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:

- Community. The design blogging community is a much more tight knit community than I realized. People are very supportive, helpful and welcoming.

- 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.

- 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.

- 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.

- 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.

- 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!

Hello everybody! I’m Rene from the blog, Cottage and Vine and I am so happy to be here today!

Blogging for me starting almost two years ago. It was actually my husband’s suggestion believe it or not. Wonder if he regrets it now

Blogging has taught me many things.

1) Pictures say it all. The best way to get a feel for a room is to take a picture whether you have a blog or not. I think it is because we are all so used to looking at magazines and our eye is trained to look at rooms this way. No wonder on line decorating is so successful.

2) Be true to yourself. We all have different styles and it is easy to get caught up in a “look” that you like and try to force it into your home only to find out is just isn’t right for you. Ask me how I know.

3) Bloggers are really, really, nice! I never in a million years would have guessed that I would make so many friends through blogging. Seriously, I feel like I could call on any of you and you would be there for me and vice versa. It is such a warm community.

I have to say that my parents are the ones who made me who I am today. They were always working on projects at home and eventually we renovated an old house when I was in high school. It was all over then. When I was a young girl, Mom and Dad let me make my own choices about decor in my room. Picture a big fish net filled with seashells from summer vacations, a terrarium, and huge tissue flowers. You know, the typical girl room, but it was all mine.

Now that I have moved beyond the fish net as wall art, my style is traditional, but it needs to have a freshness about it. I have always been drawn to nature and tend to like textures such as bamboo, linens, and sisal. I think they help to provide balance and to keep things from looking too serious. Also a fresh modern fabric, accessory, or rug can do wonders to liven up an otherwise traditional room.

Well, I’m no expert, but I have learned a lot since I first started blogging. 1) Know what you don’t like. We all have a gazillion likes and it can be confusing. Figure out what you really don’t like and don’t waste your time on it. At the same time, only use what you LOVE.

3) Rooms should be functional. We could all have magazine ready rooms, but if they aren’t functional, then what good is it? This is especially true in smaller homes and homes with children. My own home has evolved over the years to suit the changing needs of our family. A LOT. From changing tables to sports equipment and it hasn’t stopped yet.

No room is complete without comfort. I think that we all need to feel pampered and adding a little luxury to each room is essential to really enjoying a space. This could be fluffy Egyptian towels in the bathroom or high thread count sheets on your bed. Our home is our haven and a place to unwind and relax after all.