Grandmillennial Blog Archives - A Home for Elegance

Story by Tiffany Skilling~ A New Store

May 8, 2025/0 Comments/in Elegant Living, Home Décor /by mrs.sshockley

Good Morning,

I’ve been a busy little elf. This week I am filming a video in my home with Dr. Minju Witte! I have been keeping it under wraps because I needed to work out the details but now, I can share it! We will be discussing the questions from you and then just letting our conversation have some freedom! I look forward to sharing the video soon!

In my April newsletter I shared that I had lots of “elegant adventures” scheduled in the upcoming weeks ahead. This is one of my adventures from April. I visited the beautiful new store of one of my favorite interior designers here in my city Tiffany Skilling.

Her new store is called Story….

Her gorgeous new store is located just across the street from her interior design firm. I have been to her firm before to shop but love the idea of her having a second location! I decided to go for a visit after my floral prep volunteer shift at Random Acts of Flowers.

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

Walking into the store I gasped, and I mean I had a big GASP! It was so beautiful and so layered. That is one thing that I think Tiffany and her team do well is layering. There were antiques in every corner. There was china, crystal, chandeliers, solid wood furniture pieces and vintage rugs.

I mean seriously! This was an elegant dream! The beautiful vintage garden stools, wonderous trinkets, oil paintings, and can we talk about the wallpaper!

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

The lovely sales associate told me that it was Schumacher. Of course it is. Look at how beautiful that is! And just look at that stunning vintage mirror.

I then began walking about the tables investigating all of the details until I noticed a heavenly scent in the air. I looked on the bookshelf and they had this beautiful collection of botanical candles called Carriere Freres 1884. I could not resist so I went over to smell all of the scents and had a very hard time not buying all of them. In the end I ended up choosing Lily of the Valley and Tomato. I was told that the tomato scent is one of their most popular scents and I can see why. The notes in it are so good and it does not smell like a vegetable candle. It is quite lovely. Now not only do we have a gift for the eyes, touch, and now there was a scent. The store is a gift to the senses!

There was also wrapping paper that looked like wallpaper. Each table had a charming table setting with different plates, napkins and glassware. There were also trinkets and paintings. I was in love with the pink blush bench that was position at this table and just look at the spectacular chandelier!

The store felt so cozy, warm, inviting and elegant. The way interior design should be. You can tell that everything was carefully curated and thought out. I believe that beauty is a way of living and as I get older that belief is becoming stronger in every element of my life. Life is so interesting to me now. Since my mind and heart want beauty it seems to come to me in every way. Even visiting stores like this bring fulfillment to my soul. If you live in Indy and love design, you should visit Tiffany’s store. As I said before, it is a gift to the senses. Have a great weekend and Happy Mother’s Day!

This post is not sponsored.

April Favorites~ 2025

April 30, 2025/0 Comments/in Inspiring Posts, Monthly Favorites /by mrs.sshockley

Hello to the end of April!

The last few weeks have just been flying for me! I have been so busy since the show house started. Also don’t forget if you are local to grab your tickets! If you decide to visit, please put my name S. Shockley in the “do you know a Guild member box”. I would greatly appreciate!

With all of the busyness in my schedule this last few weeks, I am glad that I have been able to enjoy my lilac bushes. They have started to bloom, and I have cut off a few pieces to enjoy at the office and home.

April has been such a great month for me as far as “elegant adventures”. I have a few places to share with you all very soon! Now on to favorites for this month.

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

First up are some new discovery scents. I found this stunning peony diffuser from Anthropologie! It showed up in one of my newsfeeds and I could not resist. It is porcelain and practically a work of art. You simply drop your oil scent liquid onto the peony itself and enjoy the scent. Really stunning. The second is their floral peony blush candle. Just look at the jar that it is in. Can you imagine having that on your desk full of flowers or pens? It’s so beautiful. The scent is lemon with blackcurrant, peony and whispers of sueded woods.

Next up are more lush floral scents. I found this super large swan candle at HomeGoods. It is so big and beautiful. I shared a small video of it on my Instagram page last week. The scent is peony as well. Check out your local HomeGoods soon. The second is another Anthropologie find. This linen spray bottle is the most beautiful bottle that I am ever seen. It is covered in beautiful birds, and floral prints very similar to chinoiserie. It comes in other scents as well and would be a perfect gift. I gave a bottle to our daughter in law for her birthday.

Now this was a part of my elegant adventures for April. I think that I mentioned that we had an “Influencer Day” at the show house and it went so great! I had a wonderful time meeting Nicole and Lindsay and so grateful to them donating their time to the show house. My sixth favorite is this stunning blue and white ceramic vase from Mark & Graham. This vase has a botanical illustration, and you can have it monogram. It’s a perfect Mother’s Day Gift!

