Holiday Decorating for Friends

My favorite holiday has now passed which means it is on to the glitter and twinkle of Christmas! To be honest I am not one to decorate my own space (shocking I know...) but I do get an enormous amount of pleasure decorating for friends and family. I love all the different mantels and decorating themes, the possibilities are endless. When I saw the magic, Cassandra of Coco + Kelley created for her friends bachelor pad I knew I just had to share it with you! How sweet are the presents nestled in the bookshelves and the bar decked out with the stocking? Too sweet....errr maybe I should say handsome!

This is exactly how I would decorate my own space for the holidays, just a touch here and there! To see more of this space click here and to see the extended version pop on over to HGTV! Great job Cass!!

(images from Coco+Kelley)

Giving Thanks for Social Media Friends - Erin

Happy Day before Thanksgiving Friends and Thank you to all who participated in this "Giving Thanks" series! Our last guest is the super talented Erin! Even though one of my requests in being a guest was to not chose me as the person they give thanks to, I guess Erin just couldn't resist! When we first met at a special dinner party I had that immediate friend connection with her, she is so welcoming, funny and gracious! We bonded over everything and I know we could talk for another whole day! Hopefully Erin and her fabulous husband will come to Boston and have a dinner with Vog and I soon!! 

Hello luvies! This is Erin from Apartment 34 ~ if you haven't been by, Apartment 34 is my repository for everything I love about style, fashion, food, weddings, interiors - really anything that can provide a bit of daily inspiration. On the side a I do a little fashion styling and event design. I do hope you'll stop by sometime! 

 

There's a lot to be thankful for these days but I if I had to shrink my list down to one shout out, I'd like to send it to Julieann herself! After having the pleasure of meeting her in person during a raucous trip to NYC, I was so appreciative of her advice, her experience and her sweet demeanor. But don't let it fool you - she's a powerhouse, able to pull bloggers from all over the world to see Nate Berkus, excite thousands of Twitter followers everyday and run a dazzling interior design business in Boston. Oh and she rocks so good heels true - trust me, that's my speciality! I'd love to have a Sunday breakfast around this table with Julieann. I suspect the conversation could go on for hours. So thank you Julieann, just for being you!

 

Cheers,

*Mrs. E

You can follow Erin on twitter here AND be sure to check out her spread in the new RUE magazine!

(image from Sunny Blog)

Giving Thanks for Social Media Friends - Piper

Please welcome Piper as she gets ready to give thanks to a group of special Social Media friends. I "met" Piper over on Make Under My Life as she was getting ready to launch her online store. She was struggling with colors and fonts of her logo wanting it to be "perfect". It immediately resonated with me as I remember my own struggles. It is one thing I wish someone told me 5 yrs ago when I started my company, it can be tweaked later...don't let "perfect" hold you back! Please pop over to Piper's new online store, I am sure you too will find many many pieces to add to your wish list!

Hi everyone! This is Piper from one sydney road and I'm thrilled that Julieann asked me to participate in this series!  A bit about myself:  I recently opened an online boutique, one sydney road where my mission is to have fresh, inspired items for you and your home!  You’ll find new, handmade and eco-friendly goodies all designed by indie artists.  My hope is that you leave the store feeling inspired (and have a bit of fun too!!)  I also blog under the same name – think design inspiration and lots of cool finds – kind of my personal journal of things I’m loving.

I know I’m supposed to write about one person I’m grateful for…but I can’t limit it to one!!  Just to name a few since I can't name everyone...Brandi from Not Your Average Ordinary has been such a terrific sounding board, Katrina from Pugly Pixel was my first commenter and we've been friends ever since and Rachel from La Bella Bash has been a great brainstorming pal! When I started my blog a year ago, I did it just as a creative outlet.  I completely did not expect the friendships that have formed!  Who knew, right?  It still amazes me!! I’ve found this wonderful and talented community of people who are just so darn supportive and have truly become friends! They’ve all extended a lending hand, some advice or just listened to me go on and on as I was working on starting my store and are just about the best cheerleaders a gal can ask for!  

So here’s a photo of one of my fave dining rooms where I would love for us all to meet up for cocktails and dinner, just don’t expect me to cook!  I’ll get the hubby to do that.  I promise to provide the décor, drinks and entertainment!

Follow Piper on twitter here!

