Meet the Moggit Girls

Tell us a little bit about the Moggit Girls.

For more than fifteen years, design and decor experts Joy and Janet have been designing and decorating the homes of the design-challenged. With their training in design, witty personalities, and keen eye for style, this pair brings a burst of fun to the decorating world!

In early 2009, what began as a hobby was quickly transformed into a new adventure with the launch of the duo’s instant-hit design blog, moggit.com. Billed as ‘the guilty pleasure of the design world’, the blog’s refreshingly edgy take on decor and design immediately struck a nerve, allowing Joy & Janet to quickly carve a unique and entertaining niche within the vast design-blog community.

Just a few months after Moggit‘s launch, Joy & Janet’s sassy, irreverent style captured the attention of the folks at HGTV.com, resulting in the production of their first series of  “Decorating Do’s & Don’t's” webisodes, produced by Toronto-based production company RTR Media.

Joy & Janet have been featured in several media outlets, including HGTV.com, where they have most recently been tapped to be Guest Judges via HGTV’s new cross-promotional ‘Twitter Party’ platform, along with Heather Armstrong of Dooce, for Season 5 of HGTV’s hit show Design Star. They have also been featured on Canadian shelter magazine ‘Style At Home‘ website, on Canadian television’s ‘A’ Morning, as well as on several other high-profile design blogs, and in newspapers including The Toronto Star.

Tell us about your  business.

Well, we’ve been friends since kindergarten, and had always really wanted to do something together. Our kids were all finally in school full-time, and since we’d both always loved design, we got the idea that we’d start an online ‘magazine-slash-blog’ (which we so imaginatively named ‘mogg’ but ended up having to add ‘it’ at the end ‘cuz ‘Mog.com’ was already taken and that’s a long story you didn’t really need to know, but whatever.) So we launched our new, lovely baby in December of ’08 and published pages upon pages of design stuff. We showcased & talked design about we loved, we put up gorgeous photos, and even had interviews with other great women-in-design bloggers.

And guess what happened?

The only page that was really getting any decent amount of attention at all– and we mean at all– was this one little page one where we made fun of stuff– the, as we called it, ‘mogging page’. It was basically the only one besides the home page with any hits on it. So we thought ‘Why are we knocking ourselves out with all this other stuff?’ and decided to ‘streamline’ (and by that we mean we just totally gutted) the site. We re-launched a little while later in a blog format with only one main focus– poking fun at design. Nobody else was doing it, and from the immediate and copious amount of positive feedback we got, we realized we’d found ourselves a nice little online niche…

What inspired you to pursue this business?

Well, if we’re being honest… (our favorite Simon Cowell quote) it’s truly our love for design that caused us to get really involved in this business! We’d originally included that one ‘mogging page’ in our original site concept because we kind of thought the design world was beginning to take itself a bit too seriously… or if they weren’t, they certainly weren’t giving the impression that design is, can and should be fun! Everywhere we looked– magazines, television and even online, the way people were talking about and presenting design and decor ideas struck us as getting a bit, well, dull. Not that there wasn’t great design out there– because of course there was (and is!)– but it was just all so… serious (are we overusing that word?) We guess we just wanted to lighten things up a bit.

Could you share with us the worst/ugliest/most hideous designs you ladies have shined the Moggit light on?

“Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures”

“We Think it’s Safe to Surmise…”

“Listen…”

“So it’s Like This, Right?”

“To Each Their Own!”

Have the Moggit Girls received reaction from the artist/designers of décor or furniture that has been featured on Moggit Girls? If so, what’s the general reaction? Are they good sports or tantrum throwing divas?

No, truthfully we haven’t. We’ve actually gotten very few ‘haters’ commenting on anything we’ve posted. But really, when we think about it, we feel it’s due in large part to how savvy our audience is– they realize that we’re really not out to be mean or nasty or hurtful. We’re always very tongue-in-cheek about what we post; and in every interview, when this sort of question comes up, we always make sure to say that we actually like some of the things we’ve posted about. (And no– we won’t tell you which ones they are!)  What happens is that we just find a design piece or a photo that just has that ‘thing’– that thing that strikes us as funny in some way, or that has some element of the ridiculous about it, and we post about it. It’s really pretty simple and is always just meant to be a bit of fun. We’ve read a few blogs out there that can really go for the ‘design-jugular’, but we never want to be considered one of those.

Tell us about a favorite home decorating or remodeling project.

Joy: My favorite has got to be the large armoire we had custom made for our front entryway. One side functions as a closet and the other side is a wall unit.
Janet: One of my favorites is our kitchen. We were putting a two-storey addition on our house at the time, adding a new master bedroom and ensuite bath upstairs and new living/family area downstairs. We originally had no plans to do the kitchen at the time, but thought ‘While we’re at it, we might as well…’ and ended up gutting it completely and starting from scratch. It was done on a very stretched budget and doesn’t necessarily have all the bells and whistles, but it’s functional, and six years later, I still love it.

What’s your favorite color?

The one we keep coming back to over and over is our perennial fave: Cloud White from Benjamin Moore ( ). That said, we do love a couple of new paint lines that have just been launched. One is from Canadian shelter magazine ‘Style At Home’ for Beauti-Tone. It’s got some really lovely, fresh colors. The other new line that has caught our eye is for Para Paints, and it’s by HGTV designer Sarah Richardson… there are 75 hues to choose from, and they’re all gorgeous!

What are your five favorite pieces of home décor from your home or elsewhere?

Janet: I’m a huge fan of antiques and really unique pieces, so one of my favorite things in my home is my dining room set– it’s over 100 years old, the pedestal table is 60″ round, but goes to ten feet(!) with all the leaves. It also has a huge matching sideboard and a smaller sideboard, along with twelve chairs. I waited four years to get it from the dealer!

Joy: I love my over-size wooden coffee table where I can stack my fave books, magazines, display trinkets and always a vase of fresh flowers. I love unique antique pieces that really tell a story.  I love old signage for a touch of whimsy….

What’s your favorite room at home? Why is it your favorite?

Janet: : My kitchen– or as I like to call it ‘Command Central’– because I spend most of my time in there!

Joy: My kitchen – it actually doubles as a family room.  It’s open concept and that’s where everyone ends up hanging out!

Who are your favorite designers?

For a contemporary interior designer it’s always toss up– we can’t pick just one! There are so many, but a few from the short list are Nate Berkus– we love what he can do with a space; and we admire Candice Olsen’s designs– she’s just so gutsy! But we’re also  huge fans of Sarah Richardson’s work… and we like Kelly Wearstler for a that unexpected touch.  (A room always needs one!)

What’s your personal design style? Has it evolved over time?

I think we can safely say that yes, our personal design styles have evolved over time– and thank GAWD! Remember when ‘totally country’ was ‘totally cool’? Been there. Remember when peach and sea foam were all the rage? Been there. And the ‘hunter green’ phase everybody went through? Yeah. Had it on our walls.

Today, we’re similar yet different in our tastes… Janet tends to be attracted to lighter palettes and designs with a modern-yet-traditional vibe where functionality and comfort are the first considerations. For her, a room has to be livable first and gorgeous second. Joy also goes for a modern/traditional vibe, but likes to throw in a zebra rug or other eclectic element to really add some zing to a space. So in the end we both balance each other nicely when it comes to designing a room!

