The Heartland Interior Design's Holiday Gift Guide 2021

The holiday season is here and we wanted to put together a little curated list of items for you all! ( We felt like Oprah putting together the “Our Favorite Things” collection!) It was so much fun! We selected items all over the board price wise and all over the board when it comes to categories! We found tangible products and service based options as well. Can’t give your mama some slippers this Christmas? Maybe give her a coupon for an uninterrupted nap! I promise you it will be just as good (if not better!) :D This is our first time curating a Holiday Gift Guide so we hope you like it! We centered the aestehtic around warm earthy colors like beige, green and we threw in some black for contrast. Enjoy!!

1. Sweater. 2. Candle. 3. Book. 4. Blanket. 5. Kettle. 6. Slipper.

Cotton Citizen is a really cool brand that dyes many different cotton apparel pieces in a wide array of colors. This summer I found their “Desert Mirage” colorway and bought a dress in it to wear to Vegas. I love the Desert Mirage colorway because it’s reminiscent of an elevated camouflage. Luckily, they have sweatshirts, tank tops, lounge pants and many more pieces available in this color. The “BAKING DAY” candle is my new favorite candle and THAT is saying something. I bought it at Of the Earth Florals in Lincoln, Nebraska and they created it in collaboration with Wax Buffalo. My old favorite candle was 9 years old and I found the scent in Weston, Missouri. But this candle now holds the #1 spot in my heart. The green coffee table book by DISC INTERIORS is definitely one that you need to add to your collection. It is jam packed full of great interior design inspo! The “WINTERS BLANKET” from Amber Interiors is so soft & cozy. Perfect for cuddling up on a cold winters night. The SMEG tea kettle is also just what you need to quickly make a hot cup of cocoa or tea. This stylish kettle is available in many different colors and would look great on anyone’s countertop. While I showed the champaign finish here, it also is available in a lovely matte white and matte black finish. Lastly, the plush black slippers are sure to make anyone feel luxurious… even if it’s a mom stepping over Legos lol.

1. Chair. 2. Pillow. 3. Sofa. 4. Book. 5. Rug. 6. Lamp.

I love a good swivel chair because it creates a flexible furniture grouping and gives the person in the chair the option of which way they want to face. Swivel chairs work extraordinarily well in spaces that you want to be for gathering with others, but can also swivel towards a TV. Either or. I love a good moody pillow with some large-scale pattern. This color ties in with the rug as well. I LOVE this sofa because the back literally curves into the arms in one single line. I also love that it is velvet. Don’t wait for your “forever” home to buy a piece you will love forever. If velvet isn’t your thing, this stunning frame is also available in performance linens, cryptons and leather options. Who doesn’t love another good interior design book?! I know I do! Sign me up for aaaaaaaall the interior design books please! :D The area rug. Rule #1- Always always always make sure the rug is big enough for your room and for your furniture grouping. Ideally, the front “legs” of each piece in the room should at least be on the rug. This black rug is also perfect because it adds visual weight to the room and can really anchor your furniture grouping. THE LAMP. This is the lamp of all lamps. It is unique, stunning, gorgeous, all the good words can be used to describe this lamp. It is much more than a lamp. It is also a sculptural art piece for your home.

1. Jacket. 2. Lamb on pinterest. 3. Boots. 4. Landscape Art. 5. Boot Art. 6. Vintage Bronco.

On the “country” board I have to admit it is my version of a modern edgy country lifestyle ;) as you can see. I absolutely love the “cowboy” jacket but I do wish it said “cowgirl” instead. I’ve been obsessed, literally IN LOVE obsessed with Valais Blacknose Sheep for years. Probably 9+ years. They’re a gorgeous breed of sheep from the Valais region of Switzerland and I love them so much. I dream of having a few of them one day when we have some land. When it comes to cowgirl boots, I actually bought myself my first pair from a real store for my “push” gift before I gave birth to our son. I say that they’re the first pair I really bought because I bought them from a boot dealer and not from a thrift store. Anyway, the point of this story is they are TALL boots and I never knew what I was missing. All my thrift store cowgirl boots are regular height, but the taller shaft cowgirl boots are so much better! Now I’m eyeing these Ariat’s because they’re tall and I love the white stitching contrast on the black leather. Very sleek. If you know me, you know I love supporting local artists. I’v been a big fan of Tori Swanson (@toridenaeart) for a while now. I specifically love her landscape paintings because I feel she captures the true beauty of Nebraska. Next is a highly customizable funky cowgirl image printed on 6 individual pieces of wood from an online company called Society 6. Last but not least is a version of my dream vehicle: a vintage Ford Bronco in the boxwood green color. But completely rebuilt (of course) and with automatic steering because I haven’t mastered a stick shift yet, even though that is on my bucket list!

