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 

Lunch with HGTV + Blogfest 2013 part 4

A memorable Blogfest moment from my trip to New York in May (was it really almost a month ago??) was when my travel companion designer Linda Holt and I were waiting for our bus to arrive to take us back home to Boston. We were at the head of the line, still dressed up from a morning spent visiting Kravet fabric studios (more about that later), luggage at our feet with HGTV swag bags in tow. A young couple a few spots down in the line from us were chatting with each other, glancing at us. The girl left her spot in line, walked over to us and asked “Are you two with HGTV? I love HGTV!” Linda and I just laughed. After being treated by HGTV the day before, we actually did feel a little bit like part of the HGTV family ...

We began day two of Blogfest 2013 at the Kips Bay Decorator Show House and later were transported as a group to Hearst Towers for an HGTV sponsored lunch. The last time I was in New York, the city was blanketed with snow. This time, we had a great view of the surprisingly lush roof top gardens below. Some even had large scale trees. 

Valspar stands behind their Love Your Color Guarantee.

Don’t like your first choice? The next one is on them.

Inside our 44th floor meeting room, HGTV and our Blogfest sponsors had set up lots of pretty for us to look at and interact with. Valspar paints brought their latest color palettes for us to check out. Neutrogena set tables with equally colorful cosmetics to freshen our faces. We posed in front of HGTV step and repeats and  watched as our Blogfest tweets streamed live on super size video monitors. Besides all that, we got to network with a roomful of design bloggers while we waited for our guest speakers to arrive.

with Linda Holt, Manvi Drona Hildago and Leslie Hassler

The cover of the latest issue of HGTV magazine was brought to life on our luncheon tables. Flower pot centerpieces were painted by HGTV team members with Valspar paints. Citrus brights and pretty patterns filled the room (on tables and on bloggers). Lunch was gourmet fresh. Desserts were decadent.

In between courses, presentations were made. First up was Beth Greene, Marketing Director and Strategic Brand Manager of Kravet, who welcomed us warmly. This is the third Blogfest in New York that she has coordinated. More than that, Blogfest was her initial concept: to bring bloggers together, provide them with amazing design content, introduce them to A-list members of the design field, and inspire them by providing behind the scenes access to great design. Kravet is obviously a company that puts a lot of value on the partnership they share with the design blogging community. To host over 100 bloggers and coordinate events for three days requires many hands, plus lots of genuine enthusiasm. #TheyRockedIt    

Sara Peterson, Editor in Chief of HGTV magazine was our special guest.

This year’s sponsoring publication for Blogest was HGTV magazine. Editor Sara Peterson shared her thoughts on what makes their shelter magazine original. The goal of HGTV Magazine is to provide fun, informative design content for their readers in a fresh way, just as their on-air hosts entertain viewers while demonstrating their designer tricks and DIY how-to’s. Sara mentioned that her team regularly checks design blogs, looking for content worth featuring in their magazine (no worries if the photos have already been shown on your blog!) This was good news to many of us in the audience who are looking for ways to get our work published. 

HGTV Magazine, June 2013, p3

front door is Citron from Behr

A regular feature in the monthly magazine includes the “come on in!” section shown above that highlights how to transform a front door from purely functional to “wow!” Each issue is packed with usable information like this ... what products to buy, what colors to choose, you-can-do-it solutions to home design dilemas, and so much more. If you haven’t subscribed yet, get 69% off the newsstand price (exclusive offer for bloggers and their readers) when you visit subscribe.hgtvmagazine.com 

I really love the colorful and engaging layout of this magazine, and the way they provide manageable bits of information. When I was working on New England Finery Magazine, I also preferred the “less words, more pretty pictures” approach. Who doesn’t love a pretty picture?

