Happy New Year everyone! We've finally all made it to 2017. What a whirlwind of a year 2016 was. I know for me it was a super busy, yet extremely productive year. I began 2016 knowing that I would launch Allured By Design by either late Summer or early Fall. During the months prior to launch, I served as the Asst. Production Coordinator on an Oprah Winfrey and Ava DuVernay executive produced TV Series, titled Queen Sugar. Those of you who are brand new to my blog...I mention my filmmaking background in my very first post titled "Welcome to Allured By Design"
To familiarize yourself with my design journey and my professional career of a filmmaker, click here. Also, be sure to view my welcome video which can be found within the "Welcome to Allured By Design" blogpost itself or, simply click here.
Queen Sugar took up the first six months of my life and time in 2016 and to date it's a show I'm extremely proud to have been given the opportunity to work on. Almost immediately after I wrapped up Season 1 of Queen Sugar, I hit the ground running and switched gears to all things Allured By Design. Lots of planning, prepping, decorating, designing, curating and staging photo shoots consumed my life for the last six months of 2016. I was offered the opportunity to coordinate two other projects right after I wrapped up Queen Sugar, but had to muster up the courage and wisdom to say no.
While my bank account would've been an even happier camper, it was imperative for me to follow my heart and stay committed to my own personal goals of preparing for my launch.
And, I can't tell you how happy I am that I stuck to my gut and stayed the course of putting my passion first, by not taking on the other two film projects. I was truly in my element like none other and there were days I absolutely couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it was finally about to be REAL. Finally the day of launch was within reach and I'd be able to share with the world what I've been so passionate about for years, albeit a secret passion.
I honestly didn't have a long list of expectations if any at all for that matter, with regards to the launch of my design blog. I simply just wanted to share my love for all things interior design and was open to whatever opportunities God would usher into my life. However, while I was open to opportunities and great connections, I was still unsure and skeptical of how everything would work. How come? But of course, I'm so happy asked 😉
As I've mentioned before in one of my previous blogposts...from the outskirts, I could very well see how tedious and time consuming blogging in general is...no matter what the topic. Be it you're a lifestyle blogger, food blogger, fashion blogger, pop-culture blogger or design blogger, it all takes a great deal of commitment, time, diligence and even discipline. And, of course the skill of actually knowing how to write. I mean c'mon...it actually does begin there, Outside of your passion for what you're writing about, you do need to know how to actually write, how to formulate sentences and weave a story together in my not so humble opinion.
While I am aware and do realize blogging is the art of less formal writing, I'll always and forever respect the artistic craft of writing in general because...
Most importantly, I AM a writer and I respect the art in its most purest form
I've been writing since grade school and have won several writing competitions
I actually studied the art of screenwriting and crafting stories while in Film School
But back to the tedious and time consuming task of blogging...
Aside from writing, passion is just the beginning part to ignite the desire to blog in the first place. The art and business of blogging alone is separate from the passion of the subject matter altogether. And, I honestly had no clue how I would make it all work...How I'd be able to make room for my filmmaking career AND add on the responsibilities of being a design blogger simultaneously. The great thing about the last six months of 2016 is, I was able to solely focus on launching, building, branding and marketing Allured By Design. So essentially, I didn't have to overwhelm myself with dual responsibilities of coordinating a show, all while running and maintaining a blog.
Now at the start of 2017, I'm in early negotiations to once again join the production team of Queen Sugar and come aboard as one of the three Coordinators to coordinate logistics for Season 2. While I haven't officially signed off on my deal just yet...it is looking likely that I'll be returning and expected to begin work at the end of this month. With that being the case, this year indeed will be the challenge, especially with Season 2 set to be a longer shooting schedule than Season 1, as the OWN Network and our parent company Warner Bros./Warner Horizon has ordered an additional three episodes on top of the original thirteen. Yes, longer indeed!
Honestly, it'll be virtually impossible for me to successfully maintain both simultaneously - design blog and coordinate a show. Mainly because I work excessively long hours in film production. No nine to five here, more like twelve to fourteen hour minimums. Filmmaking is NOT for the faint at heart. It may look all glitzy and glamorous to the viewers. But trust me when I tell you, the crew members working behind the camera...we're all busting our butts and putting in insane hours, blood, sweat, occasional frustration and tears to create a product in the form of a TV Series or film for all viewers to not only be entertained by, but to also connect with. And, although it's a serious grind to create and produce a television series or feature film, there are also tons of fun and hilarious moments involved, especially if you have a great team all working together to tell a great story.
