WELCOME to CAROLINA PANACHE! I believe our homes should be a haven, a place of beauty and peace that reflect who we are and what's important to us. I'm on a journey to add personality and panache to every corner of my house. For me, good design evolves, grows and changes with the needs of one's lifestyle. I want my home to be creative, to be stylish, to be entertaining, to be real. I hope you will join me on my journey. It's always more fun to travel together.
This blog is all about bringing style and elegance to the home. The art of dressing your home goes beyond hanging a few items on the wall and arranging furniture. Much like a fabulous set of earrings or a new stylish handbag may take your little black dress from fine to fabulous, home accesories and key furnishings can take your rooms from ho-hum to singing the Halleluiah Chorus! Join with me as we discover new ways to add panache to every room of the house.

Spring Fluffing - A visit with Ann

It's Hump Day! Can you believe the week is almost half way over? Where does the time go? Well, we're still fluffing for spring here at Carolina Panache. With just 2 1/2 weeks until Easter I've got to hurry up! Are you ready? I'm still looking for that "stash" of spring and Easter decor that's gone MIA! Oh, well I guess I'll just move on and challenge myself to do some things a little differently. Yesterday I had a good visit with my dear friend Ann. Ann and I are two peas in a pod! We love to decorate and we have similar tastes in color and style. Ann was gracious enough to invite us to take a tour so sit back and enjoy a little seasonal inspiration. This little lady bunny is so adorable in her lilac and lace romper. She looks just right resting against a potted hydrangea.
Here is a shot of Ann's house from the front. We both live in homes built by the same builder. Ann's home is the Dorchester model. It's a great floorplan especially if you are given to entertaining which Ann is a master!

The kitchen or cucina to my Italian friends is the heart of most homes. Ann's kitchen is enormous and I love the large center island - what a great place to set up an Easter brunch buffet!


One feature that Ann's home offers is a morning or breakfast room. This is one of my favorite spaces. The cool blue-green wall paint is so fresh and the perfect color to welcome a sunny Spring morning.

I love the hand painted details on the hutch and chairs.

A vase of lilac and wisteria grace the island and a cross reminds us of the reason for the season.

Ann collects bunnies and this adorable trio of friends has found a spot on an end table to hang out until Easter.

Sunshiny yellow and purple always seem just right together at this time of year. A lavender ceramic basket holds a collection of Pansies, Tulips and Daffodils.

A console table gets plenty of spring fluffing with the addition of potted hydrangea, Easter candy and a plush bunny.

This is my favorite! I love this jumbo-sized chick! I remember as a child always wanting a baby chick for Easter. That never happened for me though. I guess Mom knew what a mess a little chick could grow up to make. LOL! Ann doesn't have to worry about this little guy. He is very well behaved. The egg-shaped plate in the foreground is classic.

A collection of bunnies, chick and tulips make this niche above the mantle a great focal point for seasonal decor.

A soft buttery yellow washes over the walls in the family room. The perfect shade to put you in a sunny disposition! Warmth and comfort is what this room is all about.

Ann's formal dining room is gorgeous. With each season the tablescape is changed to reflect the upcoming holiday. Ann has taken two crystal cakestands and have stacked them on top of each other to form a platform for displaying bunnies, florals and chocolate covered eggs. Plush standing bunnies flank either side of the centerpiece.

This fluffy friend is covered in little white flowers with a silky pink ribbon around her neck.

In the background you can see more bunnies hiding in the hutch! I didn't count them but I would guess Ann has more than two dozen bunnies on display. Each one is unique and adorable. Maybe I could get some of them to hop over to my house. LOL!

The formal living room or front parlor is so soft and subdued. I love the fresh green and tan color scheme. It's like a breath of fresh spring air. The white tulips are the perfect seasonal touch.

Ann features a painted chest in her entry hall. This is a great place to stage a seasonal tablescape. A pair of standing bunnies welcomes each guest and springtime! Jars of pastel Easter candies and eggs hint of the goodies found in children's baskets.

A ceramic "Chocolate Bunny" makes me long for a rich and decadent Easter treat! My kids are 16 and 10 but I still find myself filling their baskets with the traditional chocolate bunny.

The soft pastels of the table top arrangement against the yellow walls declare that spring is finally here!

I'm glad you hopped over for a spell. I do hope you have enjoyed the tour. A big thank you to Miss Ann for allowing us to visit. Ann, everything is so pretty and fresh! Great spring fluffing!
~~~~~~~
Tomorrow is TABLESCAPE THURSDAY and I will feature a new take on Easter decorating. I hope you will stop by. Until then,
Happy Decorating!
~Alisa




















11 comments:

"Blossom" said...

Your friend has a lovely home. The easter accessories are so cute. I love the look of her dinning room. I like how she painted her in between the trim same as the wall color.

Terri Steffes said...

Totally love her house. My favorite is the kitchen but the rest is beautiful too!

Blondie's Journal said...

Ann's home is just fabulous! She does have quite a flair for decorating and I love what she has done with her whimsical bunnies! Her floral arrangements are beautiful also!

Thank you Alisa & Ann!

xoxo
Jane

Unknown said...

That's so great that you have such a close friend, with great taste and wonderful decorating ideas. You two are two peas in a pod! Her bunny collection is awesome and I think a few should hop on over to your house for a visit. ;)

Melissa Miller said...

Hello Alisa, ;)

Ann's home is gorgeous!
I do love the style and floorplan.
Her bunny collection is adorable!

You are so lucky to have such a close relationship with your MIL.

~Happy Spring!
~Melissa :)

Melissa Miller said...

Oops! For some reason I thought Ann was your MIL.

Alisa Lucas-Brown said...

Hey Melissa
You are right, My MIL's named is Ann but this Ann is my friend who lives nearby. My MIL lives in Florida and we do have a close relationship. She's just like a Mom! She taught me to cook, make cookies, and she showers me with beautiful handmade crocheted gifts. I'm pretty lucky!
Thanks for your visit! See ya soon!

Melanie said...

I enjoyed the visit to Ann's house!
Melanie@Bella~Mella

A Hint of Home said...

Your friend has a very pretty home. I love all her bunnies and how she has displayed them.

PAT said...

Ann's home is beautiful. I love all the Easter decor!

Ashley ~ said...

I loved the tour of Ann's beautiful home*! I need MORE bunnies*!!! _Ashley*

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