On the cusp of Love Day, we’re ushering in Inspiring Love Quotes & Serene Design Inspiration to please. What is keeping your heart hopeful these days? For me, it is not that earth shattering. Just unplugging from modern life, connecting with nature, and remembering why we’re here. Ya know? Creating beauty and aligning with love keep me hopeful, yet I don’t rely on the humans around me to love me perfectly. I can’t expect my relationships to service me or supply me with romantic fairy dust to “feel” loved. Love is too precious and sacred for scorekeeping. (Dang, I’m going deep before you’ve sipped your first sip!) Let’s tenderly turn toward timeless design inspiration, wishes for peace, encouraging love quotes, and a little unexpected.
![Charming modern farmhouse sink bay in a kitchen with rustic wood ceiling and design by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. #modernfarmhousekitchen #farmsink #serenedecor](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-kitchen-farm-sink.jpg)
Inspiring Love Quotes & Serene Design Inspiration
The exquisite kitchen bay moment (above) in a timeless kitchen by Kate Marker Interiors continues to work magic and have its way with me. (And not just because it includes a farm sink and the very same Kohler Parq bridge faucet I chose for my own kitchen!).
Psst. Check out the pocket on these sweats!
Kate Marker’s Grey Oak Project
This glorious home located in Barrington, IL, is on a lovely street familiar to me since our close friends lived on Grove for years. (In fact, I met the designer Kate and chatted with her at a party hosted by mutual friends.)
Kate moved away from this serene white modern farmhouse with limed-wash brick exterior (and it only looks charmingly historic!). It was actually built in 2016.
![Charming and romantic modern farmhouse exterior facade with lime washed brick, rustic natural wood shutters, and light grey front door. Interiors by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. #houseexterior #housedesign #modernfarmhouse #whitebrick #curbappeal #greyfrontdoor](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-pastel-exterior-1440x960.jpg)
Kate Marker Interiors – Photography by Stoffer Photography
Inspirational Words of Hope
Not sure if this feels true to you, but it sure resonates for me:
![Elizabeth Gilbert inspirational quote. #elizabethgilbert #quotes #inspirationalquotes](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/elizabeth-gilbert-quote-hello-lovely-studio-strange-jewels-big-magic.jpg)
It seems to me we have to get quiet enough, still enough to listen and allow the shimmering to shimmer.
![Beautiful Kate Marker powder room with Fornasetti Nuvolette wallpaper. #cloudwallpaper #fornasetti #katemarker](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-CLOUD-WALLPAPER.jpg)
White Brick Modern Farmhouse Exterior
I’ll soon be moving into a red brick house that is not white like Kate’s former home and have no plans to paint it. But isn’t it curious what happens to the calm when brick goes pale?
![Gorgeous white brick house exterior with natural wood shutters and light blue grey door - Kate Marker Interiors (Grey Oak project in Barrington, IL).](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-pastel-exterior-shutters.jpg)
Such a calming effect (and what a gift to passersby!).
![Walt Whitman love quote romance - Hello Lovely Studio. #lovequotes #waltwhitman #relationshipquotes](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/walt-whitman-quote-love-we-were-together-hello-lovely-studio.jpg)
Expanses of Snowy White in a Lofty Traditional Home
Can you even imagine the change in mood were this white paint color to change to something saturated?
![Magnificent staircase and archways in a beautiful modern farmhouse with interior design by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. Come enjoy encouraging love quotes and timeless decor inspiration! #modernfarmhouse #staircase #interiordesign](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-staircase.jpg)
I love the happy pop of bright cheerful blue, drawing you to it!
Inspiring Love Quotes
Oh, this quote by Anne Lamott! If ever you have read the author’s tales of parenthood, told with such courage and grit, then you have been changed by this wild woman struggling to hear the voice of Love.
![Anne Lamott inspirational quote about being a parent on Hello Lovely Studio.](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/inspirational-quote-for-new-year-hello-lovely-studio-places-in-the-heart-love-exist-child-anne-lamott.jpg)
Kate Marker Knows Her Way Around Pretty
I’m rambling and awfully random today so please forgive!
As I collect ideas for our master bath renovation, I’m on the lookout for MOOD. I suppose it’s what I’m looking for when it comes to all interiors. How can I infuse a sense of tranquility into the space that will enhance daily living, daily tasks, daily loving…every single day?
![Serene and lovely double vanity in a beautiful bath by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. Come enjoy encouraging love quotes and timeless decor inspiration! #bathroomdesign #serenedecor #bathroomvanity](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-pastel-bathroom.jpg)
The color story is often where I start.