The art of storytelling is my sole reason why I went to film school to become a filmmaker in the first place. Character driven stories that touch us at our core can make such a difference in our lives. Oftentimes we see ourselves or our loved ones in some of the characters we view on television or in a film. We connect with those characters and they pull at our heartstrings. They bring comedy and joy into our lives and even sorrow and sadness. They evoke reflection and even offer us inspiration. But in the end, there is no denying that a well written story or television series or feature film, has the power and ability to evoke a wide range of feelings and emotions within us, even our innermost feelings.
While the tasks and responsiblitiies of design blogging is definitely different from my filmmaking career - the one similarity that I love is being able to share my posts with you in the form of writing and developing a well written story. For those of you who know me personally and know my background as a writer, I'm sure you've caught onto the fact that I approach writing my blogposts in the same manner that I approach writing in the filmmaking world. It ALL begins with a story. Every room that I style and decorate in #HousePiazza begins and ends with a story, down to the most minute detail.
With each post, my goal is to always take you all along that journey with me and to share not only the beautiful photos and videos of what I've designed and styled...but to share with you the story behind each look that I've curated. Outside of enjoying sharing and extending my interior decorating passion to and with you all...I also desire for many of you to be able to connect with either my words, my journey, my passion, my experience or just with the story I'm sharing altogether.
It's my hope that while 2017 will indeed be a huge challenge for me regarding my time and plate being full and stretched to the max...you all will be patient with me as I navigate all that's on my plate and work HARD to have a successful year nonetheless. While my actual blogposting and perhaps even my social media posting may indeed become far and few in between while I'm contracted on Queen Sugar, believe me as soon as I wrap up Season 2...it'll all be worth the wait for the future rooms and looks that I'll be revealing on my blog later this year.
With that being said...For me, it's back to business as usual, as I'm starting this New Year off with a clean home office gearing up for days and weekends I'll be working from home. Christmas and Holiday decor is all packed up and put away and I believe I'm now officially ready for the grind that 2017 will be.
Sources:
Interior Styling By: Allured By Design
Photo Still By: Stacy Marks Photography
Shooting Location: House Piazza
Home Decor: Short & Tall Gold Vases - Target, Gold Sunburst - Target, Gold Fleur De Lis - Niche Modern Home, Faux White Roses/Gold Striped Flower Pot - Kirkland's, Apothecary Vase & Vase Filler - Cost Plus World Market
Some of the very first inquiries I received when I launched my blog this past October 2016, were requests to show wider shots and views of my home office. As I mentioned above, considering that my future posts at least for the first half of 2017 may indeed be far and few in between, I wanted to make sure that my very first blogpost of 2017 would indeed oblige those initial inquiries and share some new home office photos with you all...Wider views and just some really great and wonderful shots, recently captured by Stacy Marks.
In addition, I'm also re-sharing previous shots of my home office taken by John Dilosa of Asolid Photography. You'll see some of those shots added into the gallery mix below as well, to paint an even better picture of the overall look, in addition to close-ups of the home decor details.
Sources:
Interior Styling By: Allured By Design
Photo Still By: Stacy Marks Photography
Shooting Location: House Piazza
Home Office Furniture: - Desk, Glass Hutches, Consoles & Shelf - Ballard Designs (Tuscan Return Group Collection)
Home Office Chairs: Swivel Desk Chairs - Pottery Barn, Moore Wingback Chairs - Home Decorators Collection
Home Decor: Short & Tall Gold Vases - Target, Ampersand Sign - Hobby Lobby, Zebra Striped Cannisters - Pier 1
I actually talk about the inspiration behind the design of my Home Office in one of my first posts as well. However, in an effort to not be linguistically redundant, please catch up on that particular blogpost by clicking here.
But, just to share and expand on my home office design within this blogpost as well...
My main goal for my home office was to have a beautiful, creatively inspiring, bright, airy and functional space. But I wanted something that didn't look like a traditional home office, yet something a bit more custom. Storage space was crucial and imperative as I manage a LOT of paperwork in my filmmaking career. In addition, the large amounts of mail that come through me and my husband's home is enough to have it's own filing system. I can be a bit of a hoarder when it comes to data and information. I don't believe in throwing anything away until I know for certain I no longer have a need for it.
