Cost Breakdown: Renter Friendly Bathroom Upgrades & Refresh
Cost Breakdown: Renter Friendly Bathroom Upgrades & Refresh

Last year, during the holidays I began working on refreshing our rental condo’s bathroom, to take it from dated & dull to feeling tranquil, spa-like, and Hygge inspired. While everything is always a work in progress, it was definitely one of the first places in the condo that felt “complete” and really like ours. Before I even knew the One Room Challenge was a thing, this was definitely a One Room Challenge. The transformation, with a few stylish storage solutions, cost-effective DIYs, and creative design was exactly what our little bathroom needed; and more than that, it was renter-friendly & affordable. 

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DesignAlbie Knowsbathroom, budget friendly, behind the design, reversible designComment
What I Really Learned By Going Back To Design School

Pursuing my masters degree what something that I’d always wanted to do when “the time was right” but after almost a decade of being out of school, in 2016, I made the choice to go for it, studying interior architecture & design. While this wasn’t exactly the same type of architecture program I was studying back in 2003, talk about full circle! Have I completed the degree yet? Nope! Yet in the 2 and a half years since I started the program I’ve learned more about myself (and the industry) than I bargained for — and spoiler alert: none of it is actual lessons in design (but don’t tell my professors that). 

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Business, LifestyleAlbie Knowsbehind the scenes, mompreneur, grad schoolComment
How I Secured Six Brand Collaborations With Less Than 1,000 Followers

Let’s talk about that time in 2018 when, four months into the year, I returned from a yearlong social media sabbatical and over the next eight months spoke on a panel at High Point Market, appeared on four interior design podcasts, launched a virtual conference, secured sponsored collaborations with six brands, and put into motion launching a brand new podcast with sponsorship. 

I share this with you as a sort of humble brag because, while I am immensely proud of those accomplishments, what I am most proud of is the circumstances under which I hit those milestones — I did all of the above with less than 1,000 followers/subscribers across any of my social channels. While we often hear about the pressure to have high numbers as social proof, there is something to be said for the micro-micro-influencer who, as the saying goes, is small but mighty! 

SO HOW DID I SECURE INTERVIEWS AND COLLABORATIONS WITH A SMALL AUDIENCE? 

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BusinessAlbie Knowsthe design influence, sponsored post
20 Books to Help You Launch & Propel Your Interior Design Business

We’ve all heard the debates on whether or not you should go to school & get formally trained as a designers, or if being self-taught will suffice. While I can’t answer that for anyone but myself, what I can say is that no matter which path you choose, you never really stop learning.

A lot of that learning can come by way of doing — there’s no substitute for experience — but some of that learning you have to actively pursue, whether it’s taking CEU courses, watching webinars, listening to podcasts, or good ol fashioned books!

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Business, ShoppingAlbie Knowsbooks, free resource, the design influence
Renter Friendly Kitchen Backsplash with The Smart Tiles

When we first moved into our condo, there were things we didn’t love — cosmetically — but nothing that was a game changer. While a few of the other rooms required a bit more processing, from the very beginning I looked at the kitchen with a hard squinty eye. And to be clear, it wasn’t that we didn’t like the backsplash, but there was literally wasn’t any. My thinking was this — add a backsplash to offset the look & feel of the cabinets, floors, and counters, for something a bit cooler & more contemporary. Our landlord was perfectly fine with it & so fast forward, and I am finally tackling the kitchen with a much needed facelift. 

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DesignAlbie Knowssmart tiles, peel and stick, kitchen, sponsored post, reversible designComment
60 Must Haves From The World Market Furniture Sale

Cost Plus World Market is kicking off the year RIGHT with a huge furniture sale event. Now you may be thinking you’re still recouping from all those holiday purchases but with furnishings with discounts as deep as 60%, if there was ever a time for a design refresh, it’d be now! After endless browsing & internet window shopping, here are 60 of my fav finds & must haves from the sale:

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ShoppingAlbie Knowscost plus world market, favorites, shoppingComment
2018 Year in Review: Progress Not Perfection

This past year was quite possibly one of the most exciting in my business & I cannot thank you enough for being part of this crazy, unexpected, one of a kind ride — whether you’ve been here since the beginning in 2016, or you just found me a week ago. The year started off on a great note, which in hindsight, I wished I had paid more attention to because it definitely the start of a theme this year — lots of “oh shit, that really happened” moments for sure!

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BusinessAlbie Knowsyear in review, new yearComment
Favorite 2018 Resources That We're Taking Into 2019

From new platforms that needed decoding to new resources we didn’t even know we needed, 2018 was definitely the year of a lot of tech! After 12 months of continuing to use old faithfuls from 2017 and diving into the new goodies of 2018, here are the resources we loved from 2018 that we’ll be taking into 2019.

