Home with Kerri-Lee Mayland

Pouring my passion for interior design into this new column for Seasons Magazines on all things “home” is such an honor. In addition to providing tips and tricks for you to try, I am excited to hear about your DIY projects, house plans, design crushes and decor dreams. I enjoy many things about living in the beautiful state we share; I cannot wait to hear what makes your corner of Connecticut so special, and how your home reflects who you are and what you love most.

Let’s get acquainted

We may have met before, perhaps through a news story I have covered, an event I have emceed, a party I have hosted, or maybe a carpool we shared. I am a mom of two, a long time TV news anchor, an interior and exterior designer, and a wife to an adventurous husband (mountain climber in the summer; ski patroller in the winter). Another fun fact is that I was born in Victoria BC in Canada but hold dual citizenship after becoming an American in Middletown—ironically on Canada Day.

How it started

For as long as I can remember, I have been designing, decorating and trying to make things look beautiful. During decades spent in TV news, I helped friends and family when they were stuck trying to get their spaces to look the way they wanted. Then came the pandemic; everything changed for all of us. It was then I decided to take the plunge and change my life balance; I chose to flip my work life to doing a little bit of news and a whole lot of design. The change was scary at first, but I haven’t looked back since. Life has a funny way of making things work out as they should at exactly the right time.

The combination of design and various forms of media has kept me busier than I’ve ever been. It led to opening The Kerri-Lee Mayland Company in a little English cottage office building in Avon. My REFRESH design brand was born and has proven fitting in more ways than one because it’s not only a room that gets refreshed; somewhere along the way, we do as well. With this column, I can now help you and your home feel the same way.

HELPFUL HACKS

When you check out each issue, expect to find home-focused “news” you can use. We will investigate the latest unique tips and tricks as I learn them. Some examples include:

• how to make a giant Boho lampshade using twine, glue and a yoga ball;
• ways to hide visible lamp cords by cutting them off and using self-charging remote controlled light bulbs from Amazon;
• how to transform your living room by changing the floor plan and getting the lighting right;
• where you should splurge on decor and where you can save to get a luxe look;
• why shopping for seasonal décor can be as easy as a scavenger hunt in your own backyard; and
• ways to add architectural detail without renovating.

SEASONS ON TV

With lots to try and share, it is timely we will have two places to meet. The Seasons Magazines team is also creating the “Seasons Celebrates with Kerri-Lee Mayland” TV show. The first episode will feature topics surrounding the home with stories ranging from how to stage your house to sell to ways to get the best backyard on the block. Maybe you love modern farmhouse design? We will show you how to bring the hottest home trend in the country—and Connecticut—into your space. Future subjects will feature travel, health and the holidays; while those will air later in 2023, we have already started working on them.

HOME SWEET HOME

Connecticut’s queen of domestic arts, Martha Stewart, built an empire around the adage, “There’s no place like home.” She describes homes she likes best as “totally occupied, busy and useful,” no matter if they are tiny little houses or big ones. That kind of sliding scale makes room for all of us! Whether this column helps you cozy up your cottage, tricks out your tiny house or adds careful curation to your castle, let’s make whatever you call home look—and feel—just like you.

Coming Spring of 2023 – “Seasons Celebrates with Kerri-Lee Mayland” TV show