I vividly remember the very first time I stumbled upon Ambers blog. I had followed a Pinterest path, as you do, that led me to this magical place filled with design inspiration overload. That image, of her own dining room no less, is one that still manages to reel me right in. So being able to catch up with the woman behind this incredible blog has been a squeal-inducing pleasure, to say the least. Captured by the always talented Bryce Covey, we maybe sort of kind of have her full home tour coming up next, so stay tuned!
SMP: Some words you live by?
Trust your gut! Don’t second guess your initial reaction to things…cause what I have learned is that my initial reaction is most always the right one!
SMP: Any guilty pleasures?
Oh yes, TONS! My guiltiest is certainly extra dirty martinis with blue cheese stuffed olives. I definitely would and could drink these things ALL DAY LONG. They are so indulgent and don’t make you feel that great the next morning but I don’t care!! Gimme a couple of these and the Bachelorette and I am good to go!
SMP: What did you think your dream job was before your dream job found you?
I have always wanted to be doing something in the creative field. My first job when I was 15, was working for a jewelry designer. For a while, I really wanted to design jewelry.. and then I realized primarily that I just wanted to wear the jewelry not necessarily design the jewelry! When I was a little kid I used to draw houses and furniture while other kids drew trees and flowers. I guess I sub consciously always wanted to have something to do with interior design, but I was like 5 so my mind wasn’t quite made up, ha! One of the best days ever was when I realized I could get paid for making other peoples houses pretty!
SMP: What’s your favorite quote that describes your creative process?
“What screws us up the most is the picture in our head of how its supposed to be” Most of the time the less I think about what I am trying to “perfect” the better it will look in the end!
SMP: If you had the opportunity to get a message across to a large group of people, what would your message be?
Don’t expect a seat if you are not going to bring anything to the table..surround yourself with people who inspire you..and don’t sweat the small stuff.. That was three messages, but I think they are all important ones!
SMP: If you could do it all over again, would you change anything?
I don’t think I would change anything because it may alter everything!! I am quite happy with the way my life turned out, although I wish I appreciated things more when I was younger….like how awesome sleeping in was and how small my hips were pre baby, haha!
SMP: What is one piece of advice you would give to a blogger just starting out?
“Never judge your start to someone else’s middle” When I was first starting to blog I was constantly comparing myself to other bigger bloggers and was so frustrated when I wasn’t getting tons of followers or having crazy page-views. Then it dawned on me that most of these girls had been blogging for a lot longer that I had and they all had different things to bring to the table than me. Once I began blogging for myself and stopped comparing myself to other talented ladies, my content got better and I enjoyed blogging 10X more!
SMP: What is your favorite item in your home?
This is a toughie, but I would probably say the first “big” piece of artwork my husband and I bought together. It was painted by the super talented Audrey Kawasaki and every time I look at it , it transports me back to a special time in my past when I was just starting out my life with my husband.
SMP: What’s your best tip for balancing work and personal life?
I must admit I am pretty bad at this. It’s very hard to switch my “work brain” off but in order to keep myself and my family sane I try my hardest. I worked out a deal that dinner time is a no phone zone and then all electronics need to be shut off and stowed away by 7pm.. That way I have 2 hours every night to just chill and spend time with my family without work interruptions.
SMP: What was the tipping point in your business that made you feel like your blog was going to thrive?
I am not sure what the tipping point was on the blog but I think when Elle Decor named me as a “designer to watch out for” I felt like I may have good thing going on and caught the right peoples attention. The blog has been the catalyst for so many of my career highlights and I have met some pretty cool bloggin pals along the way. Honestly it has been such a fun chapter in my life so far! I only hope I can continue on for years to come.
SMP: What is the hardest lesson in business you’ve ever learned?
Get it in writing!! Just because I mean what I say doesn’t mean that other people do….if you go on someones word you’ll always loose. Get it in writing and you’ll at least have a safety net if something ever gets weird.
SMP: Stranded on a desert island question… what’s the one cocktail you would take with you?
See above!! Dirty martini extra blue cheese olives…thats my jam!
SMP: What color do you think will stand the test of trend time?
Black.. its just classic
SMP: One thing every style savvy homeowner should have?
A killer espresso machine, a well stocker bar, and a great coffee table book collection!
SMP: If you could buy yourself a single gift of any cost, what would it be?
A lake house with a boat dock….and a boat (in that dock obviously). Also, I really want a fancy vintage mens rolex.. Preferably to wear at my lake house, sitting on my boat in the dock, sipping an extra dirty martini… surrounded by fabulous coffee table books. Ha!
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Photography: Bryce Covey | Blog & Design: Amber Interiors
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