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Design Camp with AB Chao

design camp

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending AB Chao’s Design Camp here in LA! Design Camp is a weekend interior design workshop with decorator + stylist AB Chao. At Camp you learn everything from interior design basics to magazine-worthy styling; how to apply what you’ve learned to your own space; and insider tips on making your place a beautiful, happy place to be.

Design Camp

(AB’s photo from Design Camp NYC)

Design Camp was lots of fun, and a big motivator to put more thought into the layout and decor in our apartment. We’ve been living in our current space for over two years now, and it’s never felt quite finished, so I’ve been looking for ways to feel more at home in our apartment.

My number one lesson from Design Camp: draw a layout of your home to see the space as it really is. I love to rearrange the furniture in our house, but I would often find that things didn’t quite fit right once I’d finished moving them around. Drawing the floor plan of our apartment on graph paper helped me to visualize the different arrangements we could achieve before lugging the sofa across the apartment.

treats from design camp

(I contributed Cotton & Flax postcard sets to the goodie bags each attendee received)

AB posted a recap of LA Design Camp, in case you’re curious about attending when Design Camp visits your hometown! While my experience was a little less glamorous (since I was helping out as an intern), I learned some amazing interior design tips I’ll be applying to my own home in the weeks to come. Maybe I’ll even share some before/after photos here on the blog!

A Luxurious, Bohemian Studio

bohemian decor

I’ve been mentally rearranging my living room a lot lately, I’m really itching for a change. I put together this little collection while I was imagining the perfect bohemian corner where I could sit and sketch out new ideas for Cotton & Flax patterns.

  1. Satellite 3 Light from Schoolhouse Electric
  2. Honeycomb Pot from Terrain
  3. Torque Stool (used as a side table) from Anthropologie
  4. Cordage Chair from Anthropologie
  5. Gold Triangle Pillow from Cotton & Flax
  6. Kasbah Wool Rug from West Elm

 

A little pattern never hurts.

patterned decor

I’ve been thinking about the many ways you can add pattern to your decor, and while textiles are my favorite, I compiled another collection that uses pattern in different ways. In paticular, I love the way that the Eames chair creates repetitive shapes in the design of the chair, without using any fabric at all.

  1. Factory Light No. 7 from Schoolhouse Electric
  2. November Frost print from Amber Alexander
  3. Diamond Pillow from Cotton & Flax
  4. Mrs. Godfrey Chair from Jonathan Adler
  5. Eames DKR Chair from 1st Dibs
  6. Brasilia Stripes bowl from Jonathan Adler
  7. Ilmari Tapiovaara Coffee Table from Finnish Design Shop
  8. Jute Rug from West Elm

Feminine vs. Masculine

masculine decor

Living with your significant other can provide all sorts of decorating challenges. For my boyfriend and I, that’s meant finding a way to display his many collections, while also finding space on the wall for the various art pieces I’ve collected over the years.

While I don’t consider myself very girly (I’m pretty sure I don’t own any pink clothing…), it has been tricky for us to compromise between decor that leans towards the masculine or feminine. Even for couples who have similar taste in decor, it seems that there is always something contentious about decorating your home together.

As a couple, we can agree on a few things: we prefer clean lines and neutral colors. I put together a little collection of items that I think we’d both love to incorporate into our own living room.

*The best part of this collection? Everything was made in the USA! Except for that little ceramic planter, that’s from Belgium, but I loved it too much not to include it. You could certainly find a unique ceramic piece that’s similar on Etsy!

1. Painting from Jeremy Miranda (I believe he’ll do custom pieces)

2. Mulberry Tripod Floor Lamp from Schoolhouse Electric

3. Petrie Sofa from Crate & Barrel

4. & 5. Pillows from Cotton & Flax

6. Amersley Coffee Table from Schoolhouse Electric

7. Ceramic Planter from Terrain

Grown Up Gift Guide

Can I share a secret? My apartment still doesn’t make me feel like a grown-up. I’m stuck in the post-college phase of home decorating – including a half broken IKEA couch and an assortment of dishes from four different thrift stores. I know I am not the only one out there coveting a more “grown up” home, so I thought I’d put together a gift guide for anyone looking to make their home look a little more put-together.

1. Cushy hand-knit throw blanket (DIY!) from Purl Bee
2. Custom Terrarium from Chaparral Studio
3. Wooden spoons from Schoolhouse Electric
4. Throw pillow from Cotton & Flax
5. Chemex coffee maker from Schoolhouse Electric

Cotton & Flax… in the Desert

I’ll be traveling through the Southwest a few times this holiday season, and I’m excited to be visiting desert climates. I’ll be visiting my boyfriend’s family in Arizona, participating in the awesome Feliz Holiday Sale in Austin (which I know, isn’t technically the desert…), and finally taking a small vacation in Palm Springs. Los Angeles sometimes has a desert vibe (no rain for months on end, anyone?), but traveling through a true desert is eye opening.

I created a small wishlist of things I would love to redecorate my living room with, inspired by the colors and textures of desert living.

1. Prickly Pear print from Becca Stadtlander 2. Concrete Planter from Nobuhiro Sato 3. Eames Rocker from Art of Vintage on 1stDibs 4. Bright Poppy Plus Pillow from Cotton & Flax

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