When I became pregnant with our son, I started reading all the mama books and following all the pregnancy/ motherhood/ postnatal / parenting accounts on Instagram. One account posted an intriguing post around the holidays titled “What New Mom’s Want for Christmas,” and they said, “She wants a 30 minute nap, an uninterrupted shower, and a full meal all in one sitting.” Then in a small text below it said “(You read that right.)” I felt that to my core. I was recently chatting with a cousin of mine about motherhood and we agreed it’s basically a super long fast because you can NOT get any food down while your baby /kids are awake lol. I literally can’t eat until my son goes to sleep because he’s always taking my food or doing something that needs saving haha. Anyways, I decided to make a list of “gifts” for mamas this holiday season and my friend messaged me and said, “I pick the last option because you can get all those gifts in an adults only vacation.” And she’s not wrong! Such a smart woman.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this light-hearted holiday gift guide. It’s my first ever “gift guide” so please take it easy on me and enjoy your holiday season with the people who mean the most to you! Focus on only entering into peaceful gatherings this holiday season and avoid the ones with people who mistreat and disrespect you. Inner peace is the greatest gift you can give yourself and your family. Happy Holidays!

Our Nursery Reveal

Wow. Motherhood is an incredible and indescribable journey. It is the wildest ride and the biggest life-changing experience I’ve ever had. I can’t believe our son is now 5 months old. Where did the time go?? As I mentioned in a previous post, I knew that we would not have our son’s nursery ready before he was born and I was totally okay with that. I did not want to stress over getting every last nursery detail squared away before his arrival. I was more focused on trying to set the business up for success in the days prior to our induction, and I was trying to take care of myself too. #2020struggles

All photos by Mandy McGregor Photography.

In the months leading up to our delivery day, my husband and I worked hard at transforming our spare bedroom (which was mostly a catch-all storage room at this point) from bland to baby-ready. The walls were neutral, the trim was original and the lighting was horrible. I was set on having a room with dark walls to replicate the dark cozy feeling the baby was used to in the womb. I knew I wanted high contrast furniture and rugs so that the baby’s developing eyes could clearly see things around him. As his eyes continued developed, I wanted interesting and sculptural elements to stimulate creativity and imagination. I’m so happy to say we incorporated all of this into our son’s tiny nursery. I’ll go over these things, and some of the biggest nursery DO’s and DON’Ts.

I wanted the room to be dark, but also timeless. What is one thing that never goes out of style? Nature. I knew that if I rooted the room’s design in nature, the look would last for many years. At this point, I knew I wanted dark green walls. I rounded up all my paint decks and quickly narrowed the color choices from hundreds down to five, and then three. My husband preferred the slightly lighter green, and I preferred as dark as he’d let me go.

My husband and I went to Menards and got lots of wood slats that we then primed, painted and installed on the soon-to-be crib wall. My husband painted the remaining walls the same dark green as the vertical slats. I landed on PPG’s Dark Sage (PPG1124-6) for the wall color and I am still in love with it. We left the ceiling white and all the trim remained it’s original warm oak color. Ideally, I’d like to change the trim stain, but it actually isn’t that bad with the green walls.

I wanted to incorporate both local art and art that was inspired by nature into the room. A few years earlier, I had two very talented friends make an incredible piece. My friend Nicolette Wagner is a trained designer, and spends her days traveling the world, taking incredible photographs and hosting workshops for others to attend. She took a stunning photo of the Nebraska Sandhills and I was so in love with it, that I had my other friend paint it! Rael Belke is a phenomenal painter based in Lincoln, Nebraska and she translated that photo onto canvas with her beautiful brushstrokes. I had this piece in a different room, and I thought it might be too small to hang above the crib, but then I saw Kelly Wearstler hang a tiny piece of art above a fireplace at the Charmaine’s Restaurant, and listened to her talk about scale and proportion in her Masterclass, and I decided my painting would fit just fine. The piece brought in so many lovely colors inspired by nature and it makes me so happy to look at it because it reminds me of how beautiful our state is.

My husband and I spent a long time looking for a crib that we could agree on. I was looking for a specific wood finish and my husband is always looking for the best deal. We searched through so many crib options and most of them were out of stock. That was a trend we kept noticing: during the early months of COVID everyone must have stocked up on baby room supplies, or the vendors simply weren’t shipping anything. I fell in love with the Harper 3-in1 crib designed by the incredible Novogratz in the walnut finish, but it was out of stock everywhere. I signed up for every e-mail list to be notified when it would be back in stock. The months rolled by, and nothing. Then, one day, my husband saw it in stock one some website. (I honestly don’t remember which one at this point.) We bought it immediately! It was a total miracle.

