Located in Gray, Georgia (a small town South-East of Atlanta) Sherry and her husband Steve built their home in 1994 and moved into their home in 1995. Gathering ideas from different vignettes she's seen in antique stores, as well as magazines and decorating books, Sherry's favorite decorating style is Shabby Chic with touches of Victorian and Whimsy.

 

Sherry describes her home as a gathering place for family & friends on special occasions, including several weddings. It is a welcoming, friendly & warm place to be. And she notes that although it is decorated elaborately, it is still very much lived in. Sherry feels that a home's decor reflects the people who live in it and she likes to think that everyone is comfortable and happy when visiting her home.

 

When I asked Sherry about her favorite room in her home, she said she loves her tiny little powder room. She painted it with Kilz, drywall compound and a bottle of light pink craft paint, and it turned out very pretty. Sherry has lots of pink roses displayed in the powder room. On the wall she has a vintage tri-fold mirror frame that she added lace to. She attached it to the wall and displays tiny pictures of her grandchildren & great-nephews. She also has lots of pretty little treasures in the powder room displayed on a small etagere, and also on a tiny pink cabinet hung on the wall. It is just a very feminine little room.

 

A couple of Sherry's favorite places to shop are The Old Buggy Factory in Madison, GA. & Church Street Antiques in Covington, GA. Unfortunately, there are no antique shops in her town, so she frequently visits the shops in the towns surrounding Atlanta. Sherry also has a condo at Navarre Beach, Florida near Destin, where there are many wonderful antique shops in that area. On her way to Florida, Sherry travels through Opelika, Alabama & always have to stop at Angel's Antique Mall to search for treasures as well.

Sherry's current favorite item to collect right now is portrait plates. She prefers beautiful Victorian ladies or children, and she also would like to collect more pink demitasse cups with children on them. Currently she has I only two so far as they are really hard to find, but enjoys the search. Sherry also loves collecting biscuit jars, and was fortunate enough to find one several weeks ago that features cherubs.

 

Sherry's best decorating decision was when she decided to divide her long dining room into three sections: The Tea Room, Dining Area, & Dining Room Parlor. The Tea Room has a faux fireplace, tea room signs, a small table & 2 chairs, lots of pink roses, lots of tea sets and faux candies and 2 dress forms and a beautifully dressed lady mannequin. The Tea Room invites you in to sit and have a cup of tea and cookies. The dining area consists of a table (which is always set with china & glasswear) and 10 chairs. An 18 light chandelier hangs over the table & is loaded with vines & tiny pink roses and is dripping with crystals. She also has a Victorian birdcage and ferns decorating the area. In the dining room parlor, Sherry has a floral loveseat & two pink chairs for relaxing after dinner. She also has an area with two chocolate tables, decorated columns and a pink cabinet full of vintage china pieces in pinks and greens. Sherry says "It's is a wonderful place to sit and relax with a hot cup of coffee in the winter or pink lemonade in the summer". She also has dolls displayed everywhere in these sections which add the whimsy that she loves so much.

 

If you would like to contact Sherry directly, she would love to chat with you. She enjoys talking to others that share her decorating passions. Her email address is ssw1188@alltel.net-JG

 

(Photographs courtesy of homeowner, article written by Jennifer Grey, owner of The Old Painted Cottage)