Today’s Top Window Treatment Trends

When it comes to the notion of form vs. function in your home, some items reside quite firmly in one camp or the other. For instance, indispensable and thoroughly unglamorous components like electrical panels, HVAC units, wires, and pipes tend to be intentionally kept out of sight—and out of mind, until emergencies occur—while many home decor items serve purely aesthetic purposes. Then there are the elements in your home that are centrally important from a functional standpoint but that also possess vast aesthetic potential. Among these dual-purpose elements are windows.

Windows serve myriad significant utilitarian purposes in a home: they let in natural light, offer passive climate control through ventilation and insulation, enable increased situational awareness, provide emergency exits, and even boost one’s mood and productivity. Despite these practical boons—or perhaps, in some cases, because of them—windows are often overlooked as conduits of style. Over time, window treatment trends have generally shifted from ornate and flashy aesthetics to markedly minimalist choices, but that minimalism is warming up in 2026. The stark whites, muted grays, and plain synthetic blinds that peaked during the 2010s and early 2020s are giving way to cozier and more expressive colors, textures, and general treatments. Read on for three of our favorite trending styles that will allow your windows to truly shine.

Roman Shades Featuring Soft Folds & Bolder Designs

Roman shades are fabric window coverings that feature horizontal folds and that can be raised and lowered through a variety of mechanisms: traditional cord locks, chain clutches, internal spring mechanisms, or automated motors. Although Roman shades have enjoyed steady popularity for decades due to their relative convenience and tidiness, the most preferred style of these shades is shifting from crisp, flat folds and low-saturation neutrals to soft, billowing folds and more striking color choices (and, in some instances, playful patterns). Incorporating Roman shades that stand out rather than blend in can create visual interest in and add dimension to an otherwise minimalist space or amp up the playful personality of a room intended to dazzle and entertain.

Bamboo Matchstick Rollup Shades

As interior design trends generally move away from stark minimalism towards a warmer and more luxurious minimalist approach, inspiration tends to derive from a more organic place—in terms of both hues and the actual materials used. Considering this shift, as well as a growing emphasis on sustainability on many fronts, it is not surprising that bamboo matchstick rollup shades are having a real moment. In addition to being eco-friendly, these shades are budget-friendly, lightweight, and easy to use. And although they make a pronounced earth-minded statement, they are neutral enough to suit a wide variety of spaces. There is also something beautiful about lovingly mimicking the splendor of sunlight beaming through the branches of a tree within the comfort of one’s home.

Mixed-Texture Layered Window Treatments

To fully lean into the large-scale interior design trend of lived-in luxury, you will need to think outside the box—and blinds. Rather than opting for a single window treatment for each of your windows, consider mixing treatments (and textures) to create a unique and statement-making multi-layered aesthetic. Balance hard and soft by mixing wooden blinds with delicate fabric curtains, elevate roller shades with decorative side panels, or create drama and striking visual depth by layering two dissimilarly-textured (such as linen and velvet) curtains. No matter which combination(s) you choose, your intentional effort to express your personal style with a signature window treatment approach will undoubtedly make your windows, home, and outlook a little brighter.

Wedding planning doesn’t have to be stressful—all it takes is the right resources in your corner and you’ll be getting hitched without a hitch. Consider our Best of Central & SW Virginia Weddings your resource guide to finding the right venue, attire, photographer, caterer, and more.

Newlyweds, industry colleagues, and our readership nominated and voted on the people and businesses listed in 30 categories. With these picks in hand, your wedding day will be one to remember.

When a husband surprised his wife with renovations to their summer home, some surprises led to a clean, modern style with extraordinary lake views.

By: Stacey Manganelli | Photos by: Ashlee Glen

In 2019, David and Kristen Eads found the perfect summer getaway home on Smith Mountain Lake. When they renovated a few years later, David took over the process so he could surprise Kristen with the results. While the renovation was full of unforeseen complications, the end product delighted everyone.

Love at First Sight

When the Eads family started touring summer lake houses, they looked at one particular home despite it being double Kristen’s budget. As soon as she walked to the lakeside, her budget concerns dissipated. Absorbing the breadth and beauty of the water from the back of the house, she exclaimed, “I want this one.”

Their realtor snapped a photo for Kristen and David to look at as they navigated their decision-making. Kristen reasoned that you could change a house with time and effort, but you couldn’t change the view. The realtor soon hung a “Sold” sign in the front yard.

The Renovation Vision

After enjoying the house for a few summers, David and Kristen consulted with Eric Buck, local architect of Comprehensive Home Design, Inc. The Eadses told Buck they wanted a modern, open design that would capitalize on the views.