![Emily Bronte inspirational love quote. #lovequotes #emilybronte #romancequote](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/inspirational-quote-hello-lovely-studio-emily-bronte-whatever-our-souls.jpg)
And I’m drawn to those colors that aren’t too warm or too cold. They are more mysterious and fluid in that way, interacting with light throughout the day.
Moody Blue Moment in a Modern Study
Would I get tired of a deeply saturated teal like this?
![Rich and moody blue walls in an office/study with design by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. Come enjoy encouraging love quotes and timeless decor inspiration! #modernfarmhouse #bluewalls #office](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-office.jpg)
Probably. We haven’t lived with that depth of color since 1987 when I couldn’t get enough teal in my life!
![Inspirational love quote on Hello Lovely Studio from Fitzgerald about intimacy. #inspirationalquote #lovequote #fitzgerald #intimacy #quotes](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/inspirational-quote-love-hello-lovely-studio-INTIMACY-FITZGERALD-benjamin-moore-smoke-blue.jpg)
“THEY SLIPPED BRISKLY INTO AN INTIMACY FROM WHICH THEY NEVER RECOVERED.” (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
Rustic Greyed Oak Farmhouse Accents
The light toned woods in this home are so gentle and whispery. And so are the delicate drapery rods!
![Beautiful and simple white fireplace in a modern farmhouse living room with design by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. Come enjoy encouraging love quotes and timeless decor inspiration! #modernfarmhouse #livingroom #fireplace](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-living-room.jpg)
All that delicacy meets the ruggedness of farmhouse wood ceiling beams and mantle. After living with a measure of rusticity for the past seven years, the new house has less.
![Biblical quote, love quote from Song of Songs 8:6 on Hello Lovely Studio. #lovescripture #scripturequote #lovequotes](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/song-of-songs-8-6-hello-lovely-studio-seal-on-heart.jpg)
“PLACE ME LIKE A SEAL OVER YOUR HEART, LIKE A SEAL ON YOUR ARM; FOR LOVE IS AS STRONG AS DEATH, ITS JEALOUSY UNYIELDING AS THE GRAVE.” (Song of Songs 8:6)
Soft & Serene Pastels Feel Like a Hug
I know of no easier method of calming down a piece of furniture or fireplace then to open a can of paint.
![White and bright modern farmhouse living room with spindle chair and design by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. #modernfarmhouse #livingroom #serenedecor](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-living-room-2.jpg)
Even the floors look as if they may have been kissed by white paint…
![Jane Austen love quote about soul and romantic love - Hello Lovely Studio. #janeausten #lovequotes #valentinesdayquote](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/JANE-AUSTEN-QUOTE-LOVE-HEART-SOUL-HELLO-LOVELY-STUDIO.jpg)
“I HAVE LOVED NONE BUT YOU.” (Jane Austen)
Pale & Lovely White Kitchen With Oak
And can we talk about how the use of black adds punctuation, magnification, and clarification?
![Greyed finish on wood range hood and ceiling beams, black trimmed doors, and serene decor in a kitchen by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. #kitchendesign #modernfarmhouse #greyoak #woodbeams](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-kitchen.jpg)
When you outline something in black, you are stopping the eye or inviting the eye through it.
![Love scripture from Corinthians 13 - Hello Lovely Studio. #biblequote #valentinesday #lovequotes](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/corinthians-13-quote-love-hello-lovely-studio.jpg)
“LOVE IS PATIENT – LOVE IS KIND – IT DOES NOT ENVY. IT DOES NOT BOAST. IT IS NOT PROUD.” (1 Corinthians 13:4)
Breathtaking Sink Bay in a Timeless Kitchen
About this bay…
![Charming modern farmhouse sink bay in a kitchen with rustic wood ceiling and design by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. #modernfarmhousekitchen #farmsink #serenedecor](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-kitchen-farm-sink.jpg)
Do you suppose it’s the stuff years of memories are made of? Because I can only imagine the wonders of nature outside these windows.
![Psalm 73 scripture bible quote about health failing - Hello Lovely Studio. #psalm73 #christianityquote #strengthquotes](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/psalm-73-health-may-fail-scripture-bible-quote-hello-lovely-studio.jpg)
“MY HEALTH MAY FAIL, AND MY SPIRIT MAY GROW WEAK, BUT GOD REMAINS THE STRENGTH OF MY HEART. HE IS MINE FOREVER.” (Psalm 73:26)
Architectural Interest in a Hall
I love what I’m seeing at the top of the stairs! Those louvered arched doors are calling my name!
![Archways and reclaimed materials come together in a beautiful hall within a home by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. #interiordesign #archway #serenedecor](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-hallway.jpg)
Why on earth do we think we must stick with one door style through an entire home? Ever seen what the Giannettis opted to do with their collected vintage doors?
