An Interview with the girls from Kelly+Olive

A couple of months ago I stumbled across a new design blog that totally rocked, Kelly+Olive.  With great tips and ideas to “steal”, and a design manifesto that really hit home with me, I was an instant fan.  Their blog is so inspiring, I instantly wanted to run out to buy some spray paint to transform some of the ugly things that have been hiding in the  garage!

I also wanted to know more about Lauren and Courtney from Kelly+Olive, so what better way than a little interview?

1. How would you describe your style?
C: you’d think i’d have an answer for this by now!  i love white, and bright color, i love graphic pattern, i love modern clean lines, i love vintage, especially mid-century.  what style is that?  you tell me.
L: for me, i think the best description would be something like…flea market modern? i love the old and handmade and wacky, anything with an interesting history. but i also bold graphic lines and strong modern furniture…i walk a line between living in a cluttered thrift store and a sleeker mod pad.

2. Who or what are some of your biggest influences?
C:definitely really influenced by scandinavian design, and not just ikea!  i read over a hundred blogs, so it’s pretty hard to pinpoint who exactly.  i’m definitely influenced by lauren too…she helps me put some humor in my decorating!
L: that’s so funny because I was going to say the exact same thing about courtney … we really have a symbiotic relationship here!  and how did we live before design blogs!?!?! we’re no longer subject to the tastes of the big shelter magazine editors. I love looking into the homes of ‘real’ people with style and creativity and seeing how they solve their design dilemmas and make their homes their own.
C:  oh, real homes definitely.  apartment therapy house tours changed my world.

3. How did you get into design?
C:design was definitely a part of my upbringing.  my parents are do-it-yourselfers, and incredibly creative.  when i moved in with my husband (to-be, at the time) he had no furniture.  the tv was sitting on an old kitchen chair.  it was crazy.  so i got to start from scratch in a way that i never had before.  i had to do a lot of exploring and make a lot of mistakes and i think it’s taken me a few years to really find my style.  the process led me to all the wonderful design blogs out there, which totally changed the course of my life.  pretty soon we had our own blog, and then our business grew out of that.
L: i have to credit my mom with a lot of it. while we have very very different decorating styles, she is an inspired decorator and DIY-er, and i was raised with the notion that creating a beautiful home is fun…and accessible, not just reserved for rich people. if nothing else, she taught me the power of a good coat of white paint! then after college, i finally found a way to put those lessons to good use helping friends turn their crappy studio apartments into fun and functional homes.

4. Do you have any “go-to” ideas that are quick and easy?
C: tons!  “paint it” is definitely something we say constantly.  if it’s ugly, paint it.  if it’s still ugly, sometimes paint it again!
L: one of the easiest ways to create a big statement is a salon style art grouping. it’s a great trick to create a strong focal point on an over scale wall, to balance a large piece of furniture or jazz up a boring little nook. plus, grouping pieces makes a page ripped from a magazine look like fine art.

5. When somebody is decorating or re-decorating a room, which things should they splurge on, and which things can they scrimp on?
C it all depends.  you should splurge on the things you love, pieces that are really going to be the stars of the room, or the things that get the most use.  if you can, get good paint, it just makes your life easier.
L: i agree…the frequent use things should get the money. if this is the room where you sit an watch tv every night, don’t buy the cheapest sofa you can find. in a year, it will look like trash (trust me on this one). art is one of the things i think you can scrimp on. don’t get me wrong, my home is full of art and i’m slowly building my own collection of original works…i just don’t think you need to spend $2000 or $200 on a piece of art right of the bat. there are  great places online where you can print out cool high quality images or check out etsy and your local craft shows…or grab a blank canvas, splash on some paint, and make your own!

6. In your opinions, what are some things that people can use or do to get the biggest impact?
C repetition is the easiest tool for creating a space with big impact.  repeat colors around the room, show a collection together in one vignette, or even repeat lamps on either side of a bed, creating symmetry.  as long as you repeat your elements in a balanced way, a room will look really pulled together.
L:color! too often we work with clients that say ‘i want a room that’s fun, my favorite color is red, and i collect pop-art’ but who’s homes are big blobs of beige. there are too many choices, they freak out, end up going for something safe…good old beige. don’t be afraid of color. if you don’t know what to pick, look at a shirt or piece of jewelry that you love. if you’re scared it’s too bright or bold, use it as an accent. beige with white and peacock blue accents has much more pizazz than beige with white and beige.

7. What are some of your decorating pet-peeves, and how can people avoid them?
C: matching all your woods.  you don’t have to do that!  in fact, matching furniture in general.  bedroom sets are easily avoided!  gather your furniture from different sources and your room will have so much more depth, even if it’s all new stuff.
L: little picture frames all over every surface! i know you like your dog and your boyfriend is really cute…but it’s so busy and messy. it drives me nuts! take all those little snapshots, in their different frames and varying sizes and mount them in a cluster on the wall. viola! the magic of a salon style grouping! oh also…i was talking to someone about this the other day…i hate when people karate chop their throw pillows. you know how you will see pillows leaning just so on a sofa with that big dent on top!?!?! what is that?
c: ha ha!  don’t karate chop your pillows!  that’s mean.  you should hug them instead.

Here’s a project that the girls just recently did:

I want to say big THANK YOU Lauren and Courtney for agreeing to do this little blog-interview with me!  It’s great to hear some of their thoughts and ideas!

You can go check out their site at  www.kellyandolive.com where you can read more about them and visit their blog.  They also have more of a lifestyle blog at Modern Homebody.