Buck warned the Eadses that the renovation would be complex and might necessitate a bit of creativity. The house was built in 1972, and no one knew how additions were completed over the years. When Buck completed the plans, he recommended Construction Marketing, LLC for a contractor to manage the complexity of the project.

A Husband’s Romantic Gesture

When renovations started, David asked Kristen if she wanted an HGTV home reveal at the end. She said yes! David consequently took over logistics and told Kristen to relax.

But what started as a romantic gesture soon had David with his head in his hands.

As construction commenced, they discovered that the home was severely underbuilt. When workers saw the infrastructure wasn’t up to code, they wouldn’t walk across one of the hallways for fear of it collapsing.

The problems were numerous and complex: the living room ceiling sagged, beams were too small and improperly located, roof rafters were too small to pass code, floor joists were smaller than expected, the inner roof had no supporting ridge, etc. What had started as a fun cosmetic renovation became a profound structural overhaul.

Double Margaritas for Problem-Solving

After hearing the news about the problems with the home’s infrastructure, David went to lunch. He ordered a margarita. Then he ordered a second margarita. He’d been keeping a construction diary throughout renovations. He renamed it “The Renovation Saga” as he sipped his drink.

With his second margarita flowing through him, David relaxed enough to consider his options. The first option was to build supports that would make the home structurally sound but possibly prevent them from ever seeing out the back of the home because the supports would block the views.

The second option was to double the scope of the project without Kristen’s knowledge. This option would provide a glass back of the house for full lake views.

As David mulled over the maxim “Go big or go home,” he decided to go big. He made another entry in “The Renovation Saga” as he finished his Cali burrito. He detailed how the project had grown without Kristen’s knowledge. He ended by writing, “The contractor is excited. I’m nervous.”

The Bridge

Once the need for a major structural overhaul of the house became apparent, David mentally reframed the complications as an opportunity to pursue the home of their dreams.

David wanted a design feature like the bridge long before they did this renovation. But it was on a list of potential future ideas. Now—with all the other necessary, dramatic changes-—it seemed worth doing rather than putting off.

After going through revisions to make the bridge as light as possible, the team at Construction Marketing, LLC came up with an amalgam of things David had seen and liked. They worked through ways to place duct work elsewhere so the bridge could be open on the bottom with glass on the sides to see through to the lake beyond.

Bathroom Luxury

The Eads family enjoys the feeling of warm, worn leather beneath their feet in the bathrooms thanks to leathered soapstone flooring and heated floors. Leathered soapstone is a natural stone finish with a textured, matte surface that feels velvety against bare skin. In the shower, touch screen controls allow the Eadses to be doused with 11 gallons of water per minute versus the standard 2.5 gallons.

To keep the look of the bathroom seamless, the leathered soapstone is a single piece. The shower surround is also a seamless, single piece of solid marble. The single slope shower construction with linear drain allows for curbless entry in keeping with the modern look of the renovations.

David, who has been woodworking as a hobby since college, custom built all the cabinetry himself to fit inside the bathrooms.

A Bar Downstairs

Before renovations, the home had a wet bar underneath the stairs. During the bathroom renovation, Construction Marketing eliminated the bar and a coat closet. Then they repurposed the wet bar space as a new coat closet and built a new, bigger bar in the living room.

Putting his woodworking skills to work again, David built cherry cabinets over refrigerated and frozen drawers for storing lakeside beverages. He also built paneling over the dishwasher for an integrated, seamless look and installed a sink.

The Porch

Because the porch is Kristen’s favorite part of the house, she made the decisions about its look. She embraced her southern roots by selecting Southern Yellow Pine for a floor-grade ceiling, painted faint blue, and a cable railing she can see straight through.

Construction Marketing raised the cathedral ceiling of the porch up to a dramatic and beautiful 26 feet when redoing the bridge. The huge panels of glass rise to the peak of an A-frame, reflecting the lake, and revealing the coveted views that David pursued in opting for the more challenging renovation.

The porch is deep, so Kristen can sit outside during storms and watch rain pelt the lake. As lightning crashes and thunder roars, Kristen remains safe and dry, pumping her legs on her porch swing.

The HGTV Reveal

Because Kristen was never clued into the change of the scope of the project, the reveal was a huge surprise. As she gazed around and absorbed the new look, she marveled, “The end result was so much different and so much better than what I expected.”

Kristen said she understood why David had been losing sleep for six months, but that he also nailed every detail. “I’m not an emotional person,” she explained. “But everything looked so good that I started crying.”

David quickly put his arm around her shoulder and confirmed that they were happy tears. They were.

HGTV reveal results? Success!

As the pace of the garden begins to slow, it’s easier to notice the details.

The frenzy of spring planting has passed. Tomatoes are beginning to wind down, asters and goldenrod are stepping into the spotlight, and mornings carry just enough coolness to invite another cup of coffee on the porch. Fall is often when we spend less time working in the garden and more time simply enjoying it.

