Can you tell us more about your schooling / background?

I started at FIDM in Los Angeles majoring in interior design, ended up at FIDM in San Francisco (LA was hard for me). When I graduated from there (it’s a two year associates degree) I really wanted to get my BA and expand on what I learned so I decided to go to the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and moved to Savannah, GA for three years. I graduated from SCAD with my BA in interior design, moved back to California and got a job as a design assistant at a small residential firm. I worked there a year and a half or so and felt like it was the right time to leave. I didn’t have another job lined up so I freelanced for another designer for about six months and that is when I decided to start my blog. I finally found my job with Kristy (Braun + Adams) where I worked until fall of last year.

Are you a full time blogger?

Simple answer, no. By trade I am an interior designer. Last year I left my job at the wonderful interior design firm Braun + Adams where I worked for three and a half years. I started my blog about two months before I got that job so I always worked on the blog at night and on the weekends when I wasn’t at work. About two and a half years in, I went down to part time at my job so I could continue growing the blog and added on E Design services. I got so lucky with a mentor for a boss that enabled me to grow my business while working for her. Since I left B+A last year I am now full time on my own and run the blog, my interior design projects, freelance styling for photoshoots and content creation for various brands.

How do you plan your Instagram and blog content?

I used to be meticulous and plan everything out in an editorial calendar and post on Instagram every single day whether I felt like I had something good to post or not. Now I take a completely different approach which I think is so necessary for a healthy work life balance. I have an ongoing doc on my computer and a notes tab on my phone where I write down blog post ideas or questions I get asked a lot that I can answer in a post. I try and do everything a week ahead of time, but that rarely happens these days. Instagram is a lot more free flowing. I love posting on stories because it is often in real time and feels much more organic. I think the biggest thing for me now it not over thinking it too much and just posting content I really love and that I am excited about opposed to, posting just because I am supposed to.

How long before you felt “established” enough to reach out for brand partnerships?

I don’t even remember the first brand I ever reached out to, but I would say maybe around a year in. I always wanted to approach brand partnerships really naturally and only work with companies I was already shopping from. I don’t think it matters too much how long you are doing it or how big of a following you have, if you feel you can showcase the brand and product in a great light – I say go for it! I was always very hesitant and would wait for brands to approach me, but the worst thing they can say is no and then you at least have a point of contact. If it doesn’t work the first time – wait a bit and reach out again. My best advice is to try and find a contact email opposed to reaching out through Instagram and have some “bullet points” ready to show how you could be a good fit to collaborate with.

As a creative, do you have perfectionist tendencies? How do you manage that?

Oh absolutely! I think it has gotten better over time because I am much more comfortable with myself and don’t take anything too seriously. If you are striving for perfection all the time you are just asking for stress. I think we all put so much pressure on ourselves to live up to this arbitrary standard and comparison is inevitable. Whenever I feel myself getting overly anxious or dwelling on something I think can look better – I take a step back. My favorite thing is asking myself “Will this matter in 5 years? Will this matter in 5 hours?” It is almost always no. Trying too hard stifles the creative process, so I find it very helpful to go with instinct and lean into yourself.

How to make a rental feel nicer when you can’t paint or do a lot?

Many of you have asked me a variation of this question. Your landlord won’t let you paint or change out light fixtures, but you want to make your rental feel more like your style. My biggest tip is window treatments! Adding in drapery or pretty shades can work wonders for softening a space. Even if they have ugly metal blinds installed you can remove them and store them in the closet to put back on before moving out. You can get semi custom woven shades like the one in our kitchen for a fraction of the cost of true custom.

Other accents that help a lot – a large plant, pretty accent lighting using lamps or plug in sconces, update that hardware in the kitchen or bathroom (if you can) disguise a dingy bathroom with a luxe shower curtain and bath mat. Bringing in special pieces has transformed our rental. Having accents in the kitchen like pretty olive oil, cutting boards and glassware I am excited to use seem so small, but help to change the feel of our place. Those little details are what start to make it feel like a home!

I get a dozen photo questions every time I open up a Q&A, so I am linking to this post again!

I highly recommend getting Adobe Lightroom or the Lightroom App to begin playing around with creating presets. I really wish photography was as easy as a one size fits all preset or a nice camera, but that is not the case. It takes a lot of time, practice and patience and even then – it’s hard!

Read This Post: Photography Talk

I also always get requests for furniture recommendations. This can be very hard without knowing what a space looks like. I save a lot of the pieces I am drawn to on my Furniture Shop Page which is broken up if you simply click on the category tab.

Where do you buy your vintage accessories?

I get them all over! My alabaster desk lamp is from an antique store in Petaluma. My Senufo stool is from the Alameda flea market. A majority of my vintage crocks and vases are from Elsie Green. I also love Etsy (where a ton of my vintage rugs and pillows have come from) – you can see a few of my favorite shops in this post. Flea markets and antique stores are my go to. There are always so many gems that end up speaking to me – my sand colored bust that terrifies Daniel, ha! Other spots online that I utilize a lot for vintage are Jayson Home, One Kings Lane Vintage, 1stdibs, Chairish, Ebay, Old New House, Old Plank and Everything But The House.

Who is your favorite designer?

I have SO many for a variety of different reasons. I am incredibly drawn to spaces that somehow feel like they have been there for years so for that reason I love Mark D. Sikes and John Derian. Other favorites are Rita Konig, Marie Flanigan and Mark Cunningham. I definitely want to showcase more inspiration in blog posts home tours.

I hope you found this helpful! I think it is easier to pull some of the most common questions and answer in a blog post opposed to Instagram stories where I can only elaborate so much. As always if you have a questions feel free to shoot me an email, leave a comment or send me a DM so I include in the next round!