Kravet Social Media Panel and Design Boston

Last week the Boston Design Center held their annual Design Boston event. It is a time when designers come together, attend informative seminars and reconnect with each other. I was so honored to be asked by Kravet to be a part of their Social Media Panel. Kravet is far ahead of other companies in Social Media, they do an exceptional job of promoting themselves AND supporting designers! Not only was I excited to be on the panel with the super talented locals Melissa Gulley and Rachel Hazelton but also to reconnect with Beth Greene and Jennifer Powell of Kravet. Social Media (especially twitter) has opened so many doors for me that I was energetic in sharing my experience with the audience!

The Kravet Showroom in the BDC always has the BEST windows, they are full of life and always a great example of mixing patterns and colors!

Beth, Melissa, Me and Rachel answering question from the audience

Melissa, Me and Jennifer click on their name and follow them on twitter!

One of the greatest moments for me is meeting twitter followers in person like Beverly above!

The next day New England Home Magazine planned a fantastic lunch for all the BDC designers! We chatted for hours about what projects we were working on and gathered tips from the oh so fabulous Stacy Kunstel, Homes Editor of NEH and Kyle Hoepner, Editor in Chief of NEH.

Amy and Yvonne are 2 people I have been friends with on twitter and finally had the opportunity to meet in person! Here they are showing off their NateDay necklaces!



My fabulous friend and stylist Stacy who has just launched a new company Dunes and Duchess! Pop on over as I am sure you will be daydreaming of where to place her GORGEOUS candlesticks!

This post finally wraps up my whirlwind Boston to New York to Boston week. It was incredible and I feel so lucky to have met so many creative people and have so many amazing experiences!

(images from Stacy Kunstel and Jace Interiors)

A Nate Berkus Day!

How will I ever put into words #NateDay921? In a nutshell NateDay began one morning over tea while on twitter. The Moggit Girls, Amy of ABCDDesigns and I were tweeting about the new Nate Berkus show to come in the fall. Than I had the idea to exercise the power of twitter to see if we could get Nate's attention by all bloggers posting their favorite Nate Berkus room or product. Guess what? Nate actually responded!! What an achievement! Next up was Joy and Janet working their magic with the show's producers to bring together all of us bloggers to a taping of the show! I was over the moon excited as I never even thought this would be a possibility! I have always wanted to see the behind the scenes of a tv show taping and than to have it be with Nate Berkus, well be still my design heart I was a girl in heaven.

A few things I took away from this day. First was how quickly everything came together. I was SO impressed how many people dropped everything to come to NYC and they came from across the country!! It was not about the kids, the husbands/wives, or the business every single one of us stopped life to do this for ourselves.

When creative people gather in one spot the inspiration and collaboration is endless. I overheard many people making plans when they returned home to meet up with bloggers they met at the show to work on projects together!

Nate Berkus is the most genuine, enthusiastic, authentic designer I have seen. He is truly a passionate designer and is all about making the homeowner feel involved in the process.

One segment of the show was "Designing With What You Have" which for me was validating as this is a motto of Jace Interiors and something I have done with clients for years. Now I can point them to Nate as another expert in this type of design!

Nate was nice enough to take time after the show for a Q&A session. It was so fun to stand up, be recognized by Nate as "CreateGirl" and ask a question which thanks to Chanee from Melongings who video taped it you can view here! His answer was to stay passionate about your design and the process, be true to yourself! Words to live by, thanks Nate!

As I mentioned earlier one of the best parts of the day was meeting all the people I talk to through the blog and on twitter everyday. Here is a photo of Jonathan (he came from Canada!!) and Amy 2 people I talk to every morning over tea on twitter! They are both super creative and the most delightful in person as they are online! I am lucky to call them supporters and friends!

All in all it was a fantastic day for me and not only was I recognized as Julieann but also as "CreateGirl" which was so fun! Thanks again for all those that participated, our community has an amazing voice!

