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Blogging Advice

Why your Designer should be a Blogger

By 08/06/2010January 27th, 201745 Comments

If you are about to hire a designer to help you with your house, it’s best if your designer also has a blog. Design bloggers really are on the cutting edge of what’s cool and current (maybe). Here’s why.

Yesterday I posted about IKEA bookshelves and then Erika from Bluelabel Bungalow posted a comment saying “Check out my IKEA done right” post. So I did. And this is what I saw. A home office by Sarah Richardson:

Any good decorator is certainly not going to buy everything from IKEA but there are some things you just can’t get for a better price and when you are decorating an entire house (like I am) you need to get some bargains somewhere because there’s so much to buy!

Anyway, I recognized the legs on the table in the image on the left but I have never seen the TV console on the right so I was convinced it wasn’t IKEA. I emailed Erika and she was kind enough to send me this link; here.

I didn’t like it on the website at all and worried that I had to buy the upper storage unit too but I hung on to the image in red (above) and when I arrived today I happily bought it in black (I have enough white at the moment). It’s real slim and long enough to look good under a larger TV (I didn’t win that battle :).

Anyway, every room should technically have one expensive (the bling) piece of furniture because it upgrades the look of everything else in the space and in my living room, it’s definitely my sexy sofa. Sigh. I love my new yellow sofa, I’m so happy with it.

Photo by Maria Killam

This week and next I’ve been trying to keep my schedule light so I can shop for my own place (and enjoy the summer weather). Today I walked into Consignment Canada here in North Vancouver (where I live) and scored 6 of these dining chairs (above) for $250! They won’t be as cheap in the end because I have to re-do the frames and recover them of course but I’m so excited.

I have always loved this image from Stephen Shubel Design. I mostly love dining rooms where the chairs don’t match the table, I just think it looks more creative and like a designer’s been there.

Finding chairs that fit so close to the idea of this room made me want to re-think my current colour scheme of yellow, raspberry and kelly green because I love orange too (aaaak, see this is why it’s so hard to decorate my own place, it’s like having to choose between your kids!) I haven’t committed to the fabrics yet although I’m close. I love dinner parties and the idea of sitting at the table, in comfort for hours with my guests. Also, having a different pattern on the back of the chair is so much fun!

If I wasn’t a blogger, I would never have discovered the entertainment console, because I’ve walked right by that section at IKEA thinking it was all too cheap looking anyway. Being a design blogger keeps you exposed to all the possibilities in furniture (although I’m not giving up my magazines—I still love them too) including the latest in colour because you are constantly looking for new images to support the post you are writing! As a blogger in the design community reading other design blogs daily as well is just like reading a new decor magazine every day! What a great education!

If you have a blog, do you think you are a better designer now than when you started?

If you would like your home to fill you with happiness every time you walk in, contact me for on-line or in-person consultations.

Related posts:
10 Things every Blogger should Know
10 Tips that will take your Home Design Blog to the Next Level
2 Questions to ask before you Renovate or Decorate
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45 Comments

  • Anonymous says:

    I am not a designer and I don't have a blog on design. But I can say that the designers who have blogs seem to be the most authentic. I frequent your blog, for example, and also Holly on Decor 8. Stylists and designers who are willing to teach and also show their process of creativity which has to embrace uncertainty, failures, explorations.

  • yvonne@designvignettes says:

    I love checking out your blog as I also specialize in color. Like you, I get a lot of inspiration from what I see online. Recently I experienced a cool way of finding a fabric I was looking for by following another bloggers daily posts. Read about it here:
    http://designvignettes.blogspot.com/2010/07/finding-fabric.html

  • Sally@DivineDistractions says:

    I think that is so true, Maria! Since I started blogging, I've been immersed in all that's new and current in interior design. I have been inspired and challenged to dig a little deeper and find a little more creative edge. Blogging has opened my eyes to so much that I would have missed taking a trip to the design center for inspiration. Ideas are as close as my laptop!

  • Vanessa@decor happy says:

    I love seeing your new home come together and hearing your thought processes.

