Hey friends!
Last week, I was honored to be invited by Hunter Fan Co. to visit Austin, TX for a week of design, great eats and all kinds of fun!  Get a bunch of design lovers in one space for a week, and we for sure left feeling inspired beyond measure.  Here’s what “designer summer camp” looks like behind the scenes!

Airplane vibes.  Can I just say how much I needed a little break from the daily grind back home?  I love my family and my life, and it was really nice to miss it for a minute, you know?  (But by the end…I was ready to zoom on home! #MomFeelsAreConfusing 😂)

We stayed in the WAY cool South Congress Hotel in Austin, TX, and I was so digging the style of this place!  Not the typical vibe that I use in my home, but I LOVE getting challenged to think outside of my own box, and I left wanting to give some of these concepts a try someday.  Love getting inspired by all kinds of looks, styles and ideas!

(Bloggers pictured LtoR above:Kirsten from Simply Grove; Erin from Apartment 34; Aly from The Downtown Aly; Erica from HonestlyWTF; Anita from Anita Yokota; Nina from Nina and Cecilia; yours truly, and Holly from Our Faux Farmhouse.)

Our first stop was a private tour of the stunning Southern Living Idea House designed by Meredith Ellis, complete with gorg fans from Hunter Fan Co, designed by Patrick O’Connell!  It was really neat to hear the ideas behind the amazing look and feel of the home (that back porch and bathroom…..!!), and I loved getting tips on how to sort of reintroduce ceiling fans back into decor.  I’ve ripped most of mine out of my house, because they were just sort of utilitarian and icky from the builder, and I’ve never really seen any that could serve as both a nod to function AND form…until this trip!  See below for the fan that captured my heart…😍

The design bloggers/Instagrammers were then treated to a tour of some of the best Austin food trucks and restaurants by Ali Kahn of “Cheap Eats” on Cooking Channel!  The Austin Eats Food Tour company did not disappoint, and I don’t know if I’ve ever eaten so good in my entire life than I did that week in Texas!

We also spent a morning at The Blanton Museum for a guided tour and design scavenger hunt!  If you love finding inspiration through art, I highly recommend stopping in…plus you can cool off a bit from that Texas heat! 😉  We all felt so inspired and challenged to think outside the box after our visit!

For a little design challenge, we each chose a Hunter fan that inspired us, and we were asked to build out a space around that fan using polaroids from the weekend, images from magazines, fabric swatches and more!  It was so fun to watch how each woman’s design personality totally showed through on her board, and y’all…that mint fan is calling my NAME!!  The Hunter Cranbrook is the same color as some of the vintage dishes I’ve collected for years, and I kiiiiiiiinda think it needs to come live with me ASAP.  😉  These are some talented gals right here, y’all!

The Hunter Fan Company treated us to fantastic dinners each night around Austin, and I loved exploring the South Congress area and spending some serious face time with these ladies whom I usually only get to see through my screen on Instagram.  That was hands down the best part of the weekend for me.  ❤  I left full of inspiration, design ideas, a new appreciate for using ceiling fans in design, and a happy heart from squeezing my IG friends!  Thank you to Hunter Fan Co. for an unforgettable experience!
❤ERIN