SMALL SPACES SIMPLIFIED.

I'm guest blogging at Simplifed Bee today! Cristin asked that I share some tips and advice on decorating and designing a small space. Her request was in sync with the release of the Heart and Soul magazine article, how timely!

Take a moment to review my top 6 tips that prove that living large is all about quality and not quantity. Click here for the article. Enjoy!

BLOG CRAWL: MY LIFE IS AN OPEN BOOK

Welcome to Hello, Splendor's first Blog Crawl! Created by Beth Dotolo, this blog crawl is designed to help bloggers meet and get to know each other better through storytelling. Each blogger's story should include the author, the setting, the characters, the plot, and the twist.

Many bloggers who have gone before me really do have some amazing stories, be sure to read Jessica's story at Lavender and Lillies and tomorrow stroll over to Connie's at Sogni e Sorrisi

Thanks again Beth for allowing me to take part in such a fun project! Here goes...

So what can I say... I hate to sound cliche, but there's no place like home. I was born and raised in Atlanta and though I've lived in other cities, there's no other place more suited for this sweet Georgia peach.  I can navigate this city with my eyes closed and can give a guided tour that would rival anything given by the visitors bureau. I grew up in the Peyton Woods Neighborhood and went the high school known for having the "prettiest girls."  Up and down Peachtree, my friends and I have shopped, dined, worked, clubbed and of course covered for each other when necessary. The friends I've met in Atlanta can never be replaced for we are more like family. We've shared so much over the years and have a friendship that is rooted and grounded in love.

 

On December 17, 2005, I married my best friend. No, not one of these gals, but a wonderful man named Chris and a few months later started my business, Erika Ward Interiors. Traveling the world with my new hubby and working in a field I loved, life was good and full of promise. Eight months after being married, I learned that we were pregnant with twins. Although I felt great the entire pregnancy I was on strict bed rest for four months. April 2007, I gave birth to two healthy and beautiful babies and that's we life came at me...and fast. December 2007, my mother suffered from a ruptured brain aneurysm and RECOVERED! Around this time, I became pregnant with my third child. The twins were only nine months old. September 2008, I gave birth to another beautiful baby, this time a boy. In July of 2009, I started this blog and reconvened with my business.

I hope you are following the dates, because I'm finally getting to the climax of the story. In just short of 5 years, I got married, started a business, moved, cared for a deathly ill parent, started a job, quit a job, and had three babies. Again, life came at me fast and I thought I would lose my mind. I think I did twice...

But through it all, I had the four friends (above) who supported me each in their own way and sustained me so that I am here today and still standing. There is one other friend who is a bit squeamish about being mentioned on the internet, you know who you are! I'm talking about you, too! Fast forward to the present, I'm doing much better now and can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Aside from us being best friends, we have all (except one) left corporate jobs to become entrepreneurs. In addition to giving each other moral support we also act as a think tank to develop ideas and serve as accountability partners in regard to our individual business endeavors.  Excuse me if I sound pompous, but if I know one thing for sure it's that we all are going to succeed. There's no room for failure, especially when you have a safety net of fiercely loyal friends who will never let you fall.

Do you have network of friends/family that support and believe in you? If not, how do you encourage yourself when you are alone?

SOCIAL MEDIA 101 by SIMPLIFIED BEE

Cristin Priest, professional organizer, designer, and creator of Simplified Bee joins us today to give an overview of social media and how it relates to your business. She recently served as a panelist for a social media discussion sponsored by Kravet and Lee Jofa in their San Francisco showroom. I asked Cristin to give us a recap of that panel discussion in hopes to demystify the world of social media.
Thank you for joining us Cristin~

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A few months ago Kravet and Lee Jofa hosted a presentation and panel discussion on social media in the field of interior design at their beautiful San Francisco showroom.

(Pictured left to right: Cristin Priest, Scot Wood, Claudia Juestel and Jennifer Powell)

Jennifer Powell, Kravet's Social Media Coordinator, began the event with a presentation aimed at bringing the attendees up to speed on the basics of what social media is and then focused on the four most used social media outlets: blogging, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. After her presentation, she sat down with panelists Claudia Juestel of Adeeni Design Group and blog, Scot Meacham Wood of Scot Meacham Wood Design and me to answer questions about our expertise in the world of social media. To start,

WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?

