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Blue Print Store Tour – Luxury Home Furnishings

It was such a treat to tour the Blue Print store in Dallas, Texas! Blue Print sells unique, luxury home furnishings and original art. One of the things that makes this store so special is that it’s located in a beautiful, historic home. The first thing I took note of when arriving was the store’s welcoming and home-like feel. The Blue Print store has taken their historical residence and created a home-style shopping experience, not to mention the fact that the Blue Print team is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. Visitors can walk around the entire home, both upstairs and downstairs and shop stunning and unique home decor in a home-like setting.

All of Blue Print’s furniture and decor is stunning! The Blue Print team sources much of its luxury furnishings from Europe and abroad, including antique furniture and vintage fine art. It is really nice to see all of these home furnishings in a true, homestyle setting. The contemporary decor and vintage finds blend perfectly with the Blue Print team’s expert interior styling. 
 
Blue Print has maximized their space by refreshing the home’s original details and maintaining its historic charm. Beautiful decorative molding and ornate sky blue doors are around every corner in this store. With the exception of the eye-catching molding, everything in this store can be purchased from the furniture to the artwork on the walls. 
 

In addition to home decor, Blue Print also sells stunning jewelry accessories. I absolutely love these earrings shown from Nicole Bathie Designs! (See below)

Loving these earrings from Nicole Bathie Designs!

Fantastic vintage finds and curiosities like these Victorian calling card holders can also be found at Blue Print. (see below) These would be perfect for our modern day business cards and ink pens!

The Blue Print team was kind enough to show me around the store and tell me about the amazing original artwork they carry. While they sell artwork from Europe and abroad, much of their impressive artwork is created by artists local to Dallas. Some of the notable Texas-based artists they carry include Arienne Lepretre, Megan Adams Books, and Brenda Bogart. Blue Print also regularly hosts art shows in their incredible space. 

Gallery wall featuring the figurative artwork of Brenda Bogart. 

I loved how the Blue Print team has decorated every room so distinctly. I especially love this gallery wall (above) and these gorgeous vases with tropical palm leaves, shown below. I learned that they redecorate on nearly a weekly basis to keep the designs fresh and to make room for new inventory. Their regular redecorating makes for a one-of-a-kind experience every time you stop by the store!

If you’re a lover of coffee table books, then you would have loved this oversized dining table filled with a range of chic and highly interesting coffee table books. Each room of the store holds exciting interior decor and accessories, and every inch of the house is lined with colorful original artwork, and more!

All of Blue Print’s furniture is high-quality and truly unique, just the type of selection those of you with discerning taste will appreciate. For example, how fab are these unique, yellow chairs!? (shown below) If you’d be interested in adding Blue Print’s lovely decor to your own home, you’ll have to come by the store in person to shop. However, Blue Print’s luxury and bold decor selections are certainly worth the trip! I definitely plan to come back again when it’s time to redecorate my own space. Their team is also extremely warm and welcoming, which is always the cherry on top of a great shopping experience.

After an enjoyable visit to the Blue Print store, I’m looking forward to my next visit already! This is definitely THE place in Dallas for luxury furnishings. The Blue Print store is located in downtown Dallas at 2707 Fairmount Street, Dallas TX, 75201. If you pop into the Blue Print store for a visit, let them know that you learned about the store from this blog. Happy shopping! 

 

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Interview with Simran Lal: Founder of Indian Home & Fashion Brand Nicobar

Today’s feature is on newly launched Indian lifestyle brand Nicobar, a home decor and fashion brand taking India by storm. Nicobar has just celebrated its first 100 days in business, but this lifestyle brand is already capturing the attention of international audiences with their use of beautiful natural materials and modern silhouettes. 

Nicobar was founded by Simran Lal along with her husband Raul Rai. Simran’s experience in the lifestyle industry began with her role as CEO of Good Earth, a long-standing cult brand in India recognized for reviving authentic Indian craft in luxury design. The success of Good Earth motivated Simran to launch another lifestyle brand with a contemporary feel, while still maintaining the essence of India. This brand was Nicobar.  

