3 Things You Should Know About Persian Rugs

3 Things You Should Know About handmade Persian rugs: important terminology, the looming process, and style characteristics

Curio IQ Series: Let’s take a short and sweet lesson in antiques! Today, we are looking at the 3 things you should know before investing in a handmade Persian rug. The exotic magic of Persian rugs has captured the imagination and attracted devotees for centuries, and what’s not to love? The intricate patterning, the vibrant…

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3 Things You Should Know About Rose Medallion

A stunning collection of antique Rose Medallion porcelains displayed on a sideboard

Curio IQ Series: Let’s take a short and sweet lesson in antiques! The 3 things you should know before buying and collecting Rose Medallion porcelains. I have a collector’s passion for Rose Medallion. I am always hunting interesting antique forms and hoping to land that sought after piece for a steal! Sharing my knowledge about…

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3 Things You Should Know About Chinese Blue & White

A blue and white peony and vine ginger jar - 3 Things You Should Know About Chinese Blue and White Porcelains

Curio IQ Series: Let’s take a short and sweet lesson in antiques! Here are the 3 things to know for a better understanding of Chinese blue and white porcelains: Shop this peony ginger jar here In this week’s Curio IQ Series, I’m discussing the 3 things that make collecting blue and white Chinese porcelains challenging…

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3 Things You Should Know About Tobacco Leaf Porcelains

3 Things You Should Know About Tobacco Leaf Porcelains - graphic collage image

Curio IQ Series: Let’s take a short and sweet lesson in antiques! The 3 things you should know before buying and collecting Tobacco Leaf china. Tobacco Leaf porcelains are one of the most easily recognized china patterns out there. The distinctive multi-colored leaves and the bold pink flower instantly catches your eye. For centuries it…

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3 Things You Should Know About Staffordshire Flatbacks

Katherine places Staffordshire flatback on mantel

Curio IQ Series: Let’s take a short and sweet lesson in antiques! Today we are discussing collecting and decorating with Staffordshire flatbacks. Staffordshire flatbacks are my favorite English antique beating out transferware ceramics and even Wedgwood. I just adore the folksy charm and history they reveal about popular culture of the Victorian era. Decoratively, the…

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3 Things You Should Know About Wedgwood

Sage green Jasperware vase from Wedgwood

Curio IQ Series: a short and sweet lesson in antiques, discussing Wedgwood ceramics. Here’s 3 things you should know to start a collection! I’ll never forget my first real introduction to Wedgwood ceramics — the polished basalts, the velvety jaspers, and delicate curling reliefs. I was a registration assistant working on a cataloging and photography…

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3 Things You Should Know About Opaline Glass

Imperial glass aqua opaline goblets

Curio IQ Series: Let’s take a short and sweet lesson in antiques! If you’ve flipped through a design magazine or coffee table book in the last 30 years, then chances are you’ve spied a table or two set with brilliant aqua goblets in varying sizes but all with a timeless wafer stem. This bold color…

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My Favorite Purchases of 2023

My favorite purchases of 2023

The best of 2023: products I discovered and LOVED last year! These are the top picks I’ll be buying over and over again! You know when you find that unicorn product or brand and it blows you away with its fit, style, efficacy, and/or charm? You’re a fan for life, and you’ll never go back?…

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Fall Decor Round-up 2023

Fall decor round-up for 2023 with florals, ribbon, pillows, and tableware perfect decorating your home this autumn

A round-up of delightful fall decor and inspirations to motivate you for the autumn season ahead! Image via @exvotovintage I wish I could say I felt the cool crisp days of autumn just around the corner, but I fear the sweltering dog days of summer are here to linger. I can’t wait to smell that…

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8 Things You Didn’t Know About a Colonial Christmas

Cover of Williamsburg Christmas book by Libbey Hodges Oliver and Mary Miley Theobald

Let’s explore the history of Christmas in Williamsburg and how Colonial Americans celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ!   Each of us celebrates Christmas in our own unique way, and, yet, there are many shared traditions in the U.S. that may seem routine: the twinkling tree…the turkey dinner…the nativity display…the holly jolly Santa Claus. But…

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