A Long Time Ago...

More like two and a half years ago, I started this blog as a way to share my passion of interior design with the world. It became a place to connect with others who share my obsession, and a true outlet for my creative juices that had been flowing with nowhere to go. During this time, I took many classes on the subject and ended up with a certificate in interior design, which helped me feel like my life was going in the direction it was always meant to go. I was so happy to share this journey with you all.

Emersonmade

While I had hoped to start my own design business, I ended up accepting a job as a designer with a national furniture store. Aside from some stress and tough hours, I have been loving the experience. One unfortunate outcome, however, has been the lack of inspiration to keep up with this blog. I am already exercising my design muscles all day, making me feel like when I get home, I am ready to focus on something else. Don't get me wrong, I still love reading blogs and design books and magazines, but just feel less motivated to post my own ideas. It doesn't help that I am not allowed to share my projects at work (I so wish I could!) and the fact that I took a big pay cut to follow my dreams - which means my home projects have nearly come to a halt.

coco+kelley

I realize this post is sounding as though I am giving up on the blog. Truth is, the thought of that makes me sad, and I am not ready to let it go. What it does mean, however, is that maybe it is time to expand my topics to other subjects I have been interested in lately, such as cooking and fashion. I will still post mostly on design, but just not feel limited to it, which I hope will motivate me again. How does that sound? Posting will probably continue to be a bit sporadic until I really figure out the direction I want to go in, but I hope you will enjoy following me in this progression in my life.

Alternative Wife

I so appreciate all of you who have been reading and commenting for the last couple of years. You always brighten my day. Happy 2012 everyone!!

Thankful...

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you have a wondeful day with loved ones and lots of delicious food!

It was almost exactly a year ago that I accepted my current interior design job, and the experience I have gained there so far is one of the things I am most thankful for this year.

I also wanted to take this moment to say thank you to all my dear readers, who have continued to read my blog despite my decrease in appearance here over the last year... I really appreciate it! I have been thinking about some new ideas to freshen up the blog, so I hope you will stay tuned.

Have a great day!!

5 Tips to Love Where You Live Now

Lately my husband and I have been dreaming a lot about living in a bigger home. We still enjoy our cozy condo, but at times we wish we had a backyard for the dog, extra storage space, and most of all, a second or third full bedroom. Currently living in a one-bedroom with a den, that sounds like a luxury to us!

Realistically, though, thanks to our "lovely" economy this dream isn't coming true anytime soon. Our plan was to live in our place for four years at most, yet we are three years in and are nowhere near being able to move. After talking to some friends and neighbors, we see this is happening to a lot of us...

Rather than let it get us down, I started to think of what we can do to make us enjoy what we have now. Sometimes all it takes is a little tweaking, both in how we live and in our mentality, to make our current homes work for us. Below you will find some tips that I believe will help. I have already started implementing some of these tips, and can honestly say I am feeling more at peace with our situation.

Jesse Carrier

1) List the Positives

First, I would suggest making a list of the favorite things about your home. This way you can refer to the list whenever those negative thoughts creep in. Here is a peak into my list:

   -  We love our peaceful, dog-friendly neighborhood
   -  A small condo allows us to feel more connected as a family
   -  Less to clean! Plus, no mowing the lawn or shoveling snow
   -  The pretty view of the trees outside our window
   -  A smaller place = smaller mortgage = more money in our pocket!

Decorpad

2) Declutter and Organize

It's amazing what a little decluttering can do, both for peace of mind and in terms of organization. Think about what items you really use or need. If you don't love it or use it regularly, it should go. For example, if you have a small closet, think about investing in just a few wardrobe staples, then ditch that dress that you haven't worn in three years or those pants that never did fit so great. Do the same with the kitchen cupboards, bookshelves, garage, or wherever clutter collects in your home.

My husband and I have a tendency to keep things "just in case," but lately we've started to really rethink some of our possessions. Room by room, we've been getting rid of so many unloved things. Suddenly we feel like our place is no longer bursting at the seams. The condo feels bigger and much more organized!