Many of us have a product we bought for our home-that now makes us think-”what was I thinking” -  do you have one?

Janet: Please. Too many to count. And it’s always that thing I couldn’t leave at the flea market that I got for dirt cheap…

Joy: An antique corner cabinet that is HUGE. We bought it because we loved it, but it really is too big!

Describe your dream room.

Janet: Mine is modern-traditional, it’s light, bright, has lots of windows, gorgeous trim everywhere and is chock full of gorgeous, pale-hued soft textiles and furniture pieces with a few deep, rich wood accents thrown in. And most importantly, it’s comfy!

Joy: My dream room is a bedroom designed in a modern/contemporary style. Dark hardwood floors, light walls, tall ceilings.  It would be luxe yet serene and the bed would feature the finest linens. The ‘piece de resistance’ would be a walk-in closet to die for.

What are your favorite blogs or home design/improvement websites?

Joy & Janet: That’s like asking us who our favorite child is. We. Just. Cannot. Choose.

However, these websites do help us in our search every day for great things to post about:

• Freshome
• Crib Candy
• Houzz
• Dezeen
• Design Milk

What are your favorite books, design shows and/or magazines?

• Style At Home
• Canadian House and Home
• Elle Decor
• Domino Mag (Long gone but we still love browsing thorough back issues!)

Do you have a decorating, design or remodeling tip you’d like to share with The Decorating Diva.com readers?

Janet: Yeah– never apologize.

Joy: Ditto.

Contact Details:

• Website: Moggit
• Twitter: @moggitgirls
• Facebook: : Moggit on Facebook
• HGTV.com : Moggit’s Series of fifteen ‘Do’s & Don’ts’ webisodes Including:
  • Dos & Don’ts of Home Improvement
    • Dos & Don’ts of Decorating
    • Dos and Don’ts of Color

The Decorating Diva, LLC would like to thank Joy and Janet, the Moggit Girls, for sharing their light-hearted and humorous view of the design world with our readers.

Tamar of Nest Pretty Things and Nest Decorating

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born in New York City and graduated from Parsons School of Design then went on to work in the magazine and advertising industry as a photo stylist and style editor.   On many occasions whenever I had the time I would do an interior decorating project for clients that liked my style.

About five years ago my husband and I felt a great longing to leave the city life behind and start a new journey by moving to the country. We packed up and moved to a little village in Vermont with our three sons. We are now living a much simpler life, growing our own vegetables, decorating with many thrift finds and enjoying having more time together and with the kids.

Having left my career behind I was eager to start my own business, crafting and designing since I remember myself I started designing my own line of accessories and  jewelry, three years ago I opened my Etsy shop and started blogging, I now have two shops, my Etsy shop and my own website and I also still work as an Interior Decorator but more as a consultant since the design business became a full time job! We’ve never looked back and we love our new life!

Tell us about your  business.

My blog, Nest Decorating, is a personal journey, my everyday life here in Vermont, my designs, things I love, other designers I love and lots and lots of home decorating from scratch.

My website, Nest Pretty Things, carries my jewelry and accessory designs which are very girly, and romantic with a touch of whimsy and a vintage feel. I also have an Etsy shop.

What inspired you to pursue this business?

Both my parents are artists, my mother was a painter and my dad is an architect so I was surrounded by art and design my whole life, photo styling is very creative if I couldn’t find what I needed I used to make many of the accessories, props and jewelry pieces myself, when we decided to move to the country it was a simple choice, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.  I started writing my blog because I felt I needed a bigger community and support, I love sharing my ideas with my readers, I guess it comes from working in magazines for so many years…I have an urge to write and photography is a very big part of my life.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

Inspiration is everywhere, it can be a piece of fabric, a pillow in a shop, a beautiful dress or a flower in our garden, sometimes it’s a book or a photograph and sometimes I just lie in bed in the morning and suddenly I have five new necklaces all designed and ready in my head.

Tell us about a favorite home decorating or remodeling project.

My favorite remodeling project was the kitchen, when we moved to this house the kitchen was beige Formica with wood (European Style), horrible, it took us two years before we realized we can’t and won’t be able to afford an expensive kitchen, so we decided to get an IKEA Kitchen which was the best decision ever!!! 

The kitchen is beautiful, functional, sturdy and well made, we chose to go with a simple country white look and build our own open top shelves, we also chose big slide out drawers so everything is easy to get to and the whole project including the IKEA butcher block counter tops was around $2500!!! our kitchen gets lots of wear and tear, I am an avid cook and we have three boys, we’ve had it for two years now and still looks brand new!

What’s your favorite color.

The whole house is painted a decorators white, we have one wall in the entrance that is raspberry and one wall at the end of the hallway that is orange.     

What are your five favorite pieces of home décor from your home or elsewhere?

My favorite pieces are:

• A beautiful big Suzani embroidery that is covering the sofa
• A big comfy old armchair that is slip covered in white and is my favorite place to sit.
• The hutch in the dining room, it came with the house and was a newish dark brown. I painted it white, distressed it and changed the handles to several different ones I had found at Anthropologie.
• My mom’s paintings and all the art in the house which was mostly created by family members including my artist sister as well as a few Etsy artists.
• A wonderful great big dresser originating from Mexico (which we found on sale) in the bedroom.

What’s your favorite room at home? Why is it your favorite?

My favorite room is the living room, I love the mix of colors in it, lots of white, lots of new, vintage and ethnic textiles and lots of art. It’s also full of light and very bright which is a big deal when you live in Vermont.

Who are your favorite designers?

I don’t have just one favorite, but I used to be very influenced by Rachel Ashwell and the whole Shabby Chic look.  I’ve moved on from that style influence, but I still think that Rachel Ashwell has had the most influence on my style.

What’s your personal design style? Has it evolved over time?

My style is very eclectic: I love to mix and match different styles creating tension and interest. I love lots of white using the background as a “canvas”. And I love the “thrifted” look, I would say that I was  “modern romantic meets bazaar chic”.

Many of us have a product we bought for our home-that now makes us think-”what was I thinking” -  do you have one?

I do that a lot with clothes and sometimes shoes, but not so much with decorating, and since we don’t spend a lot of money on furnishing I don’t have a lot of regrets.

Describe your dream room.

White with big windows and high ceilings with a simple white four post bed, very serene and calm….probably the opposite of my life.

What are your favorite blogs or home design/improvement websites?

My daily decor reads are:

• Decor8: Holly Becker manages to find something fresh and new every day.
• Style Files:  love the photos and inspiration.
• The Selby: A fascinating peek into artist homes.
• Katy Elliott:  A daily design journal renovating a 257-year-old house in Marblehead, Massachusetts.

What are your favorite books, design shows and/or magazines?

My monthly reads are:

• Domino Magazine (still miss Domino and own lots of the back issues….)
• Country Living (UK version )
• Living Etc (UK version)
• Elle Decoration (UK version) —- I love the Brits style!

Do you have a decorating, design or remodeling tip you’d like to share with The Decorating Diva.com readers?

Don’t be afraid of white walls.

Contact Details:

Website: Nest Pretty Things and Tamar’s Etsy shop.

Twitter: Tamar (Nest Pretty Things) on Twitter

Blog: Nest Decorating

The Decorating Diva, LLC would like to thank Tamar for sharing her beautiful and fabulous jewelry designs, home and story with The Decorating Diva.com readers.

