garden & gun | far-out farmhouse

I am always thrilled to shoot for Garden & Gun magazine and when Art Director, Maggie Kennedy asked if I could shoot a lovely Carolina farmhouse I started packing my gear.  Driving down the bucolic country roads, past farms and lakes, past cattle and horses, I couldn’t wait to arrive at my destination.  The very talented Ken Pursley of Pursley Architecture designed this house that I secretly wish was mine.

Ken and his colleagues welcomed me and gave me the grand tour of the property.  What a wonderful getaway from the busyness of live – a row adirondack chairs on the porch for sitting and reading, walls of windows to gaze at beautiful scenery, a tree swing and a lake, chickens, horses and mammoth donkeys.  And all you can hear are the cicadas. . .

I think you’ll enjoy seeing a few more photos of amazing job Ken has done on this house!

style at home | london style & design

A few more photos of my shoot for Style at Home in London with Debbie Travis & Erin McLaughlin. . .

After we were finished shooting, and said our goodbyes, Erin & I had a relaxing dinner at a bustling London restaurant.  And it was there that I had a pivotal British moment!  I tried my first Pimm’s. . . . yummy delicious!  Many thanks to Erin McLaughlin for the impromptu portrait of me!  I am usually on the other side of the camera.

I was surprised to learn that Pimm’s is hard to find in the United States.  And so the find-the-Pimm’s-saga started. . .  I checked my local ABC store and they told me that all the state liquor stores in each state carry the same items and no Pimm’s in North Carolina.  I looked into ordering some online but the shipping was pretty expensive.  Then we called liquor stores all up and down the eastern seaboard while driving to our assignment in Kennebunk, Maine (see post).  Finally we had success in Virginia and then scored a couple more bottles in New Hampshire.

No one panic –  I don’t have a drinking problem – the bottles are lined up in my pantry either awaiting a summer party or a really cool shoot!

style at home | debbie travis’ london

We were so excited to have the opportunity to travel to London with Style at Home editor Erin McLaughlin to shoot Debbie Travisfor the magazine!  I remember Debbie from her original TV show The Painted House so it was pretty fun to show up at her London townhouse and her greet us with her sparkly smile.  Of course since The Painted House, Debbie has gone on to do many amazing things from more television shows, producing, creating her own licensed products for various companies and winning lots of awards.  She is now restoring a property in Tuscany and even holds a girl’s getaway.

We spent two wonderful days with Debbie, one photographing her delightful townhouse and one exploring the inspiring design stores about London.  Debbie was kind enough to shuttle us around the windy London streets in her car.  She knows the neighbourhoods like a pro – I was glad I wasn’t driving!

I was wowed by the Designer’s Guild – so many beautiful patterns and colours, gorgeous furniture and accessories everywhere you look!  What a treat to be there with Debbie and Erin both. . .  After a lovely lunch and a trip to Portobello Road it was a wrap.  Just one more thing to do – get a photo with Debbie for my mum!

And off Erin and I went to get some Pimm’s (more about that tomorrow).  Read more about Debbie’s London here.

for the love of… london

Sometimes when I am working on location, I just take my iPhone to capture the ambience instead of my very heavy camera.  Sometimes I reget not having my “real” camera but sometimes it just helps me to feel free and unencumbered.  I try out a lot of photo apps for iPhone and while in London last year, I had some fun with Pocketbooth.  This app mimics a photobooth by taking a photo every so many seconds so it is a challenge in public places to get what you want.  Probably people thought I was a bit mad running around with my iPhone at arm’s length to get the photos on time.

So hope you enjoy a little bit of London from my rambles around the city . . . I know I loved every minute of wandering around Bloomsbury, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace & eating some great fish and chips and drinking some more you guessed it . . . Pimm’s!

for the love of… london

toronto star | at home with anna olson

Last week I received a very fun phone call from Scotland!  I was surprised to hear Justin Ryan (of the dynamic duo Colin & Justin) on the line looking for some photos of Anna Olson I shot for Canadian Home & Country magazine a couple of years ago.  With some rushing around we were able to get the photos to the Toronto Star on time for their deadline & the article appeared on Friday.  You can see it here.

