Arguably the largest reason why I am so passionate about lifestyle & interior styling can be traced back to my formative teenage years, sitting in my room on my computer, absorbing all the blog content I could. I spent hours on fashion and interior design blogs, knowing that a large part of me felt so connected to that form of expression, it was going to be something I wanted to spend my life doing. Obviously, being very limited by age and various other factors, it was one of those goals I put on a high shelf until I was old enough to reach it.

Having grown up (albeit marginally) since then, my sense of style has drastically improved and grown with me as I've developed as a person. It reflects so many aspects of my personality- what I am driven by, what I need to surround myself with to be happy & stimulated, what gives me joy and relaxation. One thing that has stayed the same is the need for self expression. For the work I do to not only symbolize myself, but for it to inspire and encourage growth in myself, and hopefully, also in other people. Creating has been so vital to my development and as I strive to keep that up, I am constantly trying to better myself and to get closer to the dreams and goals I know I am capable of.

I've had a lot of the same goals underneath the surface for a good many years now. Fall in love, adopt a few dogs, build & design my own home, have kids, start my own company & one day open my own retail & floral shop & cafe. The size of these dreams has never daunted me, but sometimes the waiting game is what bogs me down. While a few of these things are on the cards for a more distant future, (which is sometimes hard for me to grasp or let go of) I've been lucky enough to get a kick start on a few of them, and cross a couple off my list hopefully for good. I've been truly and wildly lucky in so many ways and I'm so thankful for that.

I fell in love last year and it's been so much stronger and deeper than anything I could have ever asked for. We'll be moving in together in the coming months, and since we made that decision, my mind has been racing with plans and ideas for decorating our first home. It will be a small, humble start to the rest of our life together. Just our little apartment and the two of us. I've spent the past several months soaking up so many blog posts, IKEA hacks and Pinterest boards that my mind is full to the brim with ideas & goals. I close my eyes and see DIY projects, it's that bad. So, I thought now would be the perfect time to share a few of my favorite spaces from around the web as we get closer to living this dream out. I for one don't want to miss out on a second.

This gorgeous gallery wall, via Scott Erickson- an incredibly talented Portland artist.

This entryway design in Sarah Sherman Samuel's home, via Smitten Studio

This stacked & fully customizable storage arrangement from Muuto, via Connox

And finally, this combination of an accent wall & chair via Coco Kelly makes me a little weak at the knees.

All these have me so ready to get decorating. I'll publish progress shots as the space starts to come together post move-in. Until then, you can keep up to date with my finds via my Pinterest!

Love, always,

Sam xo