Welcome to Molly Ishmael Design!
- Molly Ishmael
- Jun 13, 2021
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 20, 2022
Hello! I'm Molly, and it's my passion to joyfully transform homes! In 2017, I started a business decorating and organizing. While enjoying a hiatus to be home with my baby, I took several continuing education courses to sharpen my skills, and now I'm ready to get back to work! Plus, I'm now offering virtual design services for everyone's comfort and convenience.
This blog features my current projects, interior design ideas, organizing tips and tricks, fantastic decor finds, and updates on our new home we designed from the ground up!
Beautiful decor can make a house feel like a home, a truly special place to live.
DESIGN AND DECOR
My design philosophy is that I believe that most people are already living in the perfect home and don't need to move or even majorly remodel to be happy. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about a great renovation, but the truth is, most of us would also greatly benefit from more accessible projects: the right furniture layout, decluttering, and improved quality decor, for instance.
It's my joy to help you transform your home into a place you love to be, no matter your budget. I believe everyone can make improvements to their space if willing and open to change. In this blog, I'll share design tips, fantastic decor finds, current projects, and of course, updates on our new family home!
NATURAL HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS
Hand-in-hand with a beautiful home, I believe, is a healthy one.
This is a photo of us on one of the trips we made to Central Florida to look at land.
OUR FAMILY UPDATE
A little family update, we recently sold our suburban home in a town center community in Palm Beach County and bought 20 acres of raw, undeveloped land in Central Florida's ranch country! We don't have livestock. We've never been farmers! But after all the craziness of 2020, we believed it was time for a change. It was in our hearts to own land. But we have never lived on land before. No city water or sewer? No trash pick up? A dirt road? That's part of the deal! We agreed to risk it all and set to work radically changing our lives.
We could not have bought such acreage in Palm Beach County. It would have cost millions of dollars. For example, in our zero-lot lines neighborhood (i.e. there is literally no land beyond what is required by building code to fit a house), 1/16 acre sites were selling anywhere from 20k - upwards of 100k. Yep, that's real. Prices vary of course, but a full acre in Palm Beach Country can easily cost more than a million bucks! Seeing as we didn't have an extra 20 Mil sitting around to start a homestead (haha), we knew we would have to leave our beloved planned community in favor of going somewhere more affordable, farther from the beach, and less populated.
So, we looked to the West! Northwest, that is, which put us in Central Florida. No, not Disney World. An hour from that touristy Mecca and the crowded Orlando metro area, there is horse and cattle ranch country. Fun fact: Ocala, FL is considered the horse capital of the United States. Both my husband and I grew in in more rural-esque areas, so as much as we loved our lovely So-Flo home and friends, we were never exactly quintessential Palm Beachers, anyway. Granted, I adored my Jack Rogers sandals and Lilly Pulitzer dresses. But I also did my own landscaping, grew my own herbs and veggies on the patio, made my own soap, and my husband had a stash of table saws in the garage instead of a golf cart. So, I guess you could say we are returning to our roots. (Also, saying "we're heading west" sounds very cowboy-ish, which makes us feel cooler.)
My cheeky guide to Central Florida, haha.
MOVING TO THE COUNTRY
I prayed and dreamed and prayed some more, and Spring of 2021 turned out to be the perfect time to sell a house in South Florida, with so many folks moving to our area making prices were favorable for sellers. Our sale enabled us to buy 20 acres of totally undeveloped land on a dirt road, located about an hour north of Orlando (totally out of the city) and about an hour south of Ocala, though sadly, the land didn't come with complimentary thoroughbreds). The entire lot cost literally a fraction of what even a single acre would have cost in our previous area, and best of, it was totally untouched. Huge water oaks, hundreds of clementines left over from an old orchard, and even the odd old live oak abounds. (So do bugs. Oh dear. I'm a WEE bit of an entomophobe. I have a feeling you may be hearing more about that in the future.)
Above: A very flattering photo of me (not!) back when I was blond as I make a stunning fashion statement and hold a magic wand, a.k.a. a machete.
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
I started this blog for business of course, but also for fun, to share what it's like liking in the country on a hobby farm. A hobby farm by definition is a farm that is used for non-income producing purposes; in other words, farming because for oneself, not specifically to sell products. Maybe you want to enjoy healthy, organic vegetables and eggs on the daily, maybe you want space for animals larger than the typical house pet, or maybe you just want some privacy. There are lots of reasons for having a hobby farm, and I think all of the above applies to us.
Well, that's what happened, folks! We sold a house, bought some land, we're living in a rental while our dream farmhouse is being built, and it's the start of a whole new lifestyle! In the meantime, I'll be honing my skills as a decorator and designer, gardener, and DIY diva. Want to join me for the ride? Stay tuned tonight for my first recipe, "South American Quinoa Stew" which you can make using from your vegetable garden - or the grocery store, whatever's your speed!
Looking forward to staying in touch and doing all things with love!
With Love,
Molly
P.S. For more design & decor fun + updates on our newest projects, subscribe for free HERE!
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