One Room Challenge: Hot Mess Stage

One week into the Calling it Home One Room Challenge and this is where my master closet project is at: the hot mess stage. Not much pretty to show, but this behind-the-walls-view means that progress is being made.

The new closet is roughly 5 feet wide at one end and then narrows to 4 feet wide at the other end with jogs created by the adjacent master bath. The overall length of the closet will be just over 14 feet long – which is great – but the slanted hip roof causes the height of the wall on the shortest side to be less than 4 feet tall (so this wall is only good for tops, skirts, and pants folded on hangers) while the opposite wall is about 8 feet high. The far end of the closet will be for long dresses (fortunately I don’t have a lot of these in my wardrobe!)

70s fashion via fashion-era.com

I vaguely remember my mom having a very similar shaped closet in our home growing up. It was large enough to get lost in as a kid. I used to love going in there and checking out all of her outfits (many that she made with her Singer sewing machine). It was the 70s and she did have a lot of long dresses and pant suits in her closet, so I guess it might have been a bit taller on the back wall than mine will be. My favorite part of visiting her closet was peeking inside a huge black steamer trunk that she had in there (seriously, how big was this closet??) Inside the trunk was where she stored the patterns and fabrics that she used to sew outfits for herself, for me and my two sisters, and then later to make doll clothes and quilts.

Dress made by mom for my vintage doll
displayed at a local design show.

I do happen to have a couple of large black steamer trunks handy that I found on the side of the road a couple of years ago. If there is room, I will be adding one to my closet, too : )

Come back next week and hopefully we will have walls up!

How are the other One Room Challenge participants doing on their week two? Check out the guest participants here and the sponsored designers here.

media partner: House Beautiful

My Salon Space Reveal!

Ahh St. Germaine, my favorite! How cute is this picnic with adult beverages to go? I loved this colorful and creative window display that I recently saw in the plaza that houses my new Rodan + Fields by appointment only salon space. Have you seen it?

Wow, it has been awhile since I have stopped by to post here on Design Vignettes! When I first started this blog in 2009, I was a stay-at-home mom, looking for a creative outlet to share my love for all things design. For those of you who have followed my journey, I have traveled a varied career path since then, definitely not a straight line, but always with the goal to make a living and build a business doing what I love (if you want the unabridged version of the story, pour yourself a drink – Prosecco with a splash of St. Germaine perhaps? – and open up some past posts ... maybe grab a bottle or two as it will take awhile to go through them all ; )

Flash forward to July of 2015 when I was introduced to the opportunity of representing the Rodan + Fields premium skincare brand ...

Just a glimpse of my Rodan + Fields skincare consultant journey. 

The photo above – taken during R+F convention, October 2016 – features the companies two founding dermatologists, Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields (who first found success with their launch of Proactiv) and standing by my side my long time friend, Leah Guimont, who first introduced me to the Rodan + Fields brand.

What I liked most about R+F, besides how amazing the products made my skin look and feel, was that this was a business I could build in my spare time. I didn’t have to work 40 hours a week, didn’t have to travel, didn’t have to invest a lot of money, and I could get up and running with my own product website plus virtual training with the click of the button (oh, and I paid $45 to enroll as an Independent Consultant, although I truly wish I had signed on with one of the large product-filled business building kits to take advantage of the special discount). And while this business model is based on e-commerce and virtual sales, early on I knew that I wanted to set up a space outside of my home where I could show the products to others while training new consultants on how to become a brand rep for Rodan + Fields.

And I guess a part of me really just wanted a room of my own that I could decorate as I wished, and always have it look exactly the same way as when I left it. That is how I became a “by appointment only” salon owner at Salons by JC.  

Salons by JC at Redstone Plaza, Suite 29

117 Main Street, Stoneham MA

Since I opened my R+F salon space (Suite 29) in mid-November of 2016, I have had a number of open house events, have met with and trained new R+F consultants, and have been introduced to the many other talented salon stylist neighbors who are all running their own businesses, in their own ways, in their own spaces. It is a high-energy place to be, with a constant buzz of stylists and clients sharing stories while tending to the much needed ritual of self care (services offered range from cuts and colors, to waxing, to massage, to nail care, to micro-blading, to extensions, and more). 

The concept of Salons by JC is to provide independent beauty industry professionals a way to run their businesses without having to manage all the overhead that typically comes with salon ownership. There is a concierge service at the front of the building and once inside there are dozens of suites for rent. I am so happy to have one of them! 

Just some of the salon owners at Salons by JC (with room for more!)

Above is my vision board for my salon space that I shared during the One Room Challenge last fall. Below is the “before” photo. I realized that I never did show my “after” photos, which is why I am finally taking the time to write this post! 

And here is how it looks today ...

Many items in my space have been repurposed from design shows that I have participated in over the years that I have been holding onto ever since. It’s so nice to have found a home for them! The “You are beautiful!” slogan (and movement) was initiated by an artist that I follow online. Links to these stories and spaces are at the end of this post.

Rodan + Fields gifts to go that I offered during a holiday shopping event.

A place for everything and everything in its place!

Rodan + Fields skincare product collections (Soothe, Unblemish, Redefine, Reverse and Lash Boost) are displayed on top of shadow box frames that have before and after photos pinned inside. I also use this table top area to sit down with new consultants and answer their getting started questions face to face. Having the products on hand for show and tell makes it super easy to explain their benefits. 

I usually have product samples to share and gift certificates for purchase.