Lisa Wilson & Alfie of The Pickled Hutch

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born in Jacksonville, Florida and raised in Stockton, California. My mom was a nurse and my dad was a navy pilot.  My father was killed in the Vietnam War, so my mom raised four children on her own. She always encouraged practical career choices, like hers, to fall back on "just in case".   Practical was not my strong point as I was the artistic dreamer in the family.  But I had so much respect for what she was doing that I gave up my artistic ambitions and got a degree in psychology at the University of California (Davis).  Granted, it served me well in all the management positions I have held, but something was always missing; I would get restless, bored and dissatisfied.  Usually, satisfaction would come from home in the form of redecorating and creating. 

My happiness has always come from being creative with my environment.  From sixth grade on, my mom would come home to find whole rooms rearranged, including the wall art.  A satisfying visit with friends will many times result in a color consult, room redesign and a date on the calendar to come back and paint.  Famous words when friends would express doubt about an idea?  "Trust me!"

Tell us about your  business.

I still pinch myself everyday when I go to work.  I live that saying "to do something you love for work means never working another day in your life!"  It’s a phrase that I put on my blog to remind me of how lucky I am. 

I have owned The Pickled Hutch, a vintage home, garden and gift store, since 2005.  It was first established in San Francisco and then relocated to Pacifica in 2008 after we lost our lease on the San Francisco store.  Since the move, I have really embraced a more relaxed, coastal cottage-by-the-sea style.  The Pickled Hutch features painted and rescued furniture with a coastal palette (lots of grays, blues, greens, turquoise and cream).   Vintage chandeliers are refurbished with contemporary colors to integrate a modern touch.  We showcase handcrafted, repurposed vintage jewelry, vintage inspired handcrafted children’s accessories and altered art.  We try to blend vintage and modern pieces into timeless, classic vignettes that inspire the designer in all of us. 

What inspired you to pursue this business?

I have worked at everything from corporate trainer to telemarketing manager (don’t hate me!) to salon manager to dental office manager, and I kept ending up in management positions that ate at my soul – all the while rearranging the office furniture.  My free time was always spent redesigning my home or those of family and friends. My living room has been painted 12 times in 15 years.  Seriously!  It’s become a joke.  This business was the perfect answer.  Having this store nurtures all sides of me.  It integrates my practical business side, my creative design side, and the side of me with the huge respect for things of the past.  I have loved repurposing and up scaling forgotten and unloved pieces for years and still do.  It’s the best way to recycle, and it doesn’t entail sacrificing style or budget. In my store I can showcase all these pieces with a contemporary flair while at the same time promoting some very talented handcraft artisans. 

The blog was started after the business as a creative outlet on a more personal level, a way to reach beyond the neighborhood so to speak.  In this business, it can be like the shoemaker’s kids.  You put so much energy into your store design that the home front can be neglected.  The blog helps keep me on my toes.  My place is always evolving and changing as I move things in and out. So I share about home projects, which sometimes become store inventory, the hunt for treasures, family, friends and my poodle Alfie (He gets the most comments of anything I post). The blog has also been a wonderful venue for meeting the most amazing people.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

I find inspiration everywhere I look, from magazines to the nature around me.  The ocean has been a huge inspiration for me since moving here.  And I love Swedish/Gustavian design.  It feels timeless, fresh, relaxed and easy to live with.

The most simple vignettes can be primitive and elegant at the same time. I have come to appreciate a ‘lighter touch’ in my decorating and merchandising as a result.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my stuff! But now I have a lighter hand in what I put out and the color palette is softer, more organic.

Tell us about a favorite home decorating or remodeling project.

I absolutely love my dining room, which is not what I was saying a year ago when in the middle of the redo.  The ‘redo’ involved painting every single thing in the room.  The ceiling, the walls, the seven foot sideboard, the apothecary chest with the 28 drawers, the old distressed oak table with leaves.  It took two weeks as I was doing it all by myself but what a feeling of satisfaction. I kept the palette to a calm cream and pale blue/gray.   My sofa sits directly across from the French doors leading into the dining room. So every time I sit down I am looking directly into what is now my favorite room. A very soothing and serene atmosphere.

What’s your favorite color.

The pale blue-gray I have painted almost every room in my place, and have used many times at the store.  I don’t have the actual name anymore because I have had it color matched so many times. But I did take a picture of the formula so I would never lose it. 

Turquoise has been running a close second lately.

What are your five favorite pieces of home décor from your home or elsewhere?

• That seven foot sideboard.  It went from a dated gumwood to a fresh flax cream with a pale blue/gray interior.
• A old beat up French desk with original faded gilt paint and details.  It’s just lovely in it’s as is condition.
• All my antique gilded mirrors.  They add just the right touch of patina and reflective-ness.
• My antique Italian tole chandelier with porcelain flowers.  It looks like this huge basket with flowers spilling out.
• The six foot tall turquoise apothecary chest with 32 drawers at the store.  It is my office and craft box.  Primitive and wonderful.

What’s your favorite room at home? Why is it your favorite?

The dining room that was recently remodeled.

Who are your favorite designers?

It changes all the time depending on the latest work I have seen.  Currently: Tobi Fairley, Kelly Hoppen, Grant K. Gibson( local boy), Nate Berkus and Barbara Barry.

What’s your personal design style? Has it evolved over time?

It has changed over the years. Some of my friends would tell you from year to year. It was more classic traditional but now feels French inspired eclectic.  I like crystal chandeliers, gilded pieces, bare wood floors and painted furniture.

Many of us have a product we bought for our home-that now makes us think-"what was I thinking" -  do you have one?

I’m lucky having the store. I get to change out my mistakes before anyone sees it. What isn’t working for me will usually work for someone else.  But there was this one seven foot long cabinet that was supposed to be for the bedroom that didn’t fit through the door…

Describe your dream room.

A mix of French and Swedish design.  I love French gilded mirrors and architectural pieces and the color palette of Swedish/Gustavian design.  I think they  complement each other beautifully.  Gorgeous crystal chandelier, pale gray-washed cane backed settee with down cushion, marble fireplace, parquet floors, filmy muslin curtains on either side of French doors with view of the garden, built in bookcases with intricate molding…..sigh.

What are your favorite blogs or home design/improvement websites?

Habitually Chic, Design Sponge and Desire to Inspire can be summed up together.  They keep me up to date with fresh, sassy, modern style that is easy to incorporate with vintage.  Grant K. Gibson for easy, classic design and lifestyle. Apartment Therapy because who doesn’t like getting a peek into other peoples homes!

What are your favorite books, design shows and/or magazines?

• Jeanne D’Arc Living (just amazing inspiration)
• Elle Decor
• House Beautiful
• Domino Book of Decorating

Do you have a decorating, design or remodeling tip you’d like to share with The Decorating Diva.com readers?

I always start with color and paint.  It has the most impact of anything in the room.  And the quickest least expensive way to transform a room.  Love, love Farrow & Ball paint.  It has such great depth. Pratt and Lambert as well.

Contact Details:

• Store/Shop: The Pickled Hutch, 2021 Palmetto Avenue,Pacifica, California 94044
• Twitter: The Pickled Hutch on Twitter
• Blog: The Pickled Hutch Blog

The Decorating Diva, LLC would like to thank Lisa and her adorable poodle Alfie for gracing The Decorating Diva, LLC with their bubbly personalities and exquisite style in decor. A special thanks to Lisa for sharing her entrepreneurial journey and for never losing sight of her dreams – she serves as an inspiration to many.