** I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge some of the disappointment heard around the web about the show. For a while I actually felt like the negative chatter diminished my own positive experience. We all took something different away from the day but one thing I hope is that people give Nate a break. How many of us have our own tv show with the weight of a staff and expectations of a network on our shoulders? The show is not only for all of us in big cities with the privilege of being exposed to designers and great design. It is also for the person at home in ALL parts of the country who do not have design centers in their backyard or even great furniture stores. With that said it will be nice when the show pulls together segments for both of us...rooms to aspire to and ones to inspire. Just as we support each other on twitter and through our blogs which we do exceptionally lets support our fellow designer in Nate, pass on constructive ideas and be grateful we were all given an amazing opportunity to meet in person.

(images from Fauxology, thanks Regina and Jace Interiors)

Home Typography Tuesday

It's Tuesday which as we know means I indulge in my love of Typography for the home! I adore The Love Shop and her happy prints that are full of optimism. They would be the perfect accent in an office, bathroom or tucked in a place that you are every morning! This quote is especially meaningful and something I plan to put to good use in the upcoming year. The only thing I might add is "and achieve" at the end!

To Relax and Be Grateful

Yes, it true I am another year older today! It is hard to believe since the number of years doesn't match up with the number I feel (thankfully it is younger!). Every year this is the day I look at where I am going and where I have been in the last year and take stock. This past year has been incredible for Jace Interiors and CreateGirl, so many amazing opportunities and clients have come my way. I can't even wait to see where I will be next year at this time as I know I will have achieved things I never dreamed I would!

Today my hope is to have a bit of downtime to catch up on my beloved magazines and maybe even read a chapter or two of my summer time read (yes it is fall but who's keeping track?)! Tonight Vog and I will head out for a romantic dinner in the city and in a few weeks Mom and I will celebrate our birthdays together with the entire family!

Thanks for all your support this year and to all my new friends I have met in the last few weeks, I am so happy to have you in my friend circle now! Life really is GOOD!
jul

(image from Coastal Living)

The RUE Launch Party

The first invitation I received for my NYC trip was to the RUE launch party at the New York Design Center. This was one event I was determined not to miss. I was so excited for all that Crystal had achieved in just a few short months in launching RUE, that I needed to be there and show my support. She had a vision, gathered the best team of people she could find and went forth with such determination that it was enviable. Her enthusiasm in bringing the best most approachable online design magazine to all of us decor lovers is admirable, not to mention she lived on very few hours of sleep to do so! Thanks to the New York Design Center ladies and the Century Furniture Showroom, they know how to throw one great party!

The gorgeous Century Furniture Showroom

The Seattle Girls Cassandra (Coco + Kelley) and Erin (Apartment #34)

I finally had the opportunity to meet the hilarious Joy and Janet (aka the Moggitgirls) in person!

The gorgeous RUE ladies and Alix from NYDC

The beautiful founder (and great friend) Crystal of RUE!

The entire night was too fantastic for words and it felt like one big reunion as I met all the people I talk to daily through the blog and twitter! The design community we have all created through social media is one of the most inspiring and supportive group of people I have ever known!

(images from Coco+Kelley, LCYBlog, PlushPalate, Jace Interiors)

Monday Morning Happy!

Morning! How was your weekend?
I have almost recovered after my whirlwind week! Over the weekend I was still pinching myself that I was a part of so many amazing events! I love love love how social media, especially twitter has transformed my life and business over the last year! It is truly incredible.

I am a BIG believer in taking time to sit, reflect and be grateful for the good things that are in my life! So with that said...

To attend a dinner party at Kelley Moore house, a woman I truly admire was a dream.

Receiving an invitation to support my friend Crystal at her launch party for RUE was such a proud moment for me. You know you have a true friend when you become emotional over another's achievement!

Attending the Nate Berkus Show and seeing the power of twitter in person was unbelievable and the excitement was contagious!

Racing back to Boston to participate in the Kravet Social Media talk was such an honor. I love spreading the word about social media and sharing the tools on how it can grow your company and network! Plus Beth and Jennifer of Kravet are 2 of the sweetest ladies in out business!

Thanks for letting me take a minute to pinch myself online and to share with you all these joyous events!
Have you recently had a week where you pinch yourself because you are just so happy?

