Designer Crush: Katie Ridder

Katie Ridder's work has been a strong influence on my design inspiration since I first laid eyes on it.  The following two photos I recall as being the first of her rooms to make a lasting impression on me.  At the time I did not know who was decorating those spaces, I just knew they spoke to me.  The narrow space below is small but mighty, and the dining room was what inspired me to hang a disco ball in my living room.  Ms. Ridder's work helped me come to the realization that I was drawn to color blocking and strong design.  Most recently her work has lent inspiration to me painting my family room--walls, molding and ceiling--one single color of high gloss grey.  Wallpaper and lacquer are a monetary stretch for me at this time, and so I have found bold colors, all over color and high gloss paint to be the next best way to achieve a high impact look on a budget.

As stated in her bio, New York Home noted that "yet to call her work eclectic is to miss the point, for while it reflects diverse influences, it's recognizably the product of a single sensibility-one with a distinctive take on color, texture, proportion and scale." Here are several Katie Ridder rooms that leave me staring for days.  What do you think?  Is her "distinctive" style too WOW for you, or does it totally awe-inspire you like it does me?  See more of Katie Ridder's portfolio HERE.

Images via

Gift Guide: For The Interiors Fanatic

Hosting peeps in your home this holiday season?  Gotta have dat pad looking so fresh and so fun for all your family and friends! Shop my Holiday Gift Guide for the Interiors Fanatic in your life, especially if that person is YOU!

I've been looking for the perfect bathroom mat, and I finally found it. 

Who doesn't want Hot Lips and a Bird Head to greet guests in their hall powder room?  

This is THE most versatile tray you will ever own.  Goes with er room with er thang!

Oh Pool Boy!!

Can't see the below images?  Click HERE.

Designer Crush: Traci Zeller

This week's designer crush hails right from my back yard here in the QC.  Charlotte plays home to so many talented, stylish designers of all types and styles.  It seemed absolutely perfectly appropriate that for this week's designer crush I would highlight a local talent who I have come to admire for many so many reasons, Traci Zeller. 

I love Traci's eye for style and her design aesthetic.  That goes without saying.  The gal's noodle is wicked sharp x 100,000,000. She has a clear, strong sense with her own personal style, which I would image allows her to be so intentional in the work she does for others.  

On a personal note, I've had an interesting month of personal challenge and growth... a disheartening and painful professional experience followed by a gut validating one.  I've experienced great disappointment and great excitement, love, joy, hurt, increased care for an aging parent... all kinds of surprises, twists and turns and self growth opportunities.  With my spiritual focus more than ever at the forefront, I would liken Traci's work much to my favorite daily email devotion by Rick Warren; crisp, clean, to the point, functional, welcoming, stimulating yet comfortable, approachable yet compelling, gracious and lovely. 

If you love Traci's style but design services are not what you need, Traci collaborates with talented manufacturers to create her own line of products including pillows. candles and fabrics.  Additionally, Traci shares her personal eye for style on her blog and includes shopping links for you to snag style ideas for yourself.  These Kelly Wearstler ceramic pop bowls and this Jonathan Adler Trocadero Cabinet in the recent blog post Traci's team member Brooke shared... I mean seriously?!!  Her style gets my visual senses flowing, and heck, my spiritual senses too!  

Designer Crush: Jamie Meares

Since I've moved into a new home and I have home design on the brain big time, I thought I'd share some of my inspiration with you here.  I have not spent nearly as much time gazing at Pinterest as I would if I actually had the time, but I do probably spend 1-2 hours a week studying and saving photos of inspiration.  I'm inspired by so many talented designers.  I want to try to get back to this place, with you, and my goal is to share with you at least one great source of inspiration for me each week.  It's like cake... so much better shared with friends!

I'll start with Raleigh's own Jamie Meares.  I adore this gal and her style and taste for so many reasons.  She's fearless and her style is 100% her own.  It's not to say she's not inspired by others. I'm sure she is, but her work is almost always identifiable.. it's her own!  If you're ever in Raleigh, hop on into Jamie's store, Furbish, and be sure to follow Furbish on Instagram for inspiration galore.  Oh, and while you're at it, definitely subscribe to her blog, i suwanee, via email.  You will look forward to every happy, colorful post!

