Journalist, taste-maker, world traveler, hostess, Southerner, Sunday painter, and outdoors lover, Frances Schultz is an enthusiast on decoration and design, food and entertaining, travel and style.
She is author and co-author of several books, including The Bee Cottage Story—How I Made a Muddle of Things and Decorated My Way Back to Happiness, out in summer of 2015 from Skyhorse. A contributing editor to House Beautiful magazine and former editor-at-large for Veranda, she has written also for The Wall Street Journal, Town & Country, Indagare, and The New York Social Diary. She was for six years on-air host of the award-winning cable television show Southern Living Presents and has appeared on The Today Show, The Nate Berkus Show, CNN’s Open House, and many others.
Frances’ creative spirit carries inevitably into her home and hobbies, and fuels her interest in the arts. She entertains often, and sketches and paints when she can. She’s a reader and perpetual student. And as much as she loves home, Frances loves traveling the world and being outdoors as well—painting, gardening, tennis, hiking, riding, and shooting.
Born and raised in the small town of Tarboro, North Carolina, Frances graduated from St. Mary’s School with honors and from the University of Virginia with distinction. She is a member of the National Arts Club and serves on the boards of the Horticultural Society of New York and the Empowers Africa foundation. With husband Tom Dittmer, dog Stella, assorted horses and critters, she lives in the Santa Ynez Valley of California with visits to Manhattan and summers at Bee Cottage, in East Hampton.
Books
The Bee Cottage Story
By Frances Schultz
Inspired by Frances’ House Beautiful column, what began as a decorating book evolved into a memoir with lots of beautiful photos and a compelling personal story. Fried Green Tomatoes author Fannie Flagg hails it as “charming from start to finish.” Charlotte Moss says it “has you laughing hysterically,” and Veranda editor Clinton Smith says “You’ll never think of decorating the same way again.” Due out in July. Click on image of the book cover to pre-order your signed, personalized copy.
A House in the South
by Frances Schultz and Paula Wallace
Though times have changed, the charm and grace of Southern style endure. In this affectionate portrait of Southern homes, the authors lead a tour of more than twenty of the South’s proudest houses, proving that the legendary graciousness of the Southern home lives on in all forms, from seaside cottages to grand mansions.
Atlanta at Home and Atlanta at Table
By Frances Schultz, photographs by Dot Griffith
Published in 1994 and 1996, respectively, these highly readable books were critically praised for their anecdotal insight into Southern history and hospitality. The first, Atlanta at Home, is stories of people and their places, from the grandest (Anne Cox Chambers) to the humblest (Miss Mary’s Garden in a housing project). The second, Atlanta at Table, is people and their parties, replete with great table-setting ideas, menus and recipes you’ll return to again and again.
Christopher Lowell The Hassle-Free Host
By Christopher Lowell with Frances Schultz
Even for the beginner, a user-friendly book of tablescapes, easy menus and simple recipes. Not for the culinary snob but rather for the harried hostess or homemaker who doesn’t mind taking a short-cut (or ten) every now and then. Christopher designed the tables and Frances created the menus and recipes.
Signature Weddings
By Michelle Rago with Frances Schultz
Frances wrote the text for this stunning volume of Michelle Rago’s highly acclaimed and utterly original wedding designs. Completely delightful, charming, timeless, and eminently useful for any bride who wants her big day to reflect who she is and all she loves.
Ryan Gainey’s The Well-Set Table
By Ryan Gainey with Frances Schultz
A lavishly photographed and endlessly inspiring book of the inimitable garden and gala designer Ryan Gainey’s table-settings and entertaining tableaux. Out of print but available in secondary markets, via www.alibris.com, www.amazon.com and others.
Frances’ Reel
What they say…
Entire copies of articles referenced below may be obtained through Frances’ office via the Contact tab, above.
Frances’ former Atlanta townhouse was featured in a 10-page-spread in Veranda, 1996.
Interior design by John Oetgen.
“…Love, friendship and warmth emanate equally from Frances Schultz’s home and personality. I walk into a townhouse that is a living, breathing, sunny autobiography… Gallery masterpieces hang alongside a niece’s crayon drawing…It’s a house so personal and clearly reflective of Frances Schultz that the visitor wants only to wander around this museum of memorabilia to learn more about her sharp sense of humor, refined tastes, extensive travels and warm character.”
Dossier Magazine
“Frances Schultz…has built a career on her sense of beauty, her storytelling genius, and her warm Southern charm…”
Signature Magazine
“…Tall and slender, Frances Schultz is vocal about the importance of listening to your inner voice…It is this inner voice that lead her to be a writer. Her mother taught her to appreciate the inherent beauty of even a modest home. “She kept a lovely house full of flowers and pretty things, and she was a wonderful cook. I learned to value those things, but I never imagined I might grow up and make it my life’s work.”
Atlanta 30305
“I think they got tired of hearing about Mama and barbeque, and they wanted to come see it for themselves,” says Frances, host of Turner South network’s Southern Living Presents. “She’s always been proud of her Southern roots,” says the show’s producer, Craig St. John. “That inspired us to come here. A lot of her personality comes from this town. That’s part of what the whole South is about.”