Decorpad

3) Home Improvement

Knowing that we'll eventually sell our place, it seems smart to think now about what small improvements could add value to our condo. I always think it's funny that people wait until they are ready to sell to go ahead and make repairs or upgrades. Why not do it now and enjoy it?

For us, this in part means our kitchen. While I'd love to upgrade our countertops to granite, given our tight budget we plan on simply adding a backsplash, door knobs, and paint. After that, we are hoping to replace our windows and add closet systems to our coat/hall closet and hopefull mine too!

 New backsplash and possible paint color for our kitchen

4) Reconsider A Room's Purpose

Maybe you're dreaming about having an office but don't have an extra room. Just because the space near your living room was labeled "dining room" on your floorplan doesn't mean it needs to be one. Rethink a room's original purpose, get a little creative, and you'll be surprised at how many rooms can multitask to become exactly what you need it to.

In our case, we have a den/sunroom adjacent to our living room that currently serves as my husband's office and "music room" (he has a huge collection of CD's and a few guitars.) One of the reasons for wanting to move is to expand our family in the future. In a pinch, though, this room could get a door added, some new furniture and a fresh coat of paint to become a nursery. What will become of my husband's CD's is another story...

Amy Meier's Office in Dining Room, Better Homes & Gardens

5) Personalize It

Finally, a way to enjoy the space you live now is to simply make it your home! Our place always feels cozy when we have some music playing and a candle lit. Don't wait for your "forever home" to finally put up a gallery wall of family photos. Anything that makes you feel happy should be proudly displayed, and will only help in making your home feel like the place you are supposed to be here and now.

source unknown

Are you or anyone you know in this situation? Do you have any tips to share on how you are dealing with it?

Birthday Presents - for the Home!

Hi guys, I'm still alive! I can't believe it has been two weeks since I blogged! I swear time during the summer goes by even faster than the rest of the year...

It was actually my birthday today ;) The best part, of course, has been seeing friends and family over the weekend to celebrate. However, I can't lie and say that getting presents isn't a nice bonus when it comes to birthdays. All I wanted this year was stuff to help finish decorating the condo. Wish granted!

I'm getting a little closer to my vision becoming a reality in my living room. Well, my vision has changed a few times, but is still a variation of this (what has mostly changed is the overall color scheme, especially the rug):

One of the most important elements was the lamp, which I've been wanting for so long. I finally got it! I took a pretty bad picture of it, but here it is in the room (please ignore the old, out of scale artwork!):

By, the way, this is the room finally all painted in gray. I love the color in person! It's such a soothing color and has made a drastic difference in the space. The fabric swatch on the left will hopefully become pillows soon. I am still playing around with the final color scheme, but that Dwell fabric is definitely staying.Then finally I'll start my search for some nice artwork.

You might also remember I've been trying to find some curtains. I sadly ended up returning the ones I originally got because they were just too dark. I purchased these curtains from West Elm, and love how they look in the room! I need to take a better picture in daylight, but here it is:

Slowly but surely things are coming together... gotta love birthday presents!

Path to Design ~ 5.24.11

This post could also have been titled "Just Do It!" My goal with this post is to inspire anyone with a dream to go out there and work on making it happen.

You see, I have had a couple of stressful weeks at work, but instead of feeling miserable as I would have in my last job, I still feel content and fulfilled. This is because, after knowing for years and years what I truly wanted to do when I "grow up," I am finally acting on it, and it feels great. It hasn't been an easy journey getting here, but now I feel like all of the effort I've put in has been so worth it.

 source

After spending seven years trying out different jobs I thought I'd enjoy, such as event planning, marketing, and public relations, I still felt unfulfilled and discouraged. While I performed fine at these jobs, deep down I didn't feel I was bringing in my all, that my heart wasn't in it. I was constantly down, and dreaded each and every work week. Something was missing - I couldn't live like this.