Maybelline Te of Snug Furniture & Frou La La Blog

Spotlight on Design interviews the energetic, vibrant, fascinating and multi-talented furniture designer, Creative Director of Snug Furniture and author of the popular lifestyle blog “Frou La La”, Maybelline Te.

Tell us a little about yourself,  the “Snug Furniture” business venture and your lifestyle blog, “Frou La La”.

Interior Design was my primary career choice. But coming from an entrepreneurial family, it was de rigueur to have a business degree (Bachelors in Business Management, University of the Philippines). After a full time six year stint with the family furniture manufacturing company in Cebu, I went to The Art Institute of Charlotte for my Bachelors in Interior Design and graduated last June.

I love what I do and I’m thankful for everything that I’ve been blessed with. My work is my passion so I’m lucky that my interests and work intertwine harmoniously. I take pleasure in travel, art, museums, books, good food, jewelry, and fashion.

As Creative Director of Snug Furniture, a modern furniture company launching in May 2010 at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, the focus is on starting up and getting prepared for our launch.  Living the adage “to whom much is given, much is required”, Snug aims to launch a charity program espousing proper education of less privileged children in the Philippines. After all, a good education is a basic human right. Snug Furniture is a collaboration between my business partner and me. We both grew up in the furniture business and met at a furniture showroom. If people had each other at “hello”, we had each other at mortise and tenon joints. We appreciate traditional furniture and remain attached to family heirlooms and antiques, but wanted to introduce some modern styles to refresh the look and reflect today’s eclectic lifestyle. We are working with other designers and also coming up with our own. Starting up in this economy makes us more cautious so we are approaching it grassroots style. With our combined manufacturing and retail experience, we plan to offer medium to high categories to the interior design trade and would be thankful if a few retailers would pick us up.

The Frou La La blog was born about four years ago on a tropical night in the hills of Maria Luisa Estate Park, I was mindlessly turning the pages of a coffee table book to the sound of the cicadas. A ruffled hot pink tulle skirt emerged from the page and all I could utter was, “froulala!” (frou frou + ooh la la = froulala)

It was one of those moments that left an indelible imprint upon my imagination. “Froulala” embodies all the experiences, things and aspirations that have inspired and captivated my heart, soul and creativity. I would like to thank social media maven Leslie Carothers and bespoke stationery designer and domestic goddess extraordinaire Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo for encouraging me to take the plunge into blogging.

Frou La La products

I had been creating, buying things from travels and putting gift packages together to give to friends and business associates every holiday season. A yearly ritual that would start in the fall and sometimes later, much to the chagrin of our workshop. 

By creating personal and themed gift packages that weren’t produced anywhere, I made up for the en masse factor. An effort to lessen my carbon footprint was also taken since I tried to create something out of the scraps from our furniture production. By some twist of fab fate, friends started ordering some of these glitter critters for gifts, wedding and party souvenirs.(Images from left to right: Starlight sand bright -Starfish and sand dollar in gold and silver leaf; Wedding Singer napkin ring/souvenir, Maybelline calls it the “ wedding singer since it has appeared in three wedding receptions (two in Portugal and one in Montreal)”; and La Fleur de Milan, Maybelline describes the design process “the leather flower was salvaged from an old belt that best friend, Debbie Palao, brought me from one of her trips to Milan. I updated it with some horn and smooth/textured gold tinged druzy chalcedony”.)

Maybelline Te’s Design Project Open House

What inspired you to pursue furniture design, as well as your blog?

I attribute family influence, curiosity and a Third World perspective to my drive to create. Growing up, we had a textile store and my grandmother was always making us something with her Singer machine. My parents are both creative. My father experiments with materials and designs furniture aside from being an astute entrepreneur. My mother is adept at needlework and has an innate talent in putting things together. I was always at our furniture factory before I worked there professionally so there was never a dull moment being an all around girl. I used to wish I had more play time like my friends but in hindsight, all those times spent in the factory have been invaluable.

When one possesses a Third World perspective, nothing goes to waste so in the Philippines, people try to find many uses for one material. The coconut is a good example. It has about 20 uses as food and/or product.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

Everywhere. People, places, things, memories, experiences and [from] within.

Tell us about a favorite home decorating or remodeling project.

I recently helped my cousin redo her small New York city apartment on the Upper East Side. I just guided her through some paint decisions and bought five pieces of furniture at the Boyles sale here in North Carolina. Since it was her 40th birthday, I sent along a pair of Century chairs from my own stash as a gift. The place was transformed. It was a great change of energy for her and the cat, they’re loving it! Not bad for a quick $1500 makeover.

What’s your personal design style? Has it evolved over time?

I was featured as one of the 10 most stylish women in Mega Magazine (Philippine fashion bible) in September 2003. The writer described my style as “Precision Eclecticism” after seeing my room and wardrobe. I thought that was the best way to simplify my style. I have evolved in that I’ve become more confident in my choices but the imprint is there. There is juxtaposition and deconstruction at play hoping to achieve a look that’s uncontrived and casual luxe.

Many of us have a product we bought for our home-that now makes us think-”what was I thinking” – do you have one?

I’ve already given away what I don’t want. I have become pretty good at editing my things especially not having a home. I used to buy more with the future in mind, but now I try to stay in the present. Whether I am shopping at Target or the St. Ouen Flea Market, I pretty much can hone in on the essential or “it’s-to-die-for-i-must-have-it” purchases.

Describe your dream room.

A dream Library with:

• A bookcase wall for all my beloved books, vintage tomes and a rolling ladder since I’m petite.
• A couple of taxidermied beauties and/or natural curiosities from Deyrolle.
• His and Hers Snug reading chairs that I would like to custom design according to our sizes.
• Henna accent table from Snug Furniture.
• Aluminum Sawhorse Desk from Irwin Feld Design.
• Snug custom tufted sofa in buttery leather
• Lucite trunk from Serge de Troyer.
• Turquoise shagreen bar cabinet from my friend Garrison Rousseau.
• Arc Classical Garden Toile wallpaper.
• A pared down version of Solange Azagury-Partridge’s jeweled chandelier

From left to right, Maybelline’s favorite things: “Rare golden cowrie shells my Uncle Manuel gave me. He asked someone to dive for them while we were boating near Suluan Island; Beautiful diamonds my father surprised me with on my 21st birthday, he picked me up from school out of the blue and took me to our jeweler’s to pick out stones for a necklace, ring and earrings; Calla Lillies, Keel’s simple diary in red, discovered at the Dia:Beacon shop but you can get them at Amazon. Great for keepsakes and gifts;Kudu horns and the like; Tea from Mariage Freres; Yolo Colorhouse Air.06; Monogrammed stationery; and statement footwear like Miu Miu Baroque carved platforms.”

What’s your favorite color or paint swatch?

Favorite color is turquoise, but I’ve been gravitating towards Yolo Colorhouse Air.06 for a year now.

What are your favorite pieces of home décor from your home or elsewhere?

• Opium bed (don’t have a photo of mine but it looks similar to [the one pictured above])
• Scolecite from Poona, India by way of Astro Gallery of Gems in NYC

One day I would like to add these:

• Kyle Bunting hide rug.
• Blue Coral centerpiece from 1st dibs.
• Antique Philippine carved wood doors.

