Home is more than four walls and roof. Home is a door opening to you, your family, your pets, your lifestyle, your neighborhood, your community, your city. It’s all encompassing on so many levels.
Home of the Equine Lover
Celebrate the Year of the Horse with elegant equestrian decor inspired by heritage, symbolism, and old-world craftsmanship.
Photo by: Jo Ann Breaux
My uncle and father put me on a horse when I was three years old. She was a Shetland pony named Misty—blond, gentle, and unforgettable. We connected instantly, the way you sometimes do with animals long before you have the language to explain why.
I’ve loved horses ever since. They were woven into my life early on through a family that rode, worked, bred, and showed them. It was never a pastime—it was a way of life. My family isn’t the refined English riding type. We’re Cajuns, trail riding people by nature so there’s a little more dirt under our hooves, but a lot more soul in the ride.
And while I deeply admire that grit and heritage, I’ve come to appreciate the quiet elegance that can live alongside it.
Horses are deeply therapeutic animals with old souls. You can’t simply climb atop one and expect cooperation; respect is part of the exchange. I’ve always felt the same way about bringing equine elements into a home. It requires intention. Cohesion. A sense of restraint. When done well, horse-inspired decor doesn’t announce itself, instead it supports the narrative a room is already telling.
The horse occupies a rare space in design and symbolism. It represents strength without force, movement without chaos, and beauty that doesn’t require embellishment. When it comes to animals in the home, I’ve always preferred symbolism over spectacle—pieces chosen with purpose rather than decorative shout-outs.
As we step into the Year of the Horse, I find myself drawn to equine decor that honors those qualities quietly. As a lover of the old world, it feels natural to look toward horse energy for inspiration. Elegance, after all, has never been about volume. It’s about presence.
Sculptural Presence
I do love a single sculptural piece that can blend in quietly with its surroundings. A bronze bust on the mantle or sculptural bookends on a shelf adds just enough presence, never a spectacle. The best ones carry a little age and a little mystery. Estate sales are gold for this sort of thing; you just have to know what you’re looking for.
Understated Art
When it comes to equine art, I prefer pieces that suggest rather than declare. I’m drawn to studies, ie.vintage anatomical sketches, motion diagrams, and classical renderings that honor the form without romanticizing it. Think Rosa Bonheur’s The Horse Fair or Leonardo da Vinci’s Studies of a Rearing Horse. I love works that capture strength and movement.
Context also matters. Horses in art have long symbolized freedom and power, but also restraint and quiet intelligence. In the right setting, an equine piece can anchor a room with presence; in another, it can dissolve into an elegant backdrop, offering depth without demanding attention.
I love the way black-and-white portraits and moody compositions hold a room. Historical pieces that tell a story—not just of the rider, but of the horse itself. I’m drawn to Edward S. Curtis, and images of wild mustangs roaming free, but a large black-and-white silhouette can be just as powerful. Sometimes quiet elegance is less about detail and more about form.
Rosa Bonheur’s The Horse Fair
Leonardo da Vinci’s Studies of a Rearing Horse
Edward S Curtis An Oasis in the Badlands
Equine Elements
Snaffle Bit Table Lamp by October Design
Some of the most compelling references to horses are indirect. Leather trays inspired by saddlery, brass hardware reminiscent of bits or buckles, wool or horsehair textiles, and leather upholstery with a tailored edge all speak to equestrian heritage without ever showing a horse.
I stumbled across these gorgeous lamps from October Design Company. Designer Stephanie Reppas has some gorgeous relics for the horse lover’s office and/or home. What makes them more lovely is they give a portion of their sales to the Dutchess County SPCA. In addition, you can also find some nods on Etsy.com.
These materials bring warmth, texture, and a sense of tradition…an echo of craftsmanship rather than symbolism.
You can also check out some local equestrian focused artists:
Some local artists who specialize in the subject are:
An Enduring Space
An elegant equine-inspired interior favors natural, enduring tones: saddle brown, bone, oatmeal, soft charcoal, aged brass, and deep inky greens or oxblood accents. These colors mirror the materials and landscapes associated with horses without steering into literal interpretations. I like the calmness and the drama of it all, intermingling lush velvets with leather sprinkled with old-world aesthetic. It’s not overdone, it speaks quietly.
Reining It In
My love and appreciation for the equine world is split in two. I love the physical presence of a day in the saddle—overlooking the landscape, bringing her to a gallop, and the natural connection I feel with these beasts. This said, I also love the aesthetic of equestrian and horse racing culture—the strength of it, the movement, and grace of it.
Having these elements in a home captures history and creates a space that doesn’t need to show off. It is elegant and classic without being theatrical. There are many inspirations to choose from, whether you’re drawn to horseshoes and weathered cowboy imagery or framed Derby winners and equestrian silhouettes. For me, it’s about honoring both heritage and refinement without letting either overpower the room.
Envisioning a Dream
I’m dreaming of a realized 2023 and am vision board ready!