(images via one sydney road and Marie Claire Maison)

Home Typography Tuesday

With the craziness of Thanksgiving travel, cooking, family visits and impending Black Friday shopping I thought we needed a weee bit of "Peace". This space is just so serene that you almost don't see the typography but when you look closely you get the message. I love where the word is placed, the fact that it is tone on tone and how it welcomes you into the next room! Pure perfection!

I had to add just one more image of this room because I am in love with that sweet tufted settee which is the perfect size for the end of that bed! After my trip to NYC, Katy Elliott and I are always swapping sofa photos. This one could become a front runner! 

(images via sfgirlbybay and light location)

Monday Morning Happy!

Good Morning Friends, thanks for stopping by! How was your weekend? Fill me in on what you did!

Vog and I had a little date night Saturday over at the Museum of Fine Arts here in Boston. Since a young girl it has always been one of my favorite places in the city but now with the new "Art of the Americas" wing it takes the top spot! They spent  $500 million on the wing which includes 4 floors and 53 new galleries. I am not sure I have adequate adjectives to describe the look of this new building...striking, glorious, breath taking,  sophisticated, welcoming these don't seem to do the space justice. The best way to convey my feelings is with a video created by the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Grab your coffee and take a minute to view it, I promise it will start your Monday off in a inspiring way!

Edward Hopper is one of my favorite artists, his work always encourages me to daydream!

 

 

I was so excited to see the amount of furniture and fashion in the new wing. In certain galleries they created a true representation of each era by pairing furniture with the art work. It gave me a true sense of the time period! To see even more photos jump over to Facebook and check out my MFA photo album.

Do you ever go to an event or a museum and leave feeling even more creative? This is exactly how I felt over the weekend! It was so wonderful. Next week I will share pictures of the amazing Richard Avedon exhibit, his fashion photography changed the look of magazines!

Giving Thanks For Social Media Friends - Erika

As we draw closer to Thanksgiving this is the perfect thank you from the always encouraging Erika! After following me on twitter I got to really know Erika through her blog posts and tweets. We have created a great supportive friendship and I look forward to our monthly "business chats". It's a great time to toss business ideas around and hash out any creative blocks we might be having! Take it away Erika!

Greetings from Atlanta! I'm Erika from BluLabel Bungalow. I began blogging in June 2009 as a way to connect with other members in the design community, share my work (Erika Ward Interiors), and to have an outlet to perfect my writing skills. My goal for my blog has always been to inspire you to live well, to live in style, and to extinguish the myth that style and budget are mutually exclusive.

On the blog, I tend to be private when it comes to my family life, but one day I just opened up. I wrote a long post about finding balance between work, family, and motherhood. I remember tears streaming down my face as I typed. My heart was pounding in my ears for fear of being judged by my words. On the contrary, I received many comforting responses to the post. But there was a reader that went a step further and sent me the most heartfelt email, Karla of Kerrisdale Design. She's an angel. Seriously. Her comforting words resounded in my heart as she shared her own story and encouraged me through our shared faith. Her email is on my inspiration board. I never thought a stranger could care so much. Soon after that we became friends on Facebook, followed on twitter, and chatted using Google Voice! Though Karla lives in Vancouver, we've shared business chat, baby chat, and I keep up with her life events as if she was a distant relative. We even joked about having a virtual playdate via webcam!

Karla, let's have dinner here and bring the family! The husbands can babysit so we can talk in peace! Karla, I give many thanks to you AND for you. I appreciate you for allowing God to use you as a messenger. And if we never meet or never speak again, I will always remember you fondly and the significant mark you made on my life and my family that fateful day.

Thank you Julieann for allowing me to share and for your friendship as well. I'm so blessed.

Follow Erika on twitter here and Karla here!

(images from simple tastes on etsy and Robert Brown Interior Design)

Thank You Daily Candy Kids!

YAY, I was so excited to see Jace Interior's "Jump Start Your Nursery Design" class featured in the "learn" section of Daily Candy Kids! Thank you so much for including me in your weekly Boston email, I am so honored!

Daily Candy Kids also just featured local designer Jennifer Hill. Her oh so sweet Family Tree prints are on sale for the month of November! Pop on over to her online store for even more cuteness!

Giving Thanks for Social Media Friends - Karen

Next up in our Thankful Series is Karen who I met during a whirlwind trip to NYC! Upon meeting her I was drawn to her optimistic attitude and her savvy business sense! Not to mention I am a HUGE fan of her linens! On my next trip to the City I hope to have more time to sit and chat with Karen.

