Every Friday I will be bringing you Five on Friday! It will be a collection of five of my favorite home decor items, accounts, designers, decor trends, books...the possibilities are endless. Since I started my small business on Instagram, I thought it only fitting that the first five be some of my favorite accounts on Instagram. There are many reasons that I chose these five, although there are numerous favs, but this goes a little deeper. Most of these women, and they are ALL accounts/businesses owned and run by women (yay ladies!), have become friends or confidants. They have supported my business and shared my stories. They are genuine and sincere and I am inspired by each and every one.
So without further adieu...and in no particular order...
IG Account #1 - Mary Ellen Becker - dba Murphey Becker Art (@murpheybeckerart)
Meet Mary Ellen Becker...mom, wife, and artist. She loves creating beautiful moments in her home everyday. To her, beautiful means a stack of homemade pancakes, sunshine streaming through a dining room window, or a fresh pink peony on the kitchen counter that catches the morning light. Basically, beauty is everywhere!
Catching those moments in time on camera and sharing it brings her so much joy. "I love that a brief flash of beauty can be shared by so many of us together." And we are so glad you capture them and let us into your world of wonder, Mary Ellen!
Photography is just one of her attributes. To look at her Instagram feed, you may think she is an interior designer. She describes her interior style as "inspired by the colors and textures of a chateau in France....the blues and grays and sumptuous pinks... with a dash of chinoiserie blue and white sparkle."
She has always been inspired by the late Bunny Mellon, the incredible blues and whites of Mark Sikes, the timeless Bunny Williams, and the classic Phoebe Howard. For the home, none other than Martha Stewart!
And while you will find beautiful decor pieces in every inch of her home, her most prized piece is the portrait of her Grandmother in the living room. "It is beautiful, but it reminds me of her, which makes it, to me, my favorite piece."
Although, as you can see she does has a flair for the fabulous, Mary Ellen is an artist and provides tutorials on her Instagram page..."My art tutorials started almost by accident... I wanted to add oranges to a tablesetting I was photographing, but I didn’t have any oranges in the house. So, I decided to paint little oranges on place cards and add those to my table. After I set them out, I realized I could share how I made them. I went back to my art room and made them again, taking photos of each step. I put the steps in a story that day. That’s how the art tutorials were born!"
Fun Fact: She and her sister were in London a few years ago and randomly saw the Queen walking out of Westminster Abbey! They still can’t believe it happened!
The Queen herself would take time to stop by Mary Ellen's page and peruse the classic squares. You will find a little inspiration via her interiors. You can also access her art tutorials in the highlights section. See if you can find something that inspires you to be an artist for a day. All I ask is that you make sure and carve out a little time because you will probably be there for a bit. It's all just that good!
IG Account #2 - Sheila Casey - dba Home Style Dreams (@homestyledreams)
While I could start off with my story about Sheila, I will pause and let Sheila's words speak for themselves.
"Thank you Jennifer for this opportunity to be a participant on your "Five On Friday" feature and congratulations on your new business venture, Clarence House Collection.
My professional training is in psychology and for about 35 years I've worked with children conducting psycho-educational and behavioral assessments. Although my work is often rewarding, my true passion has always been rooted in creative pursuits.
As a lover of fashion, home decor and design, architecture, and photography I decided, a few years ago, to open up an Instagram account, @homestyledreams, to chronicle our design journey at our home in Connecticut and our cottage in Cape Cod, MA. To my shock the concept took off almost immediately and I cherish the creative outlet and the opportunities @homestyledreams has afforded me.
A fun fact that many of my Instagram followers may not know is the inspiration for our living room began with a pair of multi-colored cheetah spot pillows from Cotton and Quill in collaboration with Emily McCarthy. Nothing in the room but two pillows!
My design style may be considered maximallist. I love color, pattern, and texture. If those three components are layered to perfection your space will bring you joy. I guarantee it!
Currently my design inspiration is found in the beautiful body of work by designers Young Huh, Corey Damen Jenkins, Katie Ridder, and Bunny Williams, however, I am inspired daily by the hundreds of creatives I follow on Instagram as well.
Our home is filled with furnishings and decor pieces largely curated from small businesses such as pillows home from Cotton and Quill, furnishings from Dunes and Duchess, hand painted trays from Dana Gibson, along with many other talented makers and artists. Of course, no space is complete without beautiful vases filled with fresh flowers and special art objects like our fabulous Clarence House Collection "Pink Lady" bust affectionately refer to as "Isabella".
Have fun with home decor, stick to the basic rules of symmetry, scale of furnishings, pattern play, and the use of black as a grounding dial for color, otherwise, pick what makes you happy!"
Sheila drew me into her IG space with her beautiful use of color throughout her home. She solidified my awe with her sweet spirit and genuine nature. Always with a kind word and with each of her spaces impeccably decorated, she has me as a follower for the long haul. Head on over to her page and give her a follow. I promise you one of her colorful combinations will pop up on your feed and make you smile just when you need it most. Thank you, Sheila!
IG Account #3 - Kris Allison - dba K. Gray Interiors (@k.grayinteriors)
I started my little business on Instagram about four years ago and it wasn't too long after that I was introduced to a fabulous group of fellow home decor sellers. We quickly became invested in seeing one another succeed and over the months true friendships grew from those chance meetings via social media. Kris was someone I was immediately connected with due to her openness and sincerity. She was a fellow girl from the deep south and I could relate to many of her personal experiences.
