About Me

Welcome to Tidbits&Twine!

I started this blog in March of 2013 because I wanted to meet others who, like me, love decorating!  And when I say “love” I mean “LOVE” as in constantly moving things around the house to create a fresh, new look; browsing through home decor catalogs and books just for fun; and inevitably missing the plot of Downton Abbey because I’m too busy looking at the furniture or admiring the serving dishes!  My blog features lots of design tips, decorating inspiration, DIY projects and design fundamentals to help transform your home into a space you’ll love.

What Took Me So Long?

I have had a passion for design as long as I can remember and have always been intrigued by how things “work” from a design perspective.  I didn’t initially know that my true love was interior design, though, and so pursued my college education in Marketing and went to work for an Advertising agency, later working as a Brand Manager.  While my job allowed me to work in a creative environment and taught me a great deal about design, all throughout my professional career, my “hobby” was interior decorating.  I would spend my commute train ride browsing through decorating magazines and reading design books to get inspiration and to better understand how the rooms were put together.  Then I would race home and rearrange all of our furniture!  Over the years, I have researched and read and studied everything I could to better help me to create a warm and welcoming home, all the while keeping a binder full of information and inspiration.  It wasn’t until I left my job to raise my kids that I realized just how much I loved decorating and that interior design is where my heart lies.  I don’t feel that this is a complete career change for me though, after all, decorating is really just Marketing for your home!

My Decorating Philosophy

I’m a true believer that you should love every item in your home and should never buy something just because it’s the right size or the right color…or even just because it’s the right price! And design isn’t a cookie-cutter process, so your home should reflect your individual taste and personality.

My Personal Style

I call my personal decorating style Casual Elegance.  It’s a little bit Traditional, mixed with European vintage and Industrial Chic to create an elegant space with a “lived in” look.  I love to sprinkle in a little bit of the old with the new. To me, vintage pieces have a beauty of their own with their time-worn appearance and silent stories of years gone by.  I also like to mix high-end pieces with discount or bargain items.  Not only is this approach more affordable, but getting a good deal on a great item can be exhilarating!

My Family

When I’m not running the house, managing the kids and their gazillion commitments or hosting playdates, you can probably find me with my nose buried in a decorating magazine, shopping at HomeGoods, or rearranging everything in my house.  I am a total Anglophile and if not watching cheesy Bravo TV shows, you’ll find me watching a murder mystery from across the pond!  At this point, I think I’ve seen them ALL.  No joke.  I’ve also become obsessed with Muay Thai and try to train at least 3x a week.  My husband is still recovering from his stroke but has just started back with his astrophotography hobby.  Despite often being up until the early hours of the morning, he still gets up with me at 4 a.m. to go to the antique faire with me each month.  He’s a keeper!

 

My hope is that I can share with you some of my favorite design tips, as well as share images of rooms and objects to inspire and ignite your creativity.  Design is a constantly evolving process so I hope you’ll join me on this journey!