Next are my recent antique purchases. I have had this vintage French dresser for over a month. I purchased it from FBMP and it is from the 1960s. It is a perfect fit in my sitting room. The second is a green settee that I picked up at a tag sale last week from one of our interior designers from the show house Jenni Eggers. I love Jenni’s style and decor selections. When I saw this green settee at the sale I gasped and knew that I had to take it home. The details are stunning and so is the color. I am so happy with it. I am currently sitting on it as I write this blog post. I moved it into my home office.

Ninth on my list is my porcelain vase that I purchased at the antique store. It reminded me of the Josepha Canister from Aerin Lauder. I am currently using it to put my cotton balls in. I love it! The last thing is this veggie and fruit saver. These are perfect for limes, lemons, avocadoes, and tomatoes. I am so happy that I decided to give them a try.

I hope you all enjoyed my favorites for this month. I wanted to share with everyone that if you use code “Spring10″ you will get 10% off of all items in the boutique and that includes new arrivals. We have the new Lux Cardigan Brooch and the Caroline Pearl Earrings.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Affiliate links attached.

A Walk-Through History

April 17, 2025/0 Comments/in Elegant Living, Inspiring Posts /by mrs.sshockley

Good Morning Friends,

Do you have any blooms in your neck of the woods? I certainly do! I love it when my trees begin to bloom. It certainly helps with my morning walks. It makes them so pleasant and beautiful. My tulips did okay in my greenhouse this year. When we install my raised beds, I will be sure to move those to the outside. But I am also trying to give myself some grace because this is the first year of me trying to grow tulips in my greenhouse.

Remember my elegant adventures that I mentioned? Well, I just had one this past weekend. The organization that I volunteer for just had a run/walk marathon through our historical home district and it was phenomenal! This was the 3rd annual Dash by the Past, and it was my first time. It was so nice walking through that area with friends and seeing the gorgeous homes that I have loved since I was a kid.

A photo of me not being dressed up is rare! But here I am in my sun hat that I wear on my morning walks, my black cape, workout sweater, workout leggings, and walking shoes. I was comfy and layered up because it was cold. I still wore a pair of pearls and some big sunglasses.

It was such a beautiful day and a fun walk. We walked about 3 miles and got to look at all the homes in the historical district. There were about 300 people who signed up.

Our Guild group put out all of the Past Decorators Show House post. It was so fun to see each past show house. I have only been in the Guild for 3 years and have learned a lot, had fun, and made friends.

If you live in the area, I hope that you would consider joining us next year. All of the proceeds benefit Eskenazi Health and go toward helping us with our mission to support mental health. Cheers to home beauty and supporting the community!

Afflialte links attached – photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

Inspiration for Simple Luxuries at Work

February 12, 2025/in Elegant Living, Inspiring Posts /by mrs.sshockley

Hello,

Can it really be the middle of February? I still can’t believe that Valentine’s Day is this Friday. I told my husband that I only wanted a book and that was it. I don’t have a lot on my list this year.

I hope everyone is doing well. I am still reading my goals and listening to some great podcasts in the mornings while I am driving to my office. I had to share something that I listen to recently and it made me think that maybe I needed to update my list.

Now I have shared new things that I have purchased for my office in the last few years, and they are scattered in the many blog posts that I have so I thought I needed to combine everything into a current post of what my offices look like today.

Now I have two. I have an office downtown for my regular job, and I have an office at home for the blog, home life, the boutique, and my telework days. I love learning from other women what things they have added to their lives in order to bring about elegance to it. Especially with everything going on in our worlds now. I listen to Kaylee Hackney’s podcast called “Simple Ways to Add Luxury to your Workday” and I thought that I would share her list so that maybe we all can get some inspiration for our spaces.

First on her list is gourmet coffee. Now I am not a coffee drinker, but I do love my teas and I have shared my favorite tea which is Harney’s and my vanilla chai tea that I buy from Kroger. I did get a Nespresso machine and talk about lux! I love that thing, and it does start off my morning in luxury!

This is my morning luxury. My vanilla chai tea and foam oatmilk that I am pouring into Royal Albert Old Country Roses teacup and saucer. Use your best at work if you can.

Her second item was fresh flowers. Of course! These are always a part of my luxury items for work and if you have not tried having these around you by now then take a leap! They are so affordable at the grocery store and sometimes on clearance! Give this lux a chance seriously!

Now her third idea was a flameless candle. Now I have not considered this, but this sounds like a great idea! I love a little light in my office. I have lamps around but if space is an issue, then this could be a great lux idea! I saw these on Amazon as well as these and these.

Next up is a standing desk. Now I have not thought of these either but what a great idea. I have had one of these before but the one I had a work was much heavier. This one here looks like a great option!

Of course, I could not forget a wonderful and comfortable office chair! You all know that I purchased this last year and have no regrets. As you know there are several on Amazon. I did find these for only $65! This is my current office now. I enjoy it so much!