(image from House Beautiful)

Sunday Shopping in NYC

They say Sunday is a day of rest...well if you are in NYC with limited time that is not the case! I spent the day in SOHO which is such a creative place, I literally could feel the creativity oozing out of every store and person for blocks! The day started at the super yummy Balthazar with my friend Betsy than the shopping began. One place I was determined to visit in person was CB2. I have only flipped through the catalog so to have an opportunity to sit, touch, and swivel pieces in real life was so worth it. Here are a few pieces I would not have looked twice at in the catalog but fell in love with in person!

I found the Clover Chair which will be perfect for a clients office. I love the idea of low seating and it is surprisingly comfortable!

The tableware in orange was super fun and festive for fall entertaining. Did I mention the prices, so inexpensive!

Than there was the shopping just for ME! These are just a few of my purchases. Once I arrived back at the hotel I realized I was in a tan/heather type of mood and apparently my purchases reflected that. Though the shoes eluded me as I looked in multiple stores for my size but no luck! They are truly the perfect neutral and so comfy!

The day ended with a fantastic meal at a little Italian Bistro. What could be better than having dinner with Cassandra and of course indulging in our love of olives! YUM!

Kelley L Moore throws a party (& I was invited!!)

What a week!! Since Saturday I have been on the run from NYC to Boston so please accept my apology in the lack of posts! I will break it down to small posts since there are so many photos I want to share with you.

It all starts with the shoes, right? The invite for Saturday night's party in NYC was festive so I thought what better time to pull out my sparkling black incredibly high heels.

The setting at Kelley Moore's apt was INCREDIBLE, actually magical! From the leopard print table cloth to the hidden napkins to the lucite chairs and bright pops of pink flowers everything was perfectly placed. The lifestyle expert did not disappoint, this lady knows how to throw one fantastic party!

The guest list included, magazine editors, top notch bloggers and well known interior designers it was a heavenly group to be a part of! How fun are the place holders? We had no idea what she was up to when we emailed our photos but what a great idea to use at your next dinner party!

Anne of The City Sage, one of the uber creative editors of the new online magazine RUE!

Toby, Crystal and Will posing before the dinner!

Caitlin, Will , Alaina & me meeting for the first time in person while feeling like we had known each other forever!

With shoes like this dancing was sure to follow but these are all the photos you will see, the rest are locked up because the fun was just too much!

Thanks to Kelley for throwing an incredible party, it was truly a night to remember!
To see more photos of this fabulous NYC apartment pop over to Coco + Kelley

(images Jace Interiors and Coco+Kelley)

My new friend RUE (Magazine)

It's a BIG day in the world of online design magazines as today is the day RUE unveils their premiere issue. I am a bit biased as the Editor in Chief is my great friend Crystal! Remember a few months ago when I went to NYC? Well it was partly to show my support to this lovely lady! She is super talented with a keen design eye for what is right now and a knack for bringing creative people together! If you let me I will continue to gush over all the goodness the magazine has like gorgeous rooms, tons of "easy to use in your own home" tips and articles which are quick to read and full of inspiring content. It fills the void that Domino left but in an even better way, it feels as if Crystal is right in my living room, sharing a cup of tea and chatting about good design. Take a flip through right here for yourself, I bet you will have a new friend in RUE too! Enjoy!

What is your favorite article or photo is the new RUE?

(images from Rue Magazine 1. Woodson/Rummerfield Photo: Laure Joliet 2.Victoria Smith Photo:Tiny Water Photography 3. Crystal Gentilello Photo: Emily Anderson)

My Type of Dressing Room

This is my type of dressing room....simple and organized without a lot of fuss. Yes I love those gorgeously decked out dressing closets we all see of celebrities, dolled up with gorgeous fabrics, opulent chandeliers and shelves for 100 shoes but really is that reality? Not for me! Now this space could be a reality without breaking the bank (I'll save that for shopping the actual clothing)! An enormous mirror which brightens the space, a roll or two of sunny wallpaper, a bit of paint that matches and a colorful chandelier and tada I am one happy girl! This is a place I would be happy to wake up to each morning!

What about you? Are you more understated or would you prefer the glitz and glamour?

(image from Coastal Living)

Home Typography Tuesday

Welcome to another "Home Type Tuesday"! When I came upon the Garvey Chair on Anthropologie's website I have to admit I stared at it for a good 5 minutes. There are so many things I love about it, but I especially adore the simple way of adding a bit if fabric with type to the seat updates the entire look!