I knew I wanted a rug with some subtle pattern, but that also felt neutral and timeless. What pattern is timeless? Stripes! I wanted a low-pile or thin-piled rug so that the door swing of the closet could easily open and close without making the rug curl up. Getting a rug that is too thick is a “Nursery Don’t” for me because it can get in the way of door swings, it could be a tripping hazard, and dimensional rugs tend to be higher-maintenance in the cleaning department. I have a dimensional rug in my fireplace room, but I didn’t want one in our nursery. I found a flat-weave, striped rug with a lovely oatmeal-colored background with slate-blue stripes on it. It was perfect! A big interior design tip is: don’t buy rugs that are too small. You want the rug to take up as much of the room as possible. Ideally, I’d like every piece of furniture to have their front “legs” on the rug. That way the rug feels like it is truly anchoring the room, and not floating in the middle of it.

Having a mix of materials was important to me. I didn’t want the room to feel like it was all wood and walls. So I incorporated a brass mobile which brought metal and reflection into the space. I was so excited about this metal mobile since the website showed it above the crib, but when it arrived it had a paper stating that it was not allowed to be hung above the crib. I was sad, but it also made a lot of sense, so we hung it in the corner of the room near the crib, but not above the crib. Our son Wesley loves looking at it! The air from the floor vents make the mobile dance and he just loves watching it.

The next element I wanted to add in was leather. At first I looked at was this stunning leather rocking chair, but my husband was not a fan of the price. So I kept looking. I reverted back to the fact that I wanted a lot of contrast and the rug alone wasn’t enough. So I began searching for a white rocking chair, but I was also looking for a very particular arm shape. I did not want a scroll arm, a pleated arm, a saddle arm, a key arm or any ruching or nail heads.  I wanted it to be clean-lined, but not as harsh as a track arm. I wanted a slight curve to it too. (Am I picky or what?! Lol.) I also did not want a low-back chair because I wanted to be able to lean my head back and rest on it. Most of the chairs I found had short backs and were WAY TOO LARGE. That is the # 1 “Nursery Don’t” that I see happen is when people buy furniture that is too big for the space. Oversized furniture is for sale everywhere, and can be very affordable. But that doesn’t mean it fits in your space. Finding furniture that fit well into the scale of your room is so important to maintain balance in the room as a whole. When looking at recliners and gliders, you also have to take into account the additional space behind and in front of the chair for when the piece is in motion. I frequently see oversized chairs measuring 36” wide x 36” deep stuck in the corner of a nursery. But they are so big that they basically sit in the middle of the room. I drew the entire floor plan up in AutoCAD and knew what size of chair could fit in our room. I ended up with a cream swivel-glide chair that measures 25” wide x 32” deep by 37.5” high. It fits like a glove! Not too big, and tall enough for me to lean back and rest my head.

It came with a matching fabric ottoman but I ditched it and kept looking for my leather element. I always wanted one of those leather Moroccan poufs so I thought now was a good time to finally get one. They are sold on almost every website so it was easy to find many different options. I wanted a cognac leather color and I wanted the pouf to be tall enough that I could comfortably use it as an ottoman replacement instead of the matching one that came with my rocking chair. I believe we ended up getting our pouf from Wayfair because it was less expensive by a hundred dollars or so, but I can’t find it anymore. Here is the West Elm pouf but it is considerably more money than what we spent on ours.

I wanted an itsy bitsy table to put next to the rocking chair. I checked my floor plan dimensions in AutoCAD and knew I could barely afford the room, but I knew something out there would work. I’d seen many drink tables and “martini” tables before so I figured I would find something similar. I ended up going with this super cute little metal table in an antique brass finish. I love having it in the room at night to set the bottle on after a feeding. It’s just the right size. :)

Now it’s time for the dresser/ changing table. I really wanted to pull in a dark navy dresser with brass accents and I completely fell in LOVE with this one from Crate & Barrel but it was way too wide. (54.75”) It would technically fit in the space, but it would have felt crammed in there and would have scrunched into the seating area AND I would not have had room for my Oobi or trash can. I searched high and low and ended up finding this one that is on many different websites, and it was slightly smaller at 45” wide. I noticed that it was not exactly a “navy” color but more of a slatey-blue-grey color. I was hoping it was just a bad photo and I prayed it would come in more navy, but alas, it did not. So it’s not my ideal dresser but I think it still works in the space.

Since I only had room for a little dresser, this meant I basically only have room on top of the dresser for the changing pad and some wipes. This meant that I could not have a regular sized lamp and I had to go with a floor lamp. I wanted a sculptural floor lamp that wasn’t typical. I wanted it to be sculptural so that when my baby looked at it he would see interesting shapes. I didn’t want it to be just a simple straight line. I LOVED this one but my husband did not like the price tag. Luckily, he came up with a solution. He found this lamp at Target and I really liked it in the Espresso finish. It works great!

