Welcome Kristy! I am so excited to have you visiting today from Hyphen Interiors. Kristy just recently started blogging and has taken the blog world by storm. If you have not seen her painted chair tutorial, it is a must see for all DIYer's. Head over and check out the rest of her blog after the series.
Thank you Kristy for stopping to share with us today...
Elizabeth, thank you so much for including me in this series. I am enamored by the fact that she not only has an eye for interior design, but is obviously very gifted when it comes to graphic design. I’m excited to be here.
I have been blogging for 2 months, barely. Yep, I’m a newbie. Actually, way back when, I used to blog on Xanga. I know, that dates me! I blogged there for about two years, mostly youth ministry related stuff as I was working in that field at the time. I look back on those old entries and realize how long winded I was back then – I really try to keep my posts light on words now. Ha, you won’t be able to tell that here, though. Sorry!
I am constantly learning things from blogging. It’s a different world from when I used to use Xanga.
I’ve learned:
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Community. The design blogging community is a much more tight knit community than I realized. People are very supportive, helpful and welcoming.
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Time. It’s very time consuming. I had no idea. For Xanga, I used to just spend an hour and write a post and call it done. Blogging these days, in particular design blogging, calls for much more than that.
It takes time to do projects, to write about them, to follow up on comments, to participate in link parties, to arrange giveaways, to keep up with other blogs, to answer emails, to research for posts, and so on…
So, let yourself off the hook and just do what you can. That’s what I’m learning. However, such time demands really reveal if it’s passion or not – this will all either be mostly stressful or mostly fun.
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Inspiration. Blogs are an amazing resource for inspiration and ideas! I’ve never been so creatively fed in my life! It’s awesome and I’m eating it up!
In order of the most common things, I’d say other blogs, art, architecture, magazines, stores, and sometimes just a single item that I find that I love. It’s always the things that make me want to linger and just look… When I find myself drifting into a magical daydream, I know there is something to it. Or, if I immediately fall into what I call “my design trance” and start visualizing a room with the piece or colors in it, then I know I’ve stumbled upon good inspiration.
I have a hard time putting it into words because my style is ever changing. For example, what I like this year may be quite different from what I liked last year. To me, putting a name to it locks it down too much.
However, there are a few commonalities that I suppose typify my style. I like
clean lines. I love
color. Though I appreciate a monochromatic room, I have never had one in my own home. I tend to be
eclectic, combining varying styles. And, I love a touch of whimsy when possible. I don’t always get my way, as my husband doesn’t share this element of style, but that is probably good or I may end up with some crazy rooms! He reigns me in.
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Plan it out. Sometimes good design just falls together or grows as the room ages, but most great designs are well thought out. Sketch, put together a design board, know what overall feel you hope to achieve. And, don’t be afraid to amend your plan along the way.
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Be patient. Be patient as it all comes together. It can take time finding just the right piece. I remind myself of this often as I’m not a naturally patient person. I tend to want to rush to the reveal! The policy that I’ve adopted is what I call “letting it simmer.” I leave tags on and let things simmer for up to a month while deciding if to make changes or if I like it the way it is.
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Be true to yourself and take risks. Don’t buy a furniture set. Don’t mimic another design if it’s not something that would be from your heart. That is someone else’s idea of what works.
Customize things to your style and your needs. Don’t be afraid to mix and match. Don’t be afraid to use color – paint a wall, paint a piece of furniture. Add fabrics that make you smile, or that take you to a peaceful place if that is what you want to achieve. Make your room reflect you. Think outside the box. Know the “rules” but don’t always follow them.
No room is complete without____________.Wow, I could come up with several answers for this, but I’d say
fabric. Fabric of some kind somewhere. It is the easiest way to soften a space, add color, add pattern and add interest.
Thank you for letting me be a part of this series!
Thank you again for stopping by. I enjoyed gaining more insight into your style and inspirations.
Kristy has done an beautiful job on her home and has some fantastic DIY projects to share.
Head over and check her out here.
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