1 Year Blogiversary! Kinda...

Let's Celebrate and Reflect!

I know it's been awhile, but I'm finally back and I'm going to do better!

So I thought...it's my blogiversary today, but when looking back through my feed, my blogiversary was actually August 7th! How could I have forgotten such a thing? Sigh...But I will not fret, I will celebrate anyway!

The last year has been good to me. My family is doing awesome and my design business is taking off (details to come). We were blessed ten months ago to welcome a new bundle into the fold and he and his siblings are doing great. I love watching the dynamics of their relationships unfold. It's so beautiful, and pure, and honest, and true, and so very present and in the moment. I love it and I am kinda obsessed with watching them.

As I sit and reflect on this last year of pushing this design business forward, I can identify changes that needed to occur in order to make things happen (details to come on that soon too)! =) Over a year ago, I was blessed to have two conversations about the design business that changed my outlook on my business endeavors. Those conversations inspired me, provoked my creative thought, and left me asking myself some hard questions about what I wanted out of my business. Conversations that definitely needed to be had with people successfully working in interior design. I can't thank Erika (Erika Ward Interiors) and Dayka (Dayka Robinson Designs) enough; two extraordinary examples of what women in a successful business look like! And the fact that they look like me makes it even sweeter! Be sure to check out them out!

As I celebrate one year of blogging...well kinda because (let's look at the facts), I haven't blogged that much, but I'm trying to change that...I rejoice in the small things like - 1) I actually started a blog; 2) I actually blogged at least 20 times and 21 if you include this one; 3) I have completed a few design projects for 'real' clients since I started blogging; 4) I have prepared as best I can for the growth I know I am about to experience with my business and this blog; and all of this makes me super happy!

So with that said, I just want to thank you all for checking out my blog. Thank you for riding along with me this first year. Thank you for FaceBooking me and asking me why I have not posted. Thank you for supporting me. I appreciate every second, minute, or hour you spend out of your time visiting this blog or 'hearting' and liking my pics on social media. Thank You!! Thank You!! Thank You!!

Making Home, Home!

XO, Kathleen 

The 2014 African American Top 20 Interior Designers

There was a time when I didn't even know we existed in interior design let alone actually making a living at doing what we love. I was searching for faces that looked like mine as affirmation that we too can succeed at creating and crafting beautiful spaces for people to live and make beautiful memories of their own. Ironically enough one day I stumbled upon the blog of Kimberly Ward, also know as Pink Eggshell, combed through the pages of her blog and found the African American Top 20. It was a list highlighting some of the top African American interior designers from around the country. Kimberly has worked diligently over the years to bring to light and share with the world some of the best interior designers. Does it stop at only twenty? Absolutely not! Since then I have learned about so many more and my list keeps growing. But from this you do get a glimpse of who we are, okay maybe not me yet =)),  so I'll say who they are and the contributions they have made to the field of Interior Design.

This weekend in Atlanta these amazing designers are celebrated and being recognized for the accomplishments they have made, for the doors they are opening for all designers to come, and for just being fierce - finding their way, carving their niche, and making it happen in this big old world of design.

When you have a moment please check them out! For more information about these designers and the events going on around Atlanta in honor of them, please visit Pink Eggshell. Bravo to all the designers!

Update: Home Office Makeover Sneak Peek

About a week ago I posted a little information about my home office makeover. As you can see, it needs some TLC. As I mentioned in that post (read here), we have converted our formal living room to a home office because we are veeeeeerrrrryyyyyy far from formal and a few other reasons you can read in the previous post. I will recap everything with the final reveal. =) So here is where we began (dark, organized clutter, and just plain ol' boring). So not our personalities, at least most days. =)

And here is where we are now! I'm only giving you a little sneak peek because it is not quite ready for a full reveal, but I'm getting there. There are a few DIY projects that I will share with you too!

Vinyl (yes vinyl folks), pops of color, some organization, lighting...it's all there! Just a few more projects and I am done! Stay tuned...

Do you have a home office or place in your home to work? If so, what are your absolute must haves? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by!

Making Home, Home!

Kathleen

2013 Recap & 2014 Action in Motion!

There are some changes going on around the blog just in case you haven't noticed! I changed the name, but everything is still 100% me! Why you ask...because this blog is about making home feel more like what home should feel like for me and you. It is about everyday design for everyday living. Everything I share with you is to not only show you what I have been up to, but also to show you that you can do it too! Just get out there and try something even when you have no clue what you are doing. You will be surprised at what you learn in your mistakes and through your victories! And, I always sign off with Making Home, Home so I thought how befitting it would be to just call the blog Making Home! I love it and I hope you do (or will) too! 2013 Recap In an effort to spread a little more sunshine in the blogosphere, do a little more blogging, and let you in on the happenings around my own home, I'll be sharing with you more little projects I'm doing around the house to make home a little bit more homey!<

Trying to Get Things Done...Finally! Relocating from North Carolina to metro Atlanta three years ago, getting the kiddies situated, starting new positions at work, and having a new baby (4 months ago today) has had me burned out. Last year I finally started tackling a few projects around the house like this this fabulous (in my humble opinion =)) kids space. It was actually even featured on Apartment Therapy, and a few odds and ends type projects which I'll show you in the coming weeks. I must admit, I am really funny about what I share about my home and how much I allow the world to see - so I will probably never really put it all out there - but this year I think I may share just a smidgen more....maybe. I will at least share some great little projects I'm doing around the house and maybe a few room reveals.

