The Sisterhood of Blogging

Lunch with Barbara Elza Hirsch of Elza B. Designs // Feb. 13

Three years ago this week, I was flying home to a blizzard-weary Boston from a most fabulous (and snow-delay extended) blogger trip to New York with my dear friend and fellow designer, Barbara Elza Hirsch. Being invited guests of Jason Wu during New York Fashion Week courtesy of the Brizo brand was an experience that neither of us will ever forget, and I am so glad we got to share in the fun together!

Blogger experiences have a way of bonding people, and even though we know each other pretty well and have participated in plenty of events together since then, Barbara has asked me to answer 10 questions about myself in honor of the “Sisterhood of the World Blogger’s Award.” Well, I am honored to be asked, Mon Amie, and at long last I have my thoughts in order! I figured that most of us use Instagram these days to share our thoughts, inspiration and adventures, so I have decided to tell my story with images from my feed and answers below. To learn more about each image, visit me here.

1. what I love about blogging

2. a favorite movie

3a. preferred pet

3b. my “wish I could have one” pet

4. a favorite designer: Alexa Hampton

5. a favorite meal at Temazcal

6. inspired by these design friends

(and many more!)

7. what’s on my nightstand

8. a favorite place to visit

9. a favorite room to design

10. “yes!” to vessel sinks

1. What do you love about blogging?

What started out back in 2009 as a way to express myself creatively through words and pictures, has turned into so much more than that. While at first blogging provided a platform to share my thoughts on interior design with an unknown audience, it quickly evolved into a way to bond with a larger community and to do business with brands. The opportunities I have had to attend blogger events both near and far and to develop relationships with others, has been greater than I had ever anticipated when I penned my first post. And even though blog readership is probably decreasing, I still value knowing that I can easily catch up with other bloggers, or get to know someone new, by visiting their online diaries or gathering at a blogger event. Bloggers essentially are writers, and there will always be readers along with a growing need for fresh content, so while the industry has changed a bit, I am hopeful that it will remain relevant even as it reinvents itself.

2. What is your favorite film?

A recent movie that I actually paid to watch in a theatre was “Joy.” First of all, it was pretty cool that parts of it were filmed in my hometown of North Reading, Massachusetts, and Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper were in places that I pass by regularly (and have since taken a selfie in front of!) Second, I loved watching the story of how an outside-the-box thinker brought an idea to life and created a successful business by solving a common problem, in turn improving her own life and her families lives. I love entrepreneur success stories, especially when they feature women who succeed despite the odds against them.

3. Are you a dog or a cat person and why?

While I had both growing up, and my husband and I had cats when we were first married, I have since fallen in love with bunnies as a favorite family pet. Once they are tamed, they are just so sweet! Understanding bunny language is definitely a learned art. To get a small typically timid animal to trust a large human feels like a real honor. If we were to get a dog, however, I would choose a Pomeranian and it would be a girl since I am so outnumbered by the male species in this house!

4. Who is your favorite interior designer and why?

While I have had the opportunity to meet or be in the presence of many celebrity interior designers over the years including Nate Berkus, Candace Olson, Thom Filicia, Jonathan Adler, Iris Apfel, and other design superstars who I completely respect and admire, I have to say the one that stood out to me as someone who could make you feel like you could easily be her friend was Alexa Hampton. She actually spent a lot of time hanging out with myself and some other designers during Blogfest one year, sharing some funny stories about being a mom, etc. Of course we live completely different lives, but for that evening we were design friends (I am sure everyone else who meets her feels the same way!) A favorite design team that I admire (but have never met IRL) is Joanna and Chip Gaines from HGTV Fixer Upper. I really love how they work together, how they take their business seriously, and have so much fun doing what they do. Secretly, I wish my suburban farmhouse life was a little more like theirs in that they quickly finish all their projects and someone else pays for them : ) 

5. What are you cooking/eating tonight?

Feeding a family of six that includes four teenage boys is typically a buffet style event featuring some type of chicken with pasta, and often times take-out. I used to love to be all Martha Stewart with my recipes (this was pre-Pinterest days and definitely before children!) but now I would much rather whip up a simple green smoothie or go out for a beet or kale salad (with wine of course!)


6. Who is the person in your life who most inspired you professionally?

I am always inspired by the people around me, including my family, but especially my friends who are also in the business of design. In addition, I often look for inspiration by connecting with people via social media who are at the top of their game (whatever that game may be), people who are pushing themselves past their comfort zone, people who are willing to share what’s important to them, and those that offer advice to help others live better lives. Most people that I follow on Instagram or Twitter or Facebook or on blogs, have all inspired me in some way to try new things, travel to new places, participate in opportunities, and to share what’s possible. 


