I’m Christina! I was born and raised in Georgia, growing up in the suburbs of Atlanta, but I spent a month every summer visiting my parents’ families in New York. From a young age, I remember sneaking into my grandmother’s linen closet and jewelry box to admire her old Eastern European linens and costume jewelry, blossoming an early love of textiles and unique accessories. On the weekends, we would go into Manhattan, where I would take in all the architecture, design and creativity of the city. During the rest of the year, back in Georgia (before Atlanta was a sprawling metropolis), I would beg my mom to go take me to the small towns “in the country” to go antiquing and find my favorite historic home on the way. I can definitely say a love of design, antiques, historic architecture, and the thrill of the hunt have always been a love of mine. My surroundings have always influenced my mood and I have cherished memories of the butter yellow walls of my bedroom painted by my father and the pink and white dogwood trees he planted that bloomed outside my window. I’m telling you all of this in order to let you know the reason I believe in the importance of design; it has the power to make memories and bring peace to your day. It’s from these homegrown memories that The Dogwood Home was born.

I received a degree in Studio Art and Psychology from the University of Georgia, and went on to work in a school for children with special needs and later receive a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. While this degree is very different from Studio Art, its focus is on the study of how environments affect behavior, which actually comes in handy in interior design. After years of working, getting married and having children, my desire to work in a creative field would not stop nudging me. I found myself exploring the world of vintage rugs and began selling them online successfully for about three years. Helping people choose a one-of-a-kind rug for their home reminded me of my love of interior design. Luckily, friends began asking me to help decorate their homes and over the past few years I have continued to have my name recommended to others who are looking for a friendly, casual designer to help with anything from one room refreshes to larger home renovation projects. I have also managed and designed projects in my own 1984 Cape Cod. I love many different design styles, but I personally tend to lean more traditional, with a focus on interesting, peaceful colors (with bolder accents here and there!), functionality, and a hint of whimsy. I draw inspiration from historic Southern design, my travels to Italy and Portugal, and even my trips out West. I am still learning in many ways, so if your job isn’t the right fit, I will let you know!