Blogger Archives | ConfettiStyle

Today I’ve got another edition of my Behind The Blog series. This time around I talking with my friend and fellow-designer, Erika Ward of Erika Ward Interiors and BluLabelBungalow blog.

I’ve been a big fan of Erika and her design work for years and have been honored to contribute articles to her successful blog, on several occasions.

Erika’s career as a designer started after years of working for a design-build firm and she eventually made the leap and started building her independent design business, Erika Ward Interiors.

In addition to her blossoming design career which includes features in national publications and brand partnerships, Erika is a wife and mother to 5 adorable kids. I’m continually in awe of how she does it all.

I posed few questions to Erika to learn more about her design philosophy, where here inspiration comes from and how she does it all.

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How did you get into the interior design profession and when did you start Erika Ward Interiors?

I began my career as an accountant managing multi-million dollar construction budgets for an internationally known design-build firm. In 2006, while still working in a corporate setting, I bravely started Erika Ward Interiors to satisfy my creative side and brought my business acumen and professionalism to the residential market. After three years of performing this balancing act I decided to fully commit to building Erika Ward Interiors and never looked back.

What do you love most about being an interior designer?

I love the newness of each project and working closely with individuals. Getting to know them and their family intimately helps me feel like we have a more authentic relationship.

We’d love to learn more about your design philosophy so tell us what design elements you think every home needs?

Every home needs a combination of something old and something new otherwise each room feels like a furniture showroom. That’s not exactly the look I want to bring. While I certainly want the room to feel polished, it also has to feel livable and approachable.

Where do you find your inspiration?

I find inspiration in client’s stories (career, travel, family history etc) and how they live in their home. I’m also fascinated with learning about different cultures. It’s important to me that we open our minds and even “try on” a few of their customs. I bring more depth and richness into our own lives.

How would you describe your personal design style?

The foundation of my personal style is very traditional. I love classic silhouettes paired with bright color or pattern on upholstery. Mix this with clean lines and a few organic elements like teak, woven textures, or weathered wood and I’m sold.

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

My late grandparents were incredibly business savvy. I admire them both for establishing themselves during a time where it was much more difficult for African-Americans. They always stressed the economic importance of time and money, I’ve written about this on my own blog, and they always encouraged me to work as I’m working for Christ himself and not men.

In addition to Erika Ward Interiors, you also have a popular design blog, BluLabelBungalow. Tell us how you came up with that name and what readers can expect from your blog post.

I came up with the name after purchasing our first house, a Cape Cod style bungalow in 2005. In the beginning I wrote about the intersection of fashion and interior design and was obsessed with Ralph Lauren’s Blue Label collection. I pretty much dropped the e, combined the two words and added bungalow.

The blog has evolved since then to show before and after makeovers from my client projects, trend reports, decorating advice, travel features, and most recently started a series called “Devotions for the Decorator.”

You’re a mom of 5, a wife and a business owner—can you share 3 pieces of advice for other working moms out there?

Yes!!

Create a village of people who love your family and support your journey. We have caregivers who love our children so much which gives my husband and I a piece of mind. We can work without the worry.

Make time for self-care. I’ve recently lost 55lbs in an effort to preserve my health and no longer take it for granted. The physical transformation also came with great, unexpected mental and emotional benefits too. I’m not only healthier but I’m certain it has made me an even better wife and mother.

Pray everyday, several times a day. This helps you stay connected to your purpose, stay grateful, remain humble, and provides you with the strength you need to handle life’s toughest issues.

If you could lunch with any famous woman, who would it be and what burning question would you want to ask them?

I’d love to have lunch with Ivanka Trump. I admire the balance she strikes between career and motherhood as well as her presence as a wife. On a superficial level, she’s always very poised, polished, and modestly dressed.

What 5 thing you can’t you live without?

My faith in Jesus Christ

My husband

My five children

Quiet Time

Travel / Exploration

What’s your favorite way to unwind?

Sitting in a quiet room with a hot cup of something.

I always like to throw a quirky question into the mix so tell us about your favorite things…

Favorite Book: Currently reading (again) the Five Love Languages

Favorite Movie: Steel Magnolias

Favorite Food: Mexican Cuisine

Favorite Store: Amazon Prime

Favorite Color: Blue

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Thank you Erika for sharing a little bit about your life and style with all of us!

View more of Erika’s design work here , follow her blog here and join her on Instagram here.