I remember joining twitter thinking two things: what am I going to talk about? and.. How does this thing work? Seemingly overnight I happened upon a wonderful community of women (and a few gents) who have been cheerleaders, a generous support system, fellow foodies, and some who have often made me laugh til I cried. I am the owner of a textile and product design studio Hammocks & High Tea, based in Brooklyn, NY. I create bold, modern patterns infused with the spirit of my multi cultural Carribean upbringing and apply them to organic textiles, tabletop linens, pillows, and gifts.

As anyone can likely agree who is running a small business, it is at once hair raising delightful and stressful beyond measure. Twitter quickly became a place to find encouragement and a few laughs all in 140 characters. At some point interior designer Anishka Clarke (Ishka Designs) and I met up to talk about potentially working together in the future. I soon found out she is very much like her spaces: calm, cool, and collected. She has become my "industry events" buddy, someone to talk business and beyond with, and more importantly...a friend.

 This photo shows all my Brooklyn designing friends, all three of them wonderful and incredibly talented (Anishka Clarke, Malene Barnett, D Bryant Archie).

 I hope one day to invite my Social Media family to my Caribbean hideaway, where we'll dine family style mere steps away from the ocean's edge. You guys can have the run of the place.

You can find Karen on twitter here and Anishka on twitter here!

(images from Hammocks & High Tea, Elle Decor)

Monday Morning Happy!

Morning All! Let me just tell you how special this MMH is, I have a LIFESAVER and he is my brother! As you know I don't normally post photos of my family on the blog, just because I share so much doesn't necessarily mean they want to. Well today I have to share how awesome my big brother is! I never work on Sundays but yesterday I couldn't escape it, I had a packed day and was determined to get everything checked off my list. Smack in the middle of my productive day all these crazy pop ups appeared on my computer..*DANGER* *THREATENED* *VIRUS* *INVADER* it was nuts and super scary. So what's a girl to do? Hysterically call her computer expert brother and sister in law?! Ah yea that is exactly what I did! Some might say well that's a bit dramatic, well actually no. This is what happens when your laptop is attached to your hip as if it is your living, breathing child...sad I know! After my meltdown phone call, he calmly says pack it up and bring it over. He literally worked his magic (feeds me dinner) and 4 hours later it is as good as new with the nasty invader kicked to the curb! So today I use my Monday to say thanks to the greatest, calmest, lifesaver guy I know, my big brother!

Yes this is the same brother who was just married a few weeks ago! This is one of my favorite pictures of him, we were just leaving for my Aunt's wedding!

Also thanks to all who joined us for the RUE magazine tweet chat last night! It was great fun with so many inspiring ideas! Don't forget #RUEIssue2 will be out next Monday!

(image Jace Interiors)

Do you RUE? I know I do!

This is your official invitation to join us for a tweet chat Sunday night 8pm EST with the RUE Magazine Editors. This is an opportunity to talk directly to Crystal and Anne, how exciting is that? You can't say that about other shelter magazines can you? So use this opportunity to hear the answer to the question you have been dying to ask! Knowing the RUE girls like I do, they will be so grateful to all who show up I bet they will slip us a sneak peak or 2 of the next issue! I for one am so excited and getting my questions together now. So grab your wine, select a comfy spot and meet your friends over on twitter Sunday night, I promise it is sure to be a lively conversation!

 

If you want to relive the gorgeous styling of Issue #1 pop over here! 

What do you say, will you be joining in on the party Sunday?!

New England Home Designers Hall of Fame Gala!

Last night was one fantastic time, I was so fortunate to be invited to the Design Gala of the year! New England Home Magazine goes all out to induct their nominees into their "Designer Hall of Fame". The night was held at the gorgeous State Room which literally makes you feel like you are on top of the world as you look out over the city! Below are two incredible spaces from this years Hall of Fame, to be surrounded by all of their creativity left me so inspired! Thanks to Kyle and Stacy for the invitation to last night's party, it truly was one to remember!

Interior Designer, Eugene D Lawrence 

Landscape Architect, Katherine Field

Than there were the flower arrangements on each table! The mix of purple tones was just stunning and notice how they have the charger propped up? A great idea that definitely drew more attention to the centerpiece!

