I'm so happy Elizabeth asked me to participate in this fun 'Fess Up' series. I love following The Little Black Door because I think Elizabeth is so talented and creative. There is always something new and exciting happening here. As I look around my house I wonder how much the blogs I read have influenced my decor and even my home accessory purchases. There has been plenty of influence for sure. But, at the same time, I want my home to be original and don't want to compromise my aesthetic in order to stay true to what I love and feel represents 'me'. I mean really, how many times have you seen something on the Internet that you don't like, but after the 100th time you see it you start warming up to it. So, is your true taste that first impression of something where you love it or hate it right away? or is it that which you have learned to love or hate through time? This is what I'm trying to come to terms with lately. So, for today, I'm presenting you with unscripted, unstyled, and impromptu iPhotos of different vignettes around my house that scream "she is a blogger.....and she has been influenced". Here is the tour-
I got this poster when I started reading blogs. It was my first 'blog influenced' purchase. I didn't even have a blog back then or even knew I wanted to write one!
I also got my brass pencil holder before I knew I wanted to blog. You see it in all the blogger's desks...I know....but I really love this one. Boy do I need to sharpen those pencils.
I adore this marblelized tray. My sweet friend gave it to me because she saw it on my blog so she knew I would love it. This is a nice perk of having a blog- friends who read it will always give you the perfect gift! And, of course, added to this vignette is the Nate Berkus for Target sea urchin (sold out, exactly, because who doesn't have it?).
The infamous Ikea sheepskin. This is one trend I didn't like. At all. The Nordic decorating style is not much to my taste. But it kept growing on me after seeing it over, and over, and over again. And now....I adore it. We fight for this chair because it is so cozy to have breakfast in with that nice wool warming your back.
More Nate Berkus for Target (the brass bowl and the snake box). I wasn't into snakes before and now I can't get enough of them. They were too edgy for me....but I have started embracing that darker side. The box is just so good and for the price it was a no-brainer. And of course there are hundreds of DIYs now around my house...like those faux malachite boxes inspired by The Aestate. Love them as if they were real. Being inspired by a blog usually ends up with me DYing something or cooking something. So, yes more blog influence here.
What blogger does not have some sort of gallery wall? I think we all do. This one above is on a bookshelf and the one below is in my daughter's room. It's rare we see a home nowadays in magazines and decor blogs that does not have a gallery wall. It's almost a requirement.
Through my blog reading I am constantly being to introduced wonderful artists, a positive thing for sure. As a result, there are many 'blogger' pieces in my home so you can say these are blog influenced as well. Above you will see an example with prints from The Aestate and the Pink Pagoda.
Here is another DIY inspired by Jamie from Furbish. Cute for a kid's playroom. It's so great to be inspired by others. You take an idea and then make-it your own. I have some friends who saw my little creation and went off to do theirs. This is exciting stuff.
See? more marblelized things....I bet you all have seen these boxes....well I was obsessed with them so my husband surprised me with them for Valentine's. I love the color, the texture...EVERYTHING about them.
And can you believe I never knew what Staffordshire dogs were before I started blogging? I had no idea. The more I saw them the more in love I would fall. So I asked for these for my last birthday. They look like my husband which makes me so happy. They are perfect.
I'm so happy to be introduced to so many wonderful and beautiful new things, fabulous trends and genius ideas and solutions through my blog reading, but at the same time, I don't want to fall prey to the lemming syndrome. It's quite a balance we need to strike- being 'of the time' without losing our identity. So, fess up- Are you influenced by what you see on blogs and pinterest? Or do you hold your own strongly and whistle your own tune? or is it a mix like me?
Hi Albertina! You have amazing style and taste, so you could make anything work in your home. I am definitely pinning away, and love what I see. However, I don't usually move really far from where I am at. I have a fear of snakes, so even though it looks amazing everywhere, it would always be a no for me. I like to watch other people try things.
ReplyDeletei love all those glimpses- what fabulous style! thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love Albertina! Her style and taste is impeccable!
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI love your post. I stay true to me, however I now have the courage to wallpaper my entire bedroom from being influenced by blogs. So blogs push me to "do it". And I so appreciate the diversity in style and celebrate everyone who is so generous in sharing.
Sharon
Love Albertina's blog :) I have to say I get inspiration from blogs and love them but I want to try to stick to my own design style even if it's not the most popular. xo Kristin
ReplyDeleteI am so influenced by blogs too, including Albertina's! Unlike her though I usually don't try many of teh things I see...just lust over them in other people's homes.
ReplyDeleteAlbertina- for me, this post was spot on! I've considered starting a blog recently and this is definitely something I've thought about. I think what it comes down to though is that the blogs you read reflect your "style tribe", if you will. In other words, you are only following blogs that remind you of your own style- like you said you said, Nordic isn't really your style so I am guessing you don't follow any Scandinavian blogs! In real life I am the only person in my group that is reading design blogs. Other people around me might be reading motherhood blogs, or food blogs, or fashion blogs because that is what interests them. The internet is such a great way to connect with people we have something in common with. So I guess what I am trying to say is we should not feel like lemmings but the fabulous stylish people we are who are lucky enough to be around other stylish and fabulous people!
ReplyDeleteHi Liz,
DeleteSince you don't have a blog I will reply here. I love the way you think about it. I think I agree....we kind of find those blogs that have similar aesthetics to ours. You should start a blog! It's hard work but it's fun for sure. Let us know if you do!
This is something on my mind all too often. :) I think you have to strike a balance. It's like working retail…you're surrounded by stuff so much that you start thinking you need all of it. But if you just have what everyone else has, than what's the fun in that.
ReplyDeleteGreat fess up! You have a beautiful home and style!
