THE BIG MOVE TO THE COLLINS HOUSE & WHY WE LOVE IT SO MUCH

If you've been following us on Instagram, you may have noticed that late last year Peppeard Design made a big move. Not only did we move our Pep Line shoppe from a shared co-op space, we also moved our interior design business outside of our home. What I thought would be a small part-time hobby where I worked at the dining room table, quickly grew and we had to expand a basement studio inside our home. After fifteen years of keeping Peppeard Design under our roof, we knew it was time to expand the studio.

While moving the shoppe inventory and setting up the retail space may have seemed liked the larger part of the move, it was actually moving Peppeard Design's interior business. After all, PD was where our business started. Clients took a chance on me, vendors built relationships with my business, I learned what it meant to be a business owner and all the decisions the job comes with, and most importantly, my family believed in me. Moving Peppeard Design was a culmination of all these things and so much more.

And while we knew it was time for the shoppe to move, never could we have imagined finding just the right space for both businesses...until the Collins House. From the minute I walked in the door, I knew this was the home away from home PD needed. With it's true charm and individual character, it would not only bring our decor to life but also give us a place for our creative juices to flow.

From it's beautiful limestone facade to it's architect-rich interior, The Collins House is special to us for so many reasons. St. Charles is rich in historic charm and The Collins House is quite possibly the beginning of it all. Built around 1836, it stands as one of the oldest buildings in our city. Thomas Collins and his family moved into the home in 1853 where they lived and also operated a tailoring business. While it is not confirmed, sources say it was a stop on the Underground Railroad. (When you pop into the shoppe ask us about the metal door in the basement!) The history is weaved deep in the walls of the Collins House.

We're commemorating our historic home, all that it has meant to so many people over the centuries, and how far PD has come with exclusive Collins House canvas bags and prints. We're so grateful for the opportunity to work with so many of you. I personally can't thank you enough for all the support and love you've shown both Peppeard Design and The Pep Line. Cheers to what is to come.

Photography by Margaret Rajic.