Hello Lovely White Decor & Living Beautifully Now

Happy September, and good morning, good people! More white decor? What a shocker! Hahahaha. Since I never tire of beholding beautiful interior design, you might think I walk around snap happy and eager to share pictures of my own home like most good bloggers. But I’m easily bored with my own place and would rather place YOUR home in the spotlight. Let’s revisit Hello Lovely White Decor At Home & Living Beautifully which welcomes you inside.

Serene white decor in breakfast nook with window seat and Belgian linen upholstery - Hello Lovely Studio. #kitchendecor #breakfastnook #windowseat #frenchfarmhouse #europeancountry #belgianlinen #frenchcountry #interiordesign
Hello Lovely White Decor At Home & Living Beautifully

This post contains affiliate links which if used for purchases may earn me a small commission and won’t cost you extra.

Hello Lovely White Decor At Home & Living Beautifully

I would quickly go nuts if day after day it was more and more of “refreshed” and seasonal decor in my home on this inspiration blog. Yet I have learned to listen to readers’ needs…which is more personal glimpses of home.

Serene white French country and European inspired kitchen with window seat and Belgian linen accents. #hellolovelystudio #kitchendesign #serenedecor #kitchens #frenchcountry #frenchnordic #whitekitchens #romanticdecor

BTW, make sure to SUBSCRIBE so you can simply hit “reply” to the email and ask questions or make suggestions!

Serene French country cottage style bedroom with Stikwood Hamptons accent wall and white oak flooring. #hellolovelystudio #bedroomdecor #europeancountry #frenchcountry #frenchnordic #whitebedrooms #stikwood #hamptons #serenedecor

I’m also aware new followers arrive daily, so my home may be new to you. I’d love to get better acquainted.

Belgian linen chaise and antique sideboard from Belgian in our European farmhouse inspired living room - Hello Lovely Studio. #hellolovelystudio #livingroom #europeancountry #belgianlinen #interiordesign

I live with my husband, a Chicago attorney, in a home we have completely renovated DIY style.

Serene French country cottage style bedroom with Stikwood Hamptons accent wall and white oak flooring. #hellolovelystudio #bedroomdecor #europeancountry #frenchcountry #frenchnordic #whitebedrooms #stikwood #hamptons #serenedecor

Passion for White Decor

You can’t miss my fondness for white paint and white decor! We live on a woodsy lot in Northern Illinois, and when the snow piles up, I enjoy my favorite color outdoors as well! 

Entrance with stone steps to our home in the woods in winter - Hello Lovely Studio. #hellolovelystudio #cottageexterior
River rock stone accents on our European country inspired cottage exterior. #hellolovelystudio #cottagedesign #houseexterior #rivercottage #riverrock

(Above) Here’s the path to the front door.

As you can see, ours is a contemporary custom cottage built in the 90s.

Transforming a Fixer Upper

When we bought the home, it wasn’t visible from the street since it had long been vacant so mature woods and the weeds completely swallowed it up!

Serene French country cottage style bedroom with Stikwood Hamptons accent wall and white oak flooring. #hellolovelystudio #bedroomdecor #europeancountry #frenchcountry #frenchnordic #whitebedrooms #stikwood #hamptons #serenedecor

We saw the potential, and the front courtyard was one of our favorite features. To freshen it, we simply extracted the weeds, demo’d the eroded top of its stone walls, brought in wheelbarrows of pea gravel, and planted a few boxwood.

Wodsy exterior of our charming cottage sited on a hill with a front stone walled courtyard. #hellolovelystudio #cottageexterior #cozycottage

The interiors were another matter!

A forlorn kitchen and poorly functioning bathrooms were gutted, all sorts of faulty wiring and plumbing were remedied, a few windows and the roof were replaced, and we required new heating and cooling. In our hands, it essentially became a brand new house.

Our French country courtyard with bench and linen pillows - Hello Lovely Studio. #hellolovelystudio #frenchcourtyard #frenchcountry #frenchfarmhouse #outdoordecor #romanticgarden
Authentic European Grain Sack Pillow image 0
Vintage Grain Sack Pillow Cover from ReFindDecorCo on Etsy…and also FIND HERE.

What is living beautifully anyway?

While I have a passion for design and decor, what fuels my creativity is a love for home and ideas that inspire more beautiful living at home.

French farmhouse inspired courtyard with pea gravel, wood furniture, and vintage galvanized buckets. #hellolovelystudio #gardens #courtyards #frenchfarmhouse #peagravel #outdoorfurniture #outdoordecor

Oh, how I love home! The sights, the smells, and the comfort of a lovely nest.

Living beautifully at home is a topic near and dear to my heart.

