LH Home Tour: Stephanie D.

What do you do with your time(job,daily activities)?
I am a homemaker. It is a huge change for me and I am loving it! I have totally embraced the role of mother and wife and all that I am missing are some of those adorable waisted shirt dresses and vintage aprons. I spend my days taking care of Carson. I am cloth diapering and making all her food myself, so she keeps me pretty busy. I am usually working on a sewing project of some sort and I love to cook. My new years resolution this year was to "go green", so I have been working hard to switch all of our products to non toxic all natural and buying and cooking with all organic and local foods when possible.

What is your favorite color?
Lately I have been drawn to blues and greens: cobalt, periwinkle, avocado. I am liking saturated colors, especially in large repeating prints. And always shades of grey.

Up to this point what has been your biggest design challenge in your home?
Patience! Who doesn't want to move into a home and immediately begin the work. This house has great bones...a great floor plan, tons of space and amazing details like the fireplace in the master bedroom. Unfortunately, it also has purple Formica counter tops that aren't going anywhere for a while.

Does a budget have a big play in how you decorate your home?
Absolutely. We have lived in this house for a year now and our budget for decorating has been pretty much nonexistent. As frustrating as that can be sometimes, I do feel like it has saved me from some major design mistakes. Living in a space first before renovating and decorating can be essential! It forces you to be extremely thoughtful with your plans and get creative with what you already own in the interim.

What is your favorite detail of your home if you could only pick one?
I have tried really hard to avoid decorative objects and instead have meaningful collections. I am so proud when someone compliments my vintage cheerleading photos or my grandmothers iron candlesticks and there is a story to tell.

Do you have any design projects for 2009? If so what are they?
The list is too long! I hope (and pray) to have major renovation started on my kitchen by this time next year. Other then that I plan to just slowly acquire things that are unique and special. I find I do better when I purchase things that I love and let them come together instead of trying to plan a room and search for things specifically.

Who do you look to for inspiration?
I find inspiration in homes and rooms that have unexpected color combinations and an eclectic mix of furniture and art. I think that when things are too coordinated it can be very contrived and labored looking. I love to look through magazines for different ideas. My collection of Vogue is a prized possession. I think that fashion gives me direction in my home when it comes to fabric, color, and pattern.

Do you have kids, if so how many?
Our daughter Carson Lane is 8 months old and our two weimaraners Macey and Maddy are 5 and 3.

Please share with us how you have made your home more comfortable for your kids?
Lucky for us there were plastic (laminate) floors in the house already! The downside of that being that they are hideous, the upside being that my dogs can bring in mud from the backyard and Carson can slop food and formula anywhere. No worries...wipes right up.

Tell us one thing about yourself, anything we don't know about you:
I am a retired beauty queen. In 1989 I was crowned Little Miss Hopatcong. I won my title wearing the princess dress my mom had made me for Halloween the year before and I was missing my two front teeth. I still have the sash and tiara to prove it.