Kumarkom Printed Sham – Indigo
Hathi Mug illustrated with India’s history and tropical landscapes. 

“Modern Indian is our playground: rich with tradition, and at home everywhere.”

BEHIND THE NICOBAR NAME:
If you’re wondering how they chose the company name, there’s a story there. Nicobar are a set of islands in the Indian Ocean known for natural beauty and relaxation. The Nicobar brand was inspired by the Indian Ocean, the Spice Route, and a relaxed island aesthetic. This relaxed island inspiration is at the center of the Nicobar brand. 
THE CROSSROADS OF TRADITIONAL INDIAN CRAFT AND CONTEMPORARY STYLE:
I absolutely love Nicobar’s refreshing home collections. The designs are unique and contemporary, yet grounded in traditional Indian design with pops of natural elements like wood and marble. Co-founder Simran Lal comes from an entrepreneurial family and watched her mother launch Good Earth. Good Earth has now been a thriving and well known company in India for over 20 years. Simran’s experience and appreciation for Good Earth motivated her to create something new and fresh – Nicobar! Her interest in art history, Indian’s rich cultural heritage, and old world and natural textile processes have all become intertwined into Nicobar’s modern brand. 
Nicobar blends old world craft with contemporary style by utilizing these old world processes that have been around for centuries, such as weaving handloom fabrics and creating fabrics printed with natural dyes. Also noteworthy is that all of Nicobar’s fabrics are natural if not handloom woven, which is actually totally on trend! For the contemporary twist, Nicobar’s home decor and fashion collections utilize cotton, linen, and silk in Western silhouettes while maintaining an Indian identity.
(Right) Verandah Lime Green Cocktail Napkins, (Left) Verandah Stripe Dinner Napkins in soft gray

Mahe Botanical Cushion

Nicobar is also a cutting edge fashion brand…

“Nicobar is much more than just fabric and thread. At Nicobar we’re creating a modern Indian way of living, dressing, and looking at the world.”

Polka wrap top – cotton silk

Jinan trouser – Indigo

Cotton Tie Top shown in “multi checks” design.

LAUNCHING THE COMPANY:

Although Nicobar is only a start-up, it is a company that has been 12 years in the making. Founders Raul and Simran are an amazing husband-wife business duo who each bring different skills and background to the table. Simran says that her husband has facilitated the hiring of a fantastic team, who have been instrumental in the building and launching of Nicobar over the last year and a half. 

Simran’s keys to success have been allowing for serendipity and taking time to plan for her upcoming week ahead of time. Most importantly, Simran and Raul took their time conceptualizing Nicobar as a brand. Now after starting their business digitally and having been in business just over 100 days, Nicobar has already opened several thriving stores!

Striped tunic in linen-cotton blend.
Layer dress in lime.
Polka pleated wrap dress
THE NICOBAR STUDIO:
Simran describes the Nicobar studio as always buzzing like a beehive. There is no typical day and not a dull second. One moment Simran is discussing fabric and product development, the next she’s mentoring younger employees and handling business matters. When it’s time to develop new collections, Simran builds creative mood boards to inspire each season, utilizing global locations, unique fabrics, and fine art as the foundation for new collections. One of Simran’s favorite work activities is fabric hunting. Simran also regularly goes on factory visits and is always looking for ways to assist her employees and improve Nicobar’s products.

Photo of Simran Lal at home, Nicobar Co-Founder/CEO of Good Earth (India). | Pillows shown: (back) Verandah Botanical Cushion – Ivory (front) Ikat Chevron Pillow

One sign of great design is being able to fill your home with your created items while achieving an elegant and relaxed look. Nicobar’s founder and Creative Director Simran Lal allows us a peek insider her home, which holds special Nicobar elements throughout. As you continue to read you’ll also find a few photos of the lovely home of Arya Nerker, the (former) Head of Design for Nicobar’s Home Decor. 

