A Vintage Crate   +  trip

(If you missed last weeks Coffee With you can go HERE to read it )
Today on Coffee With I want to introduce you to Stacy Curran from Conspicuous Style. Stacy and I have been email buddies for a couple of months now- we both share a passion for lamps and HomeGoods. She is a dear and I only wish I could have physically meet with her to share a cup of coffee. So instead we shared a virtual cup of Joe.
You probably have seen her BEAUTIFUL bedroom thats been floating all around blog land.

Her living room- LOVE the trim on those drapes!!

And beautiful kitchen

Here's what Stacy had to say:

When did you know that Interior Design was your passion?

Right after college, I got my first apartment with my (now) husband. We didn't have any money, so it was hard to decorate it, but I knew then, and more so each year as we were able to furnish it, that I loved everything about design and decorating. I think I started subscribing to Traditional Home and the others in my twenties, and I still have some of those photos that I clipped from 20 years ago. Where do you find your inspiration?

I find inspiration from other designers. I know a lot of people say "the beach, the moon, a rock, a lizard, etc... ." but I always kind of laugh at that. More power to them if they are inspired by a bug, but for me, it's by looking at rooms and thinking about what I like, what I don't like, and what I would do differently. I think there is probably some subconscious element to inspiration, but of course I'm not conscious of that happening! What is your favorite book/magazine on design? How about your favorite site?

I have so many design books that it would be impossible to choose one. I will say that I love Mary McDonald's new book. Another favorite of mine is a book about napkin folding. It was the first "design" related book I ever bought, roughly 20 years ago, and I still remember my father thinking it was kind of weird that I would buy a book like that (he actually teased me mercilessly, but in a loving way, if that makes sense). For magazines, I desperately miss Southern Accents, and still get a huge thrill when Traditional Home arrives. For websites, I used to be hooked on DecorPad, but now it's Pinterest all the way baby! What is the most frustrating aspect of your job as a designer? And the most rewarding one?

The most frustrating thing for me is when I am not able to get the client to see my vision, or understand where I am going with a room. Even with a design board, some people simply can't envision it. It's like me singing -- I can try as hard as anyone, but I just cannot carry a darn tune. So, while I recognize that it is not their fault, I still get very frustrated when I have to tone things down for a client because he or she "just can't picture" what I know they would ultimately love. And yes, I know about sketches, but they are expensive and many clients just don't want to pay for them. What decorating techniques/ideas/projects would you recommend to a homeowner who wants a quick fix to their room?

Paint, curtains, and pillows make a world of difference, and can be done relatively inexpensively. Making curtains out of fabric from JoAnn's or similar stores, when you catch them on sale, can be surprisingly affordable. I do my own all the time, and don't even sew them. I use fabric tape or glue to hem and line (well, I don't usually line them, but you can if you're ambitious). In my bedroom, I used $10 white panels from Target and glued grosgrain ribbon to trim them, and I think they look as good as really expensive ones. In my dining room, I hung fabric from JoAnn on rods/rings, and no one would ever know that they are not really "curtains" from a seamstress or store. What’s something you should never skimp on when decorating your home?

I think you need to buy the best quality furniture you can afford, always. Throw pillows, curtains, etc. can be from Home Goods or even Target, and tend to get replaced often, but the large pieces ideally will last forever, so go for quality. I also think that home maintenance is extremely important, but is something people don't always love to do because, frankly, it costs money and often doesn't make the house look any better. I know one family, for example, that never pumped the septic tank. And I mean never. In 35 years. Let's just say it wasn't pretty when they were confronted with the results of failing to maintain the sewage system. (Ok, it was my family, and I still haven't forgiven my parents for the emotional scarring from seeing what I saw that day :) 
 What’s your favorite color combination lately?

I really, really like hot pink and pale blue, but that's a close second to my favorite of black, white and turquoise. I just painted the ceiling in my dining room teal/turquoise, and did large, horizontal black and white stripes on the main wall. I was trying to channel Mary McDonald, and whether she would approve or not, I love it! Most cherished possession?

My most cherished possession is my collection of family DVDs. I simply cannot imagine what I would do if I weren't able to look back at my babies. After that, it's my featherbed. I always joke (sort of) that if there is a fire, we get the kids out, then my husband gets the DVDs and scrapbooks, and I get the featherbed (which is totally replaceable of course, but I just love it so much). What would your dream project be?