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

A simple luxury for work that you may have not thought about are pens and pads. I cannot tell you how important these items are if you work in an office setting. Having great working pens and notepads at your figure tips is a great luxury. I purchased these notepads and pens from Amazon and love them both. These pens are blue ink! My favorite! I love blue ink. Don’t forget about these sophisticated clipboards from Notiq as well as the pen cases. I have both!

Another item that I just got for my office is the space heater. She mentions it in her list and she is right! Having this for this season of winter has been a game changer. My office is so cold in the mornings. I just hit my remote control for my heater and warmth comes my way. It’s a luxury for sure.

We cannot forget about cord organizers. I just got these from Amazon and they work magnificently. I got a pack of ten so that I can use them in my office, car and home. She mentions noise cancelling headphones in her blog post. I have never tried these before but may consider them for traveling. I do love my ear buds for listening to my favorite podcasts. She also mentions artwork and I could not agree more. I would just recommend buying what you love and buy quality. A lamp for your desk is a must. I have two lamps in my office and love having them both. I love Jonathan Y lamps and purchased this one about 3 years ago. There are so many more things that I could add to this list. A few more items of work luxury would be a wonderful work tote, stapler (I love this one), or get a set for your desk. You will be amazed at what this will do for you work life.

I hope everyone enjoyed these tips and I certainly enjoyed Kaylee’s podcast. If you have a moment, you should listen to her podcast. You can also read her blog post and find more inspiring ideas for your lux office. Life is short, make it beautiful!

Affiliate links attached

My Sitting Room Refresh

February 6, 2025/in Home Décor /by mrs.sshockley

Good Morning Friends!

How is everyone doing? I am repeating my goals in my mind and I recently read this quote from James Clear…..

“People can sometimes be held hostage by their expectations. They have a dream of something they would like to achieve or a path they intend to follow, but their mindset falls apart when things don’t work out how they had hoped.

The key is to reach for an extremely high bar, but to be adaptable enough to reframe the failures, disappointments, and defeats into fuel for the next thing. Give your best effort, but no matter how it works out, trust that life will be good for you. Focus on how the world is working with you, not against you.

Everything you are given is material for the next move. Everything.”

I just keep asking the Lord to guide me. I get sent this nuggets every time.

Well my FBMP shopping has not slowed down. I am just on this journey where I want to add better furniture pieces to my home and why not. I have been wanting to change things up for so long and I am now unafraid to try things. You all know that I love a good room refresh and this time I decided to change up my sitting room.

The photo on the left is one version of my sitting room. I believe this was taken in 2019 or maybe 2018. I was starting to feel like it looked “too yellow”. I had the cream, fuzzy rug which was suppose to be cream but it looked yellow. I also had “cream” curtains which looked yellow as well. I wanted to add some fresh whites to my sitting room. The photo on the right is what it currently looks like right now since I have refreshed it.

I purchased the new rug from Amazon. I love the design and color and believe it fits the room perfectly. The rug is from influencer My Texas Home. I have been wanting one of these for some time now. I also got new pillows from HomeGoods. White ones of course to brighten up and freshen up the couch.

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

The space look so different and I am here for it! It really updated the “shades” in my sitting room and gave it a clean look. I also got new curtains from HomeGoods. They are white as well and no longer have that yellow look to them.

Can you see something else? Well for one thing I got two new lamps instead of one. I had one lamp in this room for 13 years and decided that two lamps would balance the room.

I got KING CORBRA lamps! I could not believe it myself. I could not understand why I was attracted to these lamps. My husband and I were walking around HomeGoods when I saw these and I said, “Those are sharp”! My husband then turned and looked at me with astonishment and said, “are you serious”? I then grabbed my mouth because I could not believe that came out of it!

I looked at him with such confusion because I could not make sense of it but I LOVED them! I then spent the next 45 minutes in anguish trying to figure out why I wanted them. We “googled” the meaning of King Cobra because I was so worried if this meant something about my faith. I had all kinds of crazy thoughts, but do you know what the meaning of King Cobra is? It means transformation, wisdom, royalty, strength, rebirth, and knowing oneself better. WOW! The two meanings that stuck out to me were transformation and rebirth as I am going through a transition in my life and change. Plus, the girl who does my nails just told me that it is the year of the snake! Can you believe that! Wow! Any way I do love my king cobra lamps and no longer have regrets. They did come with a black snakeskin lamp shade but I thought white would look better with my decor and room.

I also redid my floral arrangement. This arrangement was on my table next to my couch in a gold old vase and needed to be refresh so I got rid of the gold vase and decided to use my giant blue and white ginger vase, and it looks so much better.

A new candle was also added to the space. I normally don’t buy candles at Target, but I think this is becoming one of my favorites. If you love a beautiful floral candle, then this candle by Theshold called sunflower and ivy will certainly please you. I am already going to order more! It’s lovely and comes in this beautiful canister.

