My Current Favorite Interior Design Blogs

The interior design blogging world is full of immensely talented people. I truly admire their hard work and talent, and appreciate that they are willing to share it online with the world. Blogs and Pinterest have profoundly changed the interior design world over the past several years, and I'm thrilled to be a small part of it here at May Richer Fuller Be. I've learned so much about interior design in both writing this blog and helping others with their homes. Pursuing this blog and my new e-design business have inspired me to be more creative, helped me define my home and design styles, and challenged me to pursue my passions.

And you know what? I couldn't do what I do here without being a part of and observing the creative community. Lately, since launching my e-design business, I've been particularly drawn to the talents and portfolios of several interior designers. The spaces they've put together are an incredible inspiration, and today I thought I'd share a few of my current favorites with y'all. You're probably familiar with some of them, but I hope to introduce you to a few new ones as well. It's time to grab a cup of coffee and stay awhile, because you're about to fall into the black hole of some beautiful homes!

*Please give these awesome designers and sites the love they deserve - pin from the original source! Links are below the photos.

Studio McGee

This is one talented lady. I don't think there's a single project she's done that I haven't wanted to be in my home. Her clean, transitional/modern style is just amazing.

{Studio McGee}

{Studio McGee}

withHEART

Jennifer Stagg has done a lot of great client projects, but my favorite right now is her own home renovation. It's getting a makeover from the ground up and I can't wait to see it when it's all finished. 

{withHEART}

{withHEART}

Emily Henderson

Emily Henderson has always an out of the box thinker. I've been following her since her Design Star days on HGTV and have really come to appreciate her style. She's willing to push the limits way more than I am- I'm always amazed at her ability to use many different styles and make them cohesive in a space.

{Emily Henderson}

{Emily Henderson}

House of Jade Interiors

House of Jade Interiors was started by one of my favorite bloggers, Kirsten Krason (her old blog was 6th Street Design School), and another interior designer, Erin Morgan. Together, the two of them are a dynamic duo that create gorgeous, bright spaces like the ones you see below.

{House of Jade Interiors}

{House of Jade Interiors}

The Hunted Interior

I've been a big fan of Kristen's work for a long time. She's not scared to DIY and is constantly changing up her home to fit her and her family's needs. Like Emily Henderson, she has a crazy awesome ability to mix and match different styles beautifully. 

{The Hunted Interior}

{The Hunted Interior}

Homepolish

Ok, so this one's not actually a single designer, but the work this group of designers does is gorgeous! Homepolish is an interior design service that employs many designers all across the country and it is one of the inspirations for my e-design biz. 

{Homepolish}

{Homepolish}

Amber Interiors

Amber Interiors seems to pop up everywhere I look. I especially love her kitchens and bathrooms for their modern, but still classic style. There's always a unique touch in every space that makes it truly special.

{Amber Interiors}

{Amber Interiors}

Tessa Neustadt

Last, but not least is actually a photographer! Several of the blogs you see above employ Tessa to shoot their finished spaces and man, she's good. Her portfolio is FULL of incredible interior shots. I just felt like I couldn't leave her out of this lineup even though she's not an interior designer herself. 

{Tessa Neustadt}

{Tessa Neustadt}

So those are my current faves. What I want to know from you is who are your favorites? Who do I need to check out and add to my feed reader? I'm always on the lookout for more inspiration!

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Light and Bright Office Inspiration

I'm so excited about getting started on this office nook project I mentioned yesterday. To keep me on track, I thought I'd pull together some inspiration photos that have the look I'm going for with this space. I want it to be light and bright, and most of what I have in our bedroom/office already falls into that category, so I'm not totally starting from scratch, but I've got some work to do before my new job starts in December.

So here are a few (ok, more like ten) spaces I've come across that have that look and feel I want our office to have by the time I'm done with it.

{Sugar and Cloth on The Everygirl}

{The Doctor's Closet on The Glitter Guide}

{Grey and Scout}

{Chez Larsson}

{Recently}

{Fabulous K on La Dolce Vita}

{The Glitter Guide}

{A Merry Mishap}

{BHG}

{BHG}

Lovely, yes?

I've already mentioned that I want lots of white, and you can see that clearly in these photos! Clean-lined furniture, pops of color with accessories, and functional (and pretty) storage/organization are important to me. My hope is to create an office that doesn't totally feel like an office since at the end of the day, I do have to sleep in this room too :). Oh the joys of a small apartment!

In case you, too are looking for some light and bright office inspiration, here's a little graphic you can pin for reference later :).

On Using Gift Cards (and Paper Source) {31 Days: Day 15}

Ok, I have a confession to make. I am a self-proclaimed gift card hoarder. I have a terrible habit of stashing gift cards that people have so generously given me and not spending them. I can just hear all you shoppers out there going, WHAT?! WHY?

Case in point: I still have a couple of gift cards from our wedding to Bed, Bath and Beyond. How long ago was our wedding you might ask? Oh, three and a half years ago.

Whoops.

I somehow got this idea in my head that I have to save gift cards for the perfect item. I fear that if I don't spend it on the right thing, that that money goes to waste. But why? Why do I feel this way? It's kind of a ridiculous thought. Gift cards are an incredibly wonderful gift, because the giver has given YOU the freedom to pick anything you want, which is pretty fantastic. That should be freeing, not fear-inducing.

Does anyone else have this problem, or am I the only weirdo that holds onto gift cards for years at a time?

So in the spirit of this series, I am using what I have...in the form of gift cards...to buy something I'll love.

And I'm starting with a gift card I have to Paper Source.

Being a sucker for all things paper-related, Paper Source is one of my favorite places to wander around. Yesterday I dropped by there on my way home, and besides oogling at and taking inspiration from all the gorgeous things they have, I used my gift card to purchase a 2014 planner. I'm a big fan of using a paper agenda for blog planning and brainstorming, so all-things-blog will fill these pages in 2014.