Knotty alder front door with speakeasy opens to a pea gravel French inspired courtyard - Hello Lovely Studio. #hellolovelystudio #entry #courtyard #frenchcountry #frenchfarmhouse #europeancountry #interiordesign

A tour around our place reveals plenty of: white walls, Belgian linen, and unfussy European inspired modern country style. I was totally inspired by a design book before we got started at this home. Can you guess which one? I made this video with the answer:

Belgian linen upholstered chairs, white oak hardwood flooring, and a French fireplace in our European inspired country living room - Hello Lovely Studio. #hellolovelystudio #livingroom #interiordesign #europeancountry #frenchcountry #frenchfireplace #serenedecor

When Home is Sanctuary

Living beautifully at home is more profound for me than ever these days. Maybe you feel it too. Decades ago, before increased globalization and the internet and advanced satellites, home felt more like a private sanctuary.

White oak hardwood flooring and Belgian linen furniture in our European country inspired cottage with white walls and serene decor. #hellolovelystudio #livingroom #whiteoak #europeancountry #frenchfarmhouse #belgianlinen #benjaminmoorewhite
Agda Classic Elegant Traditional Upholstered Dining Chair
Louis Style Dining Chairs: FIND HERE
Jonesboro Outdoor Hanging Lantern
Similar lantern: HERE.

I am aware the sense of “lost security” I describe is a highly complex matter and frequently politicized. I’m not sure we are less safe within our four walls than we were in pre-internet days.

the hall to the kitchen has white oak hardwood flooring. #hellolovelystudio #interiordesign #whiteoakhardwood #benjaminmoorewhite #shakerkitchen #interiordesign #serenedecor

But before the world began to shrink and appear within our phones, life at home harbored a different sense of privacy,  protection, and distance from threats near and far.

Our shelters felt more like…well, shelter.

White Shaker cabinetry and apron front fireclay sink in my serene white kitchen with Viatera quartz (Minuet) and polished marble subway tile backsplash. #hellolovelystudio #kitchendesign #farmsink #shakerkitchen #whitekitchen #frenchcountry #subwaytile #serenekitchen

The Shelter of Home

Modern culture, innovation, technology and “advances” continue to alter the shape of our shelters. With cameras outside and inside our homes, boundaries between the personal and the public indeed have blurred.

Knotty alder interior door with bronze hardware opening to my closet with Victorian painted dresser. #hellolovelystudio #knottyalder #interiordoors #rusticdecor #frenchcountry #interiordesign

My own Millennial sons were relentless pediatric paparazzi as teens, whether they were capturing video of my Christmas Eve (private) dancing or their father’s snoring!

Shop my Home!

White Slipcovered Sofa
SHOP MY HOME!
29″ Whitewashed Table Lamp Set of 2
White Matelasse Quilt on MY BED
SHOP MY BATH!
Trees White Wallpaper Mural
Round Farmhouse Table
Myla Slipcover Sofa
Deconstructed Wingback Bed
French Farmhouse Dining Table
Milagro Heart
Rustic Farmhouse Stool
Edgecombe End Table
Parisian Style Iron Table Lamp  33.5″
Black or Bronze Accent Table
French Stripe Basket Set
White Cotton Crochet Bed Skirt
French Country Rattan Basket Set
Marble Subway Mosaic Tile
Rattan Basket With Lid
White Ruffle Bedding
Seagrass Basket Set
Schumacher Wild Things Wallpaper
Upholstered Dining Arm Chair
Shop My Breakfast Nook
White Matelasse Quilt
Tree Mural Wallpaper
Faux Potted French Lavender
Shaw Daybed
Distressed White French Country Chandelier
Antique Brass Floor Lamp
Helmsley Bronze Door Hardware
Oval Back Counter Stool, Set of 2
Antique Brass Pharmacy Floor Lamp
Kinston Wood Bench
Italian Candelabra Chandelier
Slipcovered Linen Chair
Warner Upholstered Bench
Laurel Wreath Mirror
San Jose Handleset for Front Door
Round Farmhouse Dining Table
Reclaimed Wood Dresser
Silver End Table
Louis Upholstered Bench
Pardon My French Doormat
Knotty Alder Interior Door
Stripe Turkish Towel Throw
Alabaster 30″ Lamp
Louis Ghost Chair
Sweater Weave Basket
French Carved Wood Chandelier
Terracotta Pots & Basket
French Linen Dining Chair
Beachy White Slipcovered Sofa
Diptyque Oyedo Candle
PARIS Framed Print
Cross Back Dining Chair
French Country Candle Holder
Tulip Style Modern Round Dining Table
French Industrial Metal Chairs (4)
Holborn Lantern Pendant
Tray Side Table
Wicker Trunk Set
French Ticking Stripe Pillow
Bridge Kitchen Faucet (Stainless)
Jute Area Rug
Rustic Industrial Farmhouse Shelves
Belgian Linen Sofa
Venetian Etched Mirror (24″ x 36″)
White Duvet & Bedding
Rustic Wood Candlestick Set
French Market Basket
Polished Carrara Subway Tile
French Country Farmhouse Baskets
Concrete Pillar Table Lamp
Belgian Style Lamp
Kendall Skirted Dining Chair
White Charleston Sofa
Round Woven Placemat Set
Cashmere Throw With Fringe
Antiqued Sunburst Mirror
Wreath Doormat
Fireclay Farm Sink (Reinhard, 30″)
White Waffle Coverlet
Light Grey Vienna Quilt
Boheme Madera Bench
Round Marble Side Table
Linen Slipcover Dining Chair
Wicker Patio Chair
Rattan Hanging Chair Swing
Encouraging quote on Hello Lovely Studio. #inspirationalquotes #quotes #encouragement #personalgrowth
French country bedroom with cottage style furniture and rustic white Stikwood (Hamptons) wood plank wall. #hellolovelystudio #frenchcountry #bedroomdecor #stikwood #hamptons #frenchfarmhouse #allwhite #interiordesign
Hello Lovely’s Rustic Romantic Bedroom with Stikwood and Knotty Alder Doors
Montauk Panel Bed
Rustic Wood Panel Bed: FIND HERE
S/2 Lambert Side Chairs, Bisque Linen
Slope arm linen chair, set of 2: FIND HERE

