love most about our home right now is that it’s this safe, stable, comfortable place that’s all our own!!
Q) What do you hope people feel when they’re in the space?
A) I hope the space feels calming and peaceful. Especially during the day (I only get to experience it on the weekends!), with natural light coming in and a breeze if it’s nice out, I want the pale walls, neutrals, and bright, friendly colors make a kind of relaxed, modern, glam-zen feeling. Kind of a strange mixture when I describe it that way, but that’s what I like to feel!
Q) Suggestions for others who want to create a space they love?
A) Mix old and new: sentimental pieces from family members and memorable estate sales or antique shops with edgy, modern, simple pieces that feel truly your own. My style is so different from my parents’ and our home is so different than any of the homes my husband and I grew up in, but it makes me feel like we’re creating our own true home by using new pieces only I would choose. But then keeping some of those favorite childhood and family pieces makes the space so personal and full of love. And unique!!
Photo credit: Nakalan McKay Photography
Thank you for sharing, Suzannah! So much inspiration in one home, am I right? You can read and see more from Suzannah over on Adventures in Dressmaking.
I’ve been digging myself out of a mile of laundry and errands and emails after our trip. Not even close to caught up yet, but hopefully I’ll be there by the weekend. Have a wonderful Thursday!
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We're a full-service design firm and home furnishings shop built around the philosophy that a well-designed home should be beautiful, personal, cohesive, and complete. We think home is the most important place on the planet and when you live in a home that is perfectly you, it changes your life. Don't believe us? Stick around. We're confident we'll change your mind.
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Hi – just popped by from 6th Street Design school. I love your blog and I also love Suzannah’s. So nice to discover such talented people!
Love this tour Jen!!! Her home is beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing it with us all.