I wanted a sculptural piece of art above the changing pad because I wanted something interesting for our son to look at. I wanted a piece that would spark his imagination and creativity. I searched high and low for that perfect little something that I just couldn’t put my finger on. Then I finally remembered a local Midwestern maker I’d been following on Instagram for a while: Candice Luter. She’s an incredible fiber artist and I had been wanting to use her work in one of my projects. I was happily surprised when my own home was the first project I included her work in. She has so many incredible options. I selected the Ecru color for the fringe and brass slat detail to tie into the other brass elements I had throughout the room. I measured the height from the top of the changing pad to our ceiling to determine which size of art would feel most balanced on that wall. I am extremely happy with the purchase and highly recommend her work! The funny thing is, our son was incredibly shy and almost afraid of mirrors when he was born. (How could I have known that?!) But he LOVED the gallery wall in our living room. After finding that out, I decided to put a mini gallery wall in his nursery right behind the rocking chair so he could look up at it. And he loves it! :D I pulled together a bunch of different frame sizes, colors and textures. I wanted this to be a dynamic little moment. But I still created balance. Then I filled each frame with super cute photos of Wesley. (UPDATE: He also loves mirrors now. He smiles at himself and me all the time. Phew!)

I was pregnant during COVID and had our baby during COVID. So both of my baby showers were virtual. We were so lucky and received many new fluffy teddy bears and I was excited to incorporate them into his room. I also included vintage bears too! I grew up with my black and brown teddybear named “Teddy” so I put him in Wesley’s room too. My husband’s grandma gave us her vintage orange-ish / tannish bear and I put him on our window ledge too. I love to mix old and new items together. It’s so important to include sentimental and personal items in a nursery. It adds to that extra special feeling.

Overall, designing my son’s nursery was incredibly fun. But I have to be honest, it is even MORE fun now that he’s alive and IN the space. I love watching him stare at the mobile, reach for Candice’s art (ah! lol.) and explore his surroundings. I feel like he knows that this space is his and I believe he feels most comfortable there. I love him so much and I’m very pleased with how his nursery turned out. Thank you for reading along! I hope you’ve enjoyed this post.

NURSERY DO - Design your room to scale.

NURSERY DON’T- DON’T buy oversized furniture.

NURSERY DON’T - DON’T use under-sized rugs.

NURSERY DO - Have fun! Design a space that is colorful and exciting.

NURSERY DO - Design a room that goes with the rest of your house.

NURSERY DON’T - DON’T design a space that can’t grow with your child.

NURSERY DO - Purposely include CONTRAST to help your baby see the environment.

NURSERY DON’T - DON’T fill the space with tone on tone shades that your baby’s developing eyes can’t differentiate between.

NURSERY DO - Include funky shapes that will stimulate your baby’s creativity! (Think different types and shapes of art! Think funky mobiles! Think sculptural lamps!)

NURSERY DO - Include both new & old items. Vintage and store-bought. Items that have sentimental value, and new items that will be sentimental in a few years.

NURSERY DO- Hire me to help you design your nursery! This was so much fun and I’d love to help you make a special space that is uniquely for your little one.

In the Shop with Pax Lighting

Pax Lighting is a lighting design studio founded by Jeff and Teegan Nordhues located just outside of Riverdale, Nebraska . They design and fabricate their own high quality light fixtures. They specialize in ceramics and brass and their forte is letting materials speak for themselves. Pax lighting is known for the honesty of their materials and the excellence of their products.

Photo courtesy of PaxLighting.com

Pax Lighting began in 2015 and has been producing high quality custom light fixtures ever since. The Nordhues sell these fixtures in the trade market throughout the Midwest to designers, architects and builders.  Their products have raised a few eyebrows outside of the Midwest as well. They have caught the attention of Interior Design Magazine, Architectural Digest and more! They’ve presented their products at the Love the Local’s event in Lincoln, Bench in Omaha and they will show their work at the Architectural Design Show in New York City in the ‘MADE’ section this March! Impressive! You can also find some of their high quality fixtures installed locally at Zipline Brewing Co, and Mercury in Omaha. Their exquisite light fixtures are also in many residences throughout the Midwest.

How did a refined lighting company end up in Nebraska? Great question! After studying at the Art Institute in Denver, designing luxury lighting at Dessin Fournir Companies in Kansas, and getting a master’s degree in product design from the Rhode Island School of Design, Jeff decided to move back home to Nebraska and start Pax Lighting with his wife. Teegan is an expert in marketing and public relations and also worked at Dessin Fournir Companies in the public relations department. Jeff also has the title of ‘Professor’ on his resume as he developed curriculum and taught industrial design at UNK for seven years.

Jeff starts with hand sketches and then transfers his designs into AutoCAD. Within the entire production process, he controls the variables and optimizes his system by implementing a manual relief system. It takes approximately 12-14 weeks to produced a custom light fixture. They have custom glass developed in Omaha, custom colors and custom forms designed. They either create their own components in-house, or have them machined in Lincoln. The last step is having their metal finished in Omaha. Not only did the Nordhues choose to to base their business in Nebraska, they also keep it local and patronize other local businesses throughout their creative process. I love that!