This is something on my mind all too often. :) I think you have to strike a balance. It's like working retail…you're surrounded by stuff so much that you start thinking you need all of it. But if you just have what everyone else has, than what's the fun in that.
ReplyDeleteGreat fess up! You have a beautiful home and style!
What a fun and creative home! I love all the color! I think I am full of inventive ideas, but then I see them all over blogland (like black & white striped ribbon that I bought LAST YEAR for this Christmas - apparently the whole rest of the world did too!) I like a home that is filled with the personality of it's owners and clearly Albertina you've got a lot of personality!
ReplyDeleteLove learning more about Albertina! Such cute snippets from her home. And Im totally guilty of lusting after and showcasing big blog items ;)
ReplyDeleteI love this post! I often ask myself the same thing, "Do I love this really, or do I just love it because I've seen it a thousand times" It's hard to stay true to your own aesthetic when you spend all day looking at other peoples! Love the Staffordshire dogs! I have the exact same one, but not lucky enough to have a pair!
ReplyDeleteI have a gallery wall haha!
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your lovely comments. Elizabeth, I love that your readers are so engaged. This is one of the reasons why I love this series because it touches on topics that we all have strong opinions on. What a great exchange. And Thank you Elizabeth for the honor of letting me guest post. have a lovely weekend! xx
ReplyDeleteOh, Albertina, I think we are all guilty of the blogger-influence purchases or decorating decision...me especially! I know I was very into mid-century modern design at its height and have definitely backed away from that look...just as everyone else is doing the same thing on the blogs I read.
ReplyDeleteThis was such a fun, "oh I can relate to that" post!
Beautiful vignettes and of course as a fellow colour lover, I am loving all the colour! I don't think I've ever seen the keep calm poster in orange; love it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a funny and great idea for a series...dying over how many of these things we share...in additionto our Camo flats! Crazy! LOVE your style A, and of course yours too E!:)
ReplyDeletexx
Sue
I absolutely LOVE this! How is possible NOT to be influenced by all that we're seeing? I love all of your vignettes, Albertina!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for a post...and I loved seeing glimpses of the home of one of my favorite bloggers! Thanks Albertina and Elizabeth!!
ReplyDeleteThis was my favorite, "fess up friday" thus far! I've pulled away from a lot of blog interaction lately because of this (evaluating where I want to be). I love all styles but tend to not have the heavy eclectic vibe that a lot of design bloggers have. I think they are all so amazingly talented, but if something is not me, I just can't bring it into my home. I've been evaluating where that puts me and where I should be. I haven't figured it out quite yet, but I do know that I wish there were more design blogs who just embraced a love for all styles, as opposed to one (eclectic). I've had a few design bloggers confess this to me over the last couple years. How they don't feel they can be themselves and decorate their homes with their taste because of what trends on design blogs. I'm a relatively young blogger, these were all ready established bloggers who confessed this. I think this is so sad that to stay popular and relevant online, good designers suppress their talents and tastes and jump on a bandwagon. I don't want to do that, even if I do not get any more visits to my blog. So, I dance to my own tune and embrace only what I immediately love for the most part. Life is too short to be a follower if what you are following is not you.
ReplyDeleteAnd wow, this looked like such a small paragraph when I was writing it. So sorry about the "War and Peace" novel!
DeleteI loved this post so much and sadly I found myself I have that, I've done that. I find myself wanting to back away from reading so many blogs because I tend to get influenced but in the end I think it's ok we all have some of the same things, I'm always intrigued how designers and bloggers have the same thing but use them in different ways! Again great post!!
ReplyDeleteOh I'm terribly influenced by what I see on blogs - constantly. It's a huge source of inspiration but obviously we don't want to all have the same homes, right? I suppose for myself, I read a lot of US blogs but live in the UK, so my home ends up being a mix of what's available here (we have no Target or Nate Berkus *sob*) so I end up trying to interpret the things I like in my own way - not always out of choice, but out of necessity ;) The best thing is the way each person interprets these trends in their own homes and how different they look in their own interpretation. So I don't mind sometimes seeing similar things! The glimpses of your home look lovely so off to check out your blog! :) xx
ReplyDeleteI loved getting a little glimpse into Albertina's home. It's so wonderful that there's so much inspiration from other bloggers and just floating around the internet. Wishing you a wonderful weekend Elizabeth!
ReplyDeletexo Mary Jo
http://MagicalMined.blogspot.com
I have been thinking about this so much lately too. I try to hold back and ask myself if I would by it if it were not trendy. Sometimes it works and sometimes I just have to hang with all the other cool kids. Chevron anyone?
ReplyDeleteWow!! You posted a mind blowing post here. I love and like your this post. Interior design ideas
ReplyDeleteI have definitely purchased things based on blogs ... ask Kerry Steele about those pink shoes she posted and I bought IMMEDIATELY! I don't even wear pink!! It is a struggle, and I do try to stay very true to my style or my clients' styles when decorating. It is tough. I honestly do try to avoid anything that makes it to Target. Not because I don't like it ... it just becomes over saturated for me. I think this is why I love vintage and flea markets so much! Great post! xo
ReplyDeleteOh, I ADORE Albertina!! Thank you so much for featuring her here today!!
ReplyDeleteXOXO,
The Glam Pad
It's so true that we are all so influenced by the things we see on other blogs...I swear it's how I shop now. Crazy. And I just adore Albertina!
ReplyDeleteLove this post. Working in design and blogging has "ruined" my house! I can't stop changing things! tessa {Two Inspire Design}
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I'm so guilty!!! I can't turn my head in any direction without seeing something "bloggy". But, I still love it :)
ReplyDeleteI have not yet embraced the sheepskin thing. But then again I haven't seen one in person yet. It's a blessing and a curse living 2 hours away from the nearest IKEA.
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