Spring will be here before you know it and freshening up your outdoor living space will help you to enjoy the nice weather and sunshine with ease. When you put effort into making your patio look nice, you’ll be more apt to invite people over and get more use out of the area. Get inspired by these beautiful outdoor living spaces and all the good times that are to come.
Anna at The Styled Fox has cozy down to a science on her back porch. The sectional is perfect for entertaining friends and provides ample sitting options. The lighting is a great touch that makes the space feel warm and inviting.
Dabito at Old Brand New’s boho inspired outdoor space pairs Moroccan patterns and earthy oranges and browns seamlessly. His adept use of plants grounds the patio, making it a perfect marriage of outdoor and indoor accessories.
I love this back porch transformation from Caitlin and Manda at The Merry Thought. Brilliant white serves as a background for the dark gray sofa and accessories. The black fence is a stark color contrast that brings the space together.
Hope you liked these patio ideas and are inspired to make your outdoor living space beautiful!
Angela Belt is a force within the design community. Her ability to integrate various styles within a design project allows limitless versatility in her approach. As an accomplished interior designer with over 10 years of experience, Angela has styled shoots for publications such as ElleDecor, Elle South Africa, LONNY Magazine, HGTV and AproChic. At Homepolish, she serves as Senior Interior Designer, where she provides commercial and residential interior design services for customers and businesses across the United States. It was a pleasure to interview Angela and see the driving force behind her success and gain some insight on how she’s navigated through the interior design industry. Check out her candid interview below.
At what age did you know that you wanted to be an interior designer? Were there clues before then?
I didn’t discover my passion for interior design until I was twenty-two, and I found a Craigslist ad for a design associate position at Room & Board in Soho. Before this time I had studied Political Science and Fine Arts at Howard University, and I was convinced this was just a job for the time being as I pursued my career as an artist in Brooklyn. But I was SO wrong, I fell in love with interior design through my experiences and mentors. What I thought was a job became a life changing career choice for me.
It was there I learned to floor plan by hand, install and re-wire overhead lighting, use a power drill like a pro, and design over 40 rooms with a team in a few months. I did this job for ten years so I can definitely design a room now. I think the clues were in my childhood, and the way I grew up. My mom really was into having a nice home. I grew up with a formal living room with a piano, white rug, and blue and white stripe furniture that you could only sit on for photos. My parents also did a lot of entertaining so I grew up being a part of party preparations and cleaning everything just right for an upcoming event. Everything had a place in my home, and my mom did not believe in the whole house being kids’ land.
What are the key elements that create a beautiful space?
I think the most beautiful rooms need to have a soul, a personality. I know that sounds a little cooky but even when I was merchandising rooms in the past I tried to imagine who lived in that space, where would they hang their coat, what pictures would be in their frames? Some of my favorite interiors are spaces that are layered, bold, and you can tell the space has developed overtime through the person’s travels, gifts for friends, and little objects that they found on a random trip somewhere.
If you could only decorate a living room with 4 items, what would they be? Why?
Oh this is a tough one but here it is: sofa, curtains, lighting, and an accent table (I’m sorry Moroccan pouf I could only list four). First, there is no way I am going to be in a living room without a comfortable place to sit, so the sofa is a must! Curtains are next because for the longest time I tried to act like they don’t matter in a space, and I recently made some for my house and it just blew my mind how different a space can feel with a little drapery on the wall. So, I’m window treatment convert now. Lighting you have to have it, and it can really add some personality to an otherwise nice room, and elevate it to a va-va-voom space. Lastly, I have to have a table or where would my tea go?!?
What’s your biggest accomplishment?
Hands down starting my own business over the past year, and working with Homepolish to make it grow. I had thought about starting my own business for awhile before I took the leap. Now that I’ve done it and I have the independence to raise my daughter and do what I love to do I just work harder everyday to keep making this dream a reality.
What advice do you have for people wanting to start a career in interior design?