If you're interested in grabbing one for yourself, this is the 2014 Large Gold Date Book and it is purty. Not only am I a sucker for all things paper related, I'm a sucker for all things shiny. I figure if I'm going to be carrying this pretty lady around for a year, she might as well be easy on the eyes.

But I'll tell you, when it comes to things like planners, I actually care a lot more about what's inside than what the cover looks like, and I found that this one fits my blog planning needs perfectly. Let me show you why...

The first pages contain monthly calendars, which I love, because I like to see the big picture of what's coming so I can plan ahead.

The next section contains weekly calendars with the days of that particular week on the left side and then a blank, lined page on the right. The blank, lined right side is really what sold me on this one. I'm a major, major list maker and I like for my lists to be in close proximity to corresponding plans for that week. Does that make sense?

For example, if I'm planning to do a DIY post, I'll often have a checklist of items that I need to accomplish before I'm able to post about it on the blog - things like buy/round up materials, take photos of each step, edit photos, write the post... I don't always write out all the steps in my planner, but sometimes I find it helps keep me focused and on schedule. If I don't need to write up a to-do list for that week's post, then I can use the space for brainstorming.

It might seem a little old school to use a paper planner when I've also got an iPhone, but this is what I've found works best for me so I'm rollin' with it. I do use my Google calendar for personal and work-related calendars, especially when collaborating with others. That's super handy.

I'd say I made good use out of my gift card (thanks to my brother and sister-in-law for the gift!), and I can't wait until the end of the year when I can start using it!

Now I want to hear from y'all. Are you on the paper agenda bandwagon? Technology all the way? A mix of both like me? I'm curious!

Speaking of paper calendar-y items, tomorrow is the official launch of my 2014 desk calendar in my Etsy shop. Come back tomorrow for more details on that!


Read the series from the beginning...

Defining My Style: Kitchens

{Style At Home}

We're making our way though this semi-regular series I'm calling "Defining My Style" and today we're onto one of my favorite parts of the house - the kitchen! So far, we've talked exteriors, entryways and living rooms, but I've gotta say, the photos I've gathered of kitchens might be my favorite so far.

For me, nothing beats a white kitchen. It's classic, clean and I'm pretty sure I'll never get tired of it. So forgive me if you're sick of white kitchens, because you're about to be overloaded :).

{Amber Lewis via Casa Sugar}

White is definitely my go-to cabinet color, and I like the idea of mixing solid wood with glass front doors for an open, airy feeling.

I'm also a huge fan of light-colored stone counter tops (marble, quartz, granite...all of them are lovely).

{Terra Cotta Properties via HGTV)

Beadboard or planks are also a must for me in some capacity. Be it on the ceiling...

{Coastal Living}

...or on a kitchen island. I like the nod to the cottage-style without it being too kitschy.

Speaking of islands, I think it's pretty fun for it to be a different color than the rest of the cabinetry. I'm digging this light aqua one below:

{At Home Arkansas via House of Turquoise}

It adds a little something extra, don't you think?

{BHG}

Let's talk lighting for a moment. I'm in love with these glass ball pendants in the next photo. Pendants are my favorite kind of lighting for a kitchen. They can really add some something unique and different.

{Style At Home}

In addition to regular ole cabinets (solid or glass-front), I like the idea of mixing in a little bit of open shelving. Not too much, but a little for everyday dishes, cookbooks, or to show off some favorite serving pieces. These natural wood ones and the white ones in the following photo are some of current faves.

{Our House}

{Jenna Sue}

(P.S. I also love simple subway tile for a backsplash. Another classic choice! Seeing a trend here?)

And even though I said I'm all about white kitchens, I'm certainly not against adding color in with accessories, dishes, etc. I mean, how awesome are these BRIGHT orangey-coral bar stools? So fun!

{BHG}

And lastly, I'm sold on the look of a giant farmhouse sink with an apron front. Another nod to the cottage style.

{Houzz}

{Young House Love}

{Neely Design}

Alrighty, so how does all of this tie into my style? Overall, I'm a classic, cottage-style, white-with-pops-of-color, clean-lined kitchen kind of gal. 

And how about you? What's your kitchen style? Are you with me on the white kitchen bandwagon, or are you SO over it? Let's talk. I'd love to see a photo of the kitchen that represents YOUR style!

Thanks, as always, for reading! Come back tomorrow for a FUN giveaway, especially if you're looking for a gift for a little one in your life!

Equestrian-Inspired Spaces

And they're off!

Nothing gets my heart pounding faster than cheering on my chosen horse in the Kentucky Derby every year. I have an undying love for this event that stems from my years of horseback riding growing up. Fun fact: I really wanted to be a professional jockey for awhile... unfortunately, those career aspirations faded away by about 9th grade, since I was already 5'8". Oh well. :) I did compete on my high school's equestrian team though, so I guess that makes up for it? Ok, maybe not quite the equivalent. I never lost interest in the Derby though, and every year, the first Saturday in May revolves around that two-minute horse race.

In honor of the 139th Run for the Roses, I thought I'd round up a few of my favorite equestrian-inspired spaces. I think of this style as classic with a touch of utilitarian, worn-in/rustic, and comfortable. It leans towards farmhouse, maybe? Let's take a tour of my take on equestrian-inspired decor.

{source}

{source}

{source}

{source}

{source}

{source}

{source}

Man, collecting these photos sure made me miss my days of horseback riding. Maybe one day I'll have a chance to get back into it.

Anyone going to or hosting a Derby party this weekend? I'll definitely be making some mint juleps in honor of the race and placing some friendly bets on who I think will be the winning horse!