Internet Life is Strange

As a blogger, I welcome thousands of visitors, whose eyes I will never meet, into my home online daily. If I’m honest, it’s still strange. Social media means we’re often peering into strangers’ lives.

The thing is…it has all happened rather quickly.

Our master bedroom and bath have rustic knotty alder interior doors and liberal doses of French country. #hellolovelystudio #bedroomdecor #alderdoors #romanticdecor #rusticelegance

The shelter of home is different now as our four walls continue to grow more permeable.

Cultural shifts change our regard for HOME at conscious and subconscious levels. Perhaps, the changing shape of shelter explains my growing desire at 50-something to become even more intentional about living beautifully at home.

Serene white decor in breakfast nook with window seat and Belgian linen upholstery - Hello Lovely Studio. #kitchendecor #breakfastnook #windowseat #frenchfarmhouse #europeancountry #belgianlinen #frenchcountry #interiordesign
Slipcovered Chair: HERE
Rustic Round Dining Table
Rustic Round Dining Table: FIND HERE

Timeless and Tranquil

As these images reveal, my personal style embraces what I have always termed the timeless and the tranquil.

Knotty alder door and white oak hardwood in our French Nordic style bedroom with white and pale grey. #hellolovelystudio #bedroomdecor #knottyalder #europeancountry #whiteoak #romanticdecor

My spirit awakens with wonder in the presence of faded quiet hues, monochromatic color schemes, European inspired furniture, timeworn finishes, and elegant simplicity.

Viatera quartz countertop (Minuet) and fireclay farm sink in my serene white Shaker kitchen. #hellolovelystudio #viatera #whitequartz #minuet #quartzcontertop #farmsink #kitchendesign

Living beautifully at home: creates warmth for connections with those we love most while it nourishes the body and spirit.

It may even transform a structure into a sacred pocket of interior quietude. 

Window seat with European inspired pillows and Belgian linen slipcovered dining chairs in a breakfast area of a French country kitchen - Hello Lovely Studio. #frenchcountry #kitchendesign #breakfastroom #belgianlinen #windowseat #serenedecor

Beyond Pretty Decor

Living beautifully at home transcends decorating interiors with objects or art. For me, it involves gestures to create harmony, serenity, and balance so daily living is infused with more wonder and depth.

Modern life can quickly grow complicated, and when dark days come knocking with chaos, heartache, or illness, home can feel like a balm. Yet nature can claim that balm with fire and flood…which is why cultivating an inner landscape of home goodness matters so much.

Serene white French country and European inspired kitchen with window seat and Belgian linen accents. #hellolovelystudio #kitchendesign #serenedecor #kitchens #frenchcountry #frenchnordic #whitekitchens #romanticdecor

Imperfection & Wabi Sabi Are Welcome

Living beautifully at home is not dependent upon a perfectly curated suite of rooms or keenly organized cupboards and closets. Beautiful living is the fruit of a soul set free. It’s the comforting calm flowering when your personal space reflects the joys of your heart. 

Serene white Shaker kitchen with fireclay farm sink and vintage work cart. Viatera Minuet quartz on counters. #hellolovelystudio #kitchendesign #serenedecor #viatera #minuet #farmsink #reinhard

Ultimately, a lovely nest provides: a safe landing for relationships to thrive, a place to rest and recover, and a shelter to grow in wisdom and compassion.

Inspirational quote about giving: Give like the sun and the whole world grows tall. #hellolovelystudio #inspirationalquotes #personalgrowth #encouragement #generosity
Belgian linen club chair with industrial accent table in my European country living room with French fireplace. #hellolovelystudio #belgianlinen #livingroomdecor #europeancountry #belgianstyle #serenedecor #interiordesign

If you have a minute to share your own thoughts about beautiful living, please do add to the beauty…

Belgian linen arm chair and antique silver accent table in my bedroom with rustic alder door. #hellolovelystudio #belgianlinen #linenchair #slipcoveredchair #frenchcountry #belgianstyle #europeancountry

Video of Me at Home

Shop my Home!