That makes it the perfect season to add a little whimsy.

Whimsy doesn’t have to mean fairy houses or brightly painted garden gnomes—unless that’s your style. Instead, it can be as simple as creating a space that encourages curiosity, invites people to linger, and reflects a bit of your own personality. The most memorable gardens rarely feel perfectly planned. They feel collected, lived in, and deeply personal.

After all, gardens have always been about more than plants.

Create Little Moments of Discovery

One of the easiest ways to make a garden feel magical is to give visitors something unexpected to notice.

Perhaps it’s a weathered birdbath tucked beneath a dogwood, a vintage watering can overflowing with trailing flowers, or a favorite bench nestled beneath a tree. These details don’t need to be expensive or elaborate. In fact, the most charming gardens often feel as though they’ve evolved over many seasons rather than appearing all at once.

As you walk through your own landscape, notice where your eye naturally travels. A simple decorative element placed just beyond that point encourages visitors to slow down and look a little closer.

Celebrate Autumn’s Beauty

One of the greatest gifts of fall is the reminder that a garden doesn’t stop being beautiful simply because summer flowers begin to fade.

Seed heads catch the morning light. Ornamental grasses sway in the breeze. Hydrangea blooms dry into soft shades of green and bronze, while late-season perennials provide nectar for migrating pollinators. Many birds rely on those seed heads long after flowering has ended.

Resist the urge to tidy everything too quickly. Allowing parts of the garden to remain a little wild creates visual interest while supporting local wildlife well into the colder months.

Autumn often shifts the focus from colorful blooms to texture, movement, and light—and those elements can be every bit as beautiful.

Add Character Through Collected Pieces

Garden centers certainly offer plenty of decorative accessories, but some of the most interesting additions come from antique stores, flea markets, estate sales, or even your own garage.

Old clay pots, galvanized tubs, wooden crates, weathered ladders, enamel basins, and vintage watering cans all bring a sense of history that brand-new décor simply can’t replicate.

Rather than arranging everything perfectly, allow these pieces to feel naturally integrated into the landscape. A rusty wheelbarrow planted with ornamental kale or trailing ivy tells a story. A vintage gate leaning against a fence becomes a backdrop for climbing vines. These collected objects give a garden personality without making it feel staged.

Invite Wildlife Into the Garden

Nothing makes a garden feel more alive than the wildlife that chooses to visit it.

Birds splashing in a shallow birdbath, butterflies drifting among late-blooming flowers, and bees gathering nectar all create movement that no decorative object can match.

Keeping a birdbath filled with fresh water through early fall provides an important resource during warm weather. Native flowering plants, ornamental grasses, and seed heads continue feeding birds and pollinators as the seasons change.

When wildlife feels at home in your garden, the entire space takes on a richer sense of life and purpose.

Refresh Containers for the Season

Although much of the planting season has passed, containers offer an easy opportunity to celebrate autumn.

Replacing tired summer annuals with ornamental kale, cabbage, pansies, ivy, or chrysanthemums instantly refreshes a porch or patio. Small pumpkins, gourds, branches, and dried grasses tucked into planters add seasonal charm without feeling overly themed.

These simple updates extend the beauty of the garden while celebrating the transition into a new season.

Create Places to Pause

It is surprisingly easy to spend months tending a garden without ever sitting down to enjoy it.

Even the smallest landscape benefits from a comfortable chair, a bistro table, or a quiet bench tucked into a favorite corner. These spaces invite slow mornings with coffee, afternoon conversations, or evenings spent watching the light change across the garden.

The most inviting landscapes make people want to stay awhile.

Let the Garden Glow

As daylight grows shorter, lighting becomes an even more important part of the garden experience.

Warm string lights woven through tree branches, lanterns lining a pathway, or candles safely placed inside glass hurricanes create an atmosphere that extends well beyond sunset. Gentle uplighting on a favorite tree or ornamental grass can transform familiar corners of the garden into something entirely new after dark.

A thoughtfully lit garden feels welcoming long after the flowers have faded into evening shadows.

Let Your Personality Shine

Perhaps the easiest way to add whimsy is to stop worrying about whether every choice follows the latest trend.

Maybe your garden includes brightly painted rocks made with grandchildren, a tiny fairy door attached to an old oak, colorful birdhouses, or a collection of handmade pottery. Perhaps your style leans toward a classic English cottage garden, or perhaps it’s a little more eclectic.

The best gardens are rarely perfect, but they are almost always personal. They reflect the people who care for them.