What I've Been Up To + New Turquoise Sofa

Hello everyone!  It has been a long long looooong time!  My break is on the heels of having recently moved into a new home!!  It is very exciting, and I couldn't love the space more. I am excited to get it all decorated and fabulous, but I am doing my best, at best(!) to keep up with it all.  And so, while I moved in and hit the ground running over the course of the first few days, I kinda hit the breaks after the first week.  With all that excitement, I thought I'd share my current design focus... my new quilted turquoise sofa! 

How fantastic is it?  Just like with my wardrobe, if I see something one of a kind, I love it, I can pay for it in cash and/or I would walk away with regrets not taking it home, I take it home.  One other biggie for me is when I am getting a great value.  I scored this sofa recently at the last Potato Sack sale on West Morehead St in Charlotte.  It belonged to a local decorator and was mega marked down at the Potato Sack after not being scooped up at it's prior home, Charlotte's uber stylish multi-merchant venue, Slate Interiors. If you live in the Queen City and love the thrill of the hunt and find, this is one event you don't want to miss.  You can read more about The Potato Sack here.  The next sale is coming up at the beginning of November.  I'm sure I'll be back to see what other treasures they have.

In the meantime, I've pinned several rooms with turquoise sofas on my Pinterest page as I try to decide exactly how I want to build this room!

Rose Quartz And Serenity For Your Wardrobe + Home

Supa Supa Dupa excited to share this latest editorial project.  Any opportunity to not only style but also write is like a new lease on intelligence for me.  I absolutely love what I do, but there are times I want to do things that allow me to feel a little more cerebral, if you know what I mean... like I am applying my degree or somethin'. Let's be honest, and I will take this as a perhaps unsolicited opportunity to do just that. FOLLOW YOUR PASSION my people.  It is important that you be responsible and put a roof over your head, but you need to pursue your passion.  And have the confidence to do it.  Surround yourself with Good Vibes Only. Don't listen to the nay-sayers and passion squashers.  Get after it.  It will not always be easy, but is selling widgets even if you do make a gazillion dollars really going to make you happy?  Want something you don't have?  You have the power to make it happen.  ONLY YOU.  You didn't ask, but I am all about supporting and loving on others, throwing high fives, giving butt slaps, break dancing and telling people You Is Kind, You Is Smart, You Is Important, because Lord knows good people with good vibes has been the most powerful dose by the milligrams for me during my difficult seasons.  You know who you is.

Back on the track.  The below editorial for the once primarily business focused but increasingly more community focused, Ballantyne Magazine, was so much fun. The story about incorporating Pantone's colors of the year into both your home and wardrobe this spring season includes product by some of my favorite local designers and retailers.  Don't fashion and interior design go hand in hand?!  For product and purchase information, keep scrolling.

Click on the individual image for product details and where to purchase!

Crushing On Natasha Law

I first discovered the rated G, PG and occasionally PG-13 innocently sensual pop art work of Natasha Law when I was ogling over interior design by the Queen City's own, Barrie Benson, several years ago.  It was in THIS photo I saw the punchy and bright deep turquoise (the same color as my old vintage Volvo) surrounding the absence of color in the shape of a nude woman leaning back on her forelegs.  Then, I saw this one while perusing Pinterest for design ideas in my own home.  I was crushing (and still do) on the brass lotus flower shaped pendant lighting, and then the artwork was all I could see.  What do you think?  I would love to have one some day. (Equal to the price of a small new car, but I'd rather drive around in amazing art work all day than a vehicle anyway).

