Life + style blogger Eleanora Morrison has been so kind to share with a us a private tour of her San Antonio, Texas home. It's a bright & cozy space showcasing antique furniture with fun, contemporary pieces mixed in. I love the relaxed and bright feel she accomplishes.This newlywed successfully transformed her home to suit the styles of both Eleanora and her husband, blending rustic with glam, which always takes an artful balance.
Eleanora Morrison is the founder of Oh, Eleanora blog. Check out our chat below!
I really like that your blog focuses on both style and wellness. How have you set up your home to help accomplish wellness and balance?
For me, styling our first home with wellness and balance in mind was at the top of my priority list. It has always been the goal for it to feel like our house gives you a hug when you walk through the door. I wanted this home to be the sigh of relief that would welcome us into relaxation after a long, busy day.
Our careers both demand very much of our time and energies, so I paid a lot of attention to the finite details in the décor that I think help to create an atmosphere of relaxation at home. For example, I have a few indoor plants or fresh flowers placed in almost every room. I have aromatherapy candles in the bathroom and in the office. I have my favorite honey + milk soap in the bathroom and salts that make a typical at-home bath feel like an at-home spa. We were also given amazing bedding for our wedding that is so comfy that we have to pull ourselves away, so that also helps us keep relaxed and happy. It’s the little things that can give your home a very luxurious feel.
In what ways does your home reflect your personal style?
I fell in love with our home the moment I saw it because it is a beautiful blend of old meets new. Our home was built in 1927, but we bought it completely renovated with a modern kitchen, bathroom, back yard, and other charming features. The character is there, but the modern luxuries are what make the home feel good.
My personal style is very much a blend of a love affair with classic and timeless elegance, and an affinity toward bold modern statements. Our décor is a direct reflection of this. Many of our bigger furniture pieces are antiques—either from our grandparent’s homes or our parent’s homes. Everything we were given for our wedding, however, is contemporary. This makes our home feel like a blend of rustic charm and Hollywood glam, and I love it.
As a newlywed, what has been the hardest thing about decorating with your husband and joining your personal styles? What is your biggest joint-decorating success story so far?
This is definitely a challenge. Luckily, my husband trusted me completely and didn’t really question any of my design choices with this home. However, he tends to be drawn to very contemporary and modern décor—I would call him a minimalist—and I am drawn to more traditional, rustic, and glamorous décor. With that in mind, I had to be very creative in blending tastes and respecting that this was a merger, not a takeover!
I think our biggest joint-decorating success story at this point would be our guest room. Dan’s things were mostly black and modern, and mine were mostly white and neutral, with some inherited antiques. I figured out how to use his pieces to decorate the guest room in such a way that we didn’t lose him in the house. I didn’t mind the guest room feeling masculine—I am sometimes very drawn to masculine clothing and décor. I know we will eventually repurpose and redecorate that room, but for now it works really well and it came together quite nicely. Dan can have his space, I have my feminine office space, and the rest of the rooms in our home are fairly neutral and welcoming.
With your new voyage in entrepreneurship, I'm sure your background in PR and fundraising have been very helpful. What takeaways from the fundraising and PR sectors have you utilized as you build your blogging business Oh, Eleanora?
My background in PR and fundraising was the perfect springboard into building a full-time blogging business. I still have much to build and much to achieve, but I truly believe that everything I did before taking the leap into being my own brand prepared me just the way I needed for what I do today. The three biggest skill sets from fundraising and PR that I draw from every single day are problem-solving, storytelling through mission-driven content, and utilizing my professional and personal networks to yield collaborations and sponsorships.
In my experience, fundraising was about telling the story of your mission to people you had relationships with, in the hopes that they would convert to donors. Then you had to carry out their donor benefits and work them into current or future campaigns. The formula is almost exactly the same when pursuing relationships and sponsored collaborations with brands.
What type of person do you think would love your blog?
Women in their 20’s and 30’s who are looking to find some inspiration and motivation to keep pushing toward their dreams. The mission of my site is to encourage and empower women to create the lives they want to lead. I hope Oh, Eleanora serves as a digital destination for those who need a little bit of cheerleading to reach for their stars. I would imagine these women are open-minded, worldly, interested in arts and culture; I think of them as being the never-ending seekers of beauty in the world, but also the ones who want to make a difference in it.
What health & wellness resources are you most excited about this year?
I am now totally into a new practice of yoga (for me)—it’s called Bowspring. I’ve discovered it at my current yoga studio here in San Antonio, AC Power Yoga, but Bowspring is a global method that started in Denver, CO and was originated by a woman named Desi Springer. Its fundamentals are about re-learning movement habits that are more animalistic in nature rather than mechanical. It’s easier on my body than other forms of yoga and exercise, but it is more physically and mentally challenging. It works your fascia, not just your muscles. You get an amazing stretch from the practice, and your body feels renewed when you finish class. The movements are new and different, so you have to work very mindfully. It’s a workout for the body and the brain. If you live in a city that offers Bowspring yoga, I highly suggest trying it!
What has been inspiring you creatively lately?
I’ve been inspired by the fact that in both fashion and interior design, blush is the new black. I shared an article about it on the blog recently.
I am always drawing inspiration from the following places, people and sites:
- The Beverly Hills Hotel
- The Parker Palm Springs
- Chateau Marmont
- Darling Magazine
- The Everygirl
- Margo & Me
- The Atlantic-Pacific
- Gal Meets Glam
- MyDomaine
- One King’s Lane
Photo credits: Curbviews and Will Crawford
The last (and probably most important) thing I learned from the PR and fundraising sectors is that everyone knows everyone. The law of six degrees of separation will always shock you—no matter how you industry-hop. I now realize that the success of a relatively new blogger in the digital space is far more dependent on personal and professional relationships and networks that one would think. In fundraising and in PR, you meet so many people, and you learn how to deal with so many types of personalities. To be able to utilize those relationships to knock on doors, even in a completely new industry, helps me every single day.
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jacquinmh