Not every creative hobby requires a blank canvas or years of practice. Collage is one of the most accessible art forms because it starts with something that already exists: photographs, illustrations, maps, book pages, magazines, ticket stubs, packaging, and other printed materials that catch your eye.
Artists have been using collage for more than a century to tell stories, explore ideas, and create entirely new images from familiar pieces. The best part? There is no right way to do it.

What You’ll Need
• Old magazines (even this magazine!)
• Newspapers
• Maps
• Postcards
• Brochures or local ephemera
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Cardstock or mixed-media paper
• Optional: markers, colored pencils, paint pens

Start with an Idea

Instead of trying to recreate a specific image, choose a theme that inspires you.
Try:
• What Creativity Looks Like
• A Place That Inspires Me
• Things I Want More Of
• The Story of a Favorite Book
• Music in Color
• My Creative Life
• A Mood, Not a Place
Think of your collage as a visual poem rather than a picture.

Gather Images and Words

Flip through magazines and printed materials looking for:
• Colors that catch your attention
• Interesting textures
• Unexpected objects
• Faces and figures
• Individual words or phrases
• Typography and lettering

Don’t worry about whether the pieces “go together” yet. Collect first and edit later.

Create a Visual Conversation

Lay your pieces out before gluing. Try placing unrelated images side by side and see what happens. A map next to a flower. A handwritten note beside a city skyline. A musician floating above a mountain range.

Collage often becomes most interesting when unlikely elements share the same space.

Build in Layers

Start with larger background pieces and gradually add smaller details.

Allow some pieces to overlap. Tear edges instead of cutting them. Mix images with text. Let certain elements disappear beneath others. The layers help create depth and encourage viewers to spend more time discovering details.

Add Your Own Mark

Once everything is glued down, consider adding something uniquely yours:
• A handwritten quote
• A favorite lyric
• Simple doodles
• Painted accents
• A short reflection in the margin
Even a few personal touches can transform a collection of found images into original artwork.

TIP
Many professional collage artists keep a box of images, words, and scraps that catch their attention throughout the year. Start your own collection. Inspiration often arrives long before you know what you’ll create with it.

Every gardener knows the excitement of spring. There are seed catalogs to browse, nursery visits to make, and fresh possibilities tucked into every empty garden bed. Fall, however, offers a different kind of satisfaction. It is a season of reflection—a chance to appreciate everything the garden has accomplished before helping it prepare for the months ahead.

Although winter may seem far away, September and October are some of the most important months in the gardening calendar. A little attention now can protect plants through freezing temperatures, reduce spring chores, and set the stage for a healthier, more resilient garden next year.

Think of it less as shutting the garden down and more as tucking it in for a well-earned rest.

Clean Up, But Not Too Much

One of the biggest shifts in gardening advice over the past decade has been recognizing that a perfectly tidy fall garden isn’t always the healthiest one.

While it is important to remove diseased foliage, mildew-covered leaves, and any plants that struggled with insects or fungal problems during the growing season, healthy stems and seed heads can often remain in place until spring.

Many native bees spend the winter inside hollow stems, while butterflies, beneficial insects, and birds rely on fallen leaves and seed heads for shelter or food. Leaving portions of the garden undisturbed creates valuable habitat without sacrificing beauty.

Instead of clearing everything at once, focus on removing what could spread disease while allowing healthy plants to continue supporting wildlife through the colder months.

Refresh the Mulch

Mulch does more than make garden beds look finished.

A fresh layer helps regulate soil temperatures, reduces winter heaving caused by repeated freezing and thawing, and protects plant roots from dramatic temperature swings. Organic mulches like shredded bark, pine straw, or chopped leaves gradually break down, improving the soil over time.

Aim for a layer about two to three inches deep, but avoid piling mulch directly against the trunks of trees or the crowns of perennial plants, where excess moisture can encourage rot.

Water Before the Ground Freezes

It is easy to assume that cooler temperatures mean plants no longer need water. In reality, many trees, shrubs, and evergreen plants continue using moisture well into autumn.

If rainfall becomes scarce, continue watering deeply until the ground freezes. Newly planted trees and shrubs are especially vulnerable to winter drought because their root systems are still becoming established.

Going into winter with adequately hydrated soil helps plants withstand cold weather far better than entering dormancy under drought stress.

Protect Tender Plants

Not every plant in the garden is equally prepared for winter.

Container plants are particularly vulnerable because their roots receive far less insulation than plants growing in the ground. Moving pots closer to the house, placing them inside an unheated garage, or wrapping containers with burlap can provide additional protection during prolonged cold spells.

Tender perennials may also benefit from a light layer of mulch after the first hard frost, which helps maintain more consistent soil temperatures throughout the winter.

Divide and Transplant While the Soil Is Warm

Early fall provides ideal conditions for dividing many spring- and summer-blooming perennials.

