From the beginning, Travel Patterns has been founded on the value of being inspired by the different cultures, patterns, and textiles from around the world. We believe that allowing cultures from around the world to impact our lives leads to a uniquely beautiful experience in our homes and in our hearts. We started our “Take Heart Homes” series because we wanted to explore the unique people who live in our community, the spaces they love, and how they bring the World home.

Our first Take Heart Home is that of Jenny McRae. When we saw her beautiful pink couch and adorable pup, we knew that we needed to see more! We spent a morning photographing Jenny’s home and getting to know more about who she is.

Introduce Yourself

Jenny: My name is Jenny McRae. I'm originally from Jackson, MS, but I moved to Huntsville in 2017 for grad school at UAH. I share my house with my husband Will and our dog Basil. She is a 3 year old Boston terrier, and she runs the house!

How do you feel about living in Huntsville? What is your favorite part about where you live?

Jenny: I love living in Huntsville — there is so much to do here! I especially enjoy being surrounded by the mountains because growing up in Mississippi is very flat. We live in the Five Points district and it was really the only area we were looking in to purchase a house. Our favorite parts include walking around looking at historic homes and being within walking distance to downtown.

How do you find inspiration for decorating your home?

Jenny: I love to get inspiration from traveling by paying attention to the local fashion, architecture, decor, and crafts of the area. I also follow my favorite interior designers and artists on social media and love to gain inspiration by learning from them — how they use color and pattern, layout ideas, etc. A few of my favorites are Anna Bond of Rifle Paper Co., Grace Mitchell of A Storied Style, and Alison Kandler.

If you had to describe your home style in three words, what would they be?

Jenny: Colorful, Eclectic, and Feminine.

What is your favorite room in your home?

Jenny: Our dining room is definitely my favorite room. It's very bright and colorful. I love Rifle Paper Company and have been dreaming of using their wallpaper for years. The city maps wallpaper is so fun to look at. I think our dining room is also a great example of mixing old and new to make a room completely your own. The card catalog (another favorite find) is from the 1970’s; I found it on an auction website. The table was a Facebook find, and the chairs belonged to my aunt. I paired those older items with a fun boston terrier lamp from Anthropologie and a poster I purchased in France. Not everything in a room has to be expensive to be beautiful.

Do you have a favorite piece in your home? If so, what is it?

Jenny: It's hard to choose, but I think my favorite is my giant boston terrier painting. I purchased it in college, and it has traveled to every home I've had since. It's the first thing you see when you walk in our house — just to prepare you for what you're getting into with us. We call him JT (because he's in his suit and tie).

Favorite place to source items for your home?

Jenny: Anthropologie, Rifle Paper Company, and flea markets!

Any advice for creating a home you love?

Jenny: Take it slow. It's hard to be patient when decorating a home, but it's better to wait to find pieces you really love rather than buy something just to fill a spot. And don't be afraid of color!

Take Heart. Take Flight.

Our motto - Take Heart. Take Flight. - calls us to courageously search for who we were meant to be, to break free of the fears holding us back, and to boldly pursue the daring adventure set before us. We believe that this journey can be uniquely reflected in our homes as they can display our hearts more clearly than any other piece of our lives. With that in mind, how does your home show a unique piece of your personality and story?

Jenny: I strongly believe that a home should describe the people who live there. When you walk in our house, you instantly learn things about us. Clearly, we love our dog. You can spot about ten Boston terrier items almost instantly. Those funny pieces also tell my family story as I grew up having Boston terriers. They remind me of my family. We also love traveling and reading. Our house is filled with books and trinkets and photos from traveling.

Most of all, I’m a creative person who feels inspired when surrounded by color and cozy furniture. I hope it comes across that I’m passionate for design and feeling at home in your house. I’ve been dreaming of decorating my own home since I was a little girl, and I’m so happy that Huntsville fulfilled that dream.

Where to find Jenny:

Instagram: @jennycmcrae

Website: www.rocketcitystyle.com

Special “Thank You” to Meghan Medlen of Meghan Medlen Photography for the beautiful images!

Interested in applying to have your home featured on the blog? View this post to get all the information!

Take Heart. Take Flight.

-Travel Patterns Team