Throughout these years, I kept having thoughts of becoming an interior designer, but having already gone to school, then back again to study Public Relations (and thinking that was my path), switching careers yet again seemed ridiculous. I kept thinking, am I crazy to want to change careers yet again? Am I just flaky? Plus, would I actually enjoy interior design? And more so, would I even be good at it?

Lonny Mag

Visions of when I was 8 years old kept coming back to me - I'd spend so much time drafting floorplans for my and my friends' "dream homes" and loved it. One day I came across all of my drawings and showed them to my mom. She was so impressed that I realized I do have this in me. From that day forward to was dedicated to learn all I could about interior design, starting with books, a night class, then finally more formal education (more posts about my journey here.)

My job as a designer is tough (I work in a retail environment, so I have to worry about making comission, working weekends, and dealing with the occasional tough client), but whenever I get involved in a design project I feel on top of the world. This past weekend I presented a project I was very excited about, and thankfully so was my client! It was such a great feeling. In this job I've learned that for me, designing a room comes so easily, so naturally, unlike any other job I've had before. It finally feels right, as if this is what I was supposed to be doing all along.

Lonny Mag

Making this dream come true certainly took effort, one step at a time. But, what it really took was listening to myself, that voice deep down inside that knows what you truly want, what will truly make you happy. So sad that too often we let our doubts and fears take over that voice. 

So that is my message to the world. I hope to encourage YOU to do something today, whether is picking up a book on your subject of interest, signing up for a class, speaking to someone in your industry, or taking a chance and applying for a job you don't think you'd ever get (you never know - trust me!) It may be a long journey, but one certainly worth taking. We all deserve to be happy!

 Lonny Mag

Please share in your comments if you have a dream you hope to work towards - we can all help and motivate each other!

P.S.: I'm sorry for the lack of posts the last couple of weeks. I just needed some time away from the computer. But I feel inspired again, so thanks for checking in!

What I've Been Up To...

Hey guys! Sorry for my absence last week. I am not really sure what happened...just a stressful week, really, that left me without motivation to do much. Thankfully once I had a couple of days off, I finally got a dose of motivation to get some things done.

As if I didn't have several other projects mid-completion, I randomly decided to tackle a new one. After spending several dollars buying paint testers for my living room, I was left with all these sample pots laying around. I've been itching to come up with a way to use them, and finally I had an idea. I have a small yet very drab hallway that was in serious need of a touch up. I figured why not bring some life to this space, while using up all that paint...so I am painting stripes!

There it is, in progress.  I just completed painting all the stripes and I'm loving it! The final photo will have to wait a little, as I am also repainting all the trim and doors in a fresher white (I'd been dying to do that since moving in nearly three years ago!) I also have plans for a gallery wall of photos here. Overall this was an easy and fun project to tackle!

I also went out and bought some curtains for my sunroom! I haven't talked about this room much yet, but will start sharing photos once I make some changes I have planned. Anyway, the window in this room is also the main window in my living area, so it needs to have curtains that can handle center stage. 

I found this beautiful pair at World Market, and was sure it would work perfectly with the existing blue walls in the space, as well as an accent pillow I had planned to make.

However, once hung, they look a little dark (too much brown), so I am having some second thoughts... what do you think of them?

So that is my little update for the week. What were you up to this past weekend?

Path to Design ~ 3.18.11

It has been a while since I updated you all on my new design job! Happily, it is going well. Some days I still feel like I'm dreaming! I had my first (and second!) client presentation last week, so I'm starting to finally feel like an official designer :)

source

You may also be wondering about my business, Estilo Home Interiors. Sad to say, I have put those plans on hold - I had to sign a non-compete contract with my company, and do not want to cause any issues. This was tough because I had been finally working towards launching the business, and was really looking forward to seeing those plans come to life. On the other hand, I'm glad it happened this way because I am learning so much that I will be able to apply to my business when it is finally time to do so.

source

So what have I learned? Well, here is a random sampling, from things I have learned about design, clients, and myself:

~ As a designer, it is important to remember that clients cannot always visualize what you are proposing to them, whether describing a sofa in a different fabric or a room's layout. Drawings and samples are critical to make sure you both see eye to eye.
~ Fabric is expensive! Ok, I kind of knew that already, but yardage really adds up fast when quoting window treatments, bedding or a sofa.
~ You've got to be open-minded and knowledgeable about different furniture styles. At my store, we have to be well-versed in everything from traditional to modern styles, as we have a wide variety of clients with different tastes. I have to say I am learning a lot about more traditional decor, which I hadn't been as exposed to before. 
~ I am really bad at making decisions. It is a little ridiculous how many fabrics I'll look through before deciding on the right ones for each project.
~ Design and sales really go hand in hand. You might have a wonderful design idea, but if you cannot communicate it, or "sell" it, to the client, you won't have a successful business.

source

There is so much more I learn every single day - which makes me so glad I am going through this now with a team of people behind me, as opposed to on my own. Sure I can design, but quoting things like curtains and carpeting, knowing the elements of quality furniture construction, scheduling installation - all of these "behind the scenes" stuff I am being exposed to as I go. It's funny because I thought I was ready for my business, but that was when I didn't know just how much I didn't know! Not to say it wouldn't be doable, just more challenging.

Having said that, I still can't wait for when that day comes! Only then I will be truly ready.

Well, Hello!

Hi everyone! So my week-long vacation ended up turning into a three-week break from the blog. I'm sorry it has been so quiet here! My trip to Brazil to see my family was wonderful, but the same day I arrived back home, I had to turn around and head to Connecticut for a work trip! Things got pretty busy, and I simply have been feeling fried. So much for having a break...

Anyway, I am happy to be back to sharing inspiration with you. Among the many great things about traveling includes being exposed to different ways of life... which includes seeing how others decorate! So naturally, I picked up a few design magazines while I was there.  One of my favorites is called Casa Claudia, so I went through their website to share some beautiful rooms with you all.

Brazilians typically live in small apartments (particularly in the city of Sao Paulo), yet I noticed, based on some of the apartments I visited, that they live without much clutter. Their rooms often look clean and streamlined, with just a few select accent pieces. As soon as I got home, I felt inspired to once again look through my belongings and reduce visual clutter.

Brazilians tend to also decorate with lighter woods and colors, with white walls being a popular selection. It makes the spaces feel so light and fresh!

I hope you like what you see, because I will share a few more with you later this week!




All images credit of Casa Claudia.

Guest Posting at Arianna Belle!

I wanted to pop in to let you guys know I am over at Arianna Belle's blog today, talking about 5 things that have made a difference in my life.

 I hope you all check it out!

A Little Vacation

Hey guys, I am going to be away from the blog for a few days - I'm headed to Brazil to see my family!! I haven't had a vacation in so long, so this is something I am really looking forward to!

I will be out all week but will post on Thursday to let you guys know about a guest blog post. Have a good one!

Image source

My New Purchase

Good morning! I hope you all had a great weekend. I am working weekends now, so things are a little different. But my new job is going well, making it all worth it!

I wanted to share a recent purchase for the condo that I'm excited about. I know sunburst mirrors have been around for a long time, and many people are ready for them to go away. I however, only recently developed a big crush on them, and have been searching for an affordable one to call my own. I think they add such a glam touch to any space.

Luckily, thanks to winning a giveaway for CSN Stores over at Small & Chic in C-ville, I finally bought one! It now sits above my bookcase, but I can see it one day looking great over a fireplace or in an entryway.

What do you guys think? Thanks again Jeannine!

Welcome 2011!!

Hi everyone! I hope you are off to a good start to the new year! I felt ready for the new year to start, as I love that feeling of a fresh beginning. I love to reflect on the past year to think about the good and bad that has happened, and to set some goals for myself for the upcoming year.

(my new inspiration board above my desk)

I started out 2010 with a list of resolutions (see it here), but for the first time in the last few years I didn't manage to accomplish all of it. However, this was still a big year for me. I turned 30, got my design certificate, then my new design job!