Hostas, daylilies, irises, black-eyed Susans, and many ornamental grasses can often be divided while the soil remains warm enough for roots to establish before winter arrives. Dividing overcrowded plants improves airflow, encourages healthier growth, and provides plenty of extra plants to share with neighbors or fill empty spaces elsewhere in the garden.

The cooler air also reduces stress on newly transplanted plants compared with the heat of midsummer.

Plant for Next Spring

Although many annual flowers have finished blooming, fall remains one of the best planting seasons of the entire year.

Trees and shrubs establish strong root systems while temperatures are mild, giving them a head start before next summer’s heat. It’s also the perfect time to plant spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, crocuses, and alliums.

By investing a little effort now, you’ll be rewarded with one of the first bursts of color after winter finally loosens its grip.

Feed the Soil

Healthy gardens begin beneath the surface.

Autumn is an excellent time to incorporate compost into vegetable beds or around established perennials. Winter rains and natural soil organisms gradually work organic matter into the ground, improving soil structure and replenishing nutrients before spring planting begins.

Rather than thinking only about feeding plants, think about feeding the soil itself. Healthy soil supports healthier plants throughout every season.

Care for Your Garden Tools

As the gardening season winds down, your tools deserve a little attention as well.

Cleaning soil from shovels, pruners, and trowels helps prevent rust while reducing the spread of disease between seasons. Sharpening blades now means they’ll be ready for spring pruning, and a light coat of oil on metal surfaces helps protect them throughout the winter.

It’s a small task that pays dividends once gardening season returns.

Leave Yourself a Few Reminders

By spring, it can be surprisingly difficult to remember exactly where that new coneflower was planted or which tomato variety produced the sweetest fruit.

Take a few photographs of your garden before everything dies back. Make a few notes about plants that thrived, areas that stayed too wet, or flowers that could use companions next season. Sketching a simple garden map or keeping a small notebook can save hours of guesswork when spring arrives.

Gardening is always an experiment, and each season offers valuable lessons for the next.

Nestled just outside of Lynchburg’s urban sprawl in Concord, a 22-acre farm offers sanctuary and second chances for farm animals in need of a home.

By: Shannon Kelly / Photos By: Makers Workshop

When Kimberly Clark moved to the Lynchburg area from West Virginia in 2011, she rented the farm property so her horse and miniature horse could have a home with her. Looking at the barn, Clark said she knew she wanted to fill it. The farm family quickly expanded to include two special-needs goats who had nowhere else to go, then a blind cow. Thus, the mission and reputation of a farm animal sanctuary sprouted.  

“Before I knew it, I kind of had a barn full of special-needs critters,” she said.

Clark’s love for animals was innate; she grew up around them.

“My maternal aunt had horses always, and my paternal aunt lived on a ranch, so it was something I grew up with,” she said. “I think I probably rode a horse before I could walk.” 

When the landlord eventually informed her the property would be sold, Clark offered to buy it. \

Officially, Virginia Farm Animal Sanctuary was founded as a nonprofit in 2025, but the mission had really been operating for more than a decade prior. What started with two special-needs goats turned into a farm of diverse mammals and barnfowl. 

After the first special-needs animals came in, a little baby donkey set Clark in a new direction. 

At 4 or 5 weeks old, the donkey was undernourished when Clark found him.

“He was kind of all rolled in a little ball, tucked up, and he had really long hair,” she said. “I sat down next to him, and he got down, and he curled up in my lap and threw his head over my shoulder, and that was it.”

There was not much public information on bottle-feeding baby donkeys at the time, Clark said, but an organization called Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue kept coming up in her searches. When she reached out to the organization, they responded within hours and helped support her education in donkey care.

With the intake of donkeys came awareness of the global donkey hide trade. The situation spurred Clark into more focused action, and in 2014, VFAS became an adoption center helping place rescued donkeys into forever homes. By the time 10 rescue donkeys came to land with Clark and her team, and as calls steadily continued coming in, Clark founded Virginia Donkey Rescue, creating a dedicated donkey rescue and rehoming program in the commonwealth.   

VFAS is a sanctuary, Clark explained—not a rescue. And there are more than just donkeys there.

The donkeys often came with companion animals, from barn cats, to goats and sheep, to dogs, ducks, llamas, and other barn fowl, Clark said. VFAS encompassed the inclusivity and scope of work. Fifteen years after her move to Virginia and propulsion into mission, Clark leads VFAS, and provides a home to more than 200 animals—about half of them goats, donkeys, and pigs, and the other half various types of barnyard birds.

At VFAS, Clark said the focus is on animals’ present and future, not their pasts.

“We don’t focus on their past,” she said. “It’s just…that would kill you as a rescuer, and I think it kills a lot of rescuers. I think they burn out on the whole thing, because they do focus on all the bad parts, and I just prefer to focus on their present, and their future.”

