Okay, well. As a general rule I do not like anything modern. Give me cabbage roses and old wicker any day. Maybe because I was born in the 1950’s and lived in a chaotic household? I am not knowing. Modern, contemporary, mid-century architecture and interior design gives me the willies. Like fingernails on a blackboard. But here is an entirely modern home filled with colorful art, and I quite like it.

In the interest of curiosity, and to challenge my creative limitations, I watch videos like I used to read shelter magazines, and still do read design books: I imagine myself in the space. I walk around, sit, sip, and relax myself with the use of my imagination. I learn a lot this way, both about how spaces can work, and even about myself. It’s what artists do…

But truth be told, while I can appreciate much about Margo Selby’s home, I’d be much more comfortable living in something more traditional. I will always be grieving the loss of Julia Reed, even though I did not know her. I loved her books and her attention to detail. She was a friend of the late Furlow Gatewood and wrote a gorgeous book about his houses, One Man’s Folly. She called her NOLA apartment her cabinet of curiosities. Whatever, wherever, however you make your home, take this tip from Julia: surround yourself with the things that make you happy.

One Man’s Folly by Julia Reed, https://amzn.to/3zYI3gn The House on First Street, by Julia Reed, https://amzn.to/3U67LXg