I think my advice to anyone interested in pursuing interior design is to take the job seriously and absorb, digest, and learn from as many talented entrepreneurs as you can. So many people think interior design is sort of this hobby or playful type of job. But to be a professional you need to be understand the size and scale of furniture, learn the ins and outs of installations. Plus you need to be a project manager, a social media and PR person, and be organized and creative enough to overcome obstacles throughout the design process because they ALWAYS happen. However you don’t have to know all of this your first day, all you need to do is start, and reach out to others in your industry for help and advice as you grow. AND lastly, never compare yourself to others who are at different milestones in their careers. You should celebrate them, learn from them, and stay focused on where you are today and where you need to go tomorrow (sorry, I got all serious at the end there!).
Angela’s Home For Apartment Therapy Shot By Chinasa Cooper
Angela has an amazing series called 28 Black Tastemakers, which highlights African American creatives around the world. You should also visit Angela’s website to see more of her gorgeous design projects and connect on social media!
Stacey Ann Blake’s adept use of color is a wonder. Her ability to pair bold colors, patterns and greenery has landed her in the esteemed pages of Better Home & Gardens, Simple Spaces and popular design blogs like Design*Sponge and The Jungalow. Today I’m highlighting her bedroom refresh using Pantone’s color of the year, living coral. The shade is happy, bright, robust — a perfect pairing of sunshine and sherbet. Sure to brighten anyone’s mood, living coral is one of my favorite colors.
When it comes to styling small rooms, it’s not about the size but the way you manipulate colors and objects to make the space appear bigger. A studio apartment can feel light and spacious, while a large home can feel dark and heavy solely because of paint and accessory choices. Check out the tips below, to learn how to maximize your small space.
Small Legs When choosing furniture for a small space, opt for couches and seats that have skinnier legs. This trick allows your eyes to flow throughout the room without being blocked by oversized furniture legs or skirts. The Monroe Mid-Century Modern Sofa from West Elm in a lush dark turquoise is ideal for styling in close quarters. You can see all around the piece, which gives the illusion of more space.
Mirror, Mirror Mirrors reflect the available light in the room. Using one will flood your space with light, making the room appear larger. Teresa of Money Can Buy Lipstick styles her vanity to perfection in a tight space with the added help of a round mirror that performs double duty by brightening the room.
Small Art Instead of a large art pieces, choose smaller ones that don’t take up as much space visually. Large pieces weigh a room down, break it up with petite ones. Sophie at House To Home’s beautiful gallery wall is set against a light and airy neutral color and her storage is also scaled properly to her wall.
Paint The Ceiling Painting the ceiling a light and airy color automatically brightens a space, pulling your eyes upward as soon as you come in. Timothy of Timothy Mather Design uses robin egg blue in this modern kitchen to make it appear more spacious.
What are some of the things you’ve done to make a space look larger? I’d love to hear from you!
If you’re interested in content or creative direction for your brand or website, visit my Services page or email me @ thepineapplepen@gmail.com. Chat with you soon!- Emerald
We’ve been talking about ways to make your home look stylish and feel welcoming. Entryways give you a chance to make a great first impression. Whether you have a formal entryway or a tiny space between your front door and living room, there’s always a way to create the illusion of one. Get inspired with the entryways below!
Rachel of Shades Of Blue Interiors proves that you only need a tiny space to create an entryway. By styling vertically, she’s able to draw the eye upward with a coat rack, wall organizer and a rustic print at the very top. The sultry leather ottoman paired with the nautical throw pillow, touches of green and airy blue wall color are perfect.
Carla Aston of Carla Aston Designed shows how you can take advantage of a larger space. An oversized mirror bounces around the available light to brighten the entryway and living room. A pair of lamps, ottomans and a bouquet of fresh flowers are a lovely addition in this modern home.
Lindi and Russell are the artistic couple who share their home on Love Create Celebrate. This entryway combines Mid-century modern flair and patterned pillows in a stylish and accessible way. They maximize their space with a floating shelf and wall hooks. Their adept use of black and white creates contrast, while the apartment photography draws interest.
I hope that you found some inspiration to style your entryway, no matter how large or small. With a little effort and imagination, you can create a space you’ll be proud of.
