(c) Stacy's gang, from left: Loch, 4; Connolly, 8; and Liam, 6. Hoping to encourage their love of art, she keeps the kitchens bench/storage unit brimming with supplies.

The woodwork thought-out the home used to be stark white. For the massive dose of character Stacy felt the place so desperately needed, she repainted it green. Here, she looked to the French for inspiration. "in this country, I think we're really caught up in matching and in symmetry," she says. "The French don't think that way. They have no decorating protocol, other that to choose what's beautiful and what works together."

About the absolute wrongness of one color pattern, however, Stacy was adamant. As much as she liked the contours of the chairs now in her kitchen, she abhorred their previous faux leopard skin upholstery. Readymade tablecloths and napkins, cut and then sewn to fit the required dimensions, proved far more pleasing chair covers.
She credits her mom for instilling her with strong sense of individual style. "Mom is so confident and such a risk-taker. She taught me to see what's pretty and interesting, and always encourages me to go with it."
(d) As if a bunny nibbling a leafy-topped carrot weren’t eye-catching enough, Stacy further enlivened the kitchen chairs by staining their wood frames. She relishes collecting old enamel trays, pottery, and cookware. (e) By covering quail eggs and a beribboned bottle with a fleur-de-lis-trimmed glass cloche, Stacy’s mom created an instant still life.

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