Courtesy of Pax Lighting’s Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Pax Lighting’s Instagram.

It’s rare to find such outstanding designs created in the middle of a cornfield. Nebraska is home to so many outstanding craftsmen and artists. But I have to say, Pax Lighting is extraordinarily exquisite. Please consider using this talented team to meet your lighting needs, especially if you are an architect, builder or a fellow designer. They should be at the top of our “go-to” selection list because we want to celebrate and keep this local brand thriving. It is my personal goal to utilize their fixtures in my future interior design projects. I can’t wait to see how far Pax Lighting goes and all the beautiful applications their fixtures will be installed in! I know their reach already goes far, far beyond the Cornhusker state and I can’t wait to see what they do next.

Image courtesy of Pax Lighting’s Instagram.

Image courtesy of Pax Lighting’s Instagram.

Shop Local: Fall Favorites

Smell the air- it is here! Today marks the first official day of fall. I love so many things about fall that I shouldn’t try to list them all because this post would never end. To keep it short and sweet, I love the smell of fall, the crisp weather, all the fun activities and the cozy apparel. I am happiest when I throw on a pair of boots, jeans and a jacket and rush out into an autumn world. The corn and beans have already turned golden brown, and the trees are starting to turn as well.

While all of these things make fall an extra-special time of year, there are a few things that come to my mind when I think about fall in the Midwest. I love to support local small businesses and I try to shop local as much as possible. The heartland is full of talented creative people who work in many different fields. Some of these people bake, others craft products with their skillful hands, and many spend extra time doing things they love during the fall months.

An autumn-scented candle can instantly trigger happy fall thoughts and create the perfect ambiance for your room. My favorite fall candles are hand-poured in Lincoln, Nebraska by Wax Buffalo. If you have one of these little gems, you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t have your own little slice of heaven in a amber-glass jar, don’t walk- RUN to your nearest local vendor and get yourself a Wax Buffalo candle. Their current fall collection features the best smells ever: Autumn, Classic Pumpkin, and the Orchard. I have the Classic Pumpkin burning in my living room right now! I love all of the scents because you can’t go wrong with any of them.

Image from Artemis Teas Instagram page.

Another great smell comes from warm fall beverages. My go-to fall drink is a hot cup of Artemis Teas. The huntress flavor is specifically my favorite because of the name, the flavor and the aroma. This tea has hints of cinnamon and lavender in it. (So good!) Not only does it taste great, but it is actually good for you too! This drink promotes increased vitality, stamina and creativity. We all know that I need more creativity- right!? I love being creative and this tea is just the icing on the cake! Besides being an all-around great tea, it has epic packaging too. Brew yourself some this evening and take it easy knowing that all of the teas from Artemis are mindfully-crafted by a clinical herbalist in Omaha, Nebraska.

I may be biased, but I wear my #Heartlander tee almost too much. To me, a “Heartlander” is a person loves what they do, and loves the location they are in. This shirt is made of ultra soft tri-blend fabric that is screen printed by hand. The image was hand drawn by Joe Horacek at the Little Mountain Print Shoppe and our goal was to capture the heart of the Midwest. The 'military green' is an earthy color that looks great on all skin tones! This will be your favorite shirt. No doubt. You can find the link to purchase the #Heartlander t-shirt here, or you can head over to the “SHOP” tab at the top of this website.

Photo courtesy of the Little Mountain Print Shoppe.

As I mentioned earlier, fall apparel is second to none. Throughout the fall, I can be found wearing a sweatshirt probably 90% of the time. A good cozy sweatshirt is the most reliable thing one can have in their closet. As the temperature drops it is wise to wear layers. My dad always said that you can take layers off, but you can never add them if you don’t bring them. With this wisdom, I’m either always wearing a sweatshirt or bringing one along with me just in case. Last year I bought my very first sweatshirt from the Little Mountain Print Shoppe in Lincoln, Nebraska and my life has been forever changed.

I consider myself somewhat of a sweatshirt connoisseur and I’ve collected quite a few sweatshirts over the years. The Little Mountain Print Shoppe’s sweatshirts not only feature hand-drawn graphics, but they’re also the softest article of clothing you will ever wear. These quality sweatshirts come in a variety of sizes and colors too. I went into the Little Mountain Print Shoppe to get my husband a gift, and walked out with his gift plus a sweatshirt for myself. This is the best present I’ve ever given myself. In the photo to the left, I’m wearing my favorite sweatshirt from the Little Mountain Print Shoppe. You can find it here. If you love yourself, put one of these sweatshirts in your closet and thank me later. You won’t regret it.

