Talya Boerner
Where I live: Washington-Willow Historic District in Fayetteville
Occupation: About three years ago, I left a successful Dallas banking career to pursue my writing dream. Now I freelance for several Arkansas print and online publications and on my personal blog, "Grace Grits and Gardening."
My favorite space is: While, my husband, John, and I agree that every room in our house is ideal for our empty-nest lifestyle, if we were to choose a favorite space, it would be our porches. We have three and each is completely different: a wrap-around front porch, a screened porch that overlooks our backyard and an upstairs sleeping porch.
Why? Porches are such a part of Southern architecture. For me, they tap into childhood memories of shelling peas, sipping iced tea and watching the cotton crops grow. The front porch is social: folks wave hello, dogs wag tails, neighbors enjoy our Little Free Library. Across the back of our house, the screened porch is a quiet, private, shady spot for writing or napping or watching the birds (my obsessive new hobby). Our upstairs sleeping porch provides the perfect view of brilliant sunsets.
If I could make one change to improve this space, I would: While our front porch ceiling is painted the perfect historical "haint" blue, our back porch ceiling is beige. We have plans to paint the back porch ceiling blue as well ; otherwise, what's to keep a haint from sneaking in the back door?
HomeStyle on 07/04/2015