What’s your favorite room at home? Why is it your favorite?

I’m a nomad for the time being. When I am back from Florida for the holidays,I hope to move into a rental home in Hickory, North Carolina. Before I moved here three years ago, I stripped my room off in my father’s house (in Philippine tradition, one doesn’t leave the family coop until marriage but that’s slowly changing now). Gave most away.

The only photo of my favorite room is from a Cebu magazine published in 2003. I designed the platform bed with an upholstered leather headboard and nightstand. Fuss free. Later on, I had the bed refinished in Wenge, installed brushed aluminum cubes as night stands and a bookcase, modern chandelier, an opium bed to replace a rattan chair and ottoman. White walls,wood parquet ceilings and hardwood floors. I was over-stimulated at the factory all day and had a crazy social life. My simple bedroom was a welcome reprieve. It was the perfect place to do yoga and meditation with Tulsi, my guru on Saturdays and Pilates with Michel, thrice a week. A place of restoration and growth.

Who are your favorite designers?

• Bill Sofield, he once said: “Whether it’s lacquer or Lucite,” he says, “my work is grounded in craft and materiality.” I appreciate and can relate to this particular statement as well as his view on taxidermy.
• Clodagh for her versatility,life enhancing designs, and materials.
• Steven Gambrel for his polished restraint.
• Kelly Wearstler for her fearless approach.

What are your favorite blogs or home design/improvement websites?

• All The Best Blog for wonderful profiles on style makers.
• Habitually Chic for fabulous features on interiors, art & films, fashion.
• ABCD Designs for amazing passion for life and you feel her vibrance through the food, decor, and nesting posts in creative graphics.
• Apartment Therapy for great product information, house tours and sales.
• Freshome for eye candy when it comes to international homes and products.

What are your favorite television shows, magazines, and/or books?

I hardly watch TV, does Jeopardy count? enjoy foreign films.

• Magazines: Elle Decor, Vogue, Elle, Wallpaper, I.D., Interior Design, New York Magazine, The Economist
• Books by: Paulo Coehlo, Henry Miller, Shel Silverstein, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• Design and business books, biographies of interesting people in art, business & politics, and poetry by Rumi,Hafiz & Rilke

Do you have a decorating, design or remodeling tip you’d like to share with The Decorating Diva.com readers?

I love this quote from Chuck Palahniuk:

“You buy furniture.You tell yourself,this is the last sofa I will ever need in my life.Buy the sofa,then for a couple years you’re satisfied that no matter what goes wrong,at least you’ve got your sofa issue handled.Then the right set of dishes.Then the perfect bed.The drapes.The rug.Then you’re trapped in your lovely nest,and the things you used to own,now they own you.”

My decorating tip has nothing to do with the physical aspect. I’ve been to many beautiful and expensive homes that have no soul. There is a disconnect between the owner and its inhabitants. Whereas, love filled homes emanate great energy even in a mild state of dishevelment. The role of a designer is to enhance the personality and lifestyle of its client but not take over.

Continuously Evolve. Know when to Detach. Be yourself. Have fun.

Resources for  Maybelline Te’s Favorite Things & Dream Room Decor:

• Deyrolle
• Snug Furniture
• Irwin Feld Designs
• Serge De Troyer
• Garrison Rousseau
• Outlaw and Outlaw Wallpaper
• Solange Azagury-Partridge
• Kyle Bunting
• Yolo Colorhouse
• 1st Dibs
• Astro Gallery of Gems

Contact Information

Website: Snug Furniture

Twitter: @MaybellineTe and @snugfurniture

Facebook: Become a fan of Snug Furniture

All images copyright of respective owners.

We’d like to thank Maybelline Te for sharing her fascinating and vibrant design inspired life, advice and  gorgeous decor finds with The Decorating Diva.com readers.

3 Inspirational & Creative Women Share Their Favorite Design Blogs

What are your favorite blogs or home design/improvement websites?

Design Sponge – Incredible design for life can be found here, from great interiors to amazing recipes.

• Decor8 – Holly is a creative fire and I love her point of view and resources for craft and home.
• SFgirlbybay – I love Victoria’s style and beautiful photographs, plus personally, she has great taste in music.
• Ecosalon – great style with sustainability in mind.
• Enjoyco.net – An amazing new web site and blog created by my very talented friend Monique Keegan. Monique also has a beautiful shop just down the street from my house ( dangerous! ) her style is vintage. natural, earthy, modern and sophisticated… she has gorgeous taste and a personality plus to boot! (Amy Butler, Amy Butler Designs)

• Habitually Chic – because she is! And she reminds me to pay attention, style is all around. Her knowledge of designers is encyclopedic.
• Decorati – User-friendly and professional, with great in-depth pieces on lesser-known but very talented people.  A good way to browse product too.
• Ancient Industries – a quirky shopping site for things that are old-fashioned and too perfect to stop using, I love to pop by now and then.
• Balustrade and Bitters – To see what’s really going on in design, in L.A. where it all begins. Smart and well-done.
• Planet Green – Helps me to keep learning. Being more green needs to be a priority for everyone. The idea hasn’t hit small-town America yet, so we need to be ambassadors in our local communities to make a change. (Kerry Anne Dame, Posh Living LLC)

• • Made by Girl: I love Jen’s taste and the fact that she shares her personal life with her readers.
  • Decor8:  Lovely, colorful images – especially the bi-weekly “color me pretty” column.
  • Domestic Sluttery:  A must read for modern domestic women! Packed with good recipes, fashion must-buys and decorating tips.
  • Mydeco: Great for design inspiration and ideas – you can create 3D rooms and mood boards from real products.
  • Wee birdy: Cool things to do/eat/buy in London from the Deputy Shopping & Style Editor of Time Out. (Katie, Coco Målé home decor shop)

Mosaic Art with a Mission: Piecing Together Hearts & Souls in Haiti

Guest Post Submitted By:Nancie Mills Pipgras of  Mosaic Art Now

“Not all places and people have financial capital, but everyone has creative capital.” — Laurel True

Laurel True is a mosaic artist with a mission:  to create economic opportunity and pride in community through mosaic art.  In a paper presented to the International Conference on the Arts in Society in Venice in 2009, Dr. Randy Sanders of Southern Louisiana University wrote:  “True has coordinated many public art projects that emphasize viable economic options for trades people as well as children in impoverished and blighted regions.  Her projects place her in the role of a recruiter of artistic inspiration as she shares her talent while nurturing the participants’ creativity.”  True has led community projects in Oakland, California, New Orleans, Louisiana, Nairobi, Kenya and Ghana, West Africa.

Laurel True and her assistant, Erin Rogers, in Kenya 2009

Early in June, True traveled to Haiti with her assistant, Erin Rogers, to design and create a large-scale mosaic mural in partnership with the Art Creation Foundation for Children (ACFFC) in Jacmel.

The mural would serve as a memorial for the lives lost as a result of the devastating earthquake last January, to offer healing through creative action and be a visual affirmation of the future of Jacmel and Haiti.

Established in 2003, the ACFFC has a mission to help children achieve self-sufficiency via the arts and education as well as internalize a sense of social responsibility, community and connectedness. There are currently 80 children and friends in the ACFFC program who receive food, clothing, mentoring, health care, schooling and training in entrepreneurial arts methods with which they can make a good living in the future.

