Located in Rochester, MN, Julie and her family have resided in their beautiful home for the past six years. She describes her decor as romantic cottage style with touches of Victorian elegance. Julie says "My home feels warm, cozy, and somewhat nostalgic. I hope it evokes a sense of yesteryear or time gone by. I enjoy combining the pastel colors of shabby chic with the deeper Victorian tones of greens and burgundies.

 

Julie's favorite decorating styles are Romantic Victorian, Cottage, English Country and Shabby Chic. She has a passion for anything with roses and loves floral fabrics, as well as the look of lace on windows, and draped over furniture. One thing that has always worked for Julie when decorating a room is to have an inspiration fabric. She is drawn to old fashioned, vintage inspired florals, and finds that once she has fallen in love with a fabric, the other elements in the room all fall into place as well. Julie loves to incorporate her love of beautiful roses in her fabrics and paintings, and feels it sets a romantic, vintage, and cozy mood.

 

Finding influence through her magazines and library full of home decorating books acquired over the years, Julie's favorites are Romantic Country, Country Victorian, and Cottage Style. She has been a faithful HGTV viewer for many years, and loved to watch shows such as Kitty Bartholomew's "You're Home", "Room By Room", and "Country Style". Julie has pointed out that HGTV has gone so contemporary as of late, she misses the old days!

When it comes to shopping for her treasures in her part of Minnesota, there are very few shopping venues devoted to her style of decor, so Julie has found many of her treasures on eBay. Her favorite things to collect are teacups and china pieces with roses, as well as rose paintings. Her favorite rose painting artists are Christie Repasy and Cindy Ellis.

 

When I asked Julie what her favorite room in her house was, she said it would have to be her livingroom. She says "I love being surrounded by all of the roses in this room and enjoy relaxing in there after a busy day. This room has no modern day distractions such as a phone, television, or a computer, so it is a quiet and peaceful space". Sounds wonderfully relaxing Julie!

 

(photographs provided by homeowner, article written by Jennifer Grey)