White Slipcovered Sofa
SHOP MY HOME!
29″ Whitewashed Table Lamp Set of 2
White Matelasse Quilt on MY BED
SHOP MY BATH!
Trees White Wallpaper Mural
Round Farmhouse Table
Myla Slipcover Sofa
Deconstructed Wingback Bed
French Farmhouse Dining Table
Milagro Heart
Rustic Farmhouse Stool
Edgecombe End Table
Parisian Style Iron Table Lamp  33.5″
Black or Bronze Accent Table
French Stripe Basket Set
White Cotton Crochet Bed Skirt
French Country Rattan Basket Set
Marble Subway Mosaic Tile
Rattan Basket With Lid
White Ruffle Bedding
Seagrass Basket Set
Schumacher Wild Things Wallpaper
Upholstered Dining Arm Chair
Shop My Breakfast Nook
White Matelasse Quilt
Tree Mural Wallpaper
Faux Potted French Lavender
Shaw Daybed
Distressed White French Country Chandelier
Antique Brass Floor Lamp
Helmsley Bronze Door Hardware
Oval Back Counter Stool, Set of 2
Antique Brass Pharmacy Floor Lamp
Kinston Wood Bench
Italian Candelabra Chandelier
Slipcovered Linen Chair
Warner Upholstered Bench
Laurel Wreath Mirror
San Jose Handleset for Front Door
Round Farmhouse Dining Table
Reclaimed Wood Dresser
Silver End Table
Louis Upholstered Bench
Pardon My French Doormat
Knotty Alder Interior Door
Stripe Turkish Towel Throw
Alabaster 30″ Lamp
Louis Ghost Chair
Sweater Weave Basket
French Carved Wood Chandelier
Terracotta Pots & Basket
French Linen Dining Chair
Beachy White Slipcovered Sofa
Diptyque Oyedo Candle
PARIS Framed Print
Cross Back Dining Chair
French Country Candle Holder
Tulip Style Modern Round Dining Table
French Industrial Metal Chairs (4)
Holborn Lantern Pendant
Tray Side Table
Wicker Trunk Set
French Ticking Stripe Pillow
Bridge Kitchen Faucet (Stainless)
Jute Area Rug
Rustic Industrial Farmhouse Shelves
Belgian Linen Sofa
Venetian Etched Mirror (24″ x 36″)
White Duvet & Bedding
Rustic Wood Candlestick Set
French Market Basket
Polished Carrara Subway Tile
French Country Farmhouse Baskets
Concrete Pillar Table Lamp
Belgian Style Lamp
Kendall Skirted Dining Chair
White Charleston Sofa
Round Woven Placemat Set
Cashmere Throw With Fringe
Antiqued Sunburst Mirror
Wreath Doormat
Fireclay Farm Sink (Reinhard, 30″)
White Waffle Coverlet
Light Grey Vienna Quilt
Boheme Madera Bench
Round Marble Side Table
Linen Slipcover Dining Chair
Wicker Patio Chair
Rattan Hanging Chair Swing

Wishes for You

My heart is often tender and overflowing, and I occasionally get brave enough to allow the wonder and wishes to overflow a little bit right here.

Charming French country inspired garden with pea gravel and boxwood. #hellolovelystudio #gardendecor #frenchfarmhouse #frenchcourtyard #peagravel #outdoordecor

I wish you the blessing of beautiful living in the shelter you call home.

Serene white French country bathroom with vintage clawfoot tub and calacatta look porcelain tile. #hellolovelystudio #whitebathrooms #bathroomdesign #frenchcountry #clawfoottub

I wish you sweetness, this very moment, to counter any bitterness within your being.

Michele of Hello Lovely using an HP Elitebook.
Hello Lovely Studio

I wish you heartfulness to soften the beautiful edges of your soul.

Michele of Hello Lovely Studio in living room with Antique Belgian sideboard and abstract painting. #hellolovelystudio #livingroom #europeancountry #interiordesign

I wish you loving kindness, lavishly overflowing from hidden wholeness within and…

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.

Thanks for shopping RIGHT HERE to keep decor inspiration flowing on Hello Lovely!