And join Erika and I at the Atlanta Tastemaker Summit next month for a day of design inspiration and learning.

I’m excited to bring you the very first post in my new Behind The Blog series her on ConfettiStyle and I’m even more excited to be featuring my friend and fellow interior designer Jennifer Schoenberger and Jennifer Schoenberger Design.

Photograph by Kristy Dickerson

I met Jennifer a few years ago and immediately felt her warm and genuine spirit. Since that time our friendship has blossomed and I have become one of Jennifer’s biggest fans. As a designer, she has an eye for detail, can accessorize a room like no other and designs rooms that exude the ultimate in comfort and luxury. One of the things I really love most about Jennifer’s design style is her ability to mix old and new and modern with vintage, creating spaces that feel collected, personal and timeless. And if you need some fashion inspiration, Jennifer has impeccable personal style with a love for vintage fashion.

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Recently I posed a few questions to Jennifer so that we can learn a little more about her and take a look behind her blog, Vreeland Road.

Grab a cup of coffee of let’s chat with Jennifer and take a look at more of her work…

How did you get into the interior design field? And what do you love most about design?

My career began after the purchase of our first home in Roswell. It was my first canvas and I went to work creating with paint, lighting and flea market finds. Friends and friends of friends began asking for help and it started as a little side business/hobby while working a nine to five. In 2010 I started blogging and showcasing my work and ideas, and at that point I felt like folks started to take it more seriously and business took off. What I love most about design, is helping people create a home they love living in. Our surroundings are so important to our daily lives and energy. It plays a role in everything we do, I really believe that. And being a designer is a gift. I’m so grateful (and flattered) every time a new client calls inviting me into their personal space. It’s a privilege I take very seriously.

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I know you have fabulous style but can you give me three words you think describe your personal style?

Oh gosh, it’s so hard for me to label my style. It’s a conglomerate of so many things and always changing! I think if I had to come up with three words it would be FUN, classic and a little bit rock and roll.

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Design trends come and go, but which design trend are you loving most right now? And which one do you wish would fade away?

I have to say I’m a huge fan of the notion of opposites attract. The idea of mixing an antique desk with a modern chair or hanging an ornate gold frame against a rustic, reclaimed wood wall. You see a lot of this mixing going on, traditional with modern. I’m not so sure this is a trend, so to speak, but I hope it sticks around because it creates great interest in interiors. As far as a trend I wish would go away, nothing really jumps out at me. I guess if you are going to hang your tv over your fireplace, please be discreet and creative in trying to camouflage it when not in use.

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What’s your favorite room in your home?

Right now, none of them! LOL. But if I had to pick, I’d say our kitchen/keeping room is on track to being my favorite, probably because it’s the only space close to being “finished” and it’s where we spend most of our time together.

-those drapes!

What’s your most prized decorative accessory?

My most prized decorative accessory would be anything that belonged to my Mother. For example she had a pocket watch she wore on a gold chain, and I incorporate those things into vignettes around our home as a reminder of her love and sacrifice. Being a Mom is a really hard job!

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If you could share one piece of advice with aspiring designers, what would it be?

Be fearless in your design and ideas. Stick to your guns and don’t let any contractor, vendor, husband-of-the-client talk you out of it. Nothing is more frustrating, when you come up with an idea you laid in bed all night long thinking about, to have them roll their eyes at it and think you are crazy. You are not crazy. That and be prepared when you lay out your business plan, brand, processes and procedures. Have all that ready and rocking for when the flood hits because it will be too difficult to go back and implement while trying to design the lights out of five different spaces at once.

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What’s your favorite way to rewind after a long day?

Family dinners. Hands down. I feel like our corporate culture owns us Monday through Friday, so for me it’s so important to make those days count with a family dinner around the table. It might be 8 o’clock at night by the time we all sit down, but it’s happening. And Mommy gets very angry when over-the-top coaches or sports interfere with weekday family time. It’s so important for Mom, Dad, siblings to have that connection every day. To be heard.

I know you are from Michigan and love your home town, but what do you love most about living in the south?

What I love most about living in the South is Southerners passion for living! Whether it be their homes, gardens, entertaining, the way they still “get dressed” – the South is big on living and I think it played a major role in the success of my design career. I can’t say for sure that if I was still living in Michigan, I would have developed such a passion for interiors.

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Tell me 5 things you can’t live without?