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BusinessAlbie Knowsthe design influence, free resource, edesign, new yearComment
Cost Breakdown: How Much It Cost To Refresh My Bedroom
Cost Breakdown: How Much It Cost To Refresh My Bedroom

As you may already know, for the Fall One Room Challenge, I refreshed our master bedroom — a few major upgrades & some minor decor updates, but all renter-friendly. The transformation made a huge difference in the function & aesthetic of our bedroom, and when I shared it on Instagram, I got quite a few questions surrounding the cost of doing something like this. So I said to myself, “why not breakdown the cost of everything — past, present, and sponsored, that went into creating my Hygge bedroom?”

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Business, DesignAlbie Knowsone room challenge, bedroom, nest bedding, behind the scenes, wallplanks, favorites, lumens, storage solutions, behind the design, shopping
IKEA's 2018 Winter Sale Is Here!

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” Word of IKEA’s annual post-holiday winter sale hit the interwebs & I was all over it, and I gotta say — it’s a good one!Now that the fanfare of Christmas shopping is somewhat winding down, if you’ve been putting off updating your home, this is one sale you’re going to want to get into for yourself. In addition to a whole gaggle of new low prices (like actual pricing, and not just a sale) all over the site, select items are as far up to 50% off online. While you can definitely take advantage of the savings online — which is my fav way to shop — I can guarantee, that you’re really gonna get your money’s worth by actually getting in the car & heading to your local store!

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ShoppingAlbie Knowsikea, holiday season, shoppingComment
Why The Name Change From The E-Design Experience to The Design Influence?

In spring 2018, The E-Design Experience was launched as a passion of mine because as an e-designer I noticed very early on that there was a huge void in the industry when it came to dealing with e-design. 

While the name made perfect sense for a conference, as the mission continued to evolve, we quickly realized that "e-design" wasn't just about designing online. Yes, it will always, first & foremost, be about the online designer, but the bigger picture has always been about being better online — as a designer, as an influencer, as a brand.

Changing the name allowed us to get back to this objective of decoding this new landscape so that it made more sense for you, whether that specifically meant e-design, or if it meant figuring out how to build your email list. The conversations weren’t being limited to just e-design so the name needed to start reflecting that. 

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BusinessAlbie Knowsthe design influence, edesign
High Point Market Trends I’m Looking Forward To In 2019

Going to High Point Market did a lot for my businesses but I made to observe as not only a designer, but as a design enthusiast. I wanted to take in all the inspiration & trends with a curated eye, thinking about how a lot of what I was seeing would eventually start to show up in the marketplace in the new year. After finally getting a chance to catch my breath, I’m sharing with you my 2019 forecast, but also how a lot of it is already around us. 

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DesignAlbie Knowshigh point market, lighting, design therapy, shoppingComment
Self Care Tips: Creating an At Home Spa Experience

I remember always hearing about self-care & it being almost synonymous with over the top acts of relaxation, like spa reservations & exotic getaways, but as I’ve gotten older (and wiser) I’ve realized & accepted that that type of self-care isn’t everyone’s reality…and to be honest, it really isn’t self-care — you’re essentially telling yourself you only matter on certain days or occasions. In my commitment to treat my husband & I to a lot more self-care, I realized we could make small changes in our home to create those experiences for ourselves.

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DesignAlbie Knowsbathroom, small spaces, hygge, sponsored post
Announcement: The New Albie Knows Decor Discovery Shop

Back in 2016 when I launched the original Decor Discovery is was a subscription box —  I thought I was out of my depth & just downright nuts, but I went for it anyway, and was immensely blessed to have seen it come to life. After an amazing first year, as I prepped for year two, I had a decision to make — a tough one to let go of the subscription. Here we are, now another year later, and I still have that passion for shopping & wanted to bring my finds to you. But now, instead of a bi-monthly subscription box, I’ve decided to do say by way of a curated shop! 

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LifestyleAlbie Knowsbehind the scenes, decor styling, new finds, high point market, style quiz, free resource, shopping
Renter Friendly Lighting Solutions

I’ve made it no secret that I don’t let the fact that I rent keep me from making our place cozy & chic, and really feel like a home. What I love about both these solutions — sconces & picture lights — is that, alongside your chandeliers & lamps, you'll have the ability to play with different lighting moods in your space, while introducing brand new decor that can have a moment, while still complementing (and completing) the rest of the look. 

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DesignAlbie Knowslighting, diy, lumens, sponsored post, shopping, reversible design
Easy Ways to Turn Up The Style In Your Dining Room

With it being the season of good eats & large gathers, it only made sense to follow that up with the dining room! By now, you've learned to how & what to measure for your dining room, so let's talk about really taking it to the next level with these marquee furnishing upgrades.

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Albie Knowsdining room, wallpaper, download, design therapy, decor styling, tablescaping, free resource, holiday season, shopping
25 Things I'm Loving from Anthropologie’s Home For The Holidays Sale

Those decorative details are what give you a finished look, and being that Anthropologie has a little bit of everything for every room, their Home For The Holidays Sale is the perfect time to either get a little something something for your home, stock up on holiday decor, or treat someone to some stylish decor. I always have a running list of wishlist items from Anthropologie, so here are my top 25 picks of what I’m loving & think you’ll love too — from slightly bigger pieces for the home to super chic stocking stuffers!

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Albie Knowsholiday season, shopping