Hello Lovely is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

White Slipcovered Sofa
SHOP MY HOME!
29″ Whitewashed Table Lamp Set of 2
White Matelasse Quilt on MY BED
SHOP MY BATH!
Trees White Wallpaper Mural
Round Farmhouse Table
Myla Slipcover Sofa
Deconstructed Wingback Bed
French Farmhouse Dining Table
Milagro Heart
Slipcovered Dining Chair
Rustic Farmhouse Stool
Edgecombe End Table
Parisian Style Iron Table Lamp  33.5″
Black or Bronze Accent Table
French Stripe Basket Set
White Cotton Crochet Bed Skirt
French Country Rattan Basket Set
Marble Subway Mosaic Tile
Rattan Basket With Lid
White Ruffle Bedding
Seagrass Basket Set
Schumacher Wild Things Wallpaper
Slipcovered Sofa
Upholstered Dining Arm Chair
Shop My Breakfast Nook
White Matelasse Quilt
Tree Mural Wallpaper
Faux Potted French Lavender
Shaw Daybed
Distressed White French Country Chandelier
French Country Headboard
Oval Back Counter Stool, Set of 2
Antique Brass Pharmacy Floor Lamp
Round French Tufted Ottoman
Kinston Wood Bench
Italian Candelabra Chandelier
Slipcovered Linen Chair
Warner Upholstered Bench
Rustic Country French Dresser
Laurel Wreath Mirror
Round Farmhouse Dining Table
Reclaimed Wood Dresser
Louis Upholstered Bench
Pardon My French Doormat
Stripe Turkish Towel Throw
Pamela Arm Chair
Sweater Weave Basket
French Carved Wood Chandelier
Terracotta Pots & Basket
French Country Wood Chandelier
French Linen Dining Chair
Gustavian Cabinet
French Farmhouse Dining Table
Bar Stool
Beachy White Slipcovered Sofa
Rattan Armchair
Diptyque Oyedo Candle
Cross Back Dining Chair
French Country Candle Holder
French Industrial Metal Chairs (4)
Designer Favorite Wall Mirror
Holborn Lantern Pendant
French Country 6-Light Chandelier
Tray Side Table
French Country Upholstered Arm Chair
Wicker Trunk Set
French Ticking Stripe Pillow
Jute Area Rug
Mohair Throw
Rustic Industrial Farmhouse Shelves
Belgian Linen Sofa
White Duvet & Bedding
Rustic Wood Candlestick Set
French Market Basket
Linen Modern Wing Chair
French Country Farmhouse Baskets
Concrete Pillar Table Lamp
Boheme Madera Bench
Belgian Style Lamp
Kendall Skirted Dining Chair
White Charleston Sofa
Scrubbed Wood 5-Light Chandelier
Arched Champagne Wall Mirror
Moravian Star 1-Light Pendant
Highback Armchair
Mini Pendant Light
White Vase Set
Round Woven Placemat Set
Cashmere Throw With Fringe
Wreath Doormat
Fireclay Farm Sink (Reinhard, 30″)
White Waffle Coverlet
Light Grey Vienna Quilt
Boheme Madera Bench
Belgian Linen Duvet Set
Round Marble Side Table
Rustic Pedestal Farm Table
Rattan Hanging Chair Swing
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60 Comments

  1. February 13, 2018 / 1:37 am

    All that sunshine streaming in is marvelous, and just makes the white interiors all the more luminous. You have a lovely home. There’s a fine balance between uncluttered and austere, and you land on the right side of it. Cozy yet airy and uncluttered is not an easy thing to pull off.

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 12:50 pm

      Thank you so much for the encouragement. I find it’s often challenging to capture the airy vibe with pictures…which keeps me shy about posting too often. Off to catch up on your fantastic site. 🙂

  2. February 13, 2018 / 5:52 am

    Such a beautiful way to start the day with this post. A constant and true reminder of all things “home” that make each of us a viable piece of goodness in the universe. Your home befits your heart and gives pause to take in all we have around us everyday. Big or small, heavily decorated or minimally styled, home is the haven for family, friends, and life.

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 12:38 pm

      So happy and grateful you are in the world, Joan. What a light you are. xox

  3. Sue
    February 13, 2018 / 6:38 am

    Found your beautiful site.
    Was thinking of getting stikwood for my dining room. Are you happy with yours and would you recommend it?
    Thank you for bringing me joy as I do get that when I read your blog
    Suzanne

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 12:38 pm

      Hi Suzanne. I love the Stikwood (Hamptons) in our bedroom. It was the perfect solution for our ugly wall since it is so subtle and was so easy for us to install. As for your dining room, feel free to email a photo if you like if you care to have an opinion. It is a very rustic look — much more rustic than a traditional shiplap or wainscot. Hope this helps.

  4. Alice Genzlinger
    February 13, 2018 / 6:47 am

    Sweet! I don’t live in a white home, rather I love soft color. Green, yellow, pink and blue. I love mood lighting, a fire in the fireplace, clean smells and a clean home. I love getting up early, 5 a m and awaking the house. Sometime I will bake filling the house with smells of cinnamon and cloves. The quite of the hour gives me time to hear what Gid has to say to me. Sometimes He wakes me with music and it will continue with song most of the day, and I love that. My husband is retired now and so am I, but when he worked, he was gone much of the time. He would call from which ever country he was in and his first words were “What are you doing, playing in your house?” Exactly! I don’t work in our home, I play to make it a special place to land for us. Love that you share your heart with us.

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 12:31 pm

      What a gift your words are, Alice. You have painted a lovely picture of living beautifully at home where any house ‘work’ can become ‘play.’ I will be marinading in these thoughts today since that is a powerful, gamechanging idea. I can also sense harmony the layers of your home bring to the melody God provides. I too come alive in quiet and stillness where God’s voice comes forward with beauty. Is there anything else like it? I don’t think so. Thank you for adding so much beauty to this space with your reflections and heartful sentiments. What a blessing you are. xox

  5. Suzanne Doin
    February 13, 2018 / 7:59 am

    Thank you for sharing your beautiful home! It’s lovely,and I feel just as you regarding the place that home has in our life. I always wake early and this morning, I just felt so fortunate to look outside and inside and cherish our home. We all know as we grow older that we may not be in our home as we have over so many years and I am becoming so aware of living in the moment, right here, right now and feeling very the precious gift of life.
    Peace to you Michele! I open your page every morning and look forward to reading your honest and open feelings on life and decorating!!!