    I started my blog because clients were always asking to see how something looked in a room and to see all of the various options, e.g. bamboo blinds, ottomans, subway tiles, etc. I had saved a ton of images in my files and now I just write a post to illustrate my point and they can refer to it. They definitely appreciate seeing a lot of visuals. So, yes I think blogging has helped my design business!

  • Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says:

    What a great TV console, Maria! I would never have thought Ikea on that! I have to say that I think their Ektorp sofa and chairs are a good buy, especially for a young family. The slipcovers are inexpensive and owning an Ektorp chair myself, I bought a white slipcover a month or so ago for $29.00. Love it! Love the orange and yellow in the dining room chairs ~ what fun to add to a usually traditional and formal room.

    Do I think my blog has made me a better designer/decorator? No. I do think that allowing myself to come through in my blog and leaving the "seminar style" behind helped me. I have had clients contact me and say they have read my blog and feel that I am a "real" and "down to earth" person.

  • Cristin @ Simplified Bee says:

    I love hearing what design bloggers have to say and have learned so much in the process. Your blog is chalk full of great tips too. Keep up the great work.

    xo,
    cristin

  • Maria Killam says:

    Hi Kathy,
    Hey your blog does bring you business though. . . I think you made my point 🙂
    x
    maria

  • Marcus Design says:

    I totally agree with you Maria, blogging exposes designers to so much! Magazines etc. are wonderful too but blogs are like casting your net even wider for inspiration/information! I have learned so much through blogging, I think I have even learned a lot more about my self and what I personally am drawn to. Great post!
    Nancy

  • Emily A. Clark says:

    I completely agree. My blog reading (and in turn writing) is like my daily briefing 🙂 Thanks for this great post.

  • Ann says:

    Blogging and researching for the posts keeps me constantly on the look out for the latest.

    You're right- it is like a constant education. I love the magazines also, but blogging is just so immediate.

    -Ann

    P.S. Maria- does Vancouver ever get really hot and humid like the lower 48?

  • Ideezine says:

    Maria,

    People don't always sit still long enough to take in all that a designer has to teach/share. Blogging allows individuals to learn as much or as little as they choose.

    Being a designer and blogger with lots of interests, experience, and enjoys being with people allows me time to share. Many people are surprised at how much you know when you share knowledge through your blog.

    Writing a blog takes patience, discipline, planning, thoughtfulness, vision, research time and respect for your followers be it long term or those passing by. Just like a design project. If you share you care about others my clients say. Comments reflect that point extremely well.

    Bette

  • The-Countrypolitan says:

    My original purpose in doing a blog was to supplement my website so that potential clients could get an idea of whether or not we could be a possible match for each other. Not every designer is a good match for every customer and vice-verse.

    On a personal and business level, blogging has been rewarding and enriching. I have come to know so many wonderful people, designers and individuals, with whom we share a common interest. It has expanded my perspective and…and my photo files!

  • Melissa @ Veranda Interiors says:

    I know for a fact I am a better designer now that I have entered the blog world. You are exposed to so much more with this medium, more than 20 magazines and endless show homes can give you.
    The other great thing about being a design blogger who also hates to make decisions for herself…you can have a post relating to items you are considering and others can leave their input and advice…helps make things a bit easier.

  • Cathleen Davidson says:

    Absolutely. And its only recently I got serious about reading blogs and writing mine, and I am already a raving fan. The information and inspiration is phenomenal. As is your blog!

  • Bethany Christensen says:

    For Sure! I think my blog has helped me stay focused and to zero in on what I am trying to do and why. It is like fine tuning my business plan every time I write a post. I love you blog and never miss a post. (sorry for the lack of comments from me). I hope you know how much I adore you!
    Bethany

  • Kathysue says:

    MARIA, I just retired as a design consultant and I started blogging as a creative outlet and to share some of my experience over the last 30 yrs. I have met so many wonderful fellow bloggers and I feel it has made me go inside of myself and really analyze some of my own techniques and taste. I love it and would never have thought it would have been so beneficial to me as a person not just in design but in life!! Go Bloggers! Kathysue

  • Velvet and Linen says:

    Starting my own blog definitely introduced me to whole new world of inspiration and information. Your beautiful blog alone has helped me develop a greater understanding of color in interior design.
    BTW: love your new chairs! I can't wait to see what you do with them!

    xo
    Brooke

  • pve design says:

    I value my blog for the many kind connections along with the clarity of exposure to so many wonderful and clever design ideas. "Keeping" a blog for me is a "bonus" and yes, I feel it has helped me to hone in on what I love. Funny, from day one, I have always pictured you with a sunny yellow sofa and a melange of those warm orange's and golden colors. Maria, you radiate a glow of sunny colors. I feel that each post is like a ray of golden sun!
    pve

  • Pangaea Interior Design, Portland Oregon says:

    Absolutely yes! My blogging has made me a better designer. I do a lot of research for many of my posts about products and materials so that I'm sure I get the details right. It's like self-imposed continuing education.

    My vote is to definitely add some of that orange in the mix :0) … do I get a vote?

  • Helen Young says:

    Absolutely! Blogging is a huge benefit to a designer. Like several folks have said, blogging keeps you up to date and also in researching for posts you learn so much. It also keeps me on my toes and gets me out into the design community meeting other designers and exchanging ideas. Plus, blogging is so much fun!!!!
    Happy weekend.
    Helen Young
    Whitehaven

  • Nicole Hough says:

    Lol – I love your quote "it's like choosing between your kids" I am going to be using that (I'm the designer who said I thought I had lost all design ability at the beginning of my kitchen rehab – my ID was showing my other business at the time 🙂
    Great post. I think what you say about blogging is true. I am currently putting together my FB page with befores & afters and thinking about using it as a mini blog.
    BTW I love Ikea 🙂 Not all of it of course but they do have some great pieces and clever design ideas, and I love to go to the store and study their vignettes. Thanks for another great post!

  • Kelly says:

    Hi Maria,

    Seriously, Colour me Happy has helped me to learn and grow so much in the past year with both my blog and as a designer. The first time I read your post, I was so excited that here was someone that understood what I was going through with this blog stuff. This article take for example! Since my first post on my blog, I feel so energized with life again. Always researching, writing, reading about design and color (which is my very favorite thing to do!). I feel I found something I love to do. Where it will lead me I don't know, but I am enjoying the ride! So yes, I do believe I have become a better educated designer.

  • Mary says:

    Kravet has a book of fabric samples called Rasberry & Mango.
    You might want to check it out.
    They are all so pretty.

  • Maria,
    Blogging about design has changed everything for me, for the better. All the research required to blog design constantly keeps my finger on the pulse of the newest things out there – and gives me lots of alternative ideas when I am considering a design plan. Since you mentioned mismatched dining chairs, you might want to check out my blog post on the subject!
    http://www.makingarrangementsblog.com/feathering-your-nest-mismatched-dining-chairs/

  • Willow Decor says:

    I agree! I have learned and been exposed to such a wealth of inspiration via blogging. It is like going to decorating school for brush ups! Great post!
    xx-Gina

  • Karen Davis - Karen Davis Design says:

    I really do think blogging is a great tool to let a potential client see who you are and what you are about. It helps make a connection. Love the post!

  • Mona Thompson says:

    As always, you had me from the title. Blogging has definitely helped me better define my style personally as well as keep me more current. I love to learn new things so I'm a little obsessed with reading blogs daily or nightly as it usually turns out. Building great inspiration files is a huge visual advantage when working with clients. As others have commented, I've learned a lot from you. By the way, I love, love the yellow and orange chairs. That entire dining room is gorgeous. Just popped that one into a file. Have a great weekend. Mona

  • Shay says:

    I agree having a blog does prompt us to constantly be looking for the latest and greatest to share. In the process we expose ourselves to sooooo much.
    Great find on the chairs !!