Wallpaper Dreams

This past Sunday was simply way too hot to do anything outside, so I got on one of my at least bi-monthly decorating overhauls.  This doesn't mean move a few accessories on the bookshelf. This means move the biggest pieces of furniture into the room furthest away, and create an entirely new room.  I posted one picture of the foyer on Instagram.  I moved this sideboard/chest of drawers all by myself, down and up the other side of the sunken living room, and across almost the entire length of house.  Pure happiness (now working my way toward shredded biceps)!  

At any rate, I'm constantly dreaming of wallpapering many rooms of the house, but that is not so much a way to decorate on the cheap, so for the meanwhile, I happily use lots of bright colorful paint as a way to create a completely unique look.  I will never stop dreaming, however, so below are a few more affordable papers I am currently loving.  Click on the blog post title if you are unable to see the below images in your reader...

House Reveal: Hall/Boys' Bathroom

Last month I shared my inspiration board for a new hall bath design.  Because this bathroom is shared by our two boys, ages six and three, as well as any guests, I wanted to come up with a design that would be fun for the boys but still chic for everyone else. After a trip to my favorite interior design store in the entire U S of A, Furbish Studio, in Raleigh, NC, I was able to add some whimsical pops of color to the room which was originally planned to be Kelly green, white and navy, designed around the Serena & Lilly alligator shower curtain.  

The bathmat was a gift my mom graciously picked up in Georgetown, SC, and my talented, sweet mother-in-law painted the watercolor.  Reminiscent of our family sailing trip around the BVI, the picture depicts your back toward the Soggy Dollar Bar, birthplace of the deliciously refreshing Painkiller, looking out onto White Bay, Jost Van Dyke.  It's safe to say I'm happiest near blue green waters.

The capiz shell sconces I eagerly snagged from West Elm right after we moved into to the house. These are the closest I'm able to find, and I'm very excited to have just purchased the pendant shade version recently for our foyer.

The orange bikini girl is a print made by a long time family friend.  I wish she still produced them!

My girl, Jessica, painted the Beverly palm print, and the Turkish towels and cute little donkey are from Furbish Studio.  Those are my two friends (one real life friend anyway) in the picture taken at a very long ago Carolina Cup!  Good memories, they never fade, but I'm so glad we have this one documented on paper...

And last but certainly not least, those crazy fantastic crazy snake prints, also from Furbish Studio.  My new favorite is this donkey.

And there you have it, viola!  Until the next itch to change comes a creepin'...

Darius Rucker's Home Featured

Photos: Julia Lynn

As a lover of all things stylish, interior design is, behind fashion, my second favorite form for channeling my creative frustration. Domaine is one of my favorite websites these days for a peak into lifestyle's of the rich and famous' most gorgeous dwelling spaces. We ALL love Hootie and the Blowfish's front man turned country super star, Darius Rucker. This week Domaine featured Mr. and Mrs. Rucker's charming Charleston, SC home designed by one of my favorite interior designers, Charleston-based, Angie Hranowsky. With a penchant for creating spaces by way of a colorful palette, combined with her modernist style and incorporating a mix of vintage and contemporary pieces, Hranowsky's work lends a personal and collected vibe in the Ruckers' home. I love the welcoming nature created in the master bedroom with the use of two chairs and a small table at the end of the bed, and the soothing color palette incorporating splashes of pink,peach and purple is just exquisite. Check out the full story here.
 

Vignettes In My Living Room + Dining Room

Last week I excitedly shared my Living Room and Dining Room redesign with you, and so today I wanted to follow up with some photos of a few vignettes around the room.  Thanks so much for all of the sweet comments and complements.  Fashion and style are all such a personal matter of opinion and taste, and so regardless of you what your own personal style is, thank you for allowing me to share my latest design project with you!  Interior decorating is my second favorite form of channeling creative frustration, behind fashion, of course.  I am no trained expert, but one thing I do know how to do is have fun.  I think these two rooms are a reflection on my passion for having as much fun as possible with whatever it is I am doing in this life.  Hence the disco ball!  I LOVE to accessorize, and they do say it's all in the details, no?  With my attraction to so may different styles, it will be an accomplishment if this room makes it three years in its current design state!  Cheers y'all!