This was not a part of the sitting room refresh but I purchased this from T.J. Maxx. I needed a new lamp for my dresser in our bedroom and saw this lovely swan lamp there. I could not leave it. It looks stunning on my vanity.

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

Well, I will be honest. I am feeling much better being in my sitting room and spending time in it. I was not using the room for months because I was just so unhappy with it. Now I look forward to my “rest mornings”. It’s when I go down to that room grab my At Home in the Garden book and just enjoy the space. It is such a treat in the early mornings.

FBMP has been such a wonderful tool for me to purchase pieces and curate my home. I now have my search fine tuned and don’t have a problem looking for items. If you want to see my other blog posts regarding my past searches you may read them here.

Let me know in the comments below what your thoughts are. Have a great week!

Affiliate links attached

January Favorites ~ 2025

January 23, 2025/in Monthly Favorites /by mrs.sshockley

Hello Friends,

It was so nice having a nice long weekend. I so needed it. I spent the weekend going thru old paperwork and getting it ready for shredding. I just learned last week that I was suggested to our learning facility to be an instructor for the upcoming year. So that means that I will be on a panel teaching other paralegals later this year. I will also be doing a virtual training in April! I am so excited for these new opportunities and extremely nervous. I also have another office to evaluate this year in Boston and a potential training in Washington. We will see how things go.

You will also notice some items have begun to vanish from the boutique. I did an inventory check this weekend and remove some things. I have some different ideas this year for inventory so we will see what I come up with. I may be taking a break from dresses and just focus on accessories. Let me know in the comments below what items you would like to see in the boutique this year.

Now let’s move on to some favorites.

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

First is my new devotional that I ordered from Amazon. This was a suggestion from the late Dr. Charles Stanely. I have been listening to him for years and read his recent book Living the Extraordinary Life -Nine Principles to Discover it. In this book Dr. Stanley mentioned My Utmost for His Highest devotion written by Oswald Chambers. It is so good and really challenges one’s faith. I read this passage in it this week… My best for his glory. At first, the call comes gently. Then it grows louder, until finally God produces a crisis in our lives that demands we make a choice. For or against, yes or no; stay or go.

There was another devotional that has stuck with me for months now. It is called the Law of Antagonism. The law if antagonism means that in order to stay healthy, I have to fight. Health is a kind of balance between things that would harm me and my ability to resist them. Physical health occurs when there is a balance between my body and those things in the external world that are designed to put me to death. If I have enough vitality, enough fighting power, I will produce a healthy balance.

If you are a person that enjoys devotionals then I would HIGHLY recommend this book!

My second is the Fresh Balsam candle from Bath & Body Works. This candle gives such a clean and fresh pine scent. It has been perfect to start off my year and I love smelling it in my home. I also saw this lovely blue and white teapot plugin. I had to grab one!

Speaking of blue and white I did not stop my hunt for the Love Shack Fancy Stanley cup. I did find this in August of last year but could not share it because I was getting one for our daughter in law for Christmas and I did not want to give up my gift idea! I found mine and purchased it from Poshmark. They are sold in various places. Just make sure that you have the Stanley stamp on the bottom, and it comes with a box and the straw with a bow. I heard that there are some fake ones out there.

photo credits: Mrs. Shockley

Fourth on my list is this glorious brand. Now of course I learned about Holland Cooper from the British influencer Lydia Millen and loved them immediately. I mean can we talk about the super elegant branding? The rich colors? It’s stunning. I decided to take a leap and order my first candle from them. Then I could not resist the Chelesa Emerald Green makeup bag! When Lydia shared this on a video I was foaming at the mouth. It is so elegant and every time I pull it out to use it I stare at it. It is now on sale. It’s still a little expensive but it’s a wonderful piece for the elegant wardrobe that you want to build.

Don’t you just love a good antique find? I know I do! I found this while at a friend’s house. She mentioned this antique store to me, and I thought, well okay, I’ll take a look! I ended up finding this beautiful French blue armchair. Score! I love it and have moved it to my office downtown. It looks wonderful!

In addition to adding my new chair to my office and purchased this gorgeous cashmere scarf from Amazon and it is double sided. It is a stunning emerald green color and I have gotten lots of compliments on it. I am thinking about going back and ordering it in the khaki.

And lastly on my list is this classy video from Parisian Vibe where photographer and artist Jamie Beck demonstrates how to tie a scarf or “foulard”. I love that word. This video is the epitome of elegance, and you will enjoy the scarf techniques from Jamie, the Hermes scarves that she wears, and the home! It’s a beautiful video.

I hope you all enjoy my monthly favorites as usual! Please let me know in the comments below if there are things that you would like to see in the boutique and have a great week!

This post is not sponsored. Affiliate links attached.