Mary Carol Garrity Spring Home Tour

After visiting Mary Carol Garrity's home last autumn, I knew I had to go back for her spring tour.  Ready for some eye candy?

Mary Carol is a gracious hostess, greeting everyone at the front door.  I'm always too bashful to ask for a picture.

In a time when chippy, distressed painted furniture is EVERYWHERE, I love that Mary Carol's style is traditional at heart (although I'm not really sold on that slipcovered chair).

I love this little nook she carved out of the foyer.

And if there is one thing she's good at, it's arranging a tray.

The den is right off the foyer.  It's very dark and masculine.  I couldn't get good pictures in there last year with my point-and-shoot, so I took along the DSLR this time.  Notice the TV on the drop leaf table?  Love that!

You know what else I like?  She doesn't obsess over hiding the cords.

In her most recent blog post, she said that she's excited about the use of color.  I'll be honest, I thought her living room had some hits and some misses.

The coral pillows with the accent vase = Hit!

The geometric pillows against the antique painting?  Hmm...

Moving on to the dining room. 

My jaw dropped.

OK, I'll admit, it's not my style.  But the place settings were very pretty.

And check out her sideboard!  Do you see it?  See the basket filled with empty wine bottles?

Yeah, I copied her.  Copied it with an old laundry basket!  See my version here.

Everytime I see her breakfast area, I reconsider my thoughts jettisoning our whimpy nook in my dream of a future kitchen remodel.

Imagine spending long winter evenings with friends and family around a fun board game at this table.  And I hate board games! 

Note to self: My pets deserve fancier bowls.

And if you are wondering, her historic home has a kitchen which is small charming.  That gives me hope for ours, which is also charming small.

I do love this vignette next to the stove.   Another note to self.

Another testament to the power of a good tray.  I wish my junk mail looked this good.

Are you overloaded yet?  Shall we to go outside?

Don't you love this heart-shaped stone at the garden entrance?

Everyone was gushing over the blue hydrangea.  Rightfully so.  They seem to be very tempermental in these parts.  My own hydrangea is impressively...wilted.

Honey, you don't contemplate it.  You drink it!

Personally, I think gardens have enough green in them, so I would have liked a little more color on the table.

Regardless, the place settings were lovely.

I loved the conversation area.  I really had to fight the urge to straighten that pillow on the right for my picture, but it just seemed rude for me to restage it.

Besides the trays, the other thing I think Mary Carol Garrity does well is layering textures and finishes, like weathered garden statuary side by side with glossy ceramic planters.

I think this is why her look is so popular and why women were arriving BY THE BUS LOAD to tour her home.  She makes marrying the old and the new together look so easy.

Of course, I braved the crowds in her two stores in Atchison, KS, Nell Hills and Garrity's Encore, and I didn't come away empty handed.  I'll be sharing my interpretations, and I hope you have been inspired too.

If you pin, please be sure to give Mary Carol credit for her work.