Friday Guest Blog Interview: Katie of Bower Power

Today’s guest blog interview is special to me because this is a house tour that I’ve long adored. While Katie Bower and her family recently moved out of their old digs, it’s their previous home that I first fell in love with and their new home that I love to blog crash on a regular basis these days. Need a photo tour after all of that hype? Check it out right here, or wait for sneak peeks in the rest of this interview.

Katie, her ‘boyfriend’ (an affectionate name she has for her husband, Jeremy), and their son Will live in the South, and being a California girl we think anything Southern is pretty darn sweet. Bower Power Blog is a photo journal of Katie’s family, her design loves and her work as a professional photographer. She blogs about life, and it’s pretty fun to follow along.

So here with me today is Katie to share some of her inspiration, three favorite tips (definitely agree with these!) and why her decorating style is a bit more timeless than it is trendy (but do check out that photo tour of her home, because it’s right on the money when it comes to what looks just right these days). More after the jump.

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{PDB Interview with Katie of Bower Power}

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What inspires your design style?

That’s tough because inspiration comes from all over.  I think my design style really is a reflection of my personal style – I’m preppy and happy and can appreciate vintage and cottagey items just as much as more current stuff.  I’m not really trendy…if I like it now, I will like it in forty years.  And yes, my grandchildren will probably be mocking me for having a home that looks “sooo 2011”.

What do you love most about what you do?

Numero uno is that I get to spend time with my little man.  No other job would allow me to get so much time with him.  And I get to meet fascinating people online.  Blogging is amazing because it is like a great mix of online journaling, writing letters to family, gaining feedback and inspiration, and a giant group date with other readers.  and I get to talk.  Sure it’s with a laptop…but it’s talking all the same.  And if I tell a joke and it flops, there is no awkward silence :).

What are your favorite design trends?

I am loving that it is becoming more mainstream to mix old and new.  And one trend that gets me going is use of personal photography in the home…it’s art that makes your home full of you.  Oh I also dig that people aren’t afraid to tackle big projects themselves.  Folks are building from online plans (we were even inspired to build our own bed)!, refinishing their own furniture, and renovating their homes themselves.  That is one trend that I hope stays around for a long time.

Also, I love that people know how to use walls as accents.  People are putting wallpaper up, wood up, fabric – but in this really fun chic way that is interesting, textural and vibrant.  I dig that.

What are three design suggestions that you would like to offer our readers?

When it comes to hanging stuff on your walls, go big or go home.  I see way too many living rooms with three dinky frames on a giant wall.  Unlike Biggest Loser, you want to get larger.  Number two suggestion is that if you have decorating paralysis then start with a neutral palette in a room and use small bits of color and pattern all around the space to see what fits you best.  A couple throw pillows can go a long way.  And lastly, hang those curtains high and wide.  This is a basic that is all too forgotten…but it can instantly change your room by allowing more light in and making your windows appear bigger.

Thank you, Katie!

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