Home of Nicobar Founder, Simran Lal. | Marble Cheese Board with slicer | Verandah Candy Stripe Runner

Home of Nicobar Founder, Simran Lal.
Head of Design for Nicobar’s Home Decor, Arya Nerker. | Aguada Quarter Plate in Lime | Aguada Oval Platter in Lime
THE DESIGN PROCESS:
I also had the opportunity to speak with Nicobar’s Head of Design for their Home Decor department, Arya Nerker, who shared a bit about Nicobar’s design process. Arya notes that Nicbor as a company takes a very collaborative approach toward designing new collections. Their team often selects a global location of interest as the base for each collection, such as Gujarat and the Zanzibar spice route, two of their current design inspirations. Then each department interprets the global inspiration to develop contemporary home decor and fashion designs. They research the history of the area they are featuring, for instance studying the intricate door carvings of Zanzibar, where many Gujarati individuals traveled to in Africa over 100 years ago. These antique wood carvings are done in a specific style and depict ancient history which Nicobar has introduced into their contemporary designs.
Home of Arya Nerker, Nicobar’s Head of Design for Home Decor
Home of Arya Nerker, Nicobar’s Head of Design for Home Decor
Home of Arya Nerker, Nicobar’s Head of Design for Home Decor. | Ele Palm Tea pot | Ele Palm Sugar Pot |  Andromeda Drop Vase in Mercury glass
AN AVERAGE DAY AT NICOBAR:
Nicobar’s team refers to their amazing studio as “the tree house”. They work in a beautiful open-floorplan farmhouse about 30-40 minutes outside of downtown Delhi and their property has plenty of space filled with lush trees. Nicobar teams meet at the start of the day to determine a plan for the day. The home decor department tests prints on various fabrics, with Arya Nerker giving approvals. One or two times a week they sit with Simran and focus on the direction of larger projects. Simran and the Nicobar team also work to ensure that both the home decor and fashion collections are cohesive. The team is constantly making tweaks to their products until the very end of the production process. Nicobar’s open office plan really helps with making these decisions and determinations collaboratively.
(Right) Marble & Wood Cake Stand, small and large sizes available. (Left) Kumarakon Floral Cushion – Indigo and orange
Jute table runner with silver accent and Andromeda Lota Vase in mercury glass.
Marble Olive Boat, small and large sizes available. 
Stripes Placemats (Set of 2) and Verandah Stripe Dinner Napkins in soft gray.

Nicobar’s mission is to enhance self-expression, and to make thoughtful pieces that customers will treasure, all while exploring the creative edge of rich Indian culture, and considering how it communicates to a global audience.

Nicobar founder and Creative Director, Simran Lal (right) with Nicobar’s Head of Design for Home Decor, Arya Nerker (left).
Verandah Botanical Cushion in Aqua.

Nicobar has launched an impressive, globally conscious brand retailing truly unique home decor and fashion designs. If you love this fantastic brand as much as I do, you’ll be glad to know that Nicobar ships internationally. Visit the Nicobar website to enjoy more of their cutting edge designs.  

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5 Ways to Give Wicker a Contemporary Spin

When it comes to wicker, you may think of more traditional design, but it can be done with a contemporary spin as well! Here are my tips for styling wicker with fresh, contemporary style. 
 

1.  So we’ve all seen wicker seating, but when you use wicker in unexpected ways, it really brings a freshness to this age-old material.  Try a wicker chandelier to mix things up! Here’s an awesome DIY tutorial for creating your own, stylish wicker chandelier shade. 

Image via InspriationDeco

I love this particular wicker chandelier (shown below).  It’s so unique!  You can purchase it here. 

2. Mix and match wicker furniture with industrial style decor to create a contemporary look. (Like with these galvanized steel bistro chairs here and here.) 

 

Image via HGTV

Image via Greige Design, for purchase here.
If you like these awesome wicker chairs shown above, you can buy them here!