          

This year, my goal revolves around having a more balanced life. Last year I was so focused on my career last year, first by going to school, then by trying to start my business and build my portfolio. This year, however, I want to pay more attention to family, friends, my health and maybe pick up a new hobby or two that do not involve design (I'm thinking baking!)

 
I'm feeling hopeful about the new year! Do you like to make resolutions?

Merry Christmas!!

I can't believe Christmas is already here! This year flew by, didn't it?

I wanted to take a moment to thank you, my dear readers, for stopping by and leaving comments over this past year. They always brighten my day! Thanks for sticking with me as I make my way to finally pursuing the career I've dreamed of. My new job is the best gift I could have asked for!

I hope you have a great one, with lots of good company, good food and presents!

Image credits: Martha Stewart, Jo Tyler, House and Home, my own picture

Path to Design ~ 12.13.10

Good morning! And we are off to another week. I'm happy to report that this week should be much calmer for me, in part thanks to the good news I have to share with you today!

Design*Sponge

I just accepted a full-time Interior Design job!! I am officially going to be spending my days around furniture and fabrics, following my dream! I am still in disbelief that this is happening, and I could not be more excited.

This is a big part of the reason I had been so busy the last few weeks. To make a long story short, I had been wearing myself thin working long hours at my day job, commuting for 2 hours-plus each day, then coming home and trying to squeeze blogging, setting up my business, job hunting, and other responsibilities in the few short hours I had each evening. I was always running behind, never achieving all my goals on any one area. A few weeks ago I felt like I reached my breaking point, and decided it was time to put most of my effort into one main area: finding another job. I had no idea it would pay off so quickly!

Max Attenborough

I still hope to get my business off the ground. I just knew it would take long before I could pay the mortgage from the business alone, so after a long talk with my husband, we figured this will have to continue to be a side thing for the time being. First I needed a day job that I would really enjoy and that would have a shorter commute. Everything else will fall into place from there. This new job will teach me so much, and I feel like it will benefit my future business when the time comes.

So there you have it! Have you had any good news come your way recently? Let's celebrate together in the comments!

New Coffee Table

So I have picked out my new coffee table based on your suggestions (thank you!) and I finally made the purchase! It arrived a couple of days ago, and I'm really happy with it. Want to see which one I went with?

The #5! I am really happy with it. The glass top really opened up the space and feels modern and fresh. I got a great deal on it too, so it was a good decision!

I also finally started painting the living room! It's taking quite a while because I am doing one wall per weekend. Between moving all the furniture, adding primer, then three coats of paint takes quite a while. Three coats of paint is a lot, but I was not happy with the color at two coats (I think my old blue paint was still showing through), but the third one thankfully did the trick. The picture above shows some of the wall, and the one below shows a part of the old blue next to the new color (to the left):

Please excuse my dog Mac's head :)

I'd been planning to buy a new rug to help define the area. I even won a gift certificate to CSNrugs.com towards the purchase (thanks Jeannine!) But I just used our flokati rug from another room and now I kind of like it here! So I am not sure if I'll keep it or buy something else for this space. Either way, these changes I've made so far are helping this place feel more home-y than it's ever felt!

So that was my productive weekend. What were you up to?

Path to Design ~ 10.5.10

First, I wanted to say thank you to my readers for all of the encouragement regarding my business plans. It truly is so wonderful to have your support!

So this past week was already pretty productive. One tip I can give to anyone starting a side business is to schedule in time specifically to work on it. Without the structure, I constantly kept letting other responsibilities get in the way. I finally decided to give up my lazy Saturday mornings in favor of what I now call my 'office hours.' This scheduled, uninterrupted time has already made such a difference (and it's only been 2 weeks so far.)

I decided to take a step back and start at the beginning, really thinking through my vision for the business and where I stand in the current market. I'm a step-by-step kind of person, so I am finding that this works better for me than just jumping right in as I was originally trying to do. I did a ton of research regarding the current state of the interior design industry, as well as looked up my future 'competitors' in my area. This research has really helped me identify a need within my local market, to hone in to what unique services I can offer, and who my target market will be.  