From the get go I was hooked on her fabulous finds but even more on her personal style of decorating. She has opened her home to her followers and allowed sneak peeks into her exquisite, yet comfortable, home. We've been privy to building escapades, remodeling and feeding time for the chickens (one of my personal favorites). And who could forget her fabulous felines, Agatha Boudreaux and Abner Chadwick?
In Kris's own words..."I am just an old fashioned southern girl with a fondness for old things and I have raised my baby girl, Grayson, the same way. She has been my estate sale digging, thrift store hopping, yard sale searching side kick since she was knee high to grasshopper. It was only natural for our love of treasure hunting to turn into
K. Gray Interiors. She is the Gray to my K. We not only hunt antiques and search for unique pieces for our own homes, but I can honestly say we get the most joy out of finding pieces that bring a bit of joy to others."
Kris recently stated on one of her videos that her entire house is decorated with vintage or antique finds and the result is nothing short of beautiful.
The layers, the textures, the curation of such a lovely collection...yes, please! Do yourself a favor and follow her account. She has Tuesday flash sales at 11am CST and always has a great selection of vintage or antique treasures for your home. Who knows, maybe you'll be able to arrange a vignette like the one below with her assistance! (I still want that lampshade, Kris!)
Thank you so much, Kris! I can't wait for your next adventure.
IG Account #4 - Rhonda Conces - dba Monogramme No. 29 (@monogramme29)
A young company borne from the unexpected - A former Labor & Delivery nurse, founder Rhonda Conces sustained an injury in 2017 that ended her career in L&D. During her recovery, Rhonda turned to her hobby of quilting and embroidery as a source of joy. She thought it'd keep her busy...which turned out to be an understatement! Within a year, Monogramme No. 29 had grown from a little business to a thriving brand, bringing its signature classic styles with a modern flair to customers all over the country.
Though you might think that working in L&D and embroidery seem worlds apart, Monogramme No. 29 encompasses all the things Rhonda has always loved most: celebrating life and memorable firsts with wonderful people. And honey, let me just tell you how wonderful this classy lady really is!
I am not even sure how I happened upon her account over a year ago but I was instantly obsessed with everything she posted. I mean, I am a southern girl. We monogram everything that sits still long enough.
Before I knew it I was ordering a few things and then she ordered a few things from me and then we started chatting back and forth.
She offers such fabulous items and really cares about her products because she cares about her customers. She is a bright light on a dark day and if you ever have the chance to speak with her, just soak it up. She can turn a frown upside down...I can only imagine the amazing nurse she was with the personality she possesses.
From tea towels to tote bags and super soft PJs to baby gifts (human & fur), she has a little something for everyone. You can find her on instagram or you can get lost in the goodies on her Monogramme No. 29 website. (Btw, she has a huge sale happening right now!)
Maybe if we are really sweet to her, she will bring back her amazing cocktail hours and show us a few recipes we can offer our guests when we have soirees again.
I will leave you with this and in the words of Ms. Sassy Pants herself..."Fashion trends come and go but good manners, good etiquette and personalized gifts never go out of style." I couldn't agree more, Rhonda. Thank you for being you and bringing us such beautiful gifts!
IG Account #5 - Kelly Mason Fielden - dba Mason Brookes Designs (@kellymasonbrookesdesigns)
I can't remember a time that I didn't follow Kelly on Instagram (and now on Facebook). She has the ability to take the things I collect and love and turn them into another form of art. True art. I am always amazed by those who can interpret still life and bring life to an inanimate object. That's what Kelly does and does it eloquently. From florals to coastals, she creates heirloom pieces that will stand the test of time.
A little from Kelly..."I always wanted to be an artist, as my grandmothers on both sides of my family were artists. I have a studio art degree from the University of Maryland and started my business after college focusing on murals and painted furniture. I got back into paintings on canvas recently and my young teenage son convinced me a few years ago I needed to be on IG. He is the one that helped me set up my profile. I’m so glad he did because I have truly enjoyed meeting all of my wonderful IG friends that enjoy interior design and art as much as I do. Living in the waterfront town of Annapolis, MD for most of my life has definitely influenced my love of the water and coastal themes. Recently I’ve been working on florals with chinoiserie motifs that include blue and white and also Rose Medallion inspired designs. I grew up with blue and white chinoiserie and Rose Medallion collections throughout my home and my grandmother’s and those cheery designs always remind me of family."
Cheery must run in the family as well because I've never had an interaction with Kelly that wasn't pleasant. Although her artwork is highly sought after and her commissions have her busy months in advance, she is so humble. I love finding people that appreciate the finer things in life and when I say the finer things, I don't mean those things that money can buy. I am speaking of those with a main focus on sincerity, a caring heart, and the ability to make others smile just by being themselves. Kelly, thank you for being that person and for sharing a little of your story. The world is a much better place with you being in it.
That wraps up our Five on Friday for this week. Join me right here next week for a look at another collection of my favorite five...you'll have to wait on the topic...suspenseful, isn't it? ;) Happy weekend all! XO Jennifer
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