Text by Holly Seng
We’re celebrating International Women’s Day this year by highlighting a few female designers, artisans, florists, and bloggers who help bring beauty to indoor and outdoor spaces!
Amanda Barkley
Creative crafter and florist Amanda Barkley always provides inspiration for celebrating the natural splendor of the season. With a yellow-checkered tablecloth and faux beehive centerpieces, this tablescape takes a cue or two from spring’s iconic insect—the honeybee. See more of this alfresco setting in our Spring issue!
Anne Blackwell Thompson
Anne Blackwell Thompson’s love story with pressed botanicals started with a magazine ad. After an apprenticeship in Italy and a decade of honing the skill, Anne now spends her days creating pressed pieces that she hopes will encourage people to bring nature into their homes. See more of these beautiful designs here!
Anne Dutcher
The client is always in mind when Anne Dutcher is working on a project. From a masculine wood-paneled library to a bedroom with pops of purple florals, Anne’s designs perfectly represent the homeowners and include a touch of sophistication.
Ashley Gilbreath
Southern style meets on-trend accents in Ashley Gilbreath’s projects. With a heavy emphasis on textures, her designs are captivating to all the senses. Find one of our favorite homes she designed here!
Bria Hammel
If you desire a fresh, updated look for your home this spring, search no further for inspiration than Bria Hammel’s designs. In this cozy nook, a spectrum of gentle greens balances a blend of printed fabrics for a classic design.
Connie Vernich
Contemporary black accents meet Southern style in Connie Vernich’s designs. Her own Nashville cottage features floor-to-ceiling shiplap in the most sophisticated setting. See for yourself here!
Dawn Cosgrove
“From the minute I could choose to be outside, I would be found out there—dirt-covered and barefoot, planting seeds, finding worms, and chasing butterflies,” says Dawn Cosgrove of Whistling Prairie Flowers. “[And] in 2010, I traded in stilettos and stock markets for rubber boots, chickens, homegrown tomatoes, and the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen.” Read more about how this Canadian flower farmer is following her dreams!
Jenn O’Neal
Before their farm in Winterset, Iowa, overflowed with countless varieties of seasonal blooms, Jenn O’Neal and her husband, Adam, were growing vegetables to sell at the local farmers’ market. Ten years after the conception of PepperHarrow Farm, the O’Neals now provide florals for weddings and wholesale grocery stores. They also offer on-site workshops and a YouTube channel aimed at sharing their expertise with the public.
Julie Couch
Traditional design styles mixed with clean, modern lines and hints of vintage elements are the hallmarks of Julie Couch’s unmistakable home interiors. If you love a neutral palette with a burst of bold style, then Julie is your girl. Take a peek at this home tour to see more!
Karen Snyder
Karen Snyder of Sanctuary Home Decor sought to create not only a home, but a sanctuary for her family to retreat from the bustling city life. Visit her blog and discover just how Karen crafted her haven and managed to keep the space tranquil through comfortable interiors and decluttering.
Katy Anderson
Katy Anderson leads a boutique interior design firm that brings elegant, timeless, and functional designs to clients in the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia areas. See more of this bright cottage-style kitchen in our Spring issue!
Laura Park
Laura Park has always had a flair for the creative and visually interesting. After a few years of painting, Laura began photographing her artwork with the idea of turning her art into textiles, eventually launching her own textile design company—Laura Park Designs. Her flagship store in Charlotte, North Carolina, showcases her pillows, bedding, home goods, and tabletop products.
Marie Flanigan
Marie Flanigan has perfected the mix of elegant and cozy in her designs. Every project is warm and inviting, with an attention to detail that makes each room its own masterpiece. See more for yourself here!
Natasha McCrary
Nestled in the quaint historic village of Moorseville, Alabama, 1818 Farms combines fields of fragrant flowers with beloved animals for offerings that bring a piece of the farm to their customers. Natasha McCrary cofounded the farm with her husband, Laurence, in 2012, and since then, they have expanded their product lines and created on-site floral workshops. Pick up a copy of our Spring issue to learn more!
Paige Minear
Paige Minear and bold decorating go hand in hand—this much is obvious from the first step into her home. Upon first glance, the walls of the foyer may seem to be covered in a brightly colored wallpaper, but take a closer look, and you’ll see that the pattern doesn’t repeat—it’s actually painted. Follow Paige on her blog, The Pink Clutch, and see more of this color-filled home here!
Rachel Anderson and Natalie Roe
Rachel Anderson and Natalie Roe are the stylish sisters and design duo behind March + May Design. Paired with blue velvet, a floral pattern on the throw pillows in this living room heightens the neutral performance fabric on the sofa, while also providing a starting point for the home’s palette. See more of this Fairhope, Alabama, cottage in our Spring issue!
Sara Davis
After obtaining a business degree, then a second degree in art and design, and working for a greeting card company for a time, Sara Davis started her blog, Sincerely Sara D., as a way to fulfill her need for creativity. Sharing her traditional style with pops of color, Sara has gained a following of devoted readers who love her bold design choices. See more of her kitchen here!
Serena Dugan
Serena Dugan creates harmony through repetition, shape, and placement, along with layering and composition in her artistic designs. After 14 years as the chief creative officer for Serena & Lily—a brand she and Lily Kanter brought to life—Serena now focuses on creating her own line of textiles, wallpapers, and paintings, available through Serena Dugan Studio. Read more in our Spring issue!
Stephanie Housley
Despite a lifelong love of embroidery, it took artist Stephanie Housley some time to realize she just might have a calling in textiles. In 2007, she founded Coral & Tusk and began small-scale production. Four years later, she left her job as a textile designer in New York to create whimsy-filled quilts, pillows, and linens that infuse homes around the country with a sense of wonder. Read her full story here!
Susan Gordon
After a class on wheel-thrown pottery at Auburn University led to a master’s degree in art education, Susan Gordon found herself searching for permanent access to a kiln to fire her clay creations. Persistence, as it often does, paid off, and Susan’s enduring designs now fill the shelves of Susan Gordon Pottery, her storefront that opened its doors in Homewood, Alabama, in 2019. See more of her timeless pieces here!
Wesley Stanley
Exhilarated by the thrill of the hunt, interior designer Wesley Stanley founded Hunt + Gather to create curated spaces of any size that truly reflect the style and character of their inhabitants. This colorful kitchen renovation was designed with clean living in mind.
