Alphabet Walk: the letter Y

In case you have not heard of the Alphabet Walk blog hop, it is an online event staged as a photographic journey in alphabetical order being hosted by aspiring boutique owner/design enthusiast Piper Toth of One Sydney Road. Since Monday of this week, a group of around 75 bloggers have been representing the letters of the alphabet with photos. I volunteered to take on the letter Y (obviously a favorite of mine!) This has been a fun event to participate in, along with being a great way to discover some new blog personalities! I decided to base my post on a designer FYI ... kind of a look-book that shows who I am using images that begin with
or include the letter Y.

YVONNE

In case we have never met before, my name is Yvonne. I am an interior decorator and I write this blog to share the images, people and events that inspire me. In this photo I am relaxing at the Belle Mer in Newport, RI. See how beautifully peaceful it is by clicking here.

Y CUP WITH DESIGN TOOLS

I began my career as a graphic artist, illustrating newspaper ads for a local gift shop when I was 16, later art directing ad campaigns for a number of Boston-based advertising agencies. I have always been fascinated with typography and photography, and have relied on my artistic eye to make a living (a fun one for sure!) It has always been a dream of mine, however, to work behind the scenes of a great magazine, so I guess this blog is my way of attempting to take on the role of art director, photo stylist, interior decorator, writer (and editor ; ) all at once!

Monogrammed mug from Anthropologie

YB ... MY INITIALS

I created this vignette featuring YB on a bookcase shelf, filling it with some of my favorite things for the North Shore Design Show held this past May at the Wenham Museum. On my summer to-do-list: see the movie eclipse as I have yet to finish the book!

YELLOW FLOWERS
IN YORK, MAINE

York Beach, Maine is where I have spent summer vacations for most of my life. I took this photo on Monday after a meeting with my first decorating client in York (photos to come!) For now, you are welcome to visit my mom’s York cottage by clicking here. And if you are in the area, check out the Old York Decorator Showhouse. It opens July 17th and runs through August 14th. A couple of my friends are participating (Nicole Yee: Dining Room and Paula Bakies for
Mary O’Neill: Guest Bedroom) so I will be
stopping in to see them soon.

YELLOW, DO-IT-YOURSELF, RECYCLE

Yellow was always my favorite color when I was little. I guess it still is because I have been surrounding myself with it a lot lately! This yellow bag was an I-can’t-believe-I-got-it-at-this-price bargain. I had it with me on the day I met Barclay Butera at the Boston Design Center (read about it here). Recycling also tops my list of what is most important to me. In my yellow foyer alone, I have three items side by side that were all recycled into something new and improved: refinished ladder back chair, mirror turned chalkboard, sewing cabinet with designer style (for more of my design before and afters click here).



MY YOUNGEST WITH A
YELLOW BABY BIRD

Yellow watering can and yellow fledgling perched on the finger of my youngest, Ben. See more photos
from this special visit by clicking here. To
see more of my garden room, click here.

YARROW IN MY YARD

Yarrow flower with a yucky ant (look real closely!) photographed in my yard yesterday. I really love flowers, gardening and nature in general. These elements seem to influence my design style more than any other (and I write about them often!) Here are a few of my favorite tips on how to create arrangements to coordinate with works of art.


STYLE

As a designer, I am often asked what my particular style is. Of course the answer to that question really depends on the project and the client, but the direction I take always comes from who I am as a person first. Looking at these photos that I have selected for the Alphabet Walk, I see a definite pattern that to me reads: laid-back traditional with a focus on color, organic forms, and artistic expression. What do you see? Visit my polyvore mood boards
for more samples of my “style.”

NOW PLAYING @ TAPLEY HALL

If you live near Boston’s North shore, you can get a first hand look at my design style at Reflecting on Danvers History through Interior Design, a dozen+ designed vignettes staged in Tapley Hall to benefit the Danvers Historical Society. Open to the public, admission is just $10 at the door.
Click here for details.

THANK YOU ...

for visiting me on this final day of the Alphabet Walk blog hop (and thanks to those who have been following all along!) Be sure to check out the other blogs virtually strolling through the letters of the alphabet (click here for the full list). Please stop by again and leave a comment if you feel inspired!

xo yvonne