Here are a few of the photos and thoughts from True’s eight days in Haiti sent via iPhone to Nancie Mills Pipgras, Editor and Blogger of Mosaic Art NOW.

Day One: Port au Prince

We arrived in Haiti yesterday. Such a beautiful country. Beautiful, wonderful people. Port au Prince hit so hard. Huge expanses of tent cities.

People still going forwards amidst the chaos and rubble. Market stalls open. Streets congested and people everywhere. Living in shadow of massive destruction and rubble.

Rubble not being moved that we saw. Men on top of pancaked buildings with sledgehammers. People resting on huge hunks of fallen buildings. Barber shops operating while buildings on either side in heaps.

Also beauty in perseverance and hope. People trying to make it.

Day Two: Jacmel

Today was our first day at the Art Creation Foundation for Children (ACFFC) in Jacmel, a town known as the “cultural center” of Haiti.

We had introductions. And talked about the mosaic mural project. Showed pictures and the kids did drawings of trees for the Tree of Life mural.

Intense and wonderful design process. Thoughts on memorial as well as life and renewal.

Tools and techniques lessons taught. Kids practiced mosaics.

We visited wall that mayor of Jacmel offered for the mural. It’s by the beach and there is area for future seating area- mosaic benches.

Many beautiful moments. The kids are naturals. They love it and are doing great.

Day Three

The kids set over 25 mosaic leaves for the Tree on mesh today.

Others separated a dozen rice sacks full of tile all donated by Mosaiques Gardere in Port au Prince and the 60 pounds of tile we brought into color piles.

Erin worked with more kids to break up lots of tile and cutting mirror.

This morning I did a rough drawing based on the design concepts offered by the kid and included the Tree of Life. I took a small group to the wall for the design transfer. We used a grid transfer technique.

Unfortunately, I don’t have photos of this process, which was awesome. Small group of kids and older teens and the kids had total control of design transfer and making changes to the sketch. The whole design morphed! Awesome. And amazing results and process.

Day Four

Today was a Marathon day!

A totally amazing day. The mural came to life today and there were so many people involved. About 4o or more kids came down with us in the morning and after lunch even more showed up.

The drawing on the wall looked fabu and the kids were proud.

I gave a short demo and we started putting leaves on mesh up right away. The kids were totally in charge of everything. In fact, throughout the day I realized that there just wasn’t enough body space in front of the wall and it was best for Erin and me to just move aside!

The kids had it handled!

Spirits were high and everyone was so motivated to set mosaic. Once all the leaves were up then we started on the tree, sun and other design elements.

Some of the kids added symbols and imagery to the base design. Awesome.

The Tree has eyes and more eyes floating around. Also birds. Beautiful. The kids used tile and mirror and some tile salvaged from the rubble of the earthquake in the tree. The kids said that the leaves in the tree symbolize people. And when a tree looses a leaf then another one will grow because the tree is strong.

We worked all day in the heat and sun. A huge — and I mean huge crowd formed to watch. Tons of people, moto-taxi drivers, food vendors, other artists and community members to watch. This in addition to the 40+ kids from ACFFC and a half dozen Jacmel professional artists.

Wild! Wonderful.

This is the mural at the end of the day. I’ve never had a group take to it so quickly and be so immediately comfortable taking over decision making and project tasks.

Day Five

End of another inspiring day with these amazing kids and new friends and colleagues. The mural is now complete except for the background.

The crowds grew to astonishing proportions as we continued setting in the blazing sun. First off, we completed all the design elements that were already painted onto the wall by the kids. Then they added more!

Awesome bird!

Bruno paints a bird and a horn.

The mosaic results!

We used almost every last colored tile today in the leaves, beautiful birds, floating eyes, boats, faces, sun and carnival instruments that the kids included in the mural.

Along with the generous donation from Mosaique Gardere in Port au Prince, Erin Rogers and I carried 60 pounds of tile and 20 pounds of glass half marbles that we used up in the mural.

George took me to a tiny hardware store in Jacmel to buy mirror, which we used in the eyes, for the suns rays, stars and more. Mirror rocks. Thank you Isaiah Zagar. Your influence is felt around the world

We also combed the beach for materials and found that the sea churns up an incredible amount if sea glass! And sea tile. And sea ceramics. Plus shells and white flat pebbles. Gifts from the sea in the form of seemingly endless tesserae.

The kids jumped directly in and we all worked all day long, only stopping for short breaks.

The Mayor of Jacmel, who gave us a wonderful wall/ location for the mural and another 200 ft of blank wall, came today and thanked us and vice versa.

George Matellus, Director of ACFFC, Jacmel’s Mayor and me.

There will be a seating area with benches covered in mosaic that we will create soon. The Mayor loves idea! The Mayor even added a piece to the mosaic. So cool. He is so supportive of this ongoing project of ACFFC.

Tomorrow- background!!!

Day Six

Amazing day. Can I say that every day?

We put in two-thirds of the background today. Worked half day and cleaned up before the air started to boil.

The mural is unbelievable. People, neighbors, community members, other artists coming to say thank you and how wonderful it is. So amazing.

Will I sound like a broken record if I say; kids are so, so awesome. They are incredible in so many ways.

This crack in the wall was caused by the earthquake. The kids want to leave it in as part of the mural. Shells will be places for visitors to leave prayers and messages.

After we worked we played. Kids rapped. Played soccer. We talked about our lives and families. They are so patient with my crappy French. They are so loving and open and whip smart.

There was a group of musicians playing that were wonderful. We want them to come for out mural dedication on Monday evening.

For the projects I have facilitated in Africa, participation by boys far outweighs that of girls. Not so in Haiti! Go girls!

Haitian food is amazing. Conch, fish, lobster, plantains, rice and beans. We’ve been invited to dinner tonight and we’re looking forward to it.

More Demain.

Day Seven

We finished all the setting in the mural today! Sunday was not a day of rest, but we did have a short day on the mural.

I actually love background setting.

Every time I squeezed in to work on the wall I either got demoted to thin set holder or got squeezed out by the kids!

Ha! So awesome:)

When there was little else but a thin strip at the top to fill, in one of the teenage boys, an accomplished painter called Ti Charles, suggested that we paint in a blue sky there.

We were thrilled. Georges and Ti Charles went back for paint and then Ti Charles went for it with beautiful results.

Yes! This mural rocks!

After we returned to ACFFC everyone took a well deserved rest.

Day Eight

We’ve finished completely and with lots of hard work and pride and are ready to offer the mural to the City of Jacmel tonight at a dedication celebration!

A Haitian band will play and all the kids are coming. I’m sure the fête will draw a crowd.

Finishing the mural today, though, was hard work! We grouted with sand from the river which the kids sifted in a large sieve then mixed with cement.

We were all sweating!

We buffed with brown jersey gloves and scraped away excess cement for a beautiful finish.

Clean up!

Later that evening . . .

We had a wonderful celebration tonight. Beyond words. The kids and the ACFFC staff and the community came out for our fête.

The band played wonderful traditional Haitian music and everyone danced! So fun.

I took lots of pics with my camera because the iPhone doesn’t do well in the dark. I’ll send those when I get home.

But here is a beautiful pic of the mural with candles lit on the little shelves we put in. A wonderful idea of Nancy Josephson’s!

Our fête ended tonight just as it started to rain. The rain held off all week for us!