Most of Clark’s current animals came from owner surrenders, and she has focused on taking in older or sick animals who would not have a good chance of being successfully rehomed. They get to live out the remainder of their lives in sanctuary, cared for by Clark and her team of dedicated volunteers. 

Clark wants others to view the sanctuary as something like an extension of the local humane society.

“They can’t take a pig, or a donkey, or a goat, but we can,” she said.

A typical day on the farm starts early with a walk-around of the property, checking on animals’ health, monitoring enclosures, and the like. Breakfast is next, a more time-consuming activity given the large herd. After morning feed, Clark said there are a couple of hours for “special projects”: cleaning stalls, trimming hooves as needed, knocking down cobwebs, and other tasks. Volunteers groom donkeys and otherwise spend time loving on the animals, providing them enrichment. Then, the time comes to prepare for evening feed. 

Clark goes to bed exhausted physically but satisfied mentally.

“There’s that saying that when you find your passion, it doesn’t feel like work,”
Clark said. “Once I met my baby donkey, none of what I’ve done for the animals has ever felt like work. So, I go to bed tired in an exhausted kind of way, but not in a mentally exhausted kind of way.”

Over the years, Clark has also developed a different perspective on owner surrenders.

“One thing that this life has done for me is, I used to be very judgmental of people that surrendered animals, and I was young and foolish thinking this, but I was like, ‘If you’re going to make that commitment to them, you need to make that commitment for life,’” Clark said. “But what picking up all these donkeys and other animals throughout the years now has taught me is that, life can blow you some really significant blows, and it’s most often out of your control, so the best thing I can do is not be judgmental about the people, and be helpful, especially with the older, sick animals that would be almost impossible to place elsewhere.”

Some owners who had to give up their animals due to various circumstances still come visit the farm, or even volunteer there, Clark added. In other cases, she has been able to help owners keep their animals by providing various kinds of support. 

Bonnie Swanson, a volunteer at the sanctuary, has experienced nearly every aspect of the stories these animals come with: Swanson had to surrender some animals when life threw new circumstances at her. Then she became a volunteer at the same sanctuary where her donkeys came to live, and she is also a regular donor to the organization.

Swanson owned and operated a tourism farm for many years, but about two years ago, as she settled further into retirement, the time came to downsize and slow down. Then came the difficult decision: Swanson had to find a new home for the three donkeys she’d had for about 15 years, as well as two goats. 

“That was a difficult time,” she said. “I tried to find homes for them with people that I knew and then saw Kimberly again, and she said, ‘Oh, we’ll take your donkeys!’”

Swanson never saw herself leaving her farm, or parting with the animals she’d loved for so long. 

“Life changes,” Swanson said. “I always felt that we’d be at the farm till we’re no longer on this earth, and then I’d will the donkeys to my children. I always threatened them with that. But, you know, life changes, and we decided we were just going to go to a smaller piece of property. It’s an acre, and in a neighborhood, to boot.”

Swanson knew Clark from a time they did fundraising work together after being introduced through a mutual friend, and with this personal foundation, Swanson was relieved to place her animals where she knew they would be cared for—and where she could still spend time with them. She described working with animals at the sanctuary as a symbiotic relationship, and a respite. Plus, it provides a chance to disconnect and reconnect: to put down the phone and enjoy the company of other volunteers as well as the animals. 

Clark seeks more volunteers to help support VFAS and its mission. The roles that need filling are not just picking up manure, she said; for example, Clark could use help maintaining the farm’s website, a job that would not even require someone to be on-site. 

Volunteers who could focus on fundraising efforts are also needed, Clark added.

This summer, a capital campaign is ongoing, focused on raising $199,000 to fully pay off the property, solidifying it as fully owned by Clark, and VFAS, providing a greater level of security for the animals who call it home.  

A Comprehensive Look Into Higher Education Throughout The Commonwealth

A simple kitchen update evolved into a full-home transformation at Smith Mountain Lake, where thoughtful design, family antiques, and lakefront views create a space built for entertaining.

By: Megan Williams / Photos By: Ashlee Glen

It all started with a conversation homeowners will recognize all too quickly. Jeff Allen and his daughter, Daphne, realized there was one small improvement that could be made to their kitchen space to allow for easier entertaining.

“Then it all snowballed from there,” Allen laughed.

One small shift to make space for a double trashcan led to myriad “what if” conversations. What if we open up this space? What if we had more light in the kitchen? What if this space didn’t just allow for family gatherings, but entertaining the way we want to entertain? 

So Daphne called her longtime friend Mady Perillo, co-owner of Greer Design Co.

“Mady really started with a blank slate,” Allen explained. “A lot of what you see here was Mady and her vision.”