3. Create an eclectic accent wall featuring decorative baskets or special wicker accents like in this global-meets-contemporary home shown below.  Find your own unique wicker baskets to display here.

Image via Decor4All

4. Try uniquely shaped wicker seating for your home!  I bet you’ve never seen wicker in a living room quite like this before. (see below) 

Image via FreshHome, Dotter Solfjeld Architects

Image via The Kenzers

5. Don’t forget to consider antique & vintage wicker options for your home (like shown in the living room below).  

I actually found a stunning wrought iron dining set that included chairs with wicker backs and a wicker table base with a glass top, all from Salvation Army! I re-painted the wrought iron in high-gloss black paint and re-upholstered the seats. It was the perfect combination in my contemporary apartment and I received compliments all the time! Sadly, I can’t locate a photo now, but it may make an appearance in the future. Wicker is the best!

Image via Houzz, Chris Nguyen of Analog Dialog
 
You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the versatility of wicker. Try your hand at updating a space in your home with this dynamic material. 


Already enjoying wicker? Tell us about your favorite wicker decor element at home!

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Looking for 2 great interns – Apply!


Image via PinkPot.

Things have been so busy around here that it seems it’s time to find a motivated intern to help out! I’m looking for 2 great interns to help with social media, in addition to writing and editing guest posts for my interior design and lifestyle blog. While this is an unpaid position for now, there is much to be gained! I am an entrepreneur with multiple businesses outside of my blog. I also have a law degree and I work providing business development services for new businesses and entrepreneurs. I would love to help mentor a writer/blogger/new entrepreneur through this opportunity. This is a work from home, remote position. College students are perfect for this opportunity, although being a college student is not required. Applicants should have strong writing skills. To apply, email your resume and cover letter to: [email protected]

Bonus skillsets: Illustration, strong writing skills, video editing, graphic design, journalism experience, DIY crafts, DSLR photography, fashion & apparel design, social media marketing, journalism experience, Photoshop software

For more information on this opportunity, visit my post on Internships.com – Thank you in advance for applying!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/InteriorsbyJacquin

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JacquinMH

Fashion meets Interiors

Fashion meets Interiors: featuring stylist Mar’Tee Steward

Today’s edition of Fashion meets Interiors showcases the powerful impact of pastel and blush shades in a chic summer outfit! Celebrity stylist Mar’Tee Steward chats with me about life as a stylist, the beauty of blush pink, and why the interior design photo I provided her was so inspirational. 

Jacquin: Working as a fashion stylist sounds like a fun job! Tell us all about your career and personal style.

Mar’Tee: My name is Mar’Tee Briann and I am a fashion stylist based out of Los Angeles. I work on a wide variety of projects including TV shows, editorials, celebrity styling, and personal styling. I would describe my personal style as minimalist glam. When it comes to wardrobe I rely a lot on basics and solid color palettes, but I always up the ante with statement accessories.

Image via House Beautiful

Jacquin: What inspired you about the interior design photo to come up with your outfit?

Mar’Tee: I was really drawn to this photo because of the color palette. My personal wardrobe mostly consists of black and white, but when I’m not wearing those colors I tend gravitate to softer hues. The couch in this photo definitely inspired my blush toned dress. I’m obsessed with soft blushy colors at the moment because they always
look really pretty and feminine. I decided to add the white blazer to this look to coordinate with the white throw pillows in the photo. I think the white throw pillows add a pop of freshness to the room and I wanted to include that to my outfit too.

Adding a blazer to an outfit will always take your look to the next level, not to mention that bright white makes for a crisp and clean look. Definitely a great reason to try a classic white blazer or jacket. I also decided to do a knee-high black heel to coordinate with the black accents in the photo. One of my favorite elements of this outfit are my geometric cutout shoes. They really compliment the geometric shapes on the throw pillows well. To bring it all together I threw in some dainty black and gold accessories, which bring this look together nicely. My outfit captures the feminine essence of this room.

Jacquin: What is the best thing about your career as a stylist? What are some things that are more challenging?
 
