A Desert Oasis in Vantage | Seattle Interior Photographer

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Sometimes a little change of scenery is the key to refreshing your whole outlook. It’s easy to feel far away when you head east over the pass to Vantage, WA. Home to The Gorge, many wineries (including Cave B), and stunning desert scenery, you can take in desert sun and colors without traveling southwest.

This new vacation rental, The Wild Horse, is perched on the shore of the Columbia River with sweeping views in all directions from the rooftop deck. The sky is so open. It’s easy to forget you’re so close to Seattle with these vast landscapes.

The desert color palette is brought indoors throughout this bright short term rental home. With tall ceilings and abundant natural light, each room brings its own vibe of desert oasis (and its own attached bathroom!). The black accent walls in two of the rooms make for striking backdrops to the bright accent pillows and cow skull decor. Most unexpected is the family rec room with wall-to-wall window views of the surroundings. From this room, head upstairs to the rooftop sunset deck to take in the changing sky as the sun sinks over the mountain behind the house.

Traveling kids and adults alike will enjoy the party garage with ping pong and other games and a projector for movie nights next to the custom mural. There are musical posters all over the house with special nods to Tom Petty, Neil Young, and other musical pillars of rock.

Perhaps the coolest feature of the entire house is the custom crochet hat wall in the dining area. Made to be interacted with, you can pop out a chic hat for all your desert vibing, or just enjoy for a quick group selfie.

You can book this spot on Airbnb now!

A Perfect Coastal Retreat 2 Hours from Seattle

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Other than being famous for the Olympic Rainshadow, making it unusually sunny for a place in Western Washington, Sequim also might be the most idyllic landing spot for a soul looking for a quaint town and a little peace and quiet near the water.

Haus of Hygge has launched another magical property in the Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage, a veritable dream of a beach house situated on five acres of estuary that heads out into into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. A distant lighthouse glimmers over the peaceful water while an occasional ship sails by, amongst a constant flurry of birds dipping and soaring. While the house is a fully-stocked modern retreat, the true magic is in the view and the surroundings.

My friend Sydney and I headed out on a beautiful July weekend to photograph the property and take it in for ourselves, documenting our stay all the while. We traipsed through lavender fields, scored the jackpot of antiques and thrifts, dined al fresco, and cozied up to You’ve Got Mail to the distant tune of lapping waves. To say it was the restorative bliss a busy mother needs isn’t saying enough. You just have to experience it for yourself.

In the mornings we enjoyed fresh brewed coffee as the birds performed their dance. Mid-day we took in the quaint towns of Sequim and nearby Port Townsend. As the evening breeze took hold, we lit up the gas fireplace and enjoyed the combination of fresh sea air and warmth from the fire, fresh from the oversize shower after a hot tub dip.

Two hours from Seattle (either by driving or by ferry), Sequim is situated on the northern tip of the Olympic Peninsula. It’s a great stopping point if you’re road tripping around to the coast, but is worth a stay all of its own. Surrounded by literal dozens of lavender fields, a stroll through the mesmerizing rows is necessary during full bloom. (We visited B&B Family Lavender Farm.) Port Townsend is a 45-minute drive along winding country roads, and offers a historical dip into a quaint seaside town. (If you’re looking for an excellent burger high up on a waterfront patio, hit Sirens pub!)

As an interiors and travel photographer, I’ve slowly built a lifestyle of traveling and capturing the unique beauty of spaces all over. For me, the best way to capture a travel destination is by immersing myself in the environment. I love observing how the light changes and brings rooms to life. As we cooked dinner the first night, the most perfect ray of sunlight fell across the countertop as my friend was cutting a red bell pepper. You just can’t plan that stuff! And it truly tells the story of the space beyond your typical interior photographs. It’s the combination of those clean editorial images plus the handheld lifestyle snaps that bring the whole story together, creating an immersive peek into such beautifully curated spaces.

The Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage is available now to book! More information and booking details here.

5 Books for your Coffee Table

In a world that is turning more digital by the second, there’s something so wonderful about holding a book in your hands and tuning into a slower frequency.

I love keeping a small collection of books around to add a little fun to a bookshelf or my tiny coffee table bench. Or, on the rare occasion that I get a few quiet hours to myself, I love bringing one out along with a journal to spend time with my creativity and get some ideas flowing.

Here are five of my favorites!

Upstate by Lisa Przystup | This is the dreamiest collection of Upstate New York homes that range from clutter core to completely minimal. I love seeing the old spaces with the imperfect woodwork, the lack of 90 degree angles, and the prolific greenery. It’s a go-to on quiet days when I’m dreaming of escape.

In Paris by Jeanne Damas | A beautiful collection of photography and interviews of unique women in Paris and their lives. Jeanne Damas has a brilliant eye for fashion and style, and I love seeing how the women she interviews express their style in their clothing and surroundings.

In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney | This book entered my life at a time I was making some big changes in my career and it inspired me so much to see so many successful women and hear their stories. It really helped cement for me that you can be successful at whatever you want to do, and everyone has challenges and deals with mundanity, but the bigger vision is more important than the barriers.

Surf Shack by Nina Freudenberger | A fun, casual, eclectic escape into the sandy world of surf culture all over the world. Feels like necessary reading during the gloomy winter months.

At Work by Annie Leibovitz | I spotted a signed copy of this book in a tiny bookstore on San Juan Island during my birthday weekend, and my husband surprised me and bought it while I wasn’t looking. It’s an incredible view into Annie Leibovitz’s career and also her approach and process. I love her work and the way she approaches each shoot like telling a story. She has a unique perspective and has taken so many of the most influential photographs over the last half century.

What’s something you reach for when you need a boost of inspiration? Happy reading!