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 12:25 pm

      Thank you for being here as a companion with me on the journey, Suzanne. Your words of gratitude have added beauty to this space and lifted my heart this afternoon. Being fully present is where all the fruit is! xox

  6. Alice Genzlinger
    February 13, 2018 / 8:14 am

    Make that “What God has to say to me”

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 12:23 pm

      🙂

  7. Chantal Lacasse
    February 13, 2018 / 8:24 am

    Good morning Michele,

    Beautifully said, and I couldn’t agree more. I am from Canada and we also moved a year ago to a new town for my husband’s work. We embarked on a major overall renovation project similar to yours…. Everything was changed and it was a stressful time, coupled with living in a town where I knew no one… This past fall, when the renovations were coming to an end, my husband fell sick and within a week, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at age 50. This news shattered my world and I was broken deep down to my soul. What I managed to do, under stressful circumstances was to make this house our home as quickly as possible so that my husband could find peace and comfort during his treatments. This house, it didn’t feel like home because we were too busy with renovations to bring out its soul. Therefore, I focused on bringing mementos, art, texture quickly and it made such a difference in providing a sanctuary for my family. I focused on all our senses, sight, sound, smell and touch… Now, even though we are faced with a difficult challenge and we don’t know what the future holds for us, I rejoice that I could at least provide a beautiful, comfortable and safe home where he can rest and heal. Thank you for sharing what home means to you…

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 12:23 pm

      What an inspiring glimpse of your personal life, Chantal. I honor you and your husband and hope his journey will be full of light. To respond to heartaches and setbacks with beauty and hidden reserves of strength as you have done is encouraging and uplifting. Thank you for sharing this very poignant portrait of what living beautifully at home looks like. It truly looks beautiful to my eyes, and I’m grateful you are here in this peaceful space. xox

  8. Tracy
    February 13, 2018 / 8:58 am

    Oh Michelle I love all your posts and creative writing. Your blog is one of my simplest pleasures to each morning. Peace from Houston.

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 12:17 pm

      Music to my ears, Tracy. So happy you’re here and so grateful for the peace you send. xox

  9. February 13, 2018 / 10:33 am

    It is very beautiful
    I wish the best for you.
    In my opinion, white is the best color for decoration.

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 12:16 pm

      Thank you for the wishes and for reading. 🙂

  10. February 13, 2018 / 10:43 am

    Thank you for glimpse of the serene beauty of your home! I’m one of those who readers who truly appreciates the blogger who will share her own world with us. Hope you have a lovley Valentine week?

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 12:15 pm

      I appreciate your feedback, Pat. I’ll try to share more of my world even when the work feels less than blogworthy. Happy Valentine’s, friend. 🙂

  11. February 13, 2018 / 11:12 am

    I share your passion for home, a comforting, beautiful surround where you really live. Happy to come upon your blog. I like seeing a mix of things writers find inspiring (from magazines, outside sources) and how they really live or incorporate these ideas. I don’t like it when people just re-post other homes all of the time. It looks like you have a nice balance.

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 12:14 pm

      Thanks for the kind words, Emily. I am an avid reader of all the shelter magazines and can’t help but be richly inspired. Peace to you. 🙂

  12. Sandy
    February 13, 2018 / 11:14 am

    So beautifully written Michele! And your home is simply lovely!

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 12:12 pm

      I’m so happy to share it with you, Sandy. Thanks for reading and brightening my afternoon. xox

  13. Anonymous, Therese
    February 13, 2018 / 11:55 am

    Hello Michele:

    Thank you for another beautiful post :). You took me back in time, to Illinois. (Rockford, and Wayne Illinois).

    There is a calm and peaceful feeling when you are surrounded by beauty, in whatever form that may take. I live on a farm, so part of that beauty is being able to see the land and the animals too!

    I enjoy your blog because of the strong current of peacefulness that flows from it ;). Really. You are inspiring because you live with purpose. I have always admired “purpose” and believe it to be a good thing to strive for.

    Thanks for the work you share for us. TEW

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 12:11 pm

      Oh, thank you so much for this encouragement and for sensing the current I truly want to emit. I’m grateful you’re here and appreciate all this light you send. xox

  14. Karen
    February 13, 2018 / 7:02 pm

    You so often speak to my heart and that brings me beauty. I try to look for beauty every day because that brings peacefulness. Thank you Michelle for adding loveliness to my life.

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 7:23 pm

      Oh, Karen, you honor me, friend. It’s beauty that can save the world. xox

  15. Karol
    February 13, 2018 / 10:40 pm

    Perfection!