What I discovered was encouraging. Lately I had been feeling like my vision to make interior design more accessible to all has already been offered by so many people (which made me wish I had followed through when I first thought of it over four years ago!) But now I see where I would stand within my target market and believe that there is still a strong need for the services I want to offer, even if the idea is not so unique anymore.

In case this helps, these are some of the websites that helped me with my research (in addition to our buddy Google):

http://www.sba.gov/

http://dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/

http://www.census.gov/

http://www.uschamber.com/

http://www.asid.org/

Next week I will start focusing on one of my favorite topics - branding!

All images in this post by Interior Stylist Lucyina Moodie (her portfolio is gorgeous!)

Path to Design ~ Intro

As I mentioned in my last post, I have been finding my motivation again to build my interior decorating business. This is a dream I've had since the summer of 2006, as I remember so clearly. To say I'm taking things slowly is a major understatement!

Martha Stewart

Well, in the fall of 2006 I took an evening class at my local college, which confirmed that this is the path for me. Since then, between getting married and buying a condo, I started design school and eventually obtained a certificate in Interior Decorating this past March. Finally, in July, I submitted my business license and other local and national paperwork. I also wrote the start of my business plan, identifying the type of services I would offer and who my clientele would be.

Country Living

Then I stopped. Summer plans and a demanding work schedule, not to mention family, got in the way. Or rather, I let them get in the way. I finally had a wake-up call a week or two ago when reading a post on Makeunder My Life, where Jess praised those who work full-time while fulfilling their dreams on the side. The next day, I read a post on HHFITD about Maggie Rose, who has a schedule just a tough as mine, if not worse, and is building her design business regardless. I realized it is time to stop making excuses, and just do this already! 

So that is the point of this new series, to take you along my path to start a business. I hope my insights will be helpful as I figure out what I am doing, and hopefully in turn you will keep me motivated!

 Lonny Mag

In addition to the blogs I mentioned above, here are a few other places I go to for business inspiration:

http://www.designspongeonline.com/category/biz-ladies

http://www.ladieswholaunch.com/
http://startupprincess.com/

http://girlatplay.com/

http://decor8blog.com/category/what-to-do/
http://thinkbakery.com/blog/

Desire to Inspire

If anyone reading this is starting or thinking about starting a business, chime in and tell us about your efforts! (oh, and congratulations!)

Happy Friday!

So glad it's finally Friday! I have lots planned for this weekend, but it's mostly work...fun work, that is.

image source

I've sort of been putting off working on my future business for a couple of reasons, but I have recently had my motivation kick back in. So, this weekend I will be doing some work on this - and I plan to start a new series here on the blog to take you along my enterpreneurial ride!

I will also work on a virtual design board for a friend who's across the country now. I'll share the design plans with you once I have the ok from her.

If all goes well, I'll also find some time this weekend to finally begin painting my living room! What are you up to this weekend?

Purple & Gray Condo

While we are on the subject of style evolution, I happened to come across images of a condo that perfectly illustrates how my own style has changed over the years. I just picked up the House & Home Condos Lofts & Apartments special edition, and opened the pages to a beautiful gray and purple condo that would have been 100 percent my taste had this been 2 or 3 years ago.

While I still love it, I know I would have gone crazy back then for the home's clean lines, neutral palette with hits of geometric patterns, and its overall modern aesthetic. 

 
In my last home, all I owned had sleek, straight lines. No curves or ornate designs in sight, much like this condo.

 (I'd still flip for that cozy dining nook any day though!)

For years, purple was my ultimate favorite color. It seemed like everything I owned was purple, and my decor was no exception. Seeing the bedroom below would have made me want to paint my own purple accent wall.

However, these days, I'm suddenly more drawn towards transitional style,  and find myself replacing some of those clean-lined furniture for softer, curvier pieces. I believe my designs will always have a modern influence, but now they may be infused with more classic - and dare I say it - ornate pieces!