    I'm new to your blog, spent almost all day Saturday reading the whole thing….Love your spin on color.
    Very informative,Thank You !!
    Shay~designer junk finder

  • Ivy Lane says:

    I am not a designer, but since having a blog and visiting design blogs each day, I have gained so much knowledge and "help" with projects in my own home! Kudos to you Maria! I ordered my black awnings for my home…. can't wait to paint the front door and wooohlaa!… it'll be a few weeks..I'll post when all done…

  • Erika at BluLabel Bungalow says:

    I'm so glad to help Maria. You have been such an amazing resource for me…it was the least I could do!

  • Anonymous says:

    Maria,
    Those chairs will be just as fabulous & pop wonderfully in your raspberry and yellow scheme, who says you can't throw a touch of orange into the mix, it would look great with the green as well!

    Take care,
    Hannah

  • Mary says:

    Before I discovered design blogs (a little over a year ago – I know, I was super late to the game!) I had so much trouble trying to keep up with trends and new products. Design blogs bridged that gap for me and now I wonder what I ever did before them!? Now that I have my own blog, I teach myself something new every day! It's as if I assign myself a little mini design project everyday, research it, and then write a post about it. I love the whole process. I think I get more out of other blogs, but I really get a lot out of writing my own. What did designers do before the internet, is what I really want to know!

  • Ormolulu says:

    Found you through Shay at Designer Junk Finder–love your take on color and am delighted to see how fearless you are. I'm in Bellingham (just across the border) and specialize in vintage/antique items. LOVE those chairs–what a steal . . . can't wait to see the results!

    Debi

    P.S. Come see me at the Lynden Show October 14 – 16!!

  • Donna says:

    Hi Maria, I didn't get a chance yet to comment on your bookshelf post–but I loved it!! I also love this. I'm sure being a blogger helps. So much information being shared! Also, as you show so well, you get to see products used in 'real world' decorating. People are the best advertisers in the world and they do so on their blogs. In addition, bloggers seem to me to be the most creative people in the world. If you want to see good ideas 'in action', a blog is where that will happen. I see it all the time here on your blog. :o)

  • Acanthus and Acorn says:

    Blogging cetaintly does keep you more on top of things and learning so much from so many talented people with all kinds of tastes and perspectives!

    Love your new chairs..the style is one of my favorites!!! Funny I have always imagined that you do love yellow and orange…warmth and energy!

  • Maria, I couldn't agree more. I've been so inspired and educated by other's blogs (you know how I love yours!) that doing one myself was not only a must, but it's like a continuing education course.

  • Jane @ The Borrowed Abode says:

    Oh, I really, really love the chairs in that Steven Shubel image! I'm seeing tables with mismatched chairs more and more, but to me very few are done with the right balance.

  • Vicki says:

    I'm a firm believer in travel being the ultimate in education. Blogging is like traveling, but it has the bonus of hearing the thought bubbles of people you come across, complete with well-curated visuals. So yes, a designer who blogs will be much more exposed, therefore more knowledgeable.

  • A rootdigger says:

    How does one go about using images and magazines pics, books etc. I am relatively new, and wondering how you all get and use the pics.?? No one really tells you.

  • Lila says:

    I think that it is also good to show mini pictures or their own work as credibility to a potential client! I love to hear an expert's advice or just what they're doing these days! It's inspirational so Thank You!
    xoxo
    Lila Ferraro

  • DesignTies says:

    The chairs will be perfect, Maria!!
    I totally agree with your Ikea assessment; they have some great pieces (furniture, rugs, accessories) that help to pull a room together on a budget…but a special piece (or pieces) in a room are key to success!
    Victoria

  • Rebecca says:

    Great chairs. – good find.
    I am sure your place will be lovely. Having a friend in the design business I know that she says the hardest place to decorate is her own. Maybe that is why I can walk into a place and redecorate it mentally but have so much more trouble when it comes to mine.

  • millie says:

    Great post,as always! I am happy to have discovered intire world of design blogs,and also be a part of it.. Yes, you are right: reading blogs is like reading magazines everyday 🙂
    And,your place is going to be beautiful..looking forward to all future posts about your home
    xoxo

  • xANGELy says:

    Maria, do you know where I can find those table legs or the table itself from the first picture? Thank you.

  • Maria Killam says:

    They can be found at Ikea.

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