Photos Courtesy of Nature Nurture Instagram.

If you are anything like me, I am always cold. Since I tend to wear layers, I strive to keep my head and neck warm as well. Last year I met Katie from Nature Nurture and I fell in love with her hand-knit products. She creates tons of different scarves, hats, ear muffs and more. She knits hats and scarves in many different colors, patterns and yarn weights. This enables you to wear a Nature Nurture piece with practically any outfit and in any season. Not only does she sell her products via her website and etsy shop, she also attends many local events and sets up a booth to sell her cozy products. You can find her at the annual Love the Locals events, Bench Made, and Handmade Omaha events. You can find me wearing my favorite knit hat from her when it gets too cold outside for my ears.

Then there are the foods of fall. S’mores are probably one of the greatest outdoor friendly desserts ever invented. I was recently asked what my favorite dessert was during a group ice-breaker and my knee-jerk response was, “anything chocolate and s’mores.” I find s’mores to be one of life’s simple pleasures. If you don’t find yourself near a bonfire, there are many other ways to have a s’more or bring some with you to an event. My friend at Tasty Good Toffee in Lincoln, Nebraska has perfected the s’mores flavored toffee. She actually used real chocolate flakes, graham crumbs and somehow drizzles an ooey-gooey marshmallow on top of each toffee piece. I love bringing this sweet treat to a fall get-together or having in a bowl during a movie night at home. If you like s’mores and want to take them anywhere you go, Tastey Good Toffee is the perfect solution for you! These tasty treats can be found at all Russ’s Markets and Super Savers in Lincoln, Nebraska. They are also found in boutique shops in Seward, York, Hastings, Kearney and Omaha. See the full list of vendors here.

Photo courtesy of Anchor Axe Co Instagram.

Photo Courtesy of Molly Jogger.

If you are ready to take things up a notch, you can make yourself a real bonfire. I have fond memories of helping my dad chop up a fallen trees for bonfire wood. We would start with a chainsaw to cut the trunk up into more manageable pieces, and then we could use an axe or a log splitter to cut the chunks into firewood. While I do not personally own a colorful axe from the Anchor Axe Co, I sure do admire their colorful axes. These guys grew up as carpenters in the midwest and developed Anchor Axe Co to create axes that can be used and handed down for generations. I love that they take the time to decorate each axe handle with a pop of colorful paint. I think it adds a unique personal quality to each piece and I would love to give one as a gift to my dad someday. As you may know from a few of my Instagram posts, I am also fan of the Des Moines based Fontenelle Supply Co. I own some of their shirts and love their general aesthetic. My favorite thing about the Fontenelle Supply Co is their commitment to creating local access quality clothing and accessories. When it comes to bonfires, I am particularly fond of the waterproof storm matches that they sell. These matches will stay lit for twelve seconds, even after they have been submerged in water. That is reliable!

Photo courtesy of Method to the Madness Instagram account.

I could not summarize all of the things I love about fall without being able to keep it all in order. If you know me, you know that I live by my planner. I don’t live by my phone planner or my computer calendar. Instead, I have always functioned solely thanks to a trusty paper planner. I used to utilize leather planners from Barnes and Noble, but then a Nebraska native developed and made the ultimate paper planner. Jocelyn Schade designed, developed and delivered the Madness Planner with her brand “Method to the Madness.” These quality planners help you not only schedule your life, but identify and achieve your own personal goals. This planner even allows you space to draw, doodle, take notes and so much more. It is structured to help guide you based on what is most important to you. Jocelyn created it this way so that we don’t get lost in the chaos, and that we quite literally develop a method to our own madness. I love the concept and I love her planners! Just recently Jocelyn revealed that she will be taking her new planner to KICKSTARTER this November! This new planner has been revised based on her customer’s feedback and many months of tweaking. I can’t wait to see the new planner and see where this awesome local business goes. I see big things in the future! Do you? :) I hope you all have a fantastic fall and I can’t wait to see what you are working on and how you are living in the Heartland.

Before and After: Julia Mason Art Studio

When I heard the incredible news that Julia Mason was going to quit her full time job to follow her dreams, I was immediately inspired. When I found out that her new endeavor involved sprucing up a cute little shop to use as her retail storefront, I quickly offered my interior design services. To my amazement, she graciously accepted and we quickly got to work. I began the process with a secret inspiration board on Pinterest that I curated to fit Julia's aesthetic. 

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

At our first site visit, we discussed ways to freshen up the exterior with some simple paint options. I used Photoshop to show Julia different exterior paint colors and signage options. Julia showed me around the charming little studio and explained how she wanted it to function. She told me that she planned to use the space to display her work, sell her art, and work on current projects. She shared her love for natural wood finishes, her need for display, and that she wanted her art to be the focus of the space. She told me that the main design challenge within the space was how to address the two windows and a door that led to a different part of the building that the landlord owned. She mentioned that when people entered the space, their first comment was, "What is behind these windows and that door?" We did not want this to be the focus of the space. I took measurements of the space to draw a floor plan in CAD and quickly got to work.