Anna was so wonderful to work with and we really enjoyed spending a little time with her at her house in Welland, Ontario.  There were so many pretty photos from that day, I thought it might be nice to share some of them!

style at home | color me pretty

We are so exited to have the April cover of Style at Home Magazine!  Flying to Maine last year in the dead of winter was a wonderful adventure.  Our team came from three corners, me from North Carolina, Margot Austin from Toronto and my assistant Leah Zimmerman from the big apple.  We all met and stayed at the wonderful Kennebunk Inn, famous for it’s lobster pot pie!

Our job was to photograph a big beautiful house that belongs to the owners of Au Lit Fine linens in Toronto.  Kennebunk, Maine is a wonderful historic vacation spot with old stately homes lining the streets, lots of delicious seafood, beaches and antique shops.  In the middle of winter, it was a bit different – cold and a bit deserted but we all fell in love with it anyway.

I have included a few more favorite shots, a few behind the scenes and some terrible iphone photos of our delicious meals at the Inn.  Can’t wait to go back and have some more lobster!

Maria and I were lucky enough to return in July to photograph for Au Lit – more on that later this week . . .

style at home | color for christmas

I just loved shooting holiday stories for Style at Home magazine last year in Toronto!  Christine Hanlon produced and styled this shoot – isn’t she amazing?  After seeing the pink ruffle pillow I went straight to Home Sense to buy one for my mother – they didn’t have pink but a lovely champagne colour instead and she loves it!   We were so busy shooting this day I didn’t really take any out takes but I’ve included a fav shot of the chandelier and a wider one of the chair and presents.

our state | christmas at the biltmore II

The Biltmore Estate is beautiful any time of year but they certainly do put on a grand show at Christmastime!  Here are a few more of my favorites from the shoot.  The only behind the scenes photo I took was the one of Maria & LeeAnn waiting on me outside by the lights . . .

style at home: holiday entertaining bollywood style

This story was such a joy to photograph!  How could it not be with so many beautiful things styled by the very talented Lara McGraw . . . . Doesn’t it just inspire you to throw at party?  Here are a few behind the scenes photos plus a few favs that didn’t make it into the story in Style at Home’s December issue.

our state | christmas at the biltmore I

Excited to have another cover of Our State magazine & a 20 page story on the Biltmore at Christmas!  Maria and I loved every minute of photographing at the Biltmore during the holidays – the trees and the lights were magnificent!  Thank you to LeeAnn Donnelly, the senior public relations manager, who hosted us for our Biltmore shoot!  Check back this week for more images from this shoot and a feature on an amazing collector of Spode china.

style at home | cozy ottawa holiday

Style at Home editor Erin McLaughlin & I drove to Ottawa on a cold snowy day last December on our way to a shoot in Canada’s capitol.  As we drew closer the snow got worse and worse & the next morning we woke up to sleet and ice.  We were determined to make it to the shoot so we drove verrrrrrrry slowly through the streets of Ottawa.   And what a lovely surprise it was to have Chip Hamann & Alain Doom welcome us into their cozy and stylish house.  We also met the gracious Irene Langlois of Irene Langlois Interiors who helped make this home charming and ready for entertaining.

Alain & Chip prepared the food, lit the candles while Irene hung the last of the holiday decor.  And despite the ice & snow, good friends arrived, champagne was opened and the lovely party went on into the evening.  .  .

style at home | taste of switzerland

A little Swiss twist on some holiday raclette... Alison Lovell of Lovell Designs grew up in Switzerland and shared her love of raclette with Style at Home for the November issue.  It was so great to photograph Alison & family – aren’t they all so photogenic?  The very talented Lara McGraw did the styling and my ever faithful assistant Mun helped me shoot this very fun story.  I have posted a few behind the scenes of Lara overseeing the details, Mun making sure we have correct colour and a few other favorites that didn’t make it into the magazine story.   Mmmmm now I wish I had a raclette machine!