Allen’s lakefront home was originally built in the 1990s and it was largely established as a summer home—a quiet retreat that a young family could escape to. As the family grew, got older, and needs shifted, Allen and his brother worked together to add on to the home—adding a large basement den and primary bedroom and bathroom. Then, it became a full-time home for the first time.

When Allen reached out to Greer Design, he was largely still in the Lynchburg area but also traveling back and forth between Smith Mountain Lake and St. Pete, Florida, where he and his wife, Lynette, have another residence.

“From the beginning, our focus was on creating a home that felt bright, welcoming, and comfortable as the home previously was quite dark,” Perillo explained. “Our clients are wonderful entertainers, so making guests feel special was a top priority. Their love of coastal-inspired colors, paired with our passion for creating distinctive and memorable spaces, led us to design each room with its own personality while keeping the overall feel bright, relaxed, and cohesive.”

“Some things were still dated from the 90s and from the addition,” continued Allen. “So we tasked Mady with doing a makeover to who we are today, not when our kids were little.”

And indeed, the home is instantly warm, bright, and welcoming—with conversational nooks and space strategically placed to welcome conversation or to allow large groups of people to spread out. As you walk through the front door, you’re immediately met with an open kitchen. A large island—perfect for many elbows and drink glasses to gather—rests as the focal point of the space before the eye wanders to the dining area and the custom wine wall the Greer Design Co. team had installed. As you walk through the space, you’ll notice that the eye naturally knows which area to focus on next. The wine wall gives way to the screened in porch, where the oversized furniture all but beckons visitors to stretch out and stay a while. From there, a welcome wander to the opposite wall, where large prints of priceless family photos are framed in a grid invite you back inside where the air is cool and the drinks are being poured. Family or visitors need only turn around, however, to be greeted with an unbelievable sight: Floor-to-ceiling windows that give the viewer a full view of Smith Mountain Lake below. Situated on the second to last cove just before the Smith Mountain Lake dam, the water is deep and is rendered a stunning and surprising blue. A seating area invites you to take it all in, from the tiered landscaping that ushers you toward the boathouse and dock to the calm and quiet water itself.

“The homeowners were drawn to a neutral and cozy, coastal-inspired color palette, which became our starting point for the design,” said Perillo. “At the same time, the home included spaces with a very strong Virginia Tech influence, most notably the basement, which featured maroon and orange walls in addition to the mural when we began! Our goal was to honor both of those inspirations without allowing either theme to dominate the overall design. We focused on translating those influences into a more refined and timeless aesthetic.

We incorporated a cozy color palette and sense of ease often associated with coastal interiors, then added antiques, some unique pieces, and varied textures to add depth and character. That collected, layered approach is central to our design philosophy and was especially fitting for this project, given Jeff’s family background in antiques.”

No stranger to Smith Mountain Lake, Allen grew up just across the water at his parents’ lakefront home. His father owned Lawrence Allen Antiques on Old Boonesboro Road (where Meriwether Godsey is today). His father specialized in antiques, some of which reside in Allen’s lakefront home today.

“In our [primary] bedroom, there are two Henkel Harris nightstands,” Allen explained. “They’re called Allen Nightstands, and they are actually reproductions of nightstands that my dad sold. The originals are still in his house today.”

The corner cupboard in the hallway seating area is also one of Allen’s family heirlooms, which Allen recalls his grandmother painstakingly scraping off eight coats of paint by hand to refinish it.

“It’s a nice mix of antique and modern that flows with the house,” Lynette continued.

Throughout the home, the Greer Design Co. team incorporated custom elements that added character and a sense of intention to each space that worked alongside Allen’s staple, family heirloom pieces.

“In the guest bedroom, the unique and budget-friendly paint treatment created depth and visual interest by adding color but keeping the room still light and bright,” Perillo said. “While custom elements in the kitchen—such as the brass range hood—serve as a focal point, mixing cabinet hardware finishes creates visual interest and enlarging the kitchen window adds another focal point while filling the space with more light.”

Layered lighting was another important design element throughout the home. The Greer Design Co. team combined fixtures to create warmth and dimension, including a double layer of sconces framing a family gallery wall that transforms a pass-by wall into a memorable feature. In the downstairs den, they combined three TV consoles to achieve the look of a custom built-in while still being affordable and attainable.

“This home really has evolved over my lifetime,” Allen said, as he looked into the open concept dining room and kitchen from the screened in porch. “It now has everything we need for the family we are today.”  

And how to plant your own modern-day victory garden in Zone 7a

The price of eggs.  The cost of lettuce. The quiet recalculating at the checkout line.

Food has become a conversation again.