We leave in the morning. Too soon. We will miss the kids and new friends and wonderful Jacmel. I so look forward to returning to continue on the mosaic mural project. I hope before end of the summer!

How You can Help Laurel and the ACFFC Jacmel Mural Project

Laurel True will be returning to Haiti in August to complete the wall mural. She asks that you consider supporting ACFFC and its continuing work with the children of Jacmel. Every dollar sent goes straight to the children in the form of food, clothing, health care, school materials and art supplies. Click here to make a donation. Thank you!

About Nancie Mills Pipgras

Nancie Mills Pipgras is an editor for the annual publication Mosaic Art NOW (MAN) and blogs regularly at http://mosaicartnow.blogspot.com. MAN promotes the international understanding and appreciation of contemporary mosaics through quality publications and a lively online presence, delivering provocative and inspirational content for artists, curators, architects, designers, collectors and educators. The 108-page full color 2010 edition of the publication featured an exhibition in print featuring 18 mosaics selected by Dr. Scott Shields of the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California.

A former marketing executive and adult education consultant for a Fortune 50 company, Mills Pipgras first became interested in mosaics in 2003 when she decided to fill in an architectural niche in the facade of her circa 1924 home in Sacramento, California.

Since then, she has studied with one of the art form’s most respected teachers and served as President of the Society of American Mosaic Artist. Nancie currently lives in Santa Rosa, California with her husband, Frank, and Pippin the Wonder Doople. (Follow Nancie/Mosaic Art Now on Twitter.)

Tigressa Carpet – The Shaw Floors Event Blogger Round-up

“We don’t consider ourselves carpet connoisseurs and are always skeptical of new products that get slapped with fancy names or have significant marketing dollars behind it. But Shaw’s approach of sharing their carpet construction from soup to nuts and being transparent about the entire process was refreshing and we couldn’t help but get behind Tigressa SoftStyle, here’s why.” – Charles & Hudson

“I’m kind of a geek, so I was very into the heavy-on-the-science tour of the Shaw headquarters. It was cool to see the process from start to finish, and it really illustrated the advantages of Tigressá SoftStyle carpet.

We started where most things do: inspiration. We briefly discussed the colors, research, home and fashion trends, and qualities (strength, beauty, protection) that influenced the Shaw designers. Regional inspiration boards and displays showing national and regional sales of existing products by color were interesting to study.” – Amy Bleier Long for Traditional Home

  “Jocie and I just got back tonight from our trip down to Shaw Flooring Headquarters, and our brains are humming with future post ideas…here are some highlights of what we learned, saw, and touched with our own hands this week.” – One Project Closer

“Here we were in their [Shaw’s] R & D Department where they took regular carpet fibers and inserted them into the cool-aid tester (below) as well as the cooking oil. Along the way to the bottom of the jar they soaked up the liquid just like a sponge. Tigressa’s fibers just sat right on top of the liquid! “– Colour Me Happy

“The Material Girls were recently invited to a preview of the latest product launch from Shaw Floors, a new and innovative line of carpet called Tigressa.  As part of the exclusive sneak peek event, I got to experience Tigressa  up close and personal – and it lives up to it’s name as being both soft and strong.  Tigressa  has a unique fiber shape to create an ultra-soft texture and the advanced yarn engineering produces a pleasant, luxurious touch with superior durability.  Having grown up in the carpet industry, I can attest to this being the softest carpet I have ever felt.  “ – Jill Seidner for Material Girls

“ It seems to me that putting carpet and sustainability in the same sentence is an oxymoron.  It is reported that around 800 million square yards of carpet gets dumped into our landfills per year in the US.  That is an incredible amount of carpet.  Shaw has recognized that this is a major problem and is working to help solve this issue.  Shaw’s approach to sustainability focuses on the triple bottom line: economic sustainability, environmental sustainability and social sustainability. “ – Building My Green Life

  “Getting a preview of the whole line [Tigressa Carpet] with Kathy Young, Director of Creative Services for Shaw.  She is really the brains behind the look of all the beautiful floors at Shaw and it was a real treat to get a personal consultation on the new line with her! “ – Daily Danny

“I had the opportunity to walk on the new Tigressa carpet during the cocktail party at the Manor House Ruins, and was pleasantly surprised at how nice it felt underfoot. Normally, I’m not a big fan of synthetic rugs or carpets because they tend to feel a bit hard and crunchy. That wasn’t the case with the Tigressa carpets I stepped onto – they were nice, cushy, soft and very inviting.”

Linda Merrill Decorative Surroundings

Linda Merrill is an expert in the fields of interior design, media communications & marketing. A lifelong passion for creating beautiful, and livable spaces combined with a savvy business mind has brought her design work and writing to a national, and even international audience. Linda offers her interior design services in person in Massachusetts and “virtually” world wide which is a great service for budget interior design projects both far and near.

Linda’s popular design blog ::Surroundings:: offers her unique views on wide ranging aspects of the built environment from architecture, photographic tours, product reviews, design inspirations, special events and even movie set decor!

Linda is a sought after writer and voice in the field of interior design and not only publishes her own popular blogs, but is a contributing writer to other media outlets. She is also producer and moderator of a weekly roundtable discussion group, The Skirted Roundtable, that is available via podcast.

Linda serves on the Board of Directors of the New England chapter of the IFDA (International Furnishing & Design Association) as Vice President of Communications and provides both consulting and hands on marketing expertise for her peers in the industry.

Tell us about your  business.

I’m a residential interior decorator in New England with a client base that has primarily been working professional single women or married couples. I started my business under the name Chameleon Interiors, but have just re-branded my business to Linda Merrill Decorative Surroundings, since my brand has become more about my name and less about my business name.

I write the design blog ::Surroundings:: which has propelled me into a freelance writing and speaking career, and I founded and am the editor/moderator of The Skirted Roundtable which is a weekly podcast “radio” show that I do with Joni Webb of Cote De Texas and Megan Arquette of Beach Bungalow 8. Fashioned after “The View”, we chat amongst ourselves on various design and blogging topics and we also have invited guests.

What inspired you to pursue this business?

In 2001, after working in non-profit management for several years, I started my interior decorating firm. I had originally passed up pursuing a music career in favor of something more stable. However, I realized that I was just not satisfied working in a supporting role to other’s creativity and that my own creative energy needed to be my focus. So, after some consideration of what I liked doing and seemed good at, I enrolled at the Boston Architectural College in their Decorative Arts Certificate program. I had always liked decorating and had sewed many window treatments, chair slipcovers and pillows for myself and friends. I’d also done a lot of set decorating for high school and college theater productions, so moving into interior decorating seemed a natural thing. Once completed, I transitioned out of my job at WGBH-TV and hung out my shingle.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

Between my bachelor’s degree in Music Performance and my post-graduate education in the Decorative Arts, I’ve taken a lot of history classes in music, art, theater and decorative arts, not to mention the usual political and social history classes. So, I am generally very inspired by the architecture and historical aspects of a given property or location. I’m also inspired by my client’s own interests and lifestyles.

Tell us about a favorite home decorating or remodeling project.

