We're so excited to have Dawn Williams, author of the winter-themed design book Comfort & Joy at the City Farmhouse Pop-Up Show this year! Dawn will be signing her newly released book at her booth When Pigs Fly, which will be located at the entrance of the group tend, where she will also offer her amazing antiques and accessories.

In addition, Dawn has graciously donated 50 books to give to everyone attending the celebrity luncheon at the show!! We only have a few luncheon tickets remaining, so get yours by calling 615.268.0216.

We had the chance to talk with Dawn about her book, her design inspiration and more. Read on to see what she had to say and to get a sneak peak inside Comfort & Joy...

What got you started in design?
My sister, mother and I opened a store in 1995 called When Pigs Fly in Mount Dora, Florida, where we sold antiques and vintage items. But I've always had a love for antiques and things from the past.

Comfort & Joy is your first book. What inspired you to write a book?
I am a very visual person, so I love looking at other people's books and magazines to draw inspiration from for my own designs, and I felt like I had some good things to share so I decided to come out with my own book. I also enjoy looking at other people's houses, and so I've included four different people's houses in the book.

How would you describe your style?
I like a lot of different styles. I would say country, primitive, farmhouse best describes my style. But I'm not a hardcore primitive person, and I like farmhouse but I don't do all white. I'm my own person and so it's my own style. It also depends on my mood that day and the person I'm designing for.

Where do you get your inspiration?
Like I said, I'm a very visual person, and I'm not a big shopper, but a lot of times when I'm walking through a flea market or antique store I'll see one thing and build a room around it. A lot of my inspiration comes from just looking around, digging through junk and going from there.

What can people expect to see at your booth?
It's going to be a gothic farmhouse-style booth. We're painting things in off-white and it will have very natural elements to it. We'll have a lot of birds and nests; very reminiscent of a conservatory. It will definitely be nothing too shabby frou-frou. I'm a no-frills kind of girl.

What is your must-have design piece? Something you can't live without.
I love old signs. The building that our store used to be in was an old warehouse, and we found an old tin sign under the house. It's something I could never part with. I've also got to say that I have a Chattanooga Plows sign that I found in the loft of a barn I couldn't part with either.

What is one piece of advice you tell people who are redesigning a space?
You have to use what you love, because you're going to have to live with it for a while. I love to build vignettes, a total look for a room that makes you feel something. If you try to design and decorate on trend, it doesn't represent what you truly are. If you design what you love, it'll never go out of style.

How did you first hear about City Farmhouse?
Oddly enough, it was about three years ago—after I stumbled onto Kim's Facebook page—my husband and I had to go to Nashville and I made sure we made a trip there. I met Kim and we got to talk, and we've kept in touch ever since.

What are you most excited about for the City Farmhouse Pop-Up Show?
The dealer list has certainly grown and come up a notch, so there will be a lot of dealers there I wouldn't normally get to see. I'm most excited to see and talk to people that you would never find all in one place at the same time in any other situation.







Dawn is correct—there are some top-notch dealers (herself included) at this year's show! 

Thanks so much, Dawn, for your generous contribution to the best celebrity luncheon EVER!!! 

xx