The Well Appointed House

Emily Post wrote a chapter in her book Etiquette on the “Well Appointed House” back in the 1920s. Today, Melissa Hawks’ carefully curated luxuries for the home offer a modern day version of that vision. Based in Greenwich, Connecticut, Melissa founded The Well Appointed House in 2001 while she was working as a young advertising executive in New York City. She wanted to bring unique home decor finds that were readily accessible in Manhattan to a more widespread audience. It was one of the first e-commerce destinations for home decor enthusiasts.  Today, the website has grown to include more than 8,500 items, and Melissa has become a celebrated expert on how to live a Well Appointed Life™.

Naturally, Melissa also lives in the most beautiful home, which happens to be my absolute dream house. The Mary C. Morrison house, also known as “Twin Elms,” was originally built in 1912 as a summer retreat for a family living in Manhattan. It has breathtaking marble fireplaces that were carved at the turn of the century, along with exquisite woodwork, mouldings, and ceilings. Since moving in, Melissa has replaced all the windows, replicating the originals exactly with old fashioned chains and pulleys. “I have focused on the spirit of the house, which is very Georgian in design with Mediterranean aspects like the tile roof,” she said.  Let’s take a tour! Images below are from Matchbook Magazine, unless otherwise noted.

Melissa was able to reuse the exquisite Gracie wallcoverings from her previous home, which you can read about here. 

 

While very traditional in her design aesthetic, Melissa wanted to create a happy home full of color for her husband and three young children. When it comes to walls and carpeting, she sticks to the classics using papers by Colefax & Fowler, Cowtan & Tout, and Gracie. Then she mixes in beautifully framed pictures of her family along with fabulous accessories from her store, which she changes out frequently. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love that the exterior is painted pink… my favorite color! This truly is my dream home! Image via The Well Appointed House blog 

 

Melissa’s Well Appointed Cavalier King Charles spaniels, Lilly and Sophie strike a picture perfect pose in the perfectly landscaped formal gardens.

Image via The Well Appointed House blog 

 

Image via Ivy & Piper

Below, I have selected some of my favorite items from The Well Appointed House including Chippendale chairs, gold faux bamboo bar carts, cocktail napkins, blue and white porcelains, Chinoiserie accessories, monogramed wastebaskets, nursery accessories, boxwood topiaries, and more!

For more treasures from The Well Appointed House, you can shop here and follow the blog here. And Melissa offers eDesign services! You can also follow along via Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.