Mar’Tee: The best thing about working as a stylist is helping people feel their absolute best. Inner beauty will always be the most important thing about an individual, but feeling confident and secure in how you look can be extremely powerful. The most challenging aspect about working as a stylist is the grind. This job isn’t glamorous! Lugging racks, garment bags, duffel bags, steamers, etc. all around town is a hustle and very physically demanding. 
 
Jacquin: What is an average day like for you as a stylist?
 
Mar’Tee: There is no average day! But that’s what I love about it. I can have a day where I’m running around like crazy- shopping, pulling, and having fittings- or I can have a day where I’m on set for 12 hrs. Some days I work from home and some days I work with personal clients in their homes. Every single day is different and I’ve learned to appreciate that in my career.
 

Jacquin: What has been your favorite or most memorable styling job so far?

Mar’Tee: My favorite styling job so far was actually a more recent project. A few months back I went on a press tour with actress Holly Robinson Peete to promote her show on the Oprah Winfrey Network, “For Peete’s Sake”. It was a last minute, crazy, whirlwind of a trip but we had so much fun and our whole team bonded. It’s was a great experience.

Jacquin: Where is your favorite place to go for creative inspiration?

Mar’Tee: If you saw my everyday wardrobe you’d probably think I was a real city slicker who takes inspiration from urban life. However, those who know me well know that I absolutely love the beach. I’m enamored by its natural beauty and seemingly simplistic nature. Although it may not inspire my wardrobe directly, it certainly inspires me creatively and allows me to stay grounded in the present moment. I always leave the beach feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. My favorite beaches in the greater Los Angeles area are in the South Bay – Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Hermosa Beach etc. They tend to be less crowded and have a small town vibe. If I can’t manage to make it to the beach, sometimes I just enjoy being poolside with a book while listening to some smooth R&B or reggae music. A perfect afternoon for me.

Stylist Mar’Tee Steward’s favorite place for creative inspiration is Hermosa Beach in California.

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Entertaining with Style

Entertaining with Style: featuring We the Birds Macarons

Summer weather is finally here and that means it’s party season! I’m excited to launch the summer season of my “Entertaining with Style” series, which is on schedule to be an epic summer of featured parties! If you have a party or special event that you’d like featured, be sure to send me an email. Today we’re popping over to Dallas, Texas to get a glimpse at the chic and intimate brunch of hostess Natalie Knowlton, blogger and macaron baker extraordinaire at We the Birds.

My name is Natalie Knowlton, owner and macaron-maker behind We the Birds Macarons and co-curator of We the Birds, a sister-duo fashion and lifestyle blog.  Coming from a transient background, we called ourselves “birds” because we were always on the move.  Our blog continues to embody our zest for traveling, fashion, and food – mostly macarons. 🙂

Natalie’s party theme is “Bucket List Brunch”! Check out how to make these DIY placecards at the bottom. 

I am an adventurous food and travel lover. My recent trip to Hong Kong inspired the theme for this Bucket List Brunch. The Bucket List Brunch featured an international breakfast buffet and included a fun destination trivia game highlighting everyone’s bucket-list destination.  I invited my two sisters, mom, aunt, and three close friends.  I adore everyone that came and loved that all my favorite women were able to meet and mingle in my home.

My apartment style is minimal, simplistic, and chic.  I love to mix modern and traditional elements and re-purpose glassware and dried flowers to decorate my apartment.  With my minimalist style, the food and company stole the spotlight at this brunch.
 
Try this recipe for Smoked Salmon Blinis!
 
Making guests feel at home is my number one priority when hosting.  This includes: prepping as much as I can days in advance so that I can be at total ease when my guests arrive; lighting candles in each bathroom with a delicate bouquet in each room; welcoming each guest with a hug and offering them a beverage, and as my mother says, “it is better to have more food than not enough.” 
 