 

I normally don't post my outfits here, but since I had a little help from a few of my stylish twitter friends I thought I would share! A flirty cocktail dress of brown/black brocade with patent leather mary janes plus opaque black tights (to keep me warm)! Even better the dress has pockets!

Giving Thanks for Social Media Friends - Chedva

First up is Chedva who I have become friends with via twitter. At times she is literally the first person I say good morning to as I am drinking my tea and checking emails! She is the perfect example of someone who I might never have "met" if not for Twitter! Let the thanking begin!


Hello, My name is Chedva and I write Belly's Button I fell in love with design blogs about a year and half ago, while planning the apartment we currently live in (I didn't have a clue about what I wanted and I was looking for inspiration). My blog is a mish-mash of what I love, but you can always expect to find there spaces with personality, books, design in Israel (where I live) and my weekly series, outfit with a past.

Sketch42 blog was not one of the first design blogs I read. It was pretty new when I started reading it, but Nicole's amazing taste and her approachable voice (plus her oodles of humor) made it one of the first blogs I ever dared to comment on. We continued to chat on twitter and email and we soon became friends. Nicole was the first to put Belly's Button on her blogroll, which felt like such a huge step back then, and she let me write a guest post for her when my blog had (maximum!) 5 readers. Once, when I was swooning over a pair of Designer's Guild pillows on Gilt and found out they didn't deliver overseas, Nicole offered to ship them to me herself (and she did).

Nicole and I have never met... yet, and I would love to meet her anywhere, but Ralph Lauren's dining room, Which Elle Decor featured on their October issue, seems perfect. The modern decor brings to mind Nicole's own gorgeous apartment, where industrial design meets timeless chic.

I have met (virtually or face to face) so many amazing people through blogging, and for that I am truly and deeply grateful. Thanks, Julieann, for giving me the opportunity to express that.

Thanks Chedva for being our first and for introducing us to Nicole! Click here to follow Chedva on twitter!

(image from Chedva and Elle Decor)

Giving Thanks for Social Media Friends

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday because it is all about the family, friends and food. It not about all those material things that stress us out, it's about love and gratitude. This year one thing I am SUPER grateful for is Social Media and how it has just enhanced my career and introduced me to so many creative people! This form of networking has allowed me to feel like I am a part of something so much bigger than just me in my solo working company! So with that said I have asked a few of my Social Media friends to participate in a November series. Each person will thank the person in Social Media that has helped them this year or someone who has just made their life a bit sunnier with their tweets, blog comments and facebook notes! I have also asked each guest to include a dining table where they would like to share dinner with this person! The posts will be scattered throughout the month until Thanksgiving so please pop on back! It will be a fun series so won't you sit with me at my table as we get to know these lovely Social Media friends?

I would be so happy to have all my friends over to this space for dinner. It is designed by my absolute favorite Boston designer - Frank Roop!

(Thankful image from Simple Tastes on Etsy - great gift idea Dining Room - Elle Decor)

Home Typography Tuesday!

YAY! When I came across this photo I did a little jump for joy! Not only is it perfect for "Home Type Tuesday" it is the perfect mix of Urban, Rustic and Glam. I am hoping, that is a fabulous faux fur or at least that is what I chose to believe..imagine how cozy it would be to swing on that hammock? Even on a cool fall day it would be warm! You know now I will forever have my eye out at the flea markets for an oversized letter like this, I say it is love at first sight!

(image from The Beautiful Soup via Bijou Boheme)

H&M Home Decor Shop is OPEN!

Months ago we heard the news that H&M, the place we all shop for those quick trendy pieces was to open a Home line and I for one was super excited! The photos below are perfectly styled and make me want to pop right over to whoever house this is! Most products in the premiere line are focused on Holiday Decor but there are many pieces you can use throughout the year!

Their pillow collection is diverse from ruffles, to typography to velvet covers there is definitely something for every style! I love the purple and gray satin pillows, they add a festive feeling for the holidays and I bet you could use them later in your bedroom...you know just to add a little zing!

If it's the night before Christmas and your family is about to arrive you can do a one stop shopping to create a beautiful table setting! The best part are the prices, super affordable!

Sequin baskets? Yes please! Place a few fun items in them and you have an instant holiday gift already wrapped up!