AFTER

AFTER - detail shot -

BEORE

AFTER

I mentioned that we could utilize peg board to fit precisely within the trim of each window and door. Then customers could not see beyond the space, and we could utilize the peg board for product display. I shared my secret Pinterest board with Julia and showed her some bold statement walls that were covered in faux greenery and featured a neon sign hanging the middle of it all. Julia loved this look and utilized it as both a way to cover up the windows, and a way to showcase her work. Brilliant! We also incorporated an encouraging neon sign over the greenery of the second window. It reads, "DO WHAT YOU LOVE." This inspirational quote was spoken by Julia's father and it is a special personal touch within the space.

Julia told me that she wanted a streamlined look. It would be very clean and intentional. I was fully on board! I spoke with Julia about her process and the different types of artwork she produced. It became clear to me that this space would be primarily used in three different ways: to sell "LOCAL" art, to promote her "CUSTOM" capabilities, and to work on projects currently in "PROGRESS."  This simple understanding lent itself nicely to signage throughout the space. We achieved this when Julia hand-painted these three words onto separate pieces of wood, and mounted them in pre-selected areas in the studio. This not thoroughly explains how the space is laid out and what Julia is selling, but it also draws our eyes up towards Julia's high ceilings. 

BEFORE

AFTER

" It became clear to me that this space would be primarily used in three different ways: to sell LOCAL art, to promote her CUSTOM capabilities, and to work on projects currently in PROGRESS. "

- TARA MILLER

BEFORE

AFTER

In order to further connect with her customers, I suggested that we create a "sign in" area where people could put their names and e-mail addresses if they wanted to be kept up to date via Julia's e-mail newsletter. I sketched a simple sign in table made of natural plywood that fit into this little spot next to the stairs. This is a great spot to capture e-mails while customers peruse from the "CUSTOM" to the "LOCAL" display section of Julia's studio. (Check out those adorable totes too!)

BEFORE

AFTER

The storefront windows flood the space with gorgeous amounts of natural light. I thought this would be the optimal spot for some seating and a little accent table. This snug seating area could be utilized for a one-on-one sit down meeting with a customer to discuss their custom art piece. The seating area lends itself to great conversation while being out of the  main circulation paths throughout the space. 

BEFORE

AFTER

Initially, I pulled together a few seating and accent table options for Julia and I to work through. She landed on a stunning duo of pink metal chairs + a ceramic accent table. The accent table came in right away, but the original chairs got delayed for MONTHS. I love perusing through local shops and boutiques and luckily, I had just picked up a gem. This lovely chair was upholstered in a peachy/ pink vinyl and it had intricately carved bamboo wooden legs. It didn't work for the first spot I tried placing it at, but when I brought it to Julia's studio, I knew it was magic. It worked perfectly! HUGE shoutout to the great people at Starts With Vintage for helping me source these amazing pieces. Thank you so much! #supportlocal 

BEFORE

AFTER

Left: Interior Designer Tara Miller with The Heartland. Right: Artist Julia Mason with Julia Mason Art.

Floor plan drawn by Tara Miller at The Heartland Interior Design

All photos by Nicolette Wagner with Life Unbound Photography.

---

Shop the Look: The Grove Juicery

I love supporting local small businesses. Most of the time, when I’m wanting or needing to purchase something, I ask myself, “can this product be sourced locally?” From there I take a moment to rack my brain or do a quick google search to see if there are any local businesses or makers that I can go to. I would much rather stimulate the local economy an purchase something from a big chain.

View fullsize

Photo @justbebalanced

View fullsize

Photo by @kimberlydovi

View fullsize

Photo by @cait.perman

View fullsize

Photo by @kimberlydovi

View fullsize

Photo by @anrosen

View fullsize

Photo by @cait.perman

View fullsize

Photo @wellesleylauren

View fullsize

Photo @uglyhumanbeing

View fullsize

Photo by @kat_foster_

From time to time I’m going to share a few local businesses on the blog that I enjoy. The Grove Juicery and Wellness Cafe opened it’s doors to the public on Monday May 28th and it has been quite literally taking over the internet ever since. Instagram feeds are plum full with shots of the trendy interior and their colorful juices. *Swoon* It is dreamy for sure. 

It took me about a week to find the time to stop into the cute little spot on 24th and Farnam. I stopped there on my lunch break to see what all the buzz was about and experience not only the beautiful atmosphere, but also to drink some epic juice. Once I looked over the menu (and realized how hungry I actually was) I opted for their Açaí bowl instead of the juice. I had multiple appointments afterwards so I didn’t want to buy a bunch of juices and let them sit in the heat of my car for the remainder of the afternoon.

