latest posts
stop trying to be prefect
three things i did to start my styling business
Beyond Aesthetics: The Art of Designing Homes for Varied Tastes
unravel the mystery of “flow”
If you’re renovating/restyling your entire home or even stuck on one room, you really really need to read this. This article might just unjam those logs in your brain about what direction to go with your space(s). If anything, my method to planning flow gives you a roadmap for making choices. And I always say “Don’t strive for perfection. Strive for thought provoking choices.”
Think Like an Artist, Not Just a Designer
Hi again, friends! I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that you’re here, reading this. As anyone who has spoken to me knows, I love talking about design and being creative. It is my way of problem-solving in a world full of unsolvable problems. War in Gaza and Israel that never seems to end and thousands of innocent people that suffer as the result? Figure out what color to paint my client’s ceiling. Trillion dollar debt? Plan the perfect layout to a difficult living room. Balance a healthy lifestyle and be happy with my current body situation while dreading every iPhone picture despite my body positive attitude? Devise a way to DIY a vintage lamp into a wall sconce. It is my way of controlling my own little piece of the collective world we share. It might seem trite and sure I could volunteer but this is my way of making the world beautiful. I am soooo much better at relating through unspoken gestures than pleasant conversations. When someone tells me that I’ve taught them how to listen to their own creative impulses, I feel like I’ve saved another soul. So in other words, thank you for being here.
Read This Before You Start Decorating your new Home
You just got the keys to your brand new home — neigh, your brand new life. Even if this isn’t exactly your dream home RIGHT NOW, it represents a new chapter, a new evolution, a new you. This might even be a sad transition… albeit you’ve survived to this point, but you’re going to make the best of this part and rise like a phoenix.
But there is one problem: the blank walls are doing nothing for your je ne sais quoi, to say nothing of the sad entryway and the living room is feeling a little more like a dying room. Sorry. I’m trying to be cute.
The dreaded blank wall…
Or is it more exciting to you? I’m with you — whichever option you choose — because it’s a little of both. Because isn’t a little fear a bit exciting? It wouldn’t be fun if it were easy!
But we’ve all been there — especially if you live in a pre-planned community like I do. When I was house shopping initially, every single home looked exactly the same. Let’s just say the folks in my neighborhood really like Lululemon, white BMWs and modern interiors. Black and white and grey, every single house blended together, including mine. But the moment I stepped into my house, I felt like it was a little bit different and special. Number one, it has the MOST spectacular giant pool. And number two, it had major potential — soaring ceilings, flowing-but-not-necessarily open floor plan.
Before I wax poetic about it, however, I have to really fess up. Decor-wise, the place was a snooze fest. Talk about blank walls, this was a blank house.
how to mix patterns like a pro
You’ve seen it. That drool-worthy Pinterest or Instagram photo of an interior dripping with pattern. We make it look so effortless, right? And your gut might be telling you that although we make it look effortless, it actually take a lot of effort… and I’m here to let you in on a little secret.
Mixing patterns is super easy, bro.
How i pick out wallpaper (shhhhh....)
I have been wanting and NOT wanting to write this post for a very long time. And I lied a little in my last post, in case you have been following. I ran two different polls asking what you wanted to me to post about. So while most of you voted for "How to make my house look cool" on this blog, my Instagram followers wanted to know how to pick wallpaper.
put the “me” back in “home”
Well Helllllllllllooooooooo! Are you an OG MTD subscriber? Or are you new around these parts? You might have noticed my brand new look and I don’t know about you, but I’m HERE FOR IT. I didn’t know a website could be this beautiful or fun or magical. Did you see the Shop My Vintage link? Did you see the Shop My Projects link? You didn’t??? I’ll give you a minute — I can hold your purse. Go go. I’ll sit here and watch The Little Mermaid. Are you excited for the Disney remake? I kinda am…
how to build an art collection
I'm such a tease. No seriously, I've been teasing you on how to find and buy art and I haven't got to the good stuff yet. Because if you're reading this, you seriously want to know WHAT YOU SHOULD BUY!!!!!!!!!
no fail steps to make your house look cool
Hey there, all you cool cats! You asked for it and now I'm delivering. You want to make your house look cool. And I'm not talking about how to make your house look expensive, well-styled, or even well coordinated.
How to pick art: part 2
Hello! I've been putting off my blogging duties this weekend - I've been experiencing major migraines and just couldn't look at another screen. Plus, my keyboard is not working so typing has become even more difficult! But duties call and I can't leave you hanging on my next installment on how to pick art for your home. ICYMI, here is my first lesson:
https://www.melaniethomasdesign.com/post/how-to-pick-art-the-basics
My next lesson is in
how to pick art: the basics
Chances are that if you've landed here, I don't need to explain why picking out the perfect art piece is integral to your interior design. BUT if you really want me to spell it out --
ART IS THE SPARK THAT SETS OFF THE WHOLE PROJECT.
how to thrift like a pro
Hello! How are you today???? I made the executive decision today NOT to go to the Long Beach Flea Market. Yes, there are some things I wanted to scope out, but I wanted to take it easy, use my poor forgotten pool and catch up on shows. Plus, I get to blog instead! And what better subject to blog about than thrifting?
Raise your hand if you've gone thrifting before. I'll wait.
If you raised your hand, you know the emotional roller coaster thrifting can bring that often goes a little like this: "I hate everything here, I'm not going to find anything." "Hm... that stone bust over there is really interesting and would look good in neon yellow." "There's not enough room in my car for all my stuff. I guess I need to get a Lugg." (Not sponsored by Lugg BTW).
how to become a maximalist (and not max out the credit card)
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for tuning in. Every week, I have oodles of ideas to write about but alas, due to the slow moving glacier that is my home touch up, I have no new content myself.
get the look without copying
We've all done it. You're flipping through your favorite pins and you come across a jaw-dropper living room. A "stop everything and let's analyze every detail" living room that is absolute perfection. And then you get to the resources and you -- no judgments, I promise -- add everything to your cart. Or even worse, you pin the image and the algorithms deliver the exact products from the pin. That's how they get you! And boy is it tempting to just copy everything you see in that one photo, but I'm here to tell you: "You're better than that." I was definitely guilty of this when I saw Emily Henderson's redesign of Bri Emery's living room:
color and mood
Good morning! I hope you're having a lovely weekend so far and you get to do something today that makes you feel wonderful about life. For me, a dose of "green therapy" (that is, walking around our nearby lake) usually sets me straight. Or, if I'm feeling extra dingy, I have a telephone with my eternally optimistic friend. That's the thing about moods: there's usually something you can do to change them.
Find your #truecolors
The biggest epiphany I've had in my life was that there are no right or wrong answers. And this applies to everything, from weight, to style, to life choices, and to interior design. However, the worse thing you can do is make choices based on fads.