Proudly Introducing our 2024 Brand Ambassador
After a nationwide search and voting by our farmhouse community, Stephanie Leleux won your hearts and will now present her passion for home décor in each issue throughout 2024. Her boundless creativity along with excellent photography, honed writing skills, and warm, friendly demeanor make her a perfect Brand Ambassador!
Hi Farmhouse Friends!
I truly cannot put into words how honored and excited I am to have been chosen as the 2024 American Farmhouse Style Brand Ambassador! I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to share my love for all things farmhouse and take you along as my husband Skip and I continue to renovate our starter home into our forever home over the next year.
My home is my happy place. Through hard work and creativity, we’re striving to turn this humble little home into a cozy, welcoming space that reflects our style on a small budget. From large-scale DIYs to crafts, recipes and thrifting, I hope to inspire you to add your personal touch to your own spaces and décor.
I sincerely hope you will join me here as I share my home and décor DIY projects with a few recipes and some fun Louisiana flare mixed in!
See y’all soon!
Wishing you grace,
Stephanie
Get to Know Stephanie
My husband Skip and I are middle school sweethearts and have been married for 24 years. We have 3 sons, Jack, Ethan and Carter, who are our greatest gifts. We also have 2 German Short Haired Pointers, Cooper and Beaux. We’re both life-long Louisiana residents and have a large extended family living all around us.
I have always loved to decorate. I remember thumbing through my mother’s magazines while dreaming of decorating my own home someday. I had binders filled with pages of my favorite spaces and styles torn out of the magazines for inspiration. Magazines were my first introduction to decorating and I savored every page.
In 2018, I joined social media (@returninggrace) to promote my handmade business and as time went on, I began to share more of my home, heart and life. It has opened a world I didn’t even know existed. This journey has taken a small-town Southern Louisiana girl far beyond her wildest dreams! It has also reignited my passion for photography in the process.
While most people look for their dream home in a grand neighborhood, I’ve always looked at historic Main Streets for inspiration. Even though our home is not historic, we have added many elements with classic American and European farmhouse and cottage influences. I love neutral tones with rustic wood elements and pops of seasonal color.
In 2021 we began renovating our starter home into our forever home. My favorite part of this remodel is that we started our lives together in this home and will finish it here together. This home is completely and totally a reflection of us, done entirely by us. I can’t wait to share our upcoming projects with you as we continue to pour ourselves into our home!
Who doesn’t love a good throw blanket? Amana Woolen Mill gifted this beautiful Bow ‘En Arrow Wool throw blanket to me and I just love it! Amana Woolen Mill, the only remaining cotton mill in Iowa, has been making cozy throws for over 160 years and it truly shows. “The Amana blankets are woven from either recycled eco-friendly yarn, 100% cotton yarn, wool or Merino wool,” says Sara Montgomery, Art Director for Amana Woolen Mill. “Our small team of seamstresses hand finish the textiles.” Amana offers both wool and cotton blankets. “Wool is extremely strong and one of the most fire-resistant fabrics,” Sara says. “It’s flexible, durable, easy to care for and requires less washing. Wool is more expensive, but it holds its value and is a great investment.”
Amana has a lovely assortment of blankets, throws, and accessories and it’s wonderful that they are American made!
To shop, visit amanawoolenmill.com and visit them on Instagram @amanawoolenmill.