Like a moth to the flame I made a bee-line towards the electric navy sofa after placing my order. Who doesn’t want to sit on lush velvet? There I waited for the barista to take the orders of the numerous people in line behind me. During that time, I was able to really look around and soak in my surroundings. While doing this I realized that I recognized many of the beautiful furniture pieces and light fixtures in the space.

I am an Interior Designer. Therefore, I am constantly shopping for furniture, light fixtures, etc, for my clients. You can say I’m on the internet – a lot – and that is how I can sometimes easily identify products.

In this blog I’m going to share with you how you can “get the look” of The Grove Juicery and buy the pieces for yourself. Most of the products can be easily sourced online and shipped directly to you. I hope you enjoyed reading this and I hope you'll like the quick work I did on identifying the charming elements in The Grove Juicery and Wellness Cafe.

Photo via Anthropologie.com

The Velvet Lyre Chesterfield Sofa from Anthropologie can be purchased in a variety of ways. You can click here to order it in the "Forest" green colorway with the dark hickory legs on rollers. If you want additional options, you can click here for a full list of all the fabrics and leathers the sofa is available in. See the "Velvet in Navy" color code in the adjacent photo for additional information on the blue sofa.

Photo via Anthropologie.com

Photo from Target.com

The Jewel Round Side Table via Target's Opalhouse collection is made of rattan and adds natural warmth and texture to the space. This piece is available in both the natural and a black finish. It is approximately 19.75" in diameter and 19.75" high. Click here to see additional information on the side table.

Photo from Anthropologie.com

Each table is accented with the Pari Ratan Arm Chair from Anthropoloie. This rattan chair is not only comfortable to sit in, the fact that you can see through the chair makes it visually "light" within the space as well. 

Photo from Houzz.com

The Safaveiah Leda Rattan Bar Stools can be purchased through a variety of vendors such as Hayneedle, Houzz, and Overstock.com. Be sure to check the dimensions on each website to see if they are selling the counter height, or the bar height version. This information can typically be found in the 'product info' section or under the 'dimensions' section.

Photo by WorldMarket.com

(Scroll down to see information on the lighting, tiles and paint in the space.)

The Basketweave Bamboo Pendant Shade can be found at WorldMarket.com and is available in both natural jute and a black finish. This product is hand woven onto a metal frame and is sold separately from the actual lightbulb and chain. You can see WorldMarket's Electrical Cord and Swag Kits here. 

My favorite finish in the space is the original mosaic tile flooring. These intricate pieces compose a striking pattern on the floor and give a freshly acquired look. They tell a story of a time when developers, real estate agents and business owners invested in the hard surfaces of their space. They weren't worried about if the pattern would affect resale value, and they didn't argue over wheather it was "timeless," or not. They knew that mosaic flooring was a great investment and they just did it. It's simple, and it is magnificent. 

While this look may be from another era- there are tile manufacturers today that are creating similar looks at a decent price point. Jeffrey Court came out with a tile line last year called Chapter 18 - Rotunda. This collection features many magnificent tiles, but a few particular styles lend themselves as an exquisite alternative to this historic look.

If you click on the Junaeu Mosaic, the Montpelier Mosaic, or the Augusta Mosaic, you will see dainty compilations of mini-square tiles. These tiny pieces create a large floor pattern similar to the flooring at The Grove. Each of these patterns are available in two colors: Nero Marquina (Black), or Tunisian Grey. 

You could easily put Jeffrey Court's Rotunda mosaics in your home, office or business to create a striking floor pattern, and I guarantee people will love it! (Not everyone of course, but the majority of people will be drawn to it.) Be bold! Be different. Be you! If you like pattern, then I'd like to encourage you not to be afraid of it! :)

Last but not least, let's talk about those WHITE WALLS. We see photos of white interiors everywhere. But have you ever gone to the store to pick out a white paint color? There are literally MILLIONS of white paint options to choose from. So how do you know which white is a good white? The last thing you want is to have all of your walls painted "white" and then end up feeling like they're peachy, or that they have a green undertone.

Some of the brightest stark whites in the business are Sherwin Williams -Pure White (SW7005), Benjamin Moore's -White Heron (OC-57), PPG's -Commercial White (1025-1), and BEHR's Home Decorator's Collection's -Nano White (HDC-MD-06). However, a paint selection depends so much on the flooring, the furniture, the lighting and many other elements in the space. So these whites might not be the perfect fit for your space.

If you ever need help picking a paint color, or anything else that has to do with interior design, feel free to shoot me an e-mail. I am happy to help!

I hope you enjoyed this blog post covering the ultra-trendy interior of The Grove Juicery and Wellness Cafe. Go for the atmosphere - stay for the juice. It's divine. <3 #shoplocal #interiordesigner

---