Not just in the way we talk about recipes or restaurants, but in the way we talk about systems—supply chains, unpredictable weather, transportation costs. Even those of us who once rarely considered how strawberries made it from field to fridge are more aware of the fragility behind the abundance.

In moments like this, planting a seed can feel quietly radical.

We are not going to outgrow the global food system in our backyards. But growing even a little food reconnects us to participation instead of passivity. It is, in many ways, a modern-day victory garden—not born of wartime rationing, but of awareness, resilience, and intention.

And here in Zone 7a, where our growing season stretches generously from April through October, even a modest effort can yield surprising abundance.

A Garden That Fits Your Real Life

A modern victory garden does not require a sprawling yard. It might be a single raised bed, a row along a fence, or a cluster of containers gathered on a sunny patio.

Start by asking a practical question: What do we actually eat?

If your family goes through bags of salad greens each week, lettuce is a natural choice. If pasta night requires fresh basil, grow basil. If your children snack on cherry tomatoes straight from the carton, plant a compact tomato variety in a five-gallon bucket.

Zone 7a is particularly forgiving.

Once the threat of frost passes—usually by mid- to late April—warm-season crops thrive. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, and green beans all perform beautifully in our long summers. In early spring and again in late summer, cooler crops like lettuce, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and radishes step in.

What many gardeners don’t realize is that we essentially get two growing seasons here: a spring run and a fall encore. If something falters in May, there is often another opportunity in August.

If You Only Have a Patio

Let’s remove one of the most common perceived barriers: you do not need land.

A patio that receives six to eight hours of sunlight can support two tomato plants in large containers, a pepper plant, a trough of lettuce, and a pot of basil. Strawberries trail beautifully over the edges of planters. Herbs thrive in contained spaces.

The most important decisions happen before you even plant. Use quality potting soil rather than scooping from the yard. Make sure containers have drainage holes. Accept that containers will require more consistent watering, especially in July’s heat. Feed them lightly once a month.

That small cluster of pots will not feed your household year-round. But it will noticeably supplement your summer meals, trim your grocery runs, and deepen your understanding of seasonality.

If You Have Space for a Raised Bed

A single 4-by-8-foot raised bed can be surprisingly productive when planted thoughtfully.

Rather than traditional long rows, think in terms of efficiency. Two well-staked tomato plants along the back edge.
A few peppers nearby. Lettuce tucked into corners. Basil planted between tomatoes, where it appreciates the warmth. A simple trellis allows cucumbers or beans to grow upward rather than sprawling outward.

Vertical growth changes everything in a small space.

Raised beds also offer control—better soil, clearer boundaries, easier weeding. And they need not be elaborate. A simple framed structure set over cardboard to suppress grass works beautifully. It does not need to be permanent to be meaningful.

Teaching Children Where Food Comes From

If you have children, invite them in early.

Let them choose a plant at the nursery, hand them a small trowel, and give them ownership over watering. Celebrate the first harvest together—even if it’s just a handful of cherry tomatoes.

There is something transformative about watching a child pull a carrot from the soil and realize vegetables begin in dirt. Gardening teaches patience in a world of immediacy. Seeds do not sprout because we want them to. Peppers do not ripen faster because we are hungry.

Plants operate on their own rhythm and that rhythm shapes gratitude, stewardship, and even shapes how children think about waste when they understand the effort behind what lands on their plates.

The Mental Health Case for Soil

There is research supporting what many gardeners intuitively know: tending soil steadies us.

The repetitive acts of planting, watering, and weeding regulate the nervous system. Time outside reduces stress. Watching something grow over weeks builds a quiet sense of progress that our fast-paced lives rarely provide.

But beyond research, there is something deeply grounding about the physicality of it.

You cannot rush germination. You cannot scroll while pruning. Gardening demands presence.

Morning watering becomes a ritual. Evening harvesting becomes a reflection. The work unfolds slowly, almost imperceptibly—and that slowness feels corrective in a culture built on urgency.

Start Smaller Than You Think

The biggest mistake new gardeners make is overplanting. A modern victory garden is not about ambition, but about sustainability.

If you are unsure where to begin, start with just three things:

• Two tomato plants
• One herb you use weekly
• A small patch or container of lettuce

Learn your sunlight patterns. Notice how quickly containers dry in midsummer. Observe what thrives and what struggles. Adjust next year.

Even a Little Still Matters

Growing food will not untangle global supply chains. It will not eliminate rising prices. But it will change your relationship to what’s on your plate.

A tomato picked warm from the vine carries context. You remember the tiny yellow blossom. The weeks of waiting. The afternoon you worried you had forgotten to water.

And in a season when so much feels abstract and overwhelming, there is deep comfort in something tangible: You planted it. You tended it. You watched it grow.

Whether it’s a backyard bed or a single pot on a patio, even a little still matters.