(images from H&M online - at the moment it does not appear you can buy pieces in the US but I am sure that will change soon)

Monday Morning Happy

Morning Friends! Last week was super busy with new design clients and two new side ventures I have been working on that by the time the weekend arrived I was fried and totally in need of down time! Vog and I were able to spend 2 full days in the city which especially for me was heavenly! We watched movies, dreamed of future furniture purchases (ok maybe that was more me while he worked on his fantasy football), we went to a new restaurant with friends and visited the Institute of Contemporary Art downtown. It was just fantastically relaxing and to make it even better I did all the laundry and took out some warmer sweaters!

This morning I needed a sunny photo like the one above. As you can see below from the picture of Vog at the ICA, yesterday was rather dreary!!

Isn't it amazing how refreshed you feel after a fun (no work!!) weekend? How was your weekend?

(images from Sunset Magazine and Jace Interiors)

The Jump Start Series - Nursery Design

For the last month I have been working on a new way to bring affordable home design to people in Boston. After some great brainstorming and yummy brunches with good friends, I decided to offer a new series of classes!! The focus will be on easy to do yourself tips on ways to start your decorating from how to pick paint colors to choosing the proper scaled furniture to the latest trends and affordable products. My goal is to introduce homeowners to budget friendly finds from local designers and stores. There is so much more out there than what is offered at the Big Box stores! Can you tell I am super excited for this?!?

The first of the series will be "Jump Start Your Nursery Design"! Many friends who are already parents have expressed how overwhelming it was to decorate their nursery. Questions from what do I buy first to how can I make a space look gender neutral but still cute kept popping up so I thought what better place to start than the nursery!! Class size is kept small so register SOON! Bring your questions over, I promise a morning full of FUN design ideas and you will hopefully walk away feeling more inspired than stressed! S

Thanks to the fabulous Zoe of a Quick Study for the adorable design, Kerry at the Arts at the Armory (where there is PLENTY of free parking!) and to my friends over at CRAVE Boston for sponsoring this first class! If are interested in being a sponsor or adding your product to our class please send me an email julieann@jaceinteriors.com

How To Thursday - Design UP!

I came across this photo on the BHG website and  knew it would be PERFECT for this week's "How To Thursday". Whenever I am hired by a client to work within their "small space" the first thing I ask myself is, are they using their height. Which basically means designing on more than one plain. Using the entire height of a room increases your usable space. It is remarkable how much more you can do when looking up! So let's take a peek at this example:

We start with the cowhide rug and move up to this fantastic sofa which looks to be in pieces, perfect when needing to rearrange. I like that the back of the sofa is not overly high which lets the focus be on the tufted wall, this creates a great stop for your eye as it is not just another "flat" piece of fabric. The use of the deep shelf is perfect for hiding the wiring for the lights. Using lights in this way is brilliant, it doesn't take up floor space or table top space, which both seem to be limited! Than we move our eye up to the decorative shelves that display a few favorite items. Now lets go back to that cowhide area rug, see the black in there? Well they have done this on purpose as it draws your eye from the floor straight UP the wall to those black frames!! A little design trick we use to get you to look where we want you to!

So when you are in a space crunch do yourself a favor and look UP! It's an easy way to maximize your space. Have you designed up a wall in your home? Please share in the comments!

To see how to make the tufted wall click here!

(image from Better Homes and Garden via Kerri Gutekunst)

Lets Talk - To Mirror or Not to Mirror

When I came across this photo I had to stop and look twice, do those chairs really have a mirrored backside?

Is this a yay or nay in your design book?

(Image from Elle Decor)

Monday Morning Happy!!

Good Morning! Can you believe it is November already? Even though it is getting colder November is one of my favorites months. Chunky sweaters, warm throws, the smell of fireplaces and Thanksgiving...so many simple pleasures to be thankful for!

This weekend included 4hrs of raking leaves and I must admit I loved every single minute of it! Not only is it great exercise but I love the way a lawn looks after it is raked, so fresh and GREEN! It also reminds me of fall weekends from my youth where Mom and Dad would send their "3 healthy and able children" out to rake the yard. The chore was always made more fun with my brother blaring upbeat music and the idea of playing with the neighborhood kids once the yard was done!

I have two exciting bits of news to share later this week and hope you pop on back for more details! One is for local Mom's to be and the other will be a new "thankful" series of posts for this month!

Enjoy the new week,
Jul

(image from Dress Design Decor)