Sometimes you walk into a beautiful, well-curated home, you're greeted by a lovely, let-me-take-your-bags hostess and you never want to leave. That's what happened last week when
Jeanette, Bonnie and I (and baby Edith!) took a little road trip to Rome, GA to spend some time with Cabell Sweeney. Cabell is a pro at loving on people. She invited us up for an evening of rest and relaxation, and (a first for me) a tour of her gorgeous home and garden. Take a peek inside!
Cabell's bright green front door welcomes you into a comfortable, art-laden family room first. There is greenery everywhere, canvases and frames fill every vertical surface and the walls of bookshelves instantly give you a sense that Cabell has been collecting and curating for a long while.
This wall of various sized bookshelves is a sight to behold! Cabell pointed to specific shelves and told us that when she was a young girl in middle school her mother would give her a choice for the summers: work extra chores around the house or read. She obviously chose reading and has the books to prove it.
Every piece of artwork in this house has a story, a connection and a meaning. Cabell shared with us so many of these stories, it was hard to believe she could remember them all! Then again, the stories are so poignant, how could she not? The top two portraits in the wall below are Cabell's great-grandparents, their portraits done by John Singer Sargent. The originals are in the Boston Museum of Fine Art. How neat!
There are a couple of these small chairs placed around the house, holding coffee table books on museums, art, and history. I love each vignette.
To the right of the family room is the dining room, a large rectangular farmhouse table welcomes guests.
More bookshelves filled with books, art, and keepsakes....
Knowing that she wanted to feature this portrait of her grandmother, Cabell said she sketched out the wall of bookshelves pretty loosely, focusing on the larger areas. The small shelves fell into place for small stacks of books and pottery.
Another lovely chair and coffee tabel book vignette...
Cabell has a wildly successful pottery business - you can
read about it here! - so it's easy to see why gorgeous hand-painted mugs, bowls and everyday china fill her kitchen to the brim.
Concrete countertops, a wall of white subway tile, open shelving, a picturesque window above the sink and copper accents all contribute to this lovely kitchen.
Cabell had fresh cut flowers everywhere....
This hallway leads to a few bedrooms and bathrooms and opens up to my favorite part of the house.... the back porch and garden. Come back tomorrow to see the lovely cottage-style garden and Cabell's "commute" to the art studio in her backyard. You won't want to miss it.