ENTERTAINIG TIP 

Time Saver Tip: Prepare ahead of time! This includes grocery shopping 3-4 days in advance, cooking and freezing menu items 2-3 days in advance, making gift bags, prepping/setting the table 1-2 days in advance, and making flower arrangements the night before. Leave a very small to-do list for the morning or day of the event.

Money-Saver Tip: Make your own flower arrangements. Start by choosing an accent color then add greenery and one or two complimentary flowers.  I chose fuchsia pink as my accent color. My apartment consists of “cool colors” including grey, white, wood, and metals.  The fuchsia added the perfect “pop of color” to my neutral aesthetic. Another great way to save money is by re-purposing empty glassware as vases. I used a combination of mason jars, wine bottles, and glass milk bottles. Place the arranged bouquets throughout your home. Flowers bring life to a room and serve as a cohesive element in every room.

DIY TIP: Gift bags are the perfect take-away for your guests and can double as place holders on your table setting. For this Bucket List themed brunch, I found cute luggage tags for each guest and customized each with their name on the tag. I wrapped them in small muslin bags  and adorned each with a pretty name tag. See below.

To learn more about Natalie Knowlton, her blog, or these delicious macarons, head over to the blog We the Birds. Thank you for reading!

 
 

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Home Tour + Interview with textile designer Kate Miller of elworthy studio

I recently discovered the beautifully earthy textile designs of Kate Miller, founder of elworthy studio and I knew I had to share her work with you! Kate effortlessly combines neutral shades with bold designs, making her collections of fabric and wallpaper designs desirable for a range of interiors. I had the opportunity to interview Kate Miller and learn more about her design inspiration and road to success. You can find the interview below.
 
Textile designer and elworthy studio founder Kate Miller at home in her living room.
 
Jacquin: I really love your textile designs’ earthy and sensual color palette. While the color palette is more neutral, the designs are still edgy, yet sophisticated. I think home owners would really like your collection! Tell us about how you developed elworthy studio’s ‘Decay Collection‘. What was your process?
 
Kate: Thanks! You are totally right, the palette incorporates some soft jewel tones but overall, it is quite neutral and can work in so many different spaces.  To create these designs, I used a rust-dyeing process and it was actually quite experimental!  I wrapped rusted objects with pieces of fabric in a variety of ways, then allowed them to oxidize for a few days.  The impressions left on the fabrics were textural and organic, but I felt they needed some refinement, so turned to the computer (Photoshop and Illustrator) to develop the patterns and incorporate a more varied color palette.
 
elworthy studio sells wallpaper, fabric, and throw pillows. 
 
Home of elworthy studio founder & designer Kate Miller.
 
Jacquin: How was your experience decorating your home?
 
Kate: We’ve been in our current apartment for three years, and it is always evolving!  It’s been fun and challenging to incorporate elements from our spacious, lofty apartment in Shanghai (we accumulated a lot of furniture over there and ended up having a container shipped over) into our smaller, San Francisco-style apartment, and combine those pieces with new ones from local designers and artists plus textiles and accessories I’ve picked up while traveling.  Our home is definitely eclectic and I think that reflects our personalities well!  We come from different countries and have each lived in multiple places and traveled extensively, so it is fitting that our space combines a variety of styles.
 
Kate’s favorite elworthy studio element at home is her custom armchair. Fabric shown: Desert Alchemy.
Jacquin: What is your favorite elworthy studio element in your home right now?
 
Kate: The upholstered armchair in our living room! (shown above) A friend in Shanghai who worked in furniture distribution gave me this chair as a gift many years ago…she was working on producing a new style and this was her first prototype. I got to choose the upholstery…a vintage-inspired sage green floral. It wasn’t a true upholstery fabric, and I have a cat who uses furniture as scratching posts. As you can imagine, the chair needed some love, so I had it reupholstered in Desert Alchemy, one of the designs from the Decay Collection. I love how the fabric’s design and colors work with the rest of our living room.
 