    • michele
      Author
      February 13, 2018 / 10:52 pm

      Merci, Karol. xox

  16. February 14, 2018 / 10:02 am

    Thank you for my daily does of sweetness and beauty. I especially love the quote about patience with ourselves – nothing blooms all year. We too live in the Chicago area and someone told me the recent snow storm was the 9th worst in Chicago recorded history! Just think how nice all that moisture will be on the bulbs and buds very soon.

    • michele
      Author
      February 14, 2018 / 12:18 pm

      Hi Linda! You are so welcome. That is a very positive attitude about the moisture, and I am soaking it right up. Happy Love Day, friend. 🙂

  17. DL
    February 19, 2018 / 4:43 pm

    Hello,
    My name is Denise. I would like to know where you got that white egg chair, please?

    • michele
      Author
      February 19, 2018 / 7:01 pm

      Hi Denise. It’s a Copenhagen chair from RH. 🙂

  18. Blaise
    July 29, 2018 / 2:51 pm

    Your home is lovely! Thank you for the tour and all your wonderful tips and insights. I stumbled upon your blog on the hunt for the perfect white paint and have enjoyed so many of your other posts. I love your lantern above your breakfast/dining table, would you mind sharing where you purchased it?

    Thanks!

    • michele
      Author
      July 29, 2018 / 8:49 pm

      So glad you found me. I found the lantern at Lowe’s years ago, and I don’t think it is offered anymore. It is an outdoor light similar to this one: http://shrsl.com/12yqc. Hope this helps, and thanks for reading. 🙂

  19. meg bush
    August 27, 2020 / 6:09 am

    What a lovely post. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. How our culture has change. The acceptance and almost welcoming the lack of privacy. The world where crass statements on social media have become ok. I look at homes for a living. I am seeing an enormous change. More nurturing spaces. They are more calming in the designs. I know that’s popular but they seem to be hanging on this idea like there is no tomorrow! I have started to grasp the magic where ever I find it. Yesterday I pulled into a gas station. Was filling the car when I heard this amazing song. It was a traditional spiritual. I couldn’t believe that Walmart would play an Christian radio. I turned around. It was a young woman changing the liners in the garbage cans! Singing What a voice. The irony was not lost on me. I spoke to her and thanked her for that gift. Your blog was my gift for today. Thank you !

    • Michele
      Author
      August 27, 2020 / 8:23 pm

      Oh what beauty and blessing you experienced! I can sense the magic in your lovely words. Thank you for adding to the beauty here. My heart is full. Thank you.

  20. Amy
    August 27, 2020 / 9:01 am

    This post reminds me why I love your blog & am so thankful I discovered it! You have so much wisdom to share …both about decor and life, and I always enjoy soaking it all in. Any day I’m able to read it, I glean so much that adds both joy & beauty to my day. Thanks, Michele!

    • Michele
      Author
      August 27, 2020 / 8:21 pm

      Amy, thank you. Today has been…well, it has been a day. Thank you for the ongoing friendship and your heart. It’s time for me to write more about life lately because who knows? Maybe sharing some of my story while in the throes will somehow bring blessing. Peace to you. xox

  21. Robin
    August 27, 2020 / 10:12 am

    It brings me peace just looking at your home through your beautiful pictures. I am truly a homebody and I appreciate your thoughts on making our homes a sanctuary, no matter what type of home we may have. I live in San Diego in a typical little cookie cutter stucco house that most Southern Californians have. It is a challenge to create a rustic European feel without renovations.
    What fun it would be to have you walk through my home and make suggestions! 😊 But since I can’t clone you, I will settle for your wonderful blog!🤣I love your home and I am so inspired by it, and your lovely thoughts that you post. Thank you!!!!

    • Michele
      Author
      August 27, 2020 / 8:14 pm

      I’m so thankful to have you here! Oh, I love San Diego, and part of the reason I want to retire in Arizona is to be in driving distance…so let’s do that walk thru someday! Can you believe we had no competition at all for this home when it was for sale? It was sooooo forlorn and neglected by so many renters. It simply needed someone to listen to it and take an understated approach to reveal hidden potential. It is still very humble yet at this very moment, it is helping us as we heal. xox

  22. Kristin
    August 27, 2020 / 12:09 pm

    BEAUTIFUL post as always….

    • Michele
      Author
      August 27, 2020 / 8:08 pm

      Thank you for taking time here – so grateful to have the company.

  23. Suzie
    August 27, 2020 / 4:48 pm

    Your beautiful home and spirit is a welcome respite in this crazy world. Thank you for
    sharing. I would love to transform my home with lots of soft white shades and no clutter.
    I have learned that excess stuff steals a soul and Jesus saves a soul. Praying that you and your
    son are still on the mend.