"Onlinematter.com defines social media simply as, “any form of online publication or presence that allows end users to engage in multi-directional conversations in or around the content on the website.” 

With that, is social media just fluff or is a legitimate form of marketing? This video was not shown at the Kravet event; however, it helps communicate the legitimacy, power and impact of social media:



Blogging, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter have so far been the most popular social media sites for the interior design industry. Each of these social media outlets are free to use {at least today}. Each takes time to build and maintain. And each can help you build your business.

BLOGGING

Screenshot of my blog, Simplified Bee

First, blogging. There several blogging platforms, but Blogger, WordPress and TypePad are most popular. Active bloggers become very familiar with their blog tool of choice, so a platform's features are even more important for them. Although I use Blogger, WordPress seems to get great reviews from its loyal users.
Design blogs are popping up daily. Each has a flavor of its own and can even be designed to look and feel like a website My blog, Simplified Bee {screen shot above} is an example of a blog that looks and feels more like a website. In fact, my blog was originally just a place holder until I got a website up and running… well, that never happened and I don’t know at this point if I ever will build out a website.

Some blogs are updated daily, while others are updated monthly. The panel all agreed that to keep a blog fresh, it is best to post at a minimum once every other week.
How much time does blogging take an audience member wanted to know? Scot Wood answered the question best by saying that, “a blog post can take minutes or several hours. It depends on the topic and how much time you have available that week.” He also said that his blog is opening up many doors and attracting clients.

LINKEDin

Screenshot of Scot Meacham Wood's Linkedin profile

Panelists also agreed that LinkedIn is a must for interior designers and is an easy entry point into social media. LinkedIn is the largest professional network site online. It has over 75 million members including executives from all fortune 500 companies. When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional expertise and accomplishments. Then you can form connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you. Your network can expand linking you to a vast number of qualified professionals and experts. LinkedIn also allows users to link their blog and Twitter update.

FACEBOOK

Screenshot of Tobi Fairley's Facebook business page

Facebook is also a very popular social media site for interior designers to network with other industry professionals and market their design business. 500 million people all around the world are actively using Facebook to stay connected with their friends and colleagues. Interior designers can either create individual profiles or business pages {that others will follow by selecting “like”}. Either way, Facebook is a great forum for posting industry news, blog posts and pose questions to other designers. Tobi Fairley was discussed by the panel as a great example of an interior designer who leverages Facebook well and has an active following {screen shot above}.

TWITTER

Screenshotof Kravet's Twitter profile

Of the four, Twitter is probably the least used social media platform utilized by interior designers, but is growing at lightning speed.

A “TWEET” is a brief message {140 character limit} and was originally designed for mobile users in mind. 

The folks at Twitter say, “how you use Twitter is completely up to you. Follow hundreds of people. Follow a dozen. Post every hour. Post never. Search for your favorite topics and create lists. Or not. You are in control on Twitter.” Once an account is set up, it can be linked to your website, blog, Facebook or LinkedIn page. Twitter is like a fast moving river … information flows by rapidly and keeping up can be a challenge. Fortunately, social media companies like Seesmic, TweetDeck and HootSuite have developed tools to make tweeting easier to manage. If you want to know if someone is tweeting about you or your business, companies like tweetbeep and set up alerts for certain keywords and web URLs. You’ll get an email notification as soon as someone mentions you or your brand or your blog posts in their tweets.

In closing, the entire panel agreed that social media is a great resource to help market and establish your company’s brand. Yes, it does take some extra time and effort getting started, but the rewards including press coverage, new clients and making friends in the industry is well worth it.

ALL DOLLED UP...

I hope everyone is having a safe and happy Labor Day weekend here in the U.S. I'll be back to my regular posting schedule on tomorrow. In the meantime, head over to Chic Chocolate where I shared my "beauty secrets" for her Makeup Monday series!

Tomorrow I have a special guest blogger, Simplified Bee, who is sharing with us valuable information on the impact of social media on your design business. Don't miss it!