Jacquin: I come from an environmental law background, so I was excited to see that your textiles are eco friendly and sustainable. How has your experience been developing a textile brand with an environmental focus? Has it been challenging to execute your designs while sourcing natural dyes and fabrics, along with the various other business decisions that go along with an environmentally-friendly business model?
 
Kate: More challenging than I expected!  I chose digital printing for my textiles and wall coverings because it is actually more eco friendly than other printing processes.  Digital printing also happened to be the best printing method to capture the detailed textures and color range of my designs, so it was a good match on both levels.  Sourcing eco-friendly fabrics has been more difficult. At the moment my fabrics are made with all natural, sustainable fibers, but I am always searching for completely organic fabrics that work well for a variety of end uses and print well.
 
Just a couple weeks ago, I launched my accent pillow collection, which features the Decay Collection fabrics and exclusive inserts filled with alpaca fiber. I am the first designer to use alpaca in decorative pillows, and this came about because I wasn’t able to find an insert on the market that met all my requirements.  Sometimes it takes some extra work and creativity to find the perfect solution, but it is well worth it…I like knowing that my pillows are completely safe for my clients homes!
 

Jacquin: You have a really interesting career background! How was your experience working at Bloomingdale’s instrumental in launching your business today? What are some key things you learned while working in visual merchandising and the buying office for Bloomingdale’s?

Kate: Haha, yes, it has been an indirect journey!  My time at Bloomingdale’s was such a great foundation.  I learned how to run a retail business, how to edit a collection, and then how to sell product through marketing and visual display. My experience with in-store styling and creating seasonal installations was a great education in color theory, combining patterns, and creating a cohesive overall effect.  I draw from all these lessons on a regular basis.

Jacquin: How was your experience pursuing graduate studies in textile design? Were you surprised by anything when re-entering school for textile design or was the educational process as you expected?
 
Kate: It was a mixed experience. I went back to school with eight years industry experience under my belt…I hoped to learn specific technical skills, yet was in a three year program which included liberal arts requirements, portfolio development, and learning to work as a team. Not the right fit!  I switched out of the MFA program and into Continuing Education so I could focus on taking the just courses I needed. After three semesters, I’d finished those courses and was eager to start my own line.
 
What I did love was learning various textile printing and digital design techniques, then having the total freedom to experiment and develop my own style. That said, nothing compares to learning on the job!
 
Photo Credit: Gina Benedetti

If you’d like to add elworthy studio’s textile designs to your home decor, you can shop Kate Miller’s latest designs at the elworthy studio website. 

 
 

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Decorating

8 Steps for Newlywed Decorating

So you’ve successfully decorated your wedding, but now you and your spouse need to decorate your home! Here’s how to go from getting married to being fully decorated with style and ease.

Step 1. Pick an accent color together for your main rooms (living room and bedroom), even if it’s a neutral color. I’ll warn you now, your husband or fiance may not be interested in the color pink. 😉 Allow this base color to guide your selections for all future home and decor purchases.

Image via Orange Drive, designed by My Plum Design

Step 2. Select your top 5 “must-display” items each. You and your spouse/fiance had your own favorite decor items and mementos before you met one another, so be sure that some of these items are represented in your new space together. 

(Left) Image via Pink Pot, (Right) Image via Death to Stock Photo

Step 3. Get rid of additional clutter. Your furniture and home decor (regardless of the style) will always look best in a minimal, neat space. Be prepared to purge some items to make room for your new spouse’s belongings! 

Image via Death to Stock Photo

Step 4. Utilize bookshelves for displaying your “must-display” keepsake items. Now that you’ve gotten rid of the excess, you’ll have more room to display your most impressive and sentimental items. 

via Place of My Taste’s tutorial: DIY Ikea built-in bookcases.
 

Step 5. Be prepared to compromise! The likelihood of you and your spouse liking all of the exact same home decor items is low, but when you compromise (and keep things minimal), you’ll find that you can create an all new style that you may like even better! Not to mention that compromise is an important part of marriage and can certainly make marriage more enjoyable.