7. What do you have on your nightstand right now?

My nightstand is actually a vintage chair. We have them on either side of our bed. I like that there isn’t much room for clutter to accumulate on them. I always have the following beside my bed: my kindle for reading (back lit so that I don’t need to put a light on to read late into the night), lip balm (a must have), aromatherapy items for relaxation, a heart shaped selenite crystal for energy clearing and chakra balancing (goodbye stress), and at the end of the day my eye glasses (can’t see a thing without them!)

8. Share a favorite travel destination.

I have really loved the trips I have taken to New York over the past few years. I have gone by car, bus, train and plane (my favorite is air travel for this one!) They have always been blogger or design related events that I have shared with good friends (or have made friends while there) and most have been recorded on this blog. Whenever I see NY scenery on TV or in a movie I long to go back. I would, however, like to discover a new favorite destination that we can enjoy as a family while our kids will still travel with us!

9. Tell me your favorite room to design or blog about and why.

Although I have done my fair share of bath design related posts, and living room makeovers run a close second, I would have to say that public spaces are now my favorite “room” to design. Show house spaces like the ones I designed for the Endicott Mansion at Glen Magna Farms are my favorite way to design as I wish, using the fabrics and furnishings and objects that I love most. A current “public space” project that I am working on involves designing retail visuals for a local high-end dress shop. I have some neat conceptual ideas and design selections in mind for this boutique-style shop and I can’t wait to share the end results!

10. Do you think vessel sinks are in or out?

As a former full-time marketer for a luxury bath showroom, I have seen some really beautiful vessel sinks over the years, from marble to brass to ceramic to bamboo. My instagram photo above features one from Gessi that I saw while on #BlogTourLA. Specifying a vessel sink in a bath design is an excellent opportunity to add a sculptural shape or a unique visual art form to a room that is usually all about function. When paired with the right faucet, counter, and tile combination, they can be elegant and timeless. They are always interesting!

Now that I have officially answered Barbara’s questions, I am posing this challenge to one local design friend who is relatively new to blogging plus 7 bloggers who I have recently met via online blogger communities/events and would like to get to know better. There are a few that I have actually never met in person, but perhaps I will someday? For your assignment, if you choose to participate, please do the following:

Select 7 of your personal Instagram photos and share in a blog post why these moments are among your favorite online memories. Then share your post with me via your favorite social media channel (Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook) and link back to this blog post. Be sure to invite 7 bloggers to participate when you post your answers. I look forward to reading YOUR visual story!


Diana of The Delightful Diary

Corinna of A Designer at Home

Alex of Literally Everything

Quiana of Harlem Lovebirds

Ashley of Simply Designing

Toni of Design Dazzle

Athena of Fitness and Feta

Allison of MrsKTechnology 

One Room Challenge: Fashionably Late

Jason Wu signed print that will soon hang in my office.

Over the years, I have participated in eight different show house type events, including small 10 x 10 foot vignette-like spaces to somewhat challenging bathrooms to a suite of rooms for a holiday design show. I typically am ready for the opening day regardless of how much time I have to prepare, although I have been found hanging art or walking in with a key design piece at the very last minute on several occasions. This One Room Challenge has been a bit of an exception. When you are working on your own surroundings, even if your business is designing for others, it often is a much more emotional process to get through. That can slow things down ... a lot.

I signed on to this challenge to motivate myself to tackle the years worth of life accumulations that had ended up in my home office. Being held accountable to others who are working just as hard to meet their own goals is quite inspiring. We are all rooting for each other. This is not about competition. It is about goal setting, being resourceful, and being honest with ourselves and whatever difficulties we may encounter as we strive to bring our design visions to life.

I am proud to say that I have managed to work through the sometimes uncomfortable task of realizing just how much I have neglected to do in my own home. Don’t get me wrong ... we have done a lot with our 1904 farmhouse over the past ten+ years. But for the last five, as my work and family life has gotten busier, I have let a lot of STUFF takeover when I really should have been dealing with it on a regular basis. Keeping it simple is all about establishing routines, and habits, and designing a good system to help deal with what is allowed to enter our spaces while making sure the unnecessary goes out. That is my wish for this makeover.

So while I have not completed my office makeover at the six week mark, I am definitely in a better place than I was even yesterday. I am thankful for the support and encouragement I have been receiving virtually along the way from the Calling It Home One Room Challenge community of design bloggers. It really does make a difference!