![Uplifting and inspirational quote by Lord Byron - If joy you win, you must share it - Hello Lovely Studio. #lordbyron #inspirationalquotes #joyquotes #christmasquotes](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/christmas-quote-holiday-inspirational-quote-hello-lovely-studio-lord-byron-if-joy-you-win.jpg)
“IF JOY YOU WIN, YOU MUST SHARE IT. FOR HAPPINESS WAS BORN A TWIN.” (Lord Byron)
Shiplap, Dutch Door, and Suspended Shelves
Not sure I’ll be able to add a custom Dutch door to the new home even though it’s the dreamiest, but here’s another vote for painting your doors a beautiful color to contrast with walls.
![Serene and enchanting, a light grey painted Dutch door opens into a welcoming home with interior design by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. #interiordesign #dutchdoor #serenedecor](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-grey-dutch-door.jpg)
And light grey-blue just loves gold toned hardware, yes?
![Carl Jung quote about transformation. #quotes #carljung #lovequote #transformation](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/inspirational-quote-hello-lovely-studio-carl-jung-both-transformed.jpg)
Handsome & Sophisticated Powder Bath
A powder room is often a smart place to experiment with color or a trend so I highly recommend allowing your imagination to run wild.
![A moody deep dark green paint covers shiplap clad walls in a powder bath with farm sink by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. Come enjoy encouraging love quotes and timeless decor inspiration! #interiordesign #bathroomdesign #shiplap #greenpaint #darkgreen](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-green-bath.jpg)
Who cares if the space does not relate to a single thing in the rest of your home? The design police will not show up, I promise.
![Blessing quote on Hello Lovely Studio. #blessingquote #wordsofblessing #kindnessquotes](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/today-will-never-come-again-heart-quote-hello-lovely-studio-blessing.jpg)
Whisper Soft Palette
These lantern pendants also pull at my heartstrings.
![Serene entry with pale grey doors and wood rafters in a lovely home by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. Come enjoy encouraging love quotes and timeless decor inspiration!#interiordesign #entry #greydoors #serenedecor](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-entry.jpg)
There is something so unconventional about creating a whispery entrance as opposed to a grand, over the top, fanfare one.
![EE Cummings inspirational quote and love quote. #quotes #eecummings #lovequote #romanticquote](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/inspirational-quote-hello-lovely-studio-ee-cummings-yours-is-the-light.jpg)
Tone on Tone Interior Bliss
![Say hello to lovely interior design by Kate Marker with her grey oak project in Barrington, IL. Come enjoy encouraging love quotes and timeless decor inspiration! #interiordesign #diningroom #serenedecor #whitedecor](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-grove-dining-room.jpg)
![Pablo Neruda romantic love quote about a kiss. #pabloneruda #lovequotes #romancequote](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/inspirational-love-quote-hello-lovely-studio-pablo-neruda-in-one-kiss.jpg)
Hello Lovely Curb Appeal
And now I must return to my glamorous daily life of moving and clean-up. As we empty our former fixer upper of all the trappings, I have been awed by the calm which can only come as old energies are removed. How will I keep this going as we make a new house into a home? And how can I create systems of organization, smart function, and lovely design so that the mood I have absorbed from inspiration here can reign?
![Light grey doors, rustic wood shutters, and white brick on this modern farmhouse exterior work harmoniously - design by Kate Marker in Barrington, IL. Come enjoy encouraging love quotes and timeless decor inspiration! #modernfarmhouse #houseexterior #whitebrick #greydrontdoor](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/kate-marker-grey-oak-barrington-house-1011-grove-white-brick-grey-doors.jpg)
One
step
at
a
time.
![Thoreau quote about simplicity. #wisdomquote #thoreauquotes](https://www.hellolovelystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/WISDOM-QUOTE-THOREAU-RICH-WANTS-FEW-HELLO-LOVELY-STUDIO.jpg)
What a lovely home, breathing with inspiration! Do visit Kate Marker Interiors on IG to follow her journey which keeps getting richer as her family calls a new space home.
Unforgettable Discussion of Beauty & Love
Treat yourself to this interview which I have never forgotten since I heard it more than 10 years ago. And to read more from the late John O’Donohue, there’s THIS.
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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Beautiful
Author
Thanks so much for reading! 🙂
lovely deco
Author
Thanks so much for reading.
What are the exterior paint colors (brick, doors?) and kitchen cabinet color?
Author
Not sure the designer shared them, but it looks reminiscent of Benjamin Moore Simply White and Boothbay Gray for door.
Thank you for your post. Your quotes never fail to move me , always so beautiful.
Author
So happy to hear. I’m always hunting for more so do share any favorites you find as I’d love to create new graphics. 🙂
Such a lovely post. Thank you.
Author
Thanks for reading! Hope you’re having a lovely weekend, Carol.