Definition of Self and Style

As some recent Twitter, Pinterest, and Blog love might show, I am a huge fan of Layla Grayce and Zinc Door! What do I find most fabulous about these brands? Their founders and owners! Tiffany and Wendy are two women you feel as if you grow to know through the offerings of their e-commerce sites. From the favorite picks, to the interaction with social media (including some recent "product testing" at the High Point Furniture Market seen on Instagram), the brands they have built are representations of what I feel innovative women strive to achieve. Do you have to be a designer? Of course not, that's not the point! The point is that you follow  whatever passion drives you to simply be yourself!
I think that part of my "issue" with design ADD, besides the fact that cohesive design takes time, comes from my desire to "wow" the people that walk through my front door. If I cannot decide what defines ME through expression in design, how will any client get an idea of whom they are working with from my space? I've been focusing too much on appealing to the masses, and not enough on appealing to myself. Now, if I were trying to develop an e-commerce brand such as the above mentioned ladies I would need to expose the target market to all of the options within my "style definition". Until I have my definition of self, I will never achieve a definition of style.
I told Kyle yesterday (and warned Courtney, our Nanny), that I had a new game plan for our house re-decoration. To be honest, it's more like a decoration, because we never really pulled ourselves together after we moved in, we were too busy figuring out marriage, starting a business, getting pregnant, and then being new parents! Here's the plan:

• Go room by room and pick a vision - this can be inspiration boards (made easy by our friends at Olioboard)
• Collect your favorite patterns, colors, furniture...and then do some old fashioned editing
• Set a budget for the entire house - or however many rooms you want to do
• Prioritize the rooms in your house
• Break your budget down by room
• Edit again if needed
• REMOVE EVERYTHING FROM ROOM
• Start with canvas - paint and wallpaper
• Move furniture back in
• Decorate with accents

Here's the KEY to making this work:

• IF IT DOESN'T HAVE A SPACE IN YOUR NEW ROOM....IT DOESN'T GO BACK IN...IT FINDS A NEW HOME OUT OF YOURS!

Here's something I "whipped" together for a living room for the Benjamin Moore challenge using some great finds from Zinc Door:

Click here to see the items in this picture, and just as importantly to VOTE for it in the contest!
Maybe one of these days I can make my own "before and after" version of a home makeover show. Unfortunately, I might not be able to afford to do what needs to be done to our ~3,500 sq. ft. of space in the way my inner designer would love to, but I can promise you one thing:

I will find my definition of self , I will find my definition of style, and I will share my before and after photos!

To Layla Grayce and Zinc Door, I thank you for all of the love over the past few days. I am more than "design crushing" on you, so I beg that you continue to accommodate the love I pour your way for your brands and your inspiration to a working mom wanting to make her dreams work for her family!

Dabble

Mailbox Magic

After a visit to my mom's new townhouse this morning to meet the inspector (more on that later), and a quick run by the office, I came home to actually get some work done. A couple hours went by and then I heard one of my favorite sounds of the day...the mailman. I cannot explain to you why, but for as long as I can remember I have LOVED getting mail. I get giddy at the thought of something fantastic in my mailbox, and today I was a lucky girl. I found a breaking point in my financial review and scooted out to find this lovely specimen inside:

This 282 page Outdoor Sourcebook from Restoration Hardware is the "baby sister" to the prized possestion of the 655 page Spring 2012 main book. Coming it at 3/4" thick I can only imagine the close look Kyle would give this book to see the production process behind it. Me, I am drooling over the things on the inside. I think it's an accurate statement to steal from the Sex and the City 2 movie "I've been cheating on fashion with furniture" because I never knew that accent chairs, lighting, and headboards could get me so flustered!
I've only had a chance to flip through it quickly, but I am seeing a lot of natural wood, linen, and the traditionally loved rope and metal work that evokes classic tones to the type of furniture I dream about being able to afford....
I suppose with that said I should get back to working on my retail platform so I can put some $$ in my "Furniture Fund"!

Until Next Time
Dabble

Coral and nude - work in shorts

 I have been trying to find something that I would go to work in that could be comfortable, functional, yet classy enough that it's work appropriate AND I can run to the beach after. So maybe the heels are a bit tall for my 5'10" self, but I would love to rock them anyway. and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the vintage Chanel earrings and Tory clutch, and the high waist shorts....YES please! Any shoe that can include a colored heel (that I can match to jewelry!) is a bonus. This is my clothing chic moment of the day!

 coral and nude - work in shorts by kdsessoms featuring lace tops


Until Next Time

Dabble