So please come back next Thursday to see my final reveal. I was always disappointed when a show house participation ended, so this is one way of keeping it going I guess!

I did take a bit of time today to take note of the accomplished spaces of the other link-up participants. Below are images of just some of the home office transformations that may inspire you to tackle the room where you “make things happen” at home. Visit Calling it Home here to get to each link. Enjoy!

These two by a couple of my local design friends are not offices, but are worth checking out ...

And here is the link to the sponsored participants final reveals.

Would you ever consider participating in the One Room Challenge? The next one begins in April of 2016, so start planning now!

Looking Sharp at the Chamberlain

Before I start sharing my #BlogTourLA sponsor posts, I need to set the stage. Veronika Miller of Modenus put us bloggers up at a trendy boutique hotel, the Chamberlain West Hollywood. It was designed based on the Kelly Wearstler aesthetic, which was fitting as she was on our agenda of people to meet while in Los Angeles! Graphic patterns, high contrasts, and sharp edges were a recurring theme ...

The Chamberlain lobby: our meeting spot during #BlogTourLA

Cloth and Kind design duo Tami Ramsay and

Krista Nye Schwartz in the hotel lobby

#Blogger19 alumni on #BlogTourLA: Ronique Gibson,

Veronika Miller, Cheryl Kees Clendendon and Susan Serra

Our suites were spacious and energetic with lots of cool

marble pieces that had an art-deco-like edge.

I really loved the chevron pattern on the sofa. We were gifted a handsome lavender sachet in charcoal gray flannel from Platner and Company that matched it beautifully! 

The look of the suite bedroom was appropriately more restful and subdued, while the bathroom floor kicked it up a notch with a pinwheel patterned black and white tiled floor.

Loose stripes pair well with the tightly dotted pattern on the headboard

A black grasscloth like wallpaper covered the walls in the bath (which was well appointed and appreciated!) The same charcoal paper was repeated in an upstairs sitting area adjacent to the rooftop pool.

waves of triangles and a little watery blue

the rooftop pool at the end of the day

the poolside cabana had a bit more color than elsewhere,

making it a different kind of inviting

I have to say my absolute favorite spot at the Chamberlain was the Bistro lounge on the lower level of the hotel. I adore these watery greens and the space was very pretty and soft with the exception of a collection of sharp ocean corals displayed on decorative wall sconce shelves. The leather banquet and tiled floor shared a diamond pattern, keeping the space inline with the graphic look seen throughout the Chamberlain.

Visiting hotels is a great way to explore design continuity in public and private spaces. Where have you enjoyed great design in your travels?

More from #BlogTourLA to come!

JasonWu #NYFW: a Room + a Reunion

RUNWAY

Jason Wu’s Fall 2013 Ready-to-Wear Collection: modern with a traditional influence, tailored with a focus on the finest materials, glamorous but never fussy. Seen last February during New York Fashion Week courtesy of Brizo.

image via jasonwustudio.com

TO ROOM

Jason Wu for Brizo collection in my Petite Powder Room at the 24th Annual York Decorator Show House: matte black finishes contrasting with soft whites, dramatic black lace florals paired with sexy nude tones, edgy snakeskin leather and shiny metal accents. Modern design elements. Baroque inspired florals.

wallpaper: Farrow + Ball Versailles  //   Jason Wu for Brizo available via Designer Bath

“The snakeskin leather floor in this powder room is really just for show, kind of a fashion statement that is beautiful to look at, but not completely practical when it comes to everyday wear (much like a killer pair of stilettos).”

ROCKING LACE

image via jasonwustudio.com

LACE ROCKS

If you look closely, there is a small tube of Lancome lipstick on the dotted swiss ceramic tray. I believe the Jason Wu for Lancome collection is being launched this week. The egg on black stand? Symbolic of Wu’s guiding fashion mantra based on “strong femininity.” Jason Wu signed print courtesy of Brizo.

accessories via Blue Peacock Home 

JASON WU FOR LANCOME

image via fashionista.com

AN ICONIC OWL

Members of the Brizo #blogger19 were gifted with key chains bearing Jason Wu’s symbolic owl logo.

THINKING OF YOU, MR. WU

SHOWTIME

Fall 2013 runway ... black shiny large scale marble floor tiles inset with a border of equally large mirrored tile squares. In the center a huge sparkling chandelier ... bigger than the entire size of my powder room!