"If you're using type as décor, only use it in one area," Covino suggests. "If you start to repeat it, it'll become overwhelming. . . . Let it be your wow piece in one section of the room. That way whatever you're ‘saying' in that type speaks on its own." quote from the article below

I also want to take a quick moment to thank the folks over at STUFF Boston Magazine and the lovely Cheryl Fenton of the Easy Peasey blog for including my love of typography in their latest Reside Column. If you want to read the entire column pop over here!

(image from Anthropologie & STUFF)

Monday Morning Happy!!

Morning! How are you? I had such a fun fun weekend and today I feel completely refreshed! Part of the weekend was spent catching up with 3 of my best friends...1 for brunch, 1 on the phone and 1 spent at the park with her kids! Isn't it just fantastic when you get one on one time with special friends? The other part of my weekend was spent finding a dress for a BIG NYC launch party I have next Monday night. I have to say one of my favorite activities is scouting out the perfect outfit, it's a great feeling when it all comes together! So this weekend was full of catching up with old friends and next weekend will be catching up with my new blogging friends (more to come on that later)!

I love this day time outfit for walking around the city.....that bag is FABULOUS, camel is a must have for fall and these could be my new favorite shoes!

This is an ensemble that describes my personal style...classic, tailored with a bit of interest in the beaded skirt. The thing that attracts me most is the color, I love wearing pieces that are not expected!

This is one I have put in my saved folder, who doesn't love beads and feathers?! It is much too dressy for this occasion but it is just so fun!

How was your weekend? Did you have time to shop for a fall outfit or catch up with friends?

(images from Dress Design Decor/Mario Testino, Rent The Runway & Lord & Taylor)

Color Time - Benjamin Moore Caribbean Breeze

This week's "Color Time" is inspired by one of the favorite sources for all things color, Maria over at Colour Me Happy. She is the quintessential color expert and if you have not been to her blog you should run over there now! She recently redesigned her office with bright pops of yellow and the perfect Tiffany Blue - Caribbean Breeze, isn't it just the happiest space! If this was my office I would not be so sad to see Summer leave as it would feel like summer year round as I worked!

**Note: As you can see above the paint chip sample online looks different than what is in the actual room photo. When choosing paint for your own home never go by what you see online, the color will always be a tad different. I suggest picking up a small paint sample at the store and paint a color swatch in the actual room, than you will never be disappointed!

(images from Colour Me Happy and Benjamin Moore)

Dinner on the Terrace

Please join me on the terrace for dinner, won't you?! Whenever I fly I always make a bee line to the magazine stand to scout out the local interior publications, it gives me a great feel for the areas style. This photo is from Washington Life and just stunning. The architecture of the door way, the mosaic tiles which do an exceptional job of pulling you outdoors and the subdued table and chairs are all just the perfect mix. The only hope I would have is to see more images of this space. Enough of my talking, shall we sit down to dinner?

(image from Washington Life Magazine/JB Yong)

Home Typography Tuesday

It's Tuesday and you know what that means? It is time for me to indulge in my love of typography in home design! Over the weekend I flew to Baltimore armed with my September Vogue, House Beautiful and In Style and like any good designer I was ready to be inspired. Well I was not disappointed and Vog knew it too as he could not escape my clapping hands of glee as I saw this GORGEOUS room. This is the amazing living room of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana's "Villa Olivetta" in Italy. Seriously, the poetry on that wall at first glance looked like a panel of fabric with it's fluidity but after reading I see it is painted on the wall. Just fantastic!

I apologize for the grainy photo after hours of searching for a clear image online I had to resort to a scan. If anyone has a better image please send it over!

(image via InStyle/photographer Jason Schmidt)

It's Picnic Time!

The long weekend is finally here and I couldn't be more excited! For the last few months I have heard about an infamous "picnic" Vog's family has every Labor Day weekend and this year I am able to attend! I am looking forward to meeting lots of new people and devouring all the yummy dishes I have heard so much about. After Hurricane Earl passes the weather looks to be absolutely perfect, it will be a wonderful way to spend the last unofficial weekend of summer!

What are you looking forward to this weekend?


(images Traditional Home/Blackberry Farm)