christmas in my house.

christmas came early for me ~ i got an iPhone from my parents late last night as an early present! my old blackberry had once belonged to my bf while in college, and had spent about 6 months living under a fraternity couch. after i had adopted her, she wasn't treated much better as i left her everywhere and once ran over her, accidentally. :0

i will treat this phone with much better love, care and affection.

so, since i now have a semi-good camera, i took some quick photos around the house of some of my favorite things my mom does for xmas. 

the slightly more-formal-than-we-are dining room. note: we don't normally have that many chairs squished... my parents had just had a party and rather than take away the chairs, my mom kept them seeing as how 12 will be around that table in two days. 

twinkle lights in a jar! this one is under our tv in the family room - we have them in the dining room {you can sort of see them in the corner} and in the living room on the piano. i love them!

who doesn't love a great bar? this is the old roll-top desk i was talking about - this is in a little room off the kitchen kind of adjacent to our family room that houses just this bar {and the christmas tree during the season}. during the party a few nights ago, my mom had all the wine glasses and liquor glasses against those twinkle lights in the back and put the wine on one side and liquor on the other. it looked amazing at night! on top are all her snow globes she collects.... and a little skiing moose {b/c my parents love to ski, and we have a cabin named "moosehill"} with little earrings to be in the spirit of things.

dontcha want one? are you jealous? you should be. my mom makes ahhhmazing christmas cookies - all from scratch and hand decorates. the ones to the left are a shortbread type cookie dipped in chocolate with pecan sprinkles on top. the snowflakes are sugar cookies that my mom cut out and decorated herself! not to mention they are always displayed in the cutest ways. can i be like you, mom?

christmas time is HERE.

merry christmas!

i am back in new hampshire and couldn't be happier! i've spent the majority of my christmas break in dallas visiting my boyfriend, and now am home for a little over a week to spend some good christmas time with my family :) being in dallas {in a boy's apartment, non-the-less} i haven't felt like it is christmas quite yet. bryce and josh have no christmas decorations up {not even a twinkle-light in sight} and it has been upwards of 65 degrees every day in the great state of texas. so one i landed in manchester yesterday afternoon and my brother picked me up in his trusty subaru {NO ONE in texas drives a subaru} with ski's in the back, i felt that christmas was just around the corner! the long drive home i mostly slept, but once we pulled into my driveway and came to my brother's parking spot in front of the barn, there were beautiful christmas-wreaths on either barn door, signaling the holiday season. 

pottery barn outdoor wreath
$79

each and every year we spend christmas time with my family from new jersey, which entails my grandma, grandpa, pop-pop, uncle stevey, aunt jill, michael & amy (and this year amy's boyfriend, ryan). this year christmas is at our house, so all 12 of us are under one roof. whenever we have christmas here, my mom goes all out with the decorations. stockings are hung over the fireplace, which is constantly running when the family is here, tree is decorated with every ornament we have (and yes, this includes my flashing cow lights that get strung around the tree and michael's "christmas" plate ornament with his little face in the center he made in 1st grade), all of my mom's snow-globes out over the make-shift bar (an antique roll-top desk from my late-grandfather) with twinkle lights behind them, and glass jars filled with white twinkle lights sprinkled around the house. i love it! i also can't wait for when i get my first big-girl apartment/house and can decorate it myself. dad, i might need some help, financially, on that part......

since i have no camera to take pictures of all these decorations around my house, and nor do i have a working camera phone, i am going to show you pictures of my favorite holiday decorations in other's - and what i might steal once i get old enough to do so. enjoy :) 

while this is beautiful... i'm not quite sure it is realistic.
country living

take an old chandelier, spray-paint white, add the jewels and the greenery and BAM.
itsoverflowing.com

i am obsessed with this. took reclaimed wood and mounted above fireplace. i.love.it.
itsoverflowing.com

simplicity of the red and white and little twinkle lights above table.
trendzone.com

restaurants, dallas style.

i just recently met a new friend for lunch in dallas today at central market. instantly i was obsessed. it is a mixture of a food market, and also a fresh food market, where there is a salad bar, an asian bar, sushi, sandwiches, etc. etc. it's ahhhh-mazing. once we selected our food we went and sat down to eat! there is a cute little outdoor area {sadly it was raining so we couldn't eat there unless we wanted to go swimming} and a small little "cafe" - all in all it was a very enjoyable experience! it got me thinking about restaurants and how they are designed... it is not only the food that brings us there but also the experience. below are a few finds of some meticulously designed restaurants that i want to visit - i may have to spend a fortune... but if it's research, it's okay, right?

healthcare design.

concept sketch for one of the five spaces we designed: employee dining room.

my grades FINALLY rolled in (took long enough) and i have to say i am quite pleased with the results! i did work extremely hard and while i complained about this last semester more than i have ever complained before, i am proud of the spaces i produced.

employee dining room presentation rendering.

this past semester we studied "hospitality design" and worked with a real client over at the hotel at auburn university. i was upset that we didn't get to work with the restaurant, because i think that would have been more interesting and beneficial for our understanding of hospitality, codes, restaurant design, etc. we did 5 spaces: deluxe hotel room, executive suite, employee dining room, think tank & fitness center. whew! it was a lot of work!

employee dining room floor plan. see how teeny tiny these spaces were?!

next semester we tackle the big dogs. our final semester in the program and we are doing.... healthcare design!

need i say i'm excited? i'm not quite sure why either... i'm probably going to hate it once we begin. unfortunately, we don't know what kind of healthcare design we will be doing - whether we will be doing a specific unit, multiple floors, pick our own location or work with an existing building. since i am taking a "month-long sabbatical" as my boyfriend's roommate likes to call it, in dallas visiting bryce, i might take the time and do some research on hospitals and design - maybe it will help me once we begin the FINAL semester! anyone have any info on healthcare design? wanna throw it my way??

portfolio.

i realize i just posted, and you're probably thinking "woow this girl can't get it together... doesn't post for months and is really sporadic about it and now is posting twice in one day?!"


well hush -


i have created my portfolio AND