So, first things first - a small recap of some accomplishments to get things kicked off right. 1. I actually started blogging. Something I talked about for at least a year and I finally bit the bullet and just did it. Here it is in all it's glory! And you can read about it my beginning journey here.

2. I tackled one of the most important rooms in the house, the Kid's Playroom and I customized some ottomans. My mother is an upholsterer and over the years I have picked up a thing or two. So in trying to walk in her footsteps just a little I figured I would try my hand at my first small upholstery project, and I loved it, and she did too. When she saw them on the blog she told me how great they were and then I knew it was coming....she started telling me how much greater they could have been had I done so and so.....LOL!!! I love that lady! And she was spot on with the finer details. You can read all the reveal here and visit the tutorials for those little storage ottomans here.

3. I completed my first client project in Atlanta. Decorating has always been something I have loved to do even before I knew it was something I could actually do. And for years I have wanted to start a decorating business after having studied architectural drafting and design in college, and teaching graphic and lower level interior design classes at The Art Institute of Raleigh. Well, right before we moved to Georgia, I had finally landed my first decorating client (see it here)**Fix link** and I loved every minute of the process. Once we moved here everything kind of went on the back burner until I could get my footing. Finally, the opportunity to design a space and get the ball moving again happened. A friend and former client called to inform me that he was moving to Atlanta and of course I had to design his new space and I managed to redo some oh so chic ottomans (read here) for him too. So now I'm getting back in the saddle and getting this business in gear. Onward and upward!! Read all about his space here - Small Space, Big Style - ATL Bachelor's Pad.

2014 Action in Motion I am kicking off 2014 with a host of projects around the house. And I will start out with the home office. It has truly been a work in progress and still is. I'm very OCD about where things should go and when it comes to my own spaces I will move things around 100 times until it feels right. Sometimes I really can't get out of my feelings even when I know technically some things are right, if I am still unsettled with it...well it's getting moved around or replaced! It's just like that sometimes. It's kinda weird that with my stuff sometimes thought and I just can't put a finger on it, but with everyone else I have no problem.

Anywho, we converted our formal living room into our home office because: 1. we are veeeeeerrrrryyyyyy far from formal.

2. no one ever walked into that part of the house except guests passing through from the front door to the family room, well you could count the kids running around chasing each other because of the open spaces or them doing cartwheels and standing on their hands, and then there is the screaming from someone slipping and falling...I digress - but you get the point.

3. I was tired of cleaning up eraser shavings, glue droppings, crayon marks, homework papers, and everything else you can name from the little kiddies sitting at the island in our kitchen.

4. and probably the most important reason - I'll be darned, I just wanted a home office! =)) So here is where we began (dark, organized clutter, and just plain ol' boring). So not our personalities, at least most days. =)

I know..the pics are not the best. I took them with my phone. I really forgot to use my camera. Sorry! =/

The To-Do-List 1. Better shelving including keepsakes - for now - I love a bookshelf covered with books not necessarily knick-knacks!! We need something that extends up these super tall walls. I believe the ceilings are at 12' - 14' high. Plenty of place to vertically play.

2. Make better use of the desk Basic iKea folks. Great selections for low, low prices. I like the contrast of the dark tops against the cream walls and the contrast with the legs, but again, not sure if I want to paint the tops or not. We will see!

3. Rearrange the seating and get more seating, maybe (to upholster or not to upholster - that is the question. I picked these low wingbacks up when I was a grad student at NCState. They had the coolest mid-century modern furniture they were throwing/giving away. If my truck was big enough I would have hauled tail outta there with a ton of other things. Sigh...Some great pieces. These are solid wood covered in vinyl, super heavy, and have stood the test of time. I contemplate recovering these with fabric, but there is something about being able to easily wipe the surface without having to scrub that I love, especially with three kiddies in tow and one of them being a little baby that is bound to spit-up on these babies. What are y'alls thoughts? Leave me a comment

4. Bring in some color through textiles and art.

5. Lighten it up with some lamps! Stay tuned as this space evolves and I will surely keep you posted!!

Anything you all are trying to accomplish in this new year? Let me know by leaving a comment! Now get to having a little fun, creating something new, and bringing out that staple gun, that hot glue gun, or that hammer!!

Making Home, Home!

Kathleen