Ellie Perfume

In mid-February, I shared some pictures from my photo shoot with the Chicago Tribune.  As I awaited, its publication, I was both nervous and excited. The story was recently published in the Sunday paper, entitled Balancing Act: Mixing Home Decor . Overall, I'm happy with the piece.  There are a few words I would have changed if I was the one writing it but the important aspects of the story came out. Namely, that our interior designer was one of my best friends from high school, she passed away, and I was left with a half-finished apartment (literally, there was a hole in my ceiling to match the hole in my heart). I wanted to honor Marija's work and build upon it.  I told our new designer, Marshall Erb, that we didn't want to make any changes to Marija's amazing gift to us but to fill in the gaps. I knew he had the experience and respect necessary for the project. He did a great job adding in antiques and elegant textiles (curtains, pillows, upholstered chairs, carpets). He also found a ceiling light fixture for our baby's nursery (where the hole had been). In the beginning, I kept thinking "what would Marija say?" Marshall took the time to understand my likes and dislikes. When I said no to ombre curtains that he loved, he did not take offense and came back with the most perfect nude ones. I can be persuaded but things have to look fresh, young, and forward thinking. At the end of this process, I feel I have a much stronger sense of what I want to say with my home choices and I'm more confident that my taste is good (well, good enough for me). Enjoy the story!