    • Michele
      Author
      August 27, 2020 / 8:06 pm

      Thank you for lifting me with those loving words. Things are still hard here. I want to write about the experience, yet it’s tricky since we’re in the throes. Each day comes with its own surprises and trials. On the one hand, I think nothing could have ever prepared us but when I adjust my lens, I think maybe every trial actually has. Because when we can glance back and see the presence of the divine touching us, dwelling with us, waiting with us in the pain, then we can remember how we are being refined. How we can keep growing in love as His higher purposes enfold. Please keep praying. xox

  24. Ann
    April 17, 2021 / 3:22 pm

    Absolutely GORGEOUS! Do you have a post where you mention your wall paint colors and kitchen cabinet colors? Did you use the Sand color?

    • Michele
      Author
      April 18, 2021 / 11:12 am

      Thanks so much. Go here to see more of our home: https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/?s=my+home The white paint color throughout is Benjamin Moore White. It is the white base they use to mix other whites so it has minimal undertones and is very bright and cool. We needed this cool white with intense yellow sunlight streaming though mostly unadorned windows. Flat for walls and ceilings, semigloss for trim. One color makes life easier! The kitchen cabinets are White Icing finish from Schuler and closest in color to BM White Dove – they are an off-white but not yellowy. Benjamin Moore White Sand is what I painted most of the walls in our prior French country large house – just calm, warm, and beautiful with BM Dove White painted woodwork and doors.

      • Ann
        April 21, 2021 / 11:26 am

        Thank You, Michele. Do you think B.M.’s Swiss Coffee or SW Alabaster at 50% have a place in French Country style? I got a sample of White Sand and placed in the West facing rooms, it looked quite beige/tan and in South it looked too yellow for my liking. White dove in the East on cabinet (kitchen) looked a little too gray…are there any whites that are slightly warm- not cold, but without the greige, tan, yellow undertones that all work nicely together? ..my goodness, never really knew that light plays a big factor in all of this. Confused more than ever now.

        • Michele
          Author
          April 21, 2021 / 3:53 pm

          I do like both Swiss Coffee and SW Alabaster. To see Alabaster throughout a French inspired home, go here: https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/2020/06/romantic-pastel-interiors-french-country.html I’m also wondering if BM Linen White might work with your light – a friend who lives nearby has used this color in her gorgeous French country home which has a very traditional feel. I hear you about those yellow undertones though – they can definitely be an issue when the light is strong. I wonder if a drop of pink in the White Dove could warm it from going grey?

  25. Ann
    April 22, 2021 / 11:49 am

    Thanks, Michelle! I actually had Linen White in my previous house – in a room with high ceilings which had 3 walls full of windows -lots of light – the color looked like a dirty yellow ( like a smoker had lived in that room for years). What do you think of BM’s Acadia White OC38 (aka Ivory white) – have you worked with that paint color before? I love your idea of adding a drop of pink to Dove white – you are Brilliant!

    • Ann
      April 22, 2021 / 11:51 am

      OH DEAR! Sorry, added one too many L’s in your name! So SORRY, Michele!

      • Michele
        Author
        April 22, 2021 / 2:26 pm

        hahahaha – never bothers me! 🙂

    • Michele
      Author
      April 22, 2021 / 2:29 pm

      You are an experienced color expert, and I should be asking you questions about whites!!! Hahaha – experience with different whites certainly narrows down the players! I haven’t used Acadia White but since it resembles a muted version of White Sand, I think it is a worthy contender.

  26. Deborah Baber
    September 2, 2021 / 7:35 am

    Thank you from Ontario, Canada. Beautiful and inspiring… your home and perspective. God bless you, your gifts and your ministry.

    • Michele
      Author
      September 2, 2021 / 2:28 pm

      You’ve added to the beauty, friend. Just like that the air is charged with more love and hope Thank you. xox

  27. Cheryl Swarthout
    September 2, 2021 / 11:37 am

    Lovely reflections about making a home today, Michele. We are just finishing up a year-long major addition and renovation of our home on a woodsy lot in Northern Michigan. It has been a stressful time, and we also suffered an unexpected personal tragedy with the death of our son right in the midst of it all. There have been days when it all felt just too overwhelming, but now that we are at the point where it is all coming together, I often feel gratitude and a renewed motivation to make our space the healing, comforting home that you talk about so eloquently. Thank you for helping me to focus my thoughts in this direction. Best regards, Cheryl

    • Michele
      Author
      September 2, 2021 / 2:27 pm

      Cheryl, my heart is with yours today. Thank you for sharing so vulnerably and adding beauty to this place. Thinking about the power of restoration, renovation, and even resurrection of interiors figurative and literal. Surely the purity of the energy we allow to move through us is healing, yes? Because your gratitude and lovely energy right here is changing something within me this moment. Blessings be on you and yours. May love and grace be lavished upon you. May the shelter supporting you feed your spirit and mind. xox

  28. Mary Troy Ferguson
    April 17, 2023 / 8:34 pm

    Lovely home! Can you share your exterior paint color

    • Michele
      Author
      April 18, 2023 / 12:07 pm

      Hi there! It’s a custom color that is very similar to a 50/50 mix of Farrow & Ball Cornforth White and Hardwick White. I hope this helps. 🙂

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