Our keynote speaker was designer and television personality Thom Filicia. Thom was SUPER entertaining and his work is beyond elegant. He showed lots of photos from his extensive portfolio and his latest book, “American Beauty.” Words that come to mind when describing his design aethetic: tailored, elegant, thoughtful, perfect scale, refined rustic. 

photos via ThomFilicia.com

“The greatest inspiration for an interior is the person or people who are going to live there, and my goal is to connect them with a great-looking design that’s approachable to their lifestyle, interests and points of view.”  – Thom Filicia

Color coordinated with Thom Filicia: Blogfest 2013

After Thom’s presentation, Kravet social media super star Jennifer Powell (far left) staged a little game of “How bad is it?”  which is straight from the pages of HGTV Magazine. Joining the panel was designer Alexa Hampton who stepped in for HGTV design star Candice Olson who unfortunately was unable to attend. Random questions were posed to the designers like “Fake flowers? Good, Bad or Super Bad?” (Thom’s professional opinion: “If you have to dust the water, Super Bad.”) Alexa, like Thom and Candice, has a collection of fabrics in the Kravet line. I will show you some from each designer in my next post. 

A couple of uber-talented Blogfest 2013 attendees that I was happy to connect with: Emily Anderson of Good with Style (linked to her blog in New England Finery, April 2011) and Susan Brinson of House of Brinson (was in the studio audience with her at Nate Berkus Show in NY in 2010). Meeting up with people that I follow online – and whose creativity I admire and respect – was certainly a highlight of Blogfest!   

The modern lounge at Hearst Towers.

After our lunch and learn, we left Hearst Towers for our next stop: a 5pm cocktail party at Newel Antiques on 53rd Street in East Midtown Manhattan sponsored by Interiors Magazine.

Newel Antiques is a family-owned business that has been around for over 70 years, offering six floors worth of fine art and antiques from around the globe to collectors, designers, film, television, and retail display industries. 

Newel was established in 1939 as a prop house for Broadway shows. Their pieces have made appearances in episodes of “Sex in the City” as well as on the floor of Bergdorf Goodman.

Large bird cage featured in “Boardwalk Empire” on HBO.

We were allowed to tour the showroom on our own, but I am pretty sure we were not alone (do you ever feel like antiques are accompanied with the spirits of previous owners?!)

Back on the first floor, I had to capture this moment of fellow Brizo blogger alums, Carrie Leskowitz, Sara Sarna and Laurie Gorelick, who looked as if they just fell out of the painting behind them.

Laurie with Beth Greene of Kravet, Adam Japko of Digital Sherpa and design journalist Clinton Smith. Blogfest was the first time that I got to meet Adam and Clinton who were both judges of the “What Inspires You” contest that I came so very close to winning a few years back (the prize was $10,000 and a trip to Paris!) I did end up in the top 10 finalists, however, which was pretty exciting in and of itself. I’m not going to lie, though, a trip to Paris with some cash in my pocket would have been pretty exciting, too! 

Jonathan Adler was one of the guest designers at our after hours cocktail party. Linda had just won a piece of pottery from one of his collections in the Blogfest kick off party raffle held at his Madison Avenue location, so we grabbed him for a picture. He graciously obliged. #highlight

Chatting with designer Alexa Hampton at Newel was a LOT of fun! She has a way of making us every-day-kind-of-people feel equally interesting. She actually spent quite a bit of time connecting with us bloggers, asking us questions, telling us stories, and making us laugh. #mostpopular

Team Kravet: Jennifer Powell and Ann Feldstein

Getting to know bloggers Jeanne Chung and Jessica Gordan Ryan in real life.
Jessica was a contributing photographer to New England Finery, Summer 2011.

Vicki Bolinger and Garrison Hullinger with two representatives of the Ronald McDonald House which will benefit this fall by a Kravet sponsored designer show house to be held at their Long Island location. What a fabulous idea!

Jennifer Powell of Kravet with Interiors Magazines 

Editorial Director Michael Wolleaeger and Publisher Tracy Gavant

Thank you so much to our Blogfest 2013 hosts for a fabulous evening at Newel antiques! Up next ... a tour of Kravet studios.