Recently in one of our sales meetings, we discussed Vision Boards. This has been a foreign concept to me. Organizing one’s thoughts is a foreign concept to me. Incidentally, that evening I unconsciously watched “13 Going on 30”, and there it was again. You know that winning scene where Jennifer Garner materializes the BEST marketing presentation ever with her vision board campaign to win the day and save her beloved magazine? So, I got to thinking, it’s a new year, blank slate and all. Should I try? Hmm. Being a newish home owner, there are a slew of renovation dreams on the horizon, but of course I have other life aspirations I want to accomplish. Perhaps if I did take those elements of my dreams and make a visual wishlist of intended targets, they would eventually materialize and I can have my flash mob moment of successful realization?
I have a hard time practicing the laws of attraction. I like to wing it in the most chaotic of fashions, which like most things doesn’t last very long. I’m going to try something new and give this “vision board dream maker” a go. I think I have a lot of things on the horizon to make a reality. Maybe 2023 will be dreams realized and goals met, one inspirational quote at a time. What about yours? Feel free to share your own unrealized dreams. #VisionBoard23
Here a few of my 2023 Home Goals
There are a million, but this is manageable for now.
I want to start an Herb Garden (perhaps I won’t kill these)
Built-Ins around our fireplace
Adding a Pedestal Sink to the powder room
Creating an inviting and entertaining outdoor space
A More Serene Scene: 2022 Paint Color Trends
Create a fresh start with 2022 color trends…
Ready to add some color to the new year? I know I am. One of the things I’m most excited about in 2022 is that I finally get to paint these beige walls! Painting your home is without a doubt expressing your home style to the world and whether it’s fun and festive or moody and monochrome, paint can create your room’s aura. Believe it or not there is a psychology to the colors you choose.
You want to lower someone’s blood pressure or to create a soothing space, go with blues and if you want to increase activity and creativity go with orange. Obviously having a fire engine red foyer is going to hit different than a nice fresh light green. Speaking of greens…looks like the greens have it in 2022. 2022 looks like a serene and tranquil scene with earth tones to complement. Here are the new color trends for the new year. Get those brushes out and create a renewed and personal space!
Interior Color Trends for 2022
Click pics for more info
Welcome to a New Dawn
Welcome to a New Year with a future on the horizon…
No, this isn’t a Twilight reference, but rather one of hope and embarking on a new beginning. Will you join me?
We are finally at the end of this, excuse my French, #@&%$# of a year. Some people might think, ooo the clock just went past midnight, cue triumphant music. Sorry to say, but we aren’t out of this mess yet. What we are in is a new transition into something different. We have learned new things about how we live and probably who we are. I for one learned many a thing during this time. From what a slob I can be to improving communication to getting pretty creative with my meals. So, if anything, this time has provided growth and growth leads to progress leads to a better way of living, etc etc etc.
So what the hell does this have to do with buying and selling houses you ask? Forecasting a new year is difficult. Forecasting a new year during a pandemic, well it’s cloudy if anything. Home sales for 2020 will top the previous year with an 8.1% increase in median home sales.* It is predicted that the market will continue to be strong in 2021, and inventory will continue to be scarce, just as mortgage rates maintain their historic lows.
It’s a mixed bag of sorts, but one thing is for sure, needing a home is definitely in demand. Demographics are changing as some are extending families and finding new occupational paths, others are wanting different floor plans, and home improvement has seen a significant increase. Contractors can’t build houses fast enough to compensate for the lack of housing, and with increases in costs of production materials and lack of labor, there has been some constraints on new construction. As I said before, I think it’s a perfect time to be putting together that hopescape and making it happen.
To summarize, once the pandemic is over we can breathe again, literally, and open ourselves up to new possibilities. I don’t do resolutions when a new year arrives. It puts too much pressure and high expectations. The older we get, the more change becomes difficult, but what I like to do is take all the assets of the year before and apply them to improving the next year. Here are a few things I do plan on doing during 2021.
More virtual tours. I’m planning on showing you all houses on my own, in different neighborhoods, so you can stay safe. I will be available for physical and private tours adhering to all the precautions, but I thought it might be fun to explore and show you all houses on my own accord. I’ll showcase two or three a week.
Neighborhood Profiles. I’m finally getting this together for the website. Every month I’ll spotlight a different neighborhood in RVA and it will talk about the area from what’s near to architecture to history. I’ll be including photos and videos and interviews of actual neighbors from those areas.
Putting the Sweet in Home. Stay tuned as I reach out to local businesses that incorporate all things home, including decorators, designers, builders, and landscapers.
Lend An Ear Happy Hour: I’m planning on having a bi-weekly Q&A with a lender and myself to answer any questions you might have about buying a home and what lending options you might have.
I think I can handle this task list. I do want to continue to support local businesses and urge you to do so as well. I plan on doing what I can for my communities and neighborhood. It’s a good time to plan out some neighborhood clean ups, offer tutoring services, look after pets, and donate meals to healthcare providers and elderly neighbors. It’s a good time to work on your health regiment (a la Rebel Wilson), take more bubble baths, read more books, watch some documentaries, listen to more podcasts, play with your kids, play with your partners, have a road trip, plan for the future because you may never have this contemplation time again, well let’s hope we don’t have something like this jar our world again. This is temporary folks, the chaos will end and will be replaced by bigger and brighter things. So embrace the new year, burn the last one, and let’s move forward to better ways of living.