Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Mary Carol Garrity Fall Home Tour, Part 2


Welcome back for part two of last weekend's fall tour of Mary Carol Garrity's beautiful home in Atchison, Kansas.  You can see part 1 here, which featured the interior.

Today, we're going to visit the garden, beginning with the screened in porch.


I get so overwhelmed in some of these spaces, especially when I'm trying to take it all in while surrounded by dozens of chatty women.  I overlooked this little fellow until I was reviewing the photos after I came home.  Look at that little pumpkin he's holding.  So sweet!


The southeast exposure is probably what allows her to use such lovely pieces in an outdoor area, especially in stormy Kansas. Mary Carol mentioned that some storms rolled through during the open house on Friday afternoon, and the tornado sirens were activated. She recalled the next day, "I have all these people in my house, and I don't want them to see my basement!"


While this lantern and the urn separately are lovely pieces, putting them together makes quite a statement. 


There's one of those orbs again.  I know I'm going to regret not buying one.




Many of the items she was featuring were already sold out by the time I arrived Saturday afternoon, but I did study this take on a baker's peel as a charger at Nell Hills.  This would be an easy DIY knock-off.


Another orb (sigh).  I looked at the birds at the store.  I really liked them.  A lot.  They were about $35 each, so they didn't come home with me.


However, if she was selling this wine-toting statue, he would have come home with me, regardless of the price!


Alas, he must be from her personal collection, not for sale in her stores.  Isn't he adorable?
 

Speaking of adorable, this little fellow is also precious.  I love how he seems to be studying something in the leaves.

One thing I really like about Mary Carol's style is how effortlessly she marries together current trends with the tried and true, like this wire lantern set on a very traditional iron birdbath. 


A closer look...


One comment I overhear from other lookie-loos is that Mary Carol's style can seem cluttered.  That's OK.  It's her home, and she's obviously comfortable in it.  Regardless, I think she sets a good example of how to let your home evolve, where to invest money in timeless pieces, and how to use today's decorating fads as fun, pretty accents.
 
If you pin, please be sure to give Mary Carol credit for her work.



5 comments:

  1. A well written post, with honest insight. I appreciate your interpretation of what you saw at her home, and that you reminded the reader that her style is ok - since it is what she is comfortable with. Timeless. That's a good word in a time of trends. I'm your newest Follower too!

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  2. Thanks for taking us on the tour! I have all of Mary Carol's books--I love her style. I'm definitely not a minimalist, but I try to rotate my stuff so that it doesn't look too cluttered.

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  3. Thank you for posting about the tour I missed it this year. Love your photos. I just bought her lanterns and blogged about it.
    Lisa from Leeshideaway.blogspot.com

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  4. The house looks gorgeous! I love the decorations it looks fab!

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  5. Your pictures were great. I understand her home may be For Sale. She has bought a small lake home.

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