SPECIAL GUEST: COUTURE CARRIE

This week's Fashion Friday feature is all the rage this season. For my Runway to Room Challenge, blogger and fashion aficionado Couture Carrie brings to us a look I like to call the Modern Mix. Punches of fun color combined with rustic elements are a win-win in your room and on the runway. Get  a clue from today's match-up on how you can incorporate this look into your home's decor and wardrobe.

1.|Living Room Inspiration via Veranda Magazine
2.|Joie Boots / www.chicdowntown.com
3.|Oscar de la Renta gold plated bracelet / www.net-a-porter.com
4.|Stella McCartney striped cashmere scarf / www.net-a-porter.com
5.|Alice by Temperley dress / www.shopbop.com

What is your take on the "Modern Mix?" Do you plan on incorporating this look in your home or wardrobe?

SPECIAL GUEST: THE PEACH PROXY

Today's Fashion Friday post is brought to you by Kelli Flournoy of The Peach Proxy.  Her much anticipated blog has recently gone live and shows the everyday fashionista how to transform her wardrobe into a unique expression of the latest trends. She graciously accepted my runway to room challenge with this post entitled Double-Duty Denim. Please welcome Kelli to the blogosphere!

photo credits: mikkel vang for house beautiful; RED VALENTINO Stretch Denim Dress

In what ways have you been inspired to bring denim into your home's decor?

SPECIAL GUEST: ABCD DESIGN

Hello! My name is Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo. Believe it or not, my initials are ABCD! For the last 3 years, I have written a blog called ABCD Design. I just want to thank Erika for inviting me hold down the fort on the beautiful Blu Label Bungalow while she is enjoying some time on vacation. I'm not sure how many of you know me from the ABCD Design sketchbook, but for the last 11 years I have called New York City my home. About a year ago, we sold our apartment in the heart of Soho. At that time, everything we owned went into storage while we waited for our next step to present itself.

Back in early May, we decided to keep roots on the East Coast. The Mr. and I are renting an itsy-bitsy apartment in the City and just recently purchased a home in the hills of Connecticut. We're going to try to enjoy the best of both worlds. The Country House is going to be our primary residence, but we're keeping the little rental for nights where we work late, or have early morning obligations in NYC.

I can't wait to liberate all my belongings from storage, but first... we're doing a country house renovation! For this post, Erika asked me to pick a room in our house and share my interior design inspiration for it.

I know this might seem crazy, but the Laundry/Kitchen Pantry is the room I am most excited about. It's a little spot in the house - but for me, it packs a big punch. Never in my entire adult life have I had the luxury of dedicating an entire room to the act of storage or laundry! City apartments just are NOT built that way. One would be lucky if there is a closet dedicated to it, otherwise you have to schlep it to the laundry room in the basement, or worse yet, down the street. (Which is NO FUN in the dead of winter!)

In the new house we have three large, built-in shelves that are going to provide ample storage. I love the lighting in the room - it's quite industrial. The question is: How can I make it my own without blowing the budget?

The house is Shaker style, but has contemporary and ultra modern elements that I would like to preserve. My aesthetic is transitional and I have an appreciation for vintage, industrial antiques and even a little bit of country flair. I always refer to my husband as Mr. DWR. (Enough said!) Together, the house we selected suits us to a T.

I have long been a fan of Cole and Son wallpaper. Malabar (From The Contemporary Collection) is my favorite pattern. I purchased three rolls of it on a trip to London a few years ago and never found a place for it in the Soho apartment. Good thing I didn't - I think I might line the back of the shelves in our new laundry room with it. Besides storing extra food and kitchen items in the laundry/kitchen pantry room, I also hope to use the shelves over the washer and dryer to store my vast collection of cook books.

So what do you think, am I on the right track to a dreamy laundry/kitchen pantry room? Fingers crossed, (once the renovation is complete) perhaps Erika will have me back in the Fall to show you the finished product?! {ABSOLUTELY... xoErika}

SPECIAL GUEST: DECOR DEMON

Known for his fast paced ability to raid garage sales and flea markets for unique pieces with which he creates bold, beautiful, and bad ass spaces, Brian Patrick Flynn has earned the moniker Decor Demon. Currently, he is the associate producer, set decorator, and on-air talent for the TBS series Movie and a Makeover. He joins us today with a unapologetic discussion on experimenting with color.

