Inspiration: I let the appreciation for my heritage and my love of art and color influence how I curate my home. I come from an African-Indigenous American and Afro-Caribbean background. So, I draw inspiration from the colors, textures, and patterns that are present in the fabrics and other artisanal goods commonly produced in the countries from where my heritage originates. Our homes are another way for us to communicate who we are. So, why not take the time to make our homes reflect the beauty we individually possess?

Favorite Element: Ahhh, there are so many little things that I love about my home. But, I’d have to say that the one thing that sold me on this house was the fact that it had French doors! This was a structural element that was high on my wish list. However, in this area of town, French doors aren’t too common. So, after looking at 40+ houses, I’d simply given up on the hope of finding a house with French doors. Then, as I walked through the front door of what would be the last house I’d look at during my search, I was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful French doors leading into the dining room! I knew then this would be my home!

Biggest Challenge: My biggest challenge initially was wanting to tackle all of my home projects at once! I still have to work on this now. However, after reminding myself that it takes time to make a house a home, I now go room by room in my curating process, allowing myself time to select pieces for my home that I truly love and reflect the joy I want to feel while living here. 

Proudest DIY: My proudest DIY project would definitely have to be the home gym I built with my parents! Fitness is a big part of my life.

So when the pandemic hit, I began to feel uneasy since gyms were closing down and I still needed a place to continue my training. I initially tried working out in my home office and jewelry studio. But due to cramped space, I moved the gym equipment I had to my carport. Despite my new gym buddies being the hundreds of mosquitos we often deal with in Memphis, this plan worked for the summer.

However, I knew this would not be a long-term solution, as I would have to figure out another route for my fall and winter workouts. So, with proper planning, budgeting, and a lot of elbow grease, my parents and I built what I affectionately call GYMIV. I now have a dedicated space with the proper gym equipment to allow me to continue training as I did before the pandemic.

This project was special for so many reasons! But one reason that sticks out the most is the time I got to spend with my parents. Because of the pandemic, my parents and I had to discontinue our Sunday family dinners. With us working on this project together, we were able to continue seeing each other while increasing the time we spent together! Definitely a silver lining for 2020. 

Biggest Indulgence: I wouldn’t say it was an indulgence. However, a high-quality item I recently purchased was my sectional. There wasn’t anything wrong with my previous sofa; I simply wanted to create more of an intimate and cozy conversation area in my living room. And since this particular sectional had been sitting in my cart for a while, I finally decided to purchase it last summer! Was it worth it? Absolutely! It might be the most comfortable piece of furniture in my home! Now, I’m starting to believe that my bed is getting jealous since I end up falling asleep on the sectional more often than sleeping in the bed!

Is there something unique about your home or the way you use it? Again, I’ll have to mention my home gym! The carport was underused space — I mean, I n-e-v-e-r parked back there. And since using my office and jewelry studio as a gym was a no-go, especially for the intensity of my training, I decided to repurpose a space on my property I used the least — the carport. Now, I have the perfect place to train as hard as I want and teach my weekly virtual Zumba classes!

What are your favorite products you have bought for your home and why? Since my artistic background is composed of painting (oil on canvas), drawing, and sculpture, my love of art is very apparent in my home! So, my art purchases are something in which I take much pride! Too, a majority of the art in my home is from local artists and/or Black and Brown artists; after all, I curate my art collection so that it reflects me as a person and the life experiences I relate to the most.

Please describe any helpful, inspiring, brilliant, or just plain useful small space maximizing and/or organizing tips you have: Despite having two full closets for clothing — and another solely for shoes — space continued to be an issue. I mean, I love clothes! So, to help remedy my situation, I developed a three-month rule when it comes to apparel: If I’ve not worn or thought about a clothing item in three months, I bag it up and donate it. And this rule still applies during the pandemic since, despite working from home a majority of the time, I still get fully dressed each day. 

Finally, what’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? I think we get tied to the notion that once a space in our home is declared complete, we can no longer change its appearance or design. However, with time our style, preference, needs, and outlook on life evolve. As we continue to grow as individuals, our homes should progress in growth right along with us. So always feel free and liberated to edit your home until it feels right for you! Again, our homes should reflect the comfort and joy we want to experience in life. 

• Gallery White – Behr (all of the white walls in my home)
• Opera Glasses —  Behr (for the blue wall in my bedroom)
• Dash of Curry – Behr (bathroom ceiling)
• Golden Hour and Sublime – Accent paint colors in GYM IV

• Jollene Sectional  — Macy’s
• Soto Chair — Joybird
• Surya Emma Rug  — Surya
• Media Cabinet – HomeGoods
• Artwork — Frances Berry; Kiara Sally; Kea Woods; North Evergreen Creative

• Artwork — Capt. James
• Artwork — Mia Saine
• Artwork — Maggie Russell

• Table — Emmond Dining Table
• Chairs — Copley Dining Chair
• Light Fixture — IKEA PS 2014

• Squat Rack — PRX Performance
• Cable System — Marcy Pro
• Storage Cabinet — Marshall’s
• Toonky Berry — Art Print
• Eso Tolson — What Chu Said

Thanks David!

This house tour’s responses were edited for length and clarity.

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