CLOSE UP READY

The small size of this half bath was a particular challenge. How does one make a tiny room stand out in a vast show house? I took my model thin space and dressed it dramatically from top to bottom. During the five weeks of the show, it certainly turned some heads.

mirror, sink, counter via Designer Bath

Peshtemal Towel via The Turkish Towel Company

photo credit: Eric Roth

PETITE POWDER BEFORE

PETITE POWDER AFTER

PETITE POWDER

JASON WU FOR LANCOME

image via fashionista.com

RUNWAY MEMORIES INSPIRE

THANK YOU, BRIZO

my NYFW experience courtesy of Brizo starts here

photo courtesy Brizo

Brizo understands that brands and businesses benefit from having ambassadors. This summer, they reunited almost 100 of their New York fashion week design bloggers to attend a three day reunion in Memphis, Tennessee. Why Memphis? Memphis is the home to St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital, their charity of choice. Brizo is passionate about improving lives, whether that involves designing cutting edge bath and kitchen fixtures that are as beautiful as they are efficient or giving back to the community that surrounds them. As an invited guest on this all expense paid trip, I was introduced to other design bloggers who share the #blogger19 alum status, and was taken on a guided tour of the St. Jude campus as part of our 3-day reunion experience.

TARGET HOUSE TOUR

The rotunda at Target House, a family residence on the St. Jude campus

ST. JUDE HOSPITAL TOUR

Inspirational artwork lines the walls at St. Jude

The mission of St. Jude, founded by entertainer Danny Thomas, is one of hope. That “no child should die in the dawn of their life.” St. Jude has been leading the way in pediatric cancer research since it opened its doors in the late 1960s. They provide treatment for FREE to the children who need it most. They also provide a long-term place to stay for children AND their families during their treatment. Having spent a couple nights on various occasions at Boston Children’s Hospital with one of my own boys, I was completely impressed with the attention given to establishing a healing environment that takes the entire family into consideration. I will share more about what I saw at St. Jude as well as what we saw on our Brizo factory tour in another post. For now, I am going to take the liberty of posting a veritable scrapbook of photos from my #blogger19 reunion. When you are immersed in an engaging experience that creates lasting memories, the people you share those days with become like family. So these pics are for you, my @Brizo #blogger19 family ...

BRIZO + ST. JUDE CELEBRATION DINNER 

Reunited with my peeps from February #blogger19 Fashion Week:

Cristi, Laura, Donna, and Judd from Brizo

Cristi and Laura

with Lisa, Laura, Marilyn and Donna

Todd and Adele

Boston designer Linda with her #blogger19 pal Gloria

wtih Marilyn and Cristi

with Judd and Donna

Marilyn and Erika

and we danced ...

photo booth op: team Brizo’s Seth, Jon, Sam and Judd

team Brizo incognito

yes, I am sporting a tiara (it was a long, emotional day, after all!)

iphone case design tricks – thanks, Toni!

Seth and Trevor: bright lights, big ideas

raffle winners: Marilyn and my #YorkShowHouse pal Barbara

Carrie and Michelle with their Brizo gift baskets

Cheryl also won ... just as I predicted!

St. Jude received a donation with each basket given away

getting silly: boas + tiaras with Cheryl, Sam, Brandon, Judd, Nicole

Smile! Kristen, Judd, Brandon

Tiaras for everyone! Courtney, Lisa, myself, Manvi, Paul

Dubai x2: Manvi and Laura

CLOSING EVENT: DINNER AT

ITTA BENA BLUES CLUB

(day event factory tour info to come!)

Itta Bena above BB King blues club on Beale Street = all ours!

sit down dinner after many “last night” photos are taken ...

Brizo’s Laura, Jai, and Marilyn

Adele, Barbara, Barbara, et moi

Dubai + Interior Designer Chat

Canadian contingent: Corey, Jonathan, Meredith

with Kristen and Elvis

Donna of Savvy Interiors, JB of Building Moxie, Eric of StudioM

my Chicago design sister

2cute: Cristi and Niki

happy to meet: Michelle, Eric, and Carmen

like-minded marketers: striking a pose with Whitney

the fab-four one last time (for now!) Marilyn, Donna, Barbara + me

where we stayed: The Peabody Hotel (ducks included)

how we were treated: like royalty

@Brizo #blogger19 Reunion

photo courtesy Brizo

Not time to say good bye yet ... there’s more to come including a second Brizo-inspired bath for the York Show House and more from the reunion (daylight events : )

P.S. Jason Wu is showing his Spring/Summer 2014 collection at New York Fashion Week on September 6th at 1pm. Watch the live stream here, then let me know what you think of it!