A Nature Mural in a
Chocolate Salon
An inside look at Sophia Rea's Dining Room
Happy Spring, everyone! I hope you’re enjoying all of the blossoming gardens as much as I am. Can you believe that this season is already on its way out? Lucky for us, it’s always springtime in mural-land.
Yesterday I was thinking about how, on a daily basis, I get to see the many different ways you all use our scenic wallpaper. It really drives my passion for my business forward, seeing the happiness that a beautiful home creates. The possibilities for a mural seem endless, each project uniquely elegant.
This project recently caught my attention, so I’m happy to get to share it with you today.
It’s my pleasure to introduce our client, Sophia Rea. She’s a chocolate historian who hosts chocolate tastings and pairings with historical chocolate artifacts, and she recently installed our Calmsden Warm mural wallpaper in her chocolate salon! She was kind enough to let me share her pictures and her story with all of you. So, pour yourself a cup of cocoa and enjoy our little chat.
Susan Harter: To start, can you tell us a bit about how you became a chocolate historian? What is it about chocolate's history that captivates you?
Sophia Rea: In college, I took a course on Latin American history. Here, I first learned how the Aztecs used cacao as currency. It sparked my curiosity, and I began to read more and eventually began to collect artifacts from chocolate history. After college, I worked in my mother’s restaurant in Santa Fe, then went to Nashville, where I became a private chef to musicians and industry executives. This allowed me to work with chocolate. Then, after our son’s birth, I realized my passions were chocolate, art, and history. I call myself a historian because history is part of every aspect of what I do. History is always focused when teaching, speaking, or hosting chocolate tastings. As a chocolate course teacher at Atlas Obscura, I teach my favorite class, Chocolate Art History.
SH: What was your inspiration for your dining room design?
SR: The mural inspired the chocolate salon! When I saw it go up, I envisioned people gathering, sharing chocolate, and conversing. Your art brought out the artist in me, and I hope it inspires everyone who walks into the Chocolate Salon.
My husband Dodge and I made the decision to wallpaper the dining room, and whatever we chose needed to be the anchor for the rest of our home remodel. We both wanted a mural with nature since we live in an urban neighborhood.
We found Susan Harter Mural Papers through Google, and both agreed that anything we chose would be beautiful when we went through the website.
My husband grew up in a family of artists. One of his cousins does restoration at the Smithsonian, and another is the official artist for the Steeplechase Association, so his esthetic comes from his family. I like anything soothing. It helps that your murals are easy to use for someone who is not a designer. You even give suggestions for paint colors.
SH: How do you use your space? Any favorite moments you'd like to share?
SR: The dining room is now a Chocolate Salon! This is where like-minded chocolate enthusiasts in Nashville can gather in the original sense of a salon. Our first salon was a pop-up chocolate museum. In the next salon, we will recreate a 17th-century drinking chocolate recipe.
Of course, we taste chocolate in all its wonderful forms, surrounded by the beauty of the dining room mural. My favorite moments are mornings and early evenings. Waking up to the sun entering the dining room sets the mood for the day. In the evenings, I light candles and feel like I am in another century. It’s warm and jewel-like in the most elegant sense.
About the Mural
Scenic: Calmsden | Colorway: Warm
To follow along with Sophia Rea’s world of chocolate and history, follow her on Instagram!
Do you have a Susan Harter mural project you’d like to share? We’d love to hear about it. Contact us through our contact form or by emailing studio@susanharter.com
