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My Heart and Hayesville

Last weekend, I had a chance to take a quick weekend getaway to the Georgia/North Carolina mountains.  I mentioned HERE that I've been thinking about purchasing a little retreat.  While I'm still very early in the process, I thought I needed to do a little on-site research.  What could that hurt, right?

We started out in the Young Harris, Georgia area, but eventually landed in North Carolina's Clay county.  


Guys, there are NO words for the beauty of this place.  I may be in love. 

via
It was as if time stood still while we were there.  This was probably one of the most serene places I've ever been. I'm not sure what it is, but there is just something about mountain air that gets me every time. 


I took a look at a few properties while we were there and I may now be smitten with the idea of an A-frame house. 
 
 
An A-frame is basically an architectural house style that features very steeply-angled sides that form the roofline and usually begin at or near the foundation line, and meet at the top in the shape of the letter A, hence the name A-frame. 

 
This style of home just seems to offer so much character in such a small space.  It also has that mountain cabin vibe I'd love to one day have.

 
 
 
The styles of A-frames can vary, but I seem to really be drawn to the concept in general.


Not sure about the A-frame?  Check this amazing A-Frame renovation out.
via Lux Eros
After checking out a few homes, we stopped by a few wineries.  Needless to say, this is another HUGE selling point for this area.

 
We even caught a tomato festival at one of the wineries. And, when in Rome...
 
 
Not sure about a place yet, but I do know that I want something that has the right atmosphere.  I want to feel like I'm in the mountains.

 
I'd also love to have a place with a view. 

 
 Unfortunately, this particular one comes at a million dollar price point. 
 


As I drove back home on Sunday, I couldn't help but wonder where this journey is taking me.  Honestly, I'm still not completely sure, but I'm going to go with it and most of all.... I'm going to enjoy the view.  Have a great week!

Charlotte Homearama 2015: Part I

Charlotte Homearama
 
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend Charlotte Homearama, a beautiful display of the latest in design styles and architecture.  Almost every year, the Charlotte Home Builder's Association hosts this awesome event and strangely enough, I've been attending since 1999.  You may remember my post on last year's event.  You can read it HERE.
 
This year provided tons of eye candy and it's impossible to share it all in one post, so I thought I'd begin with my design friend Traci Zeller's magnificent project built by Arcadia Homes.   
 

 
Traci is known for her well-appointed graceful and luxurious designs and this home was no exception.  From the moment we arrived and stepped inside of the front door, we were wowed. 
 

 
The artwork and the lighting were, hands down, my favorite parts. Interestingly enough, those are two items that can easily be overlooked by homeowners.  Traci's show house proves that you may want to give those two key elements a second thought. 
 
The home featured the work of two amazing artists, Lesli DeVito and Anne Neilson Fine Art.  The centerpiece of the living room was this stunning horse painting by Lesli called Lancelot.  The perfect piece considering the property is part of the Cheval equestrian community.



How genius are these two islands?


 And these light fixtures were just downright perfection.
 
 
Can we talk about a few of the wallpaper selections?  This powder bath included such a fresh and fun choice by Laura Ashley
 
 
Not to mention, this Thibaut dog wallpaper in the dog wash area was the cutest thing EVER!

 
This soft and serene bedroom was so simple and divine.  This is a prime example of how less can be so much more. 


 
Traci is the mom of young twin boys so her kid's spaces always ROCK!  I loved the workspace created in the hallway adjacent the bedroom.  I also loved this cute x-bench at the foot of the twin beds.  Such a simple yet function addition. 

 
The home included great spaces to lounge and hang out.  My kinda house!


 
This bedroom was my absolute favorite.  The print drapery is balanced perfectly by the classic upholstered headboard and simple bedding. 

 
 
I told you the art was amazing.   
 
The moody office was a showstopper. A bit unexpected in such a light and airy home, but it was styled to perfection. 


Of course, what's a luxury home without a fabulous outdoor space?  I would spend so much time on this patio.  The owners are VERY lucky people.


Like I said, lots of eye candy.  It was made even more fun by the fact that I was in the great company of my local design friends.  We had a blast! 
 
(That's Traci in the white pants)
 
 
 You can check out more of Traci's designs on her website and blog.   

"Napa and Another Year"

Where do I begin?  For starters, I'll apologize for the radio silence last week, but I went on a fabulous trip for my birthday and just didn't have time to check in.  If you've been a reader for a while, you know I have a thing for birthdays.  You can check out my past celebrations here, here, here and here. I told you I like birthdays.

I knew I wanted to do something fun for the last celebration of my 30s, so a trip to Napa sounded like the perfect idea.  I packed up with my forever friend Stacey and headed to the West Coast.



Needless to say, after the long flight we headed straight for food and then wine, what else?  I fell in love with the laid back vibe at Cline Cellars in Sonoma, where we were staying.  In addition to FREE wine tastings, they had great spaces to lounge around and chit chat over a bottle. 

I'll admit that on vacation I usually don't go for the expensive lodging options.  Maybe it's all of those hotel points I've acquired at the day job, but I have to say I may be singing a new tune.  The Inn at Sonoma was perfection.  It was small, quaint and the staff was fantastic.  
Inn at Sonoma
 

There was even a opportunity to capture a little design inspiration.  Hello floral sofa!
 
 
On day two we hit the ground running, or should I say rolling...


I hadn't been on a bike in years, and it showed.  It took me a little while to get back in the groove, but  this may have been my favorite activity of the entire trip.  Maybe it was the cool morning air, or the nostalgia of bike riding with my childhood friend, but I had the best time.  We rode around the most precious neighborhood, stopping to snap pics of our favorites.  This was one of mine...


After the bike ride, we packed up for a day trip to Big Sur.  Yep, Big Sur and Carmel. That was about four hours of stop and go traffic, but it was totally worth it to get to this view.


We had lunch at the restaurant where my cousin was married and soaked it all in before heading further up the mountain to capture the picturesque landscape. 

 
We stumbled upon the Andrew Molera State Park and decided to walk down to the shoreline.  Unfortunately for us, we had no idea it would be a mile long trek. 
Thankfully, it was totally worth it when we finally got to this...


  What a day!

The next day, Monday, was my actual birthday and we started  with brunch and bottomless mimosas at the legendary Villagio Inn and Spa.



Spa services were up next and I'm a new fan of a body scrub and steam shower before a full body massage. Ahhh....
 
After a quick bite to eat at R & D, we headed to our wine tour appointment.  We made our way on a death defying ride UP the mountain to this amazing mid-century modern designed winery. 

Tucked away literally in the mountain side, this place was too amazing to capture.



The tour was great, but the wine was even better.  Let's just say I may have brought a little piece of Chappellet home with me. ; )


Later, we enjoyed an amazing dinner at The Girl and The Fig back in Sonoma to cap off my big day.


And on the way back to the hotel I realized that we were staying across from THE original Williams-Sonoma.  How cool is that?


The next day, I said goodbye to the BFF and headed to Sacramento for some time with my family.  There's nothing like being with your people.  It also doesn't hurt when you arrive to a welcome like this one...


I had a fabulous time catching up with my cousin Tanya and her family.  It was the perfect way to end a truly epic trip.


So today I'm home and it's back to reality, but I'm so fortunate to have had the time and the means to take some time to replenish and celebrate another wonderful year of life.


 I can't wait to see what's God has in store for me next.  Stay tuned, I've got a feeling it's gonna be good. 


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