So again, a home office with lots of storage drawers and shelves were non-negotiable. Adding in all of my decor pieces and styling the home office for me was the easy part. The challenge was finding furniture pieces that would offer somewhat of a custom look, in addition to providing dual desk components that both me and my husband could utilize and work from.
After a long search, my husband and I finally found this beautiful home office collection from Ballard Designs called the Tuscan Return Office Group. What I love most about this collection is the ability to customize the pieces to suit your space no matter how big or small, in addition to it being available in a variety of colors. You can be as creative as you'd like to be with ordering however many shelving units and cabinets needed to suit your home office space. Obviously the more you order, the more your cost increases. But, the beauty is having the option to customize your layout according to your home office needs.
We've had our home office furniture collection, which includes the desk, glass cabinet hutches and consoles, and additional shelving cabinet for about two years now (this Spring) and I love it more and more every single day. The message board/cork-board pictured in the photo below is also from Ballard Designs but sold separately from the home office collection.
Design Tip: I would highly recommend to anyone that's looking for non-traditional home office furniture, to check out the Tuscan Return Office Group collection and see what pieces can work best in your space. To view the entire collection, click here.
Sources:
Interior Styling By: Allured By Design
Photo Still By: Stacy Marks Photography
Shooting Location: House Piazza
Home Decor: Petite Gold Burst Round Mirrors - Pier 1 Imports
Sources:
Interior Styling By: Allured By Design
Photo Still By: Stacy Marks Photography
Shooting Location: House Piazza
Home Office Chairs: Swivel Desk Chairs - Pottery Barn, Moore Wingback Chairs - Home Decorators Collection
Home Decor: Black & Ivory Pillows - Home Goods, Flocked Geometric Curtains & Gold Pillows - Pier 1 Imports,
Gold Mosaic Vase - Pier 1 Imports, Black Open Frame - Hobby Lobby, Arlington Brass Wall Sconce - Pottery Barn
Faux Sheepskin Area Rug - Home Decorators Collection
I still have yet to do a gallery wall video and/or blogpost for you guys. It's coming just bear with me. I've definitely received a few inquiries on my fab gallery wall from folks who are anxious to install one in their own home and just not sure where to begin. So hopefully sometime this year, I'll be able to deliver on that and give you guys a brief, yet detailed tutorial on how I approached designing my own home office gallery wall and provide you all with some design tips.
In addition, I hope to do a full home office tour on camera walking you all through every little detail of my home office. While I do believe the wider shots and angles showcase a great deal of detail...getting it all on camera would be even better and just allow me to divulge even more source information and really go into the story behind each furnishing and home decor piece in the space. In short, it'll save me time on writing a mini-book on the details of my home office and instead put together a little short video 😉
But for now in the interim...enjoy the gallery of photos and details below.
And to begin wrapping it up...
Quite the agenda I have set for 2017. I'll need every vitamin, every ounce of energy, strength, patience, prayer and most of all God to get me through this very ambitious schedule. Once I wrap up Season 2 of Queen Sugar...as I did in 2016, I hit the ground running to prep for a huge photo shoot and video shoot of #HousePiazza all in an effort to reveal more content to you guys. And, from there the holiday season and holiday looks begin all over again. I'm tired already, lol. But as I mentioned much earlier, it'll be well worth the wait for the amazing looks I'm working to create.
2017 is just barely scratching the surface, yet I'm already thinking about 2018 being the year that I'll more than likely become full-time with my ABD brand and begin to accept and take on clients on a more consistent basis. While I didn't create a vision board this year, I'm just speaking or rather typing one of my goals into reality here on my blog 😉
Also, while I don't know the future, what I do know is, In the past few months...
I'm growing to love and respect design blogging much more than I thought I would
I've grown to truly love the social media design community, in particular Instagram and the opportunities and connections it continues to open for me. Who would've thought?
It's only a matter of time before my idea for 2018 becomes a reality
Until then, I'll be hustling and working to manage it all. Once again, Happy New Year everyone. May the 2017 year be a year of completion for you all, as the number 7 represents completion and finality. May this year be the year that internal conflicts come to an end, decisions that need to be made are made and that any of your creative goals and desires can all move in the direction of manifestation.
As always thank you all so much for your love and continued support. Feel free to reach out to me with any design questions, inquiries or concerns by clicking here. And, be sure to follow us on FB and on Instagram. Let's all make it happen in this new year and beyond ;)
With Love,
Tachic-