style at home | urban holiday

What a fun shoot in a modern condo in the middle of downtown Toronto!  I am so lucky to work with such talented people:  Erin McLaughlin & Sara Cation from Style at Home & Jessica Kelly of Jessica Kelly Design.  At the end of the shoot – we didn’t want to let that amazing sushi go to waste – it was delicious!

style at home | toronto holiday style

I am very excited about the November issue of Style at Home!  Finally all the shoots we did last fall are coming out & it is wonderful to have another cover . . . Thank you to Margot Austin who styled this story and to my amazing assistants Mun Wai Chau & Jordan Fretz.  They went far above the call of duty to light some of the last shots from outside (and it was VERY chilly).  See if you can pick out the shots that were done in complete darkness . . .

Check back this week for more stories and behind the scenes shots . . .and go get a copy of this issue before it goes off the stands!

for the love of | cousins

After seeing the pear orchard near Fenwick, Ontario I was longing to do a little shoot there amongst the striking red leaves and greenish yellow pears.  My cousin Sylvia volunteered to be my model and she even had a retro red bike.  We had lots of fun running around the orchard – I even forgot to ask permission but no one seemed to mind.  .  . I have been encouraging Sylvia to do some modeling – she is so naturally beautiful, don’t you think?

style at home | cozy ottawa holiday

Style at Home editor Erin McLaughlin & I drove to Ottawa on a cold snowy day last December on our way to a shoot in Canada’s capitol.  As we drew closer the snow got worse and worse & the next morning we woke up to sleet and ice.  We were determined to make it to the shoot so we drove verrrrrrrry slowly through the streets of Ottawa.   And what a lovely surprise it was to have Chip Hamann & Alain Doom welcome us into their cozy and stylish house.  We also met the gracious Irene Langlois of Irene Langlois Interiors who helped make this home charming and ready for entertaining.

Alain & Chip prepared the food, lit the candles while Irene hung the last of the holiday decor.  And despite the ice & snow, good friends arrived, champagne was opened and the lovely party went on into the evening.  .  .

pear orchard

Driving into Fenwick, Ontario to visit my cousins, I saw this incredible pear orchard!  The pears were green and all the leaves had turned to crimson and burnt orange.  I am not sure I have seen a prettier site at an orchard.  I was ranting and raving about it when I arrived at my sweet cousin Cathy‘s house so she agreed to drive over with me to take a few quick photos . . .  I returned the next day to do an impromptu photo shoot with my cousin Sylvia  – photos to come soon!

for the love of... visits

This time last year, Simon Henry and I were in the Niagara region visiting family on the way to shoot for Style at Home magazine in Toronto.  The autumn leaves were so vibrant and beautiful in my aunt Gwenn & Uncle Gerry’s yard we decided on an afternoon walk.  My cousin Sylvia brought her daughter Katy and their dog Jackson to come for a romp with Simon.  The dogs were so excited we never did get a closeup photo of them!  But they had a good time running through the pale yellow fields and wrestling in the leaves.   What a wonderful visit with family. . . stay tuned for some photos of Sylvia in a pear orchard

style at home | haute hallow's eve

Christine Hanlon of Style at Home whips up a more sophisticated take on fall entertaining.  I especially loved the white pumpkins and the ravens.  We did enjoy sampling all the pretty goodies too...

style at home | toujours toulouse

La belle France. . . . how I love her.  In the October issue of Style at Home, see a sunny French kitchen and suggestions on how to use yellow in your house.  Seeing this story in the magazine reminded me of the wonderful trip I took with editor in chief Erin McLaughlin and stylist Ann Marie Favot to photograph this story.  We enjoyed every minute of driving through the countryside and photographing.  As I looked through the kitchen photos I came across these laundry shots that just seemed to match the fresh mood of the kitchen.  And then a photo of one of the cutest French dogs – I secretly wanted to take him home!

This beautiful property 300 year old property belongs to Rita Theil of Jackryn France.