OVER THE RAINBOW
A designer's quest to experiment with every color over the rainbow.

My friend Jennifer once overheard a TV style expert preach how red shoes were solely for children and whores. Naturally, she had me at whores. Although the aforementioned fashionista fancied all things NON-crimson, yours truly happens to crave the company of reds both fire-engine AND candy apple. My point---and I do have one---is that color is too personal to be deemed right or wrong.

I’m a self-taught designer and [a] should STFU, step aside and have an ASID scribe this post [b] have my lawyer scrutinize these words of mine before they go onto the Intranets; however, I’ve received genuine praise from my formally trained peers in regards to my experimentation with color. Well, maybe we’ll disregard the writer who “complimented” me on my “garish, wacky and loud” body of design work. NOTE TO WRITER: when complementing someone, perhaps try using COMPLEMENTARY adjectives. Anyhow, in my book unexpected color pairings are to design what multiple orgasms are to sex. Classics are always fantastic but some become so trendy that they just kinda suck it hard. Robin’s egg and milk chocolate bachelor pads? SNORE. Blood red dining room walls? Sure, if you’re serving up Cliche Casserole to children and whores. Ballet slipper pink and antique white girl’s nursery? Stabbing. Self. In. Eye. With. Pencil. How about a black, kelly green, white and cobalt lounge? Ding, ding ding! There are so many hues out there begging to be played with and it’s up to both you and I to color them happy.

ALL DRESSED UP
In this girl’s bedroom, Brian chose a shade of blue-green for the walls, weathered grey wood for the ceiling, charcoal drapery and bed fabrics with pops of tangerine.

BOYS CLUB
Brian designed this Jane Fonda-inspired room for the Oscar winner’s GCAPP charity auction. Geared towards male bidders, Brian bucked routine bachelor pad color schemes and instead opted for silvery grey-brown tones set against lavender walls.

COLOR ME HAPPY
When asked to design an infant boy’s playroom, Brian kept the walls white, then introduced pea green and dark brown on the ceiling and in accents.

GROUP THERAPY
This dining room made from mismatched chairs showcases Brian’s love of kelly green paired with black-brown, fire-engine red and ultra-white.

WELCOMING DRAMA
On Decor Demon, Brian transformed his own carport into a fun dining space pairing black-brown with marble grey, charcoal and red-orange.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK
To create the perfect shot in a boy’s room, Brian styled the overall blue space with lime green and red accents.

GRAPHIC CONTENT
Instead of the common pairing of powder blue with chocolate brown, Brian often persuades clients to try black paired with navy blue, silver and ultra white as seen here in this bachelor’s lounge.

FASHION STATEMENT
Brian is the associate producer AND on-air designer for the TBS series Movie & A Makeover. When asked to redesign the set for the show’s eight season, Brian brought in glamour with grey and silver tones paired with accents of violet and hot pink.

Visit Decor Demon for more of Brian's awesomeness...

DESIGN + DOMINO

Design and Domino Magazine are two things I could talk about all day, everyday. So when Rachel of La Bella Bungalow invited me over to share my favorite room from one of my favorite mags, I could not have been happier!

Click here to check out my favorite room and why....I'm also wondering which issue of Domino featured the room. Head over to Rachel's and see if you can help me out!

Writing this post has made me want to get lost in a few issues of Domino along with my required weekend reading! I can't wait...

IDEAS TO STEAL | SEX AND THE CITY 2

Come over and visit me at Home to Three Duncan Boys today! With high anticipation for today's release of the movie Sex and the City 2, L. Duncan asked that I whip up a post based on the film.

ENJOY!

SIX TO BLISS | THE WEDDING EXPERIENCE

Good Morning...

Today I am a featured writer at The Decorista blog for her SIX TO BLISS series. Read all about it here. 

See you Monday for more photos from this week's events and special coverage from 

"The Wedding Experience" event at the Ritz Carlton Buckhead.

Have a great weekend!

GUEST BLOGGER AT LUXE + LILLIES

When Keely from Luxe + Lillies asked me to be a part of her series Wander Over Wednesday, I was glad to oblige.  Her blog provides her readers with the best in lifestyle features, travel destinations, and home decor.  Take some time read my post and to learn more about Keely!