Last weekend was my first visit to Colonial Williamsburg. As I mentioned in my last post, I was part of a small group of bloggers invited by Benjamin Moore to learn more about the brand and their Williamsburg paint collection. I will be completely honest. I’m by no means a history buff and wasn’t sure the trip would completely be my “cup of tea.” I was so wrong.
Have you all been there? I couldn’t have loved it more. Really. It was the perfect place to spend a Fall weekend. And, I was completely surprised by all of the design inspiration I found. Those colonials were pretty bold when it came to pattern and color.
Ready for lots of pictures and few captions? I hope so.
First stop, the Williamsburg at Home store for a crash course in the brand itself. So many beautiful traditional pieces, with (surprisingly) a lot of Asian influence.
This is fun idea. All of the smaller pieces are connected together, making it a great (low) accessory for mantel decorating.
This vignette was painted Prussian Blue (one of my favorite colors from the whole collection). It’s more vibrant than a traditional navy but still classic.
Saturday, we got to tour several historic homes (including this one). One of my favorites was the George Wythe House. (Do you take pictures of the signs, too, so that you can remember where you’ve been?!)
I wasn’t expecting to see so much color and pattern in these homes. Wallcoverings were considered a status symbol, and they went all out. Several of the rooms reminded me of something you might see in Traditional Home or House Beautiful today. Our “original” ideas aren’t all that original, are they? :)
There was no worry about “pattern flow” here—can you tell??
Stripes + florals, of course.
George just happened to be there and told us this was his space—and the only room his wife didn’t insist on papering. A colonial man cave!
The Everard House. Can you say green lacquer? And, on the fireplace?! Pretty gutsy.
And, finally—touring the Governor’s Palace. Everything was made even more beautiful last weekend by the blue skies.
Where we stayed.
(Some of) What we ate.
Wandering.
So thankful I got to take my partner in crime, Katie, with me :) Six hours of uninterrupted, non-stop talking in the car together on the ride up and the ride back was like heaven to us!
Thanks to Benjamin Moore and Colonial Williamsburg for a great weekend!
Great post Emily!! It was so great meeting you, hanging out with you and learning more about your blog. Love your sense of styly (psst did ya know your shoes & shirt matched with the wall & floor coverings ;) )… Funny what we all thought was original….well wasn’t isn’t so original! Hugs to you friend!
I spent 2 years in grad school at W&M and this post just made my heart ache for Williamsburg. Thanks for capturing the beauty of the “Burg” and allowing me to reminiscence! I’m going back for a visit in November and this made me more excited than I already was!
I love colonial Williamsburg! I’ve been there a few times but have never toured the houses- now I want to! I love all the pictures you took!
We went to Virginia/Williamsburg on our honeymoon five years ago and it was great to see these pictures!!! Pretty sure we spent some times in those stocks too. : ) Gorgeous colors throughout the houses, wow were they not afraid of color then!!!
I soaked that right up!
Lovely. Oh, the history so many of our children are missing.
Yes! So many great details and colors!
I live about 45 minutes away from Williamsburg but I don’t think I’ve ever experienced it the way you did on your trip! Funny how we take things for granted, isn’t it? I think a visit is definitely in order!
Hi! I am an avid reader of your blog. It’s definitely one of my favs! I was so excited to see this post! I live in Williamsburg and the colonial portion is one of my happy places. It’s so nice see someone else share in the appreciation of your home.
Wonderful pictures! I am a huge fan of the architecture and fashion of the time period. Colonial Williamsburg is defiantly on my bucket list!
I LOVE Colonial Williamsburg! I go down every April with my dad for spring break. Such a gorgeous place, right?! And your hair is super cute, too :)
Sarah
It looks like an awesome trip! This might sound random, but I love that small china cabinet in the Wythe House with the high gloss green paint inside! It’s such a nice touch, and looks striking against the yellow wallpaper and the blue & white of the china. Such a nice little detail! I can see how the tours would be inspiring!
Oh my gosh. I had no idea they used so much bold pattern and colors in their homes! Makes me feel like a wimp. My favorite is the green with the white walls. Has me inspired for my living room. Thanks for sharing Emily!
Liked seeing the pics. October is a great time to visit. Hubby and I went in October, years ago, before kids. We went again, 2 yrs ago, as soon as school got out in May, with our twins (b/g 12 yrs then). I liked Revolutionary City; I remember the reading of the Declaration of Independence.
http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/discover/ Note: if you have never been, you buy a ticket to go inside buildings and see Revolutionary City, etc. We went to see Dean Shostak in concert and I highly recommend seeing him perform. He plays glass instruments.
Just about my favorite place in the world! We went 33 years ago when our oldest was 2 and have been many times since. Hubby planned a surprise week long trip there for our 10,000 day anniversary in 2005. Yup, this guy loves numbers, and me. The bare, unfinished wood floors always surprise me no matter how many times we go.
These are beautiful. A place of inspiration for sure! I remember visiting there as a kid. We’d love to take our family someday.
Colonial Williamsburg is now on my bucket list! Beautiful. Love the patterns and colors.
Loved this post! I agree with another commenter….seeing all of the bold color and pattern choices in these colonial homes makes me feel like a wimp! I love all the kelly green, definitely inspiring.
So may pretty colors and textures! Great pictures- look alike a fun trip!
Thanks for sharing all your pictures! I’d love to visit there someday. You captured so many details I don’t normally see in standard photos of Williamsburg, giving me a deeper sense of it.
A Williamsburg fanatic here! My living room and dining room arrest to that! Great pictures! Glad you had such a good time. Go back soon!