Cupcakes served by my neighbor, Nikki of Boss Beauty, at her open house.

One thing I have learned from being a part of this new industry – social selling – is that the key is to show up, whether that means scheduling appointments (I would like to do more of this), reaching out to existing customers (have enjoyed doing this since I started), or inviting others to give this brand – and business opportunity – a try (how about YOU??!!)

Setting personal business goals is great, but taking the action necessary to yield the best results is required for true success. My plan is to show up even more in my salon space, which I have found has helped me to show that I take my R+F business seriously. There are women and men who have grown amazing businesses with Rodan + Fields. Some have retired from their day jobs, and others use R+F to add to their mix of offerings while supplementing their income. For me, it has been a way to remain creative, market a brand I love and trust, and help others to improve their skin – and their lives – all while earning enough to cover my own product usage and business expenses while growing something bigger for down the road.

If you have been thinking about a new chapter for yourself, or have been wondering how to add additional revenue to your beauty industry business without adding additional hours to your day, I’d love to help start you on your own R+F journey.

Whether you are local to Boston or are located states or even countries away (we are in Canada now and will be launching in Australia in May of this year) I’d be happy to share what I know with you. Email me at yblacker@verizon.net to learn more or visit my product or business opportunity pages (links below).

What I really love about this virtual skincare business is that it provides each independent consultant with the tools needed for success: from an easy to navigate website, to great marketing materials, to complete order fulfillment, to comprehensive online training, to private facebook support groups with other consultants who end up as friends. It truly is a brilliant business model – I am so glad it was presented to me – it really has been a blessing and a gift. If you would like to meet some of my R+F friends in person, we will be hosting an opportunity event mid April at a local restaurant. Reach out to me for a personal invite. Would love to have you join us!

Shop my Rodan + Fields Product Page

Visit my Business Opportunity Page

US and Canada or Australia Pre-Enrol

You Are Beautiful Movement

My Design Show Spaces

Salons by JC of Stoneham

One Room Challenge: We may live in a fixer-upper, but we are NOT Chip and Joanna

Bubbles, celebratory sips, and spa-like surroundings are far from my reality at the Week 4 mark of the Calling it Home “One Room Challenge.” True, my 3rd floor master bath design plan does not even include a soaking tub this glorious (that will be in the renovation of our current 2nd floor bath someday) and even if it did, my enjoyment of the space would not resemble the type of pampering that is pictured above, although one can dream, right?

The illustration featured in the photo is the front of a small metal container that I used to store bath items, like loofahs and such, back when my husband and I built a new bath in our last home (we moved to our current fixer-upper in 2003). Back then it was SO much easier to accomplish our projects!

Remembering our master bath project from around 1996

We built a brand new full size bath (with a large soaking tub) after completely raising the roof of our New England Cape-style home, along with building two brand new bedrooms on either side. We did all of this while I was pregnant with our first (who is graduating high school this year). And there was no Pinterest or Houzz to help out either. HGTV was barely a network and there were not a lot of programs to follow (plus no DVR!) All we had were shelter magazines to go by or design/build books for research (remember those?) If we were looking for a new trend or idea, we had to wait a month for a new magazine to come out. Can you imagine?

Granted my husband is a contractor, and his friends are contractors. They all worked together to get our remodel done, and they had the real experience and knowledge to do so. And truth be told we had a lot more energy back then. And perhaps a bit more motivation? But even so ... how does so much time go by for us today, with all that we know between the two of us, yet with so little at-home progress to show?

A local Habitat for Humanity build that my husband
John and I participated in together back in 2012 –

he helped out with power tools, my job was marketing.

Well for starters, I do not like to do the physical work. I have met lots of women who enjoy tiling or building walls or getting drills or wet-saws as gifts. I totally admire and respect them, but unfortunately I am not one of them. I barely enjoy painting anymore (hence my unfinished home office). I am more of an idea person. But since my husband is a builder, we cannot hire another builder, just like I would never hire someone to do what I can do. Currently he is too busy to finish my project. So our master bath sits unfinished.

Sink, faucet and glass counter top installed by my husband – on time –
for the Old York Annual Decorator Show House, summer 2013

My husband has helped me out with many of my time sensitive design projects over the years. And when it comes down to it, he always delivers. But what started out as a time-to-get-this-done-for-us type of project – that seemed quite possible four weeks ago – is now looking to be not very probable with current obligations. Of course I am super disappointed, but really, it is just a bathroom. Finishing renovations is not an emergency situation. I have lived this long without it, what is another month or so? I will have to just shift design gears.

My still challenging One Room Challenge, fall 2015

Fortunately, I did have a back up plan from the beginning. My home office that I did not complete for the fall “One Room Challenge” will just have to move up on my priority list. My only concern is that last weekend while clearing branches and brush in our rustic backyard to make room for a new garden, I got a touch of poison something, so I am not feeling 100%. I suppose I can still do some shopping and styling, but there is still some heavy lifting and clearing of clutter – and painting – to accomplish, which really does not appeal to me feeling the way I do. But I will move forward, gingerly, but towards my goal of sharing some type of “after” photos for all of you ORC visitors! Please come back next week to see how it goes.

Now if only I could enlist some help ...

A photo op with Kevin O’Connor from This Old House

North Shore Design Show Preview Party, May 2012

Or perhaps ...

Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV Fixer Upper
photo credit: Larsen + Talbert via HGTV

Check out the progress shared by the ORC sponsored bloggers here and the many guest participants here. More ORC design trends reported by House Beautiful here. 

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!