An early project of mine was a seaside home on the coast of Massachusetts. The homeowners were planning on selling (a fact they didn’t tell me at first) and wanted a master suite makeover that would really say “wow”. I did the master in a nearly monochromatic blue/green color palette that matched the ocean outside the windows. The wall paint was Ben Moore’s Rhine River – very pretty. The textiles and carpeting all had movement in their patterns, to emulate the motion of the water. I didn’t want to be too literal – although I did make them a custom starfish pillow as a gift. The room started off as dated and worn looking (literally a dingy, dirty greige) and ended up being colorful, yet calm and comfortable. The house sold the first weekend it was on the market in a bidding war and six weeks to the day of installation, the homeowners packed up their bags and moved. It was actually sad because I loved the room!

What’s your favorite color.

I recently used Farrow and Ball’s Cooking Apple Green ( ) on the ceiling and inside the cabinets of my new kitchen and absolutely love it!

What are your five favorite pieces of home décor from your home or elsewhere?

• French Silvered-Bronze and Crystal Chandelier by Maison Bagues, with Central spire and twelve lights (Circa 1940) – Trianon Antiques
• Pair of French 19th Century Dore Bronze and Crystal Sconces – Charlene Asdourian Antiques via 1st Dibs
• Very Unique Large-Scaled Italian Giltwood Starburst Mirror Italy 19th century – Travis & Company via 1st Dibs
• Custom pillows in beautiful textiles (designed and handmade by me) – Chameleon Interiors
• Maison Jansen Marble Top Mahogany Server Argentina 1940s-Greenwich Living Antiques & Design Centre via 1st Dibs
• Maison Jansen Faux Tortoise Painted Metal Coffee Table 20th c-Hamptons Antique Galleries II LLC via 1st Dibs

What’s your favorite room at home? Why is it your favorite?

Since I just completed it, it’s my kitchen. Everything is fresh and new, plus there is lots of green!

Who are your favorite designers?

I love Maison Jansen –all of their furnishings are so beautiful. There are lots of historical notes to the pieces yet still very timeless. I really like the designer Thad Hayes, whose style is certainly much more masculine than mine, but I love his streamlined aesthetic. It could be because I find it so hard to streamline my own life that I am drawn to someone who is so good at it. There is nothing out of place or without purpose in his work. And I like Suzanne Kasler for her use of textiles, soft mix of colors and eclectic mix of styles.

What’s your personal design style? Has it evolved over time?

My personal design style is fairly traditional. I think rooms should be timeless and not overly trendy, but never museum-like either. I like furniture to look formal but be comfortable. I like putting my feet up. I love the color green and have since childhood. In my current condo, I’ve gone from green with cranberry red and black accents to the same green with pink and cream accents. I’ve done the red toile thing when it was popular, and then moved on, and have now incorporated some burlap in my new kitchen. I think trends should be feathered in with accent fabrics or accessories, but easily transitioned out when the trend has passed or gets boring. I would say that I’ve gotten more streamlined as time has gone on, but I’ve never had a “what was I thinking?” moment either when it comes to things I’ve acquired.

Many of us have a product we bought for our home-that now makes us think-"what was I thinking" -  do you have one?

Basically, as I’ve said before, I’ve not really had a “what was I thinking” moment. Or at least, nothing that I’ve spent more than $100 on! I’m pretty considered in my buying and have collected pieces over time as I’ve needed them. There is an old joke in New England about how once a proper Brahmin Back Bay lady was asked where she purchased her hat and her response was “We don’t purchase our hats, we own our hats”. And that’s kind of how I am with my furniture.

Describe your dream room.

My dream room would be a beautiful soft palette of greens, creams and pinks (yes, much like my living room!) in a mix of textures. I love linens and velvets, silks and organdy. The furnishings would be comfortable – English arm chairs or sofas, deep club chairs, with a mix of lighter Continental French or Scandinavian pieces for a “collected” look. I also prefer furnishings to have the patina of use on them, so I don’t mind worn velvets and wrinkled silks and linens, or scuffed leathers. I love early-mid 20^th century French case goods. And, of course, I love a crystal chandelier and sconces!

What are your favorite blogs or home design/improvement websites?

• Pure Style Home – because Lauren Liess can make anything beautiful and she seems so “real”.
• 1st Dibs – For research on historical styles and to just take in all the beauty.
• French Essence – For lifestyle and history. Besides, who doesn’t want to live in France??!!
• Google images – because the world is at your fingertips and is limited only by my search terms!

What are your favorite books, design shows and/or magazines?

• Elle Décor
• House Beautiful
• Australian Vogue Living (when I can get it!)
• Any books by Judith Miller, and McAlester’s “A Field Guide to American Houses”

Do you have a decorating, design or remodeling tip you’d like to share with The Decorating Diva.com readers?

DIY takes you a long way! Learn to sew and you can make pillows and window treatments. Rolling up your sleeves and doing work oneself is very personally satisfying. I redid my kitchen for less than $500 (excluding the new appliances) by doing everything with a friend. I decorated a beautiful townhouse in Boston and my clients did a lot of the labor themselves. It not only stretched their budget considerably, but they took a lot of pride in being able to point out their own hard work. It gave them a lot of ownership of their home.

Contact Details:

• Website: Linda Merrill Decorative Surroundings
• Twitter: @Surroundings
• Blog: ::Surroundings::, ::Silver Screen Surroundings::, The Skirted Roundtable

Decorating Diva, LLC would like to thank Linda for sharing her beautiful interior design projects, and her timeless decorating advice with The Decorating Diva.com readers.

The Decorating Diva, LLC on Meet the Media Chat (#MeetMdiaChat)

I’m delighted to be Laura Newman’s guest on Meet the Media Chat on Twitter.  Some details below:

• When: Friday, April 2nd,  1:00 – 1:30PM EST
• Where: Twitter  ( #MeetMdiaChat)
  
• Who:  Carmen Natschke of the design and architecture blog The Decorating Diva,LLC (twitter handle: @DecoratingDiva )
• Why: One of the most important things in PR is knowing the media and understanding their needs and interests.  #MeetMdiaChat will allow you to learn more about their content and ask specific questions you have about getting a story placed with them and other curiosities you may have.  (More information and details at Laura’s blog, Publicity Wit.)

Thoughtfully Simple, Design Dazzle,and Feather Your Nest { STYLE & DESIGN BEST OF THE WEB Mar. 27, 2010}

Tori Tait is the fabulous Founder and Editor of Thoughtfully { SIMPLE } a lifestyle and entertaining blog for the DIY hostess. (Twitter: @HostessTori  and Facebook: Thoughtfully Simple Facebook Fan Page )

 Design Dazzle blog, edited by Toni Roberts, offers fun (and smart) design, decorating and entertaining ideas. The recent post “Edible Easter Bunny” will be a delight for the DIY hostess planning for an Easter part with just the right touch of ‘Dazzle’. (Twitter: @DesignDazzle  )

Gina Drennon’s award-winning beautiful home decor shop, Feather Your Nest,  offering lovely vintage inspired decor (and very pretty things) for the home and for gifting. (Twitter: @FeatherYourNest)

{ STYLE & DESIGN BEST OF THE WEB }

What is The Decorating Diva.com’s Best of the Web?

It’s about bringing attention to the very best and most fabulous design, decorating, entertaining and style sites on the Internet.

The criteria is simple – We look for value to the reader, engaging content, originality and creativity. Each week we will select the most outstanding sites that we find or that are submitted to us for review. You can submit your design and style nominations to bestoftheweb@thedecoratingdiva.com.