Image via Death to Stock Photo

Step 6. Once you and your spouse have saved your top 5 personal items to display (and purged the rest), now you’re ready to shop! Identify what needs your home still has once you’ve combined your belongings. Hit the store and shop together for these items. If you’re not yet married, then a wedding registry would be perfect. Be sure to select items that compliment the accent color you selected together and remember to have fun!

Images via Crate & Barrel

Consider a Crate & Barrel wedding registry or simply stop by to shop! I registered at Crate & Barrel for my wedding and I was extremely impressed by the customer service and products
Step 7. The last step is to accessorize with your wedding and family photos! Include photos from both of your families to make your new house feel like a home. Displaying your lovely wedding photos will be the cherry on top of a well-designed home! 
 

(Left) Grace Avenue Frame by Kate Spade (Right) White Orchid Easel Frame by Michael Aram

These lovely frames are from designers Kate Spade (right) and Michael Aram (left). You can find these frames at the Kate Spade website and Neiman Marcus respectively. Canvas photos are also excellent for displaying wedding and family photos, and can be printed in very large sizes.

Step 8. Live happily ever after and enjoy your home!

Here’s a photo from my own lovely wedding day overlooking NYC!

If you follow these steps then you and your spouse should achieve decorating a space that you both will love! 

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5 Ways to Maximize Your Candles with Chesapeake Bay Candle

This is a sponsored post.
One of my favorite things to do after a long day of work is relaxing with scented candles, so when Chesapeake Bay Candle contacted me about their new candle collections, I was really excited to give them a try. When I received the candles from Chesapeake Bay Candle I was immediately impressed by the high quality packaging. The candles have a luxury feel to them with beautiful wood tops and heavy glass jars, some of which had a nice frosted glass appearance. Most importantly, I found their candles to have a strong fragrance “throw”, which is essential to a great candle. Chesapeake Bay Candle also has a lovely (and broad) selection of nature-inspired candle scents, which are sure to please the most discerning candle lover. I was definitely impressed.
 
As a person who buys candles frequently I like to ensure that I am maximizing the life of my candles, along with maximizing the money in my wallet. In the spirit of enjoying your candles to the fullest, I have put together 5 great tips for getting the most out of your own scented candles! Here are my top 5 tips: 
 
Tip #1
When you get a new candle, cut your candle wick down to 1/4 inch before burning to ensure even burning. Also, allowing your candle to burn at least 3 hours the first time you light it will also ensure that the surface of the candle melts evenly and doesn’t tunnel.
 
Tip #2
Try enjoying a lit candle during your bath or shower time. The steam will enhance your candle’s scent creating an aromatherapy experience.
 

Chesapeake Bay Candle’s “Mind & Body” Collection.
 

Tip #3
Select candle scents to accommodate your various moods and needs. Chesapeake Bay Candle Co. has a great Mind & Body Collection with this specific idea in mind. I really enjoyed their “Balance + Harmony” candle. They also have energizing candles like the “Strength + Energy” candle shown above. 

Tip #4
Once you finish burning your entire candle, save your candle jars for unique DIY projects. You can find a few DIY ideas for your candle jars here and here. And if you need help removing left over wax from your jars first, here is a tutorial on cleaning out your candle jars.

Tip #5
5. You don’t have to settle for non-scented candles around the dinner table. While dining, including scented candles with soft natural fragrances will add to a luxurious dining experience. Try a fragrance like Chesapeake Bay Candle’s Vanilla Blossom.

Enjoy dining at home with scented candles.

 

At home currently I’m relaxing with these 3 amazing candles from Chesapeake Bay Candle, which I highly recommend (see above). I selected the Black Birch scent, Balance + Harmony, and lastly Milk & Honey, which was my favorite, although they are all fantastic. After close review I can honestly say that Chesapeake Bay Candle makes an excellent quality product from their packaging to the ingredients. To try one of their luxury candle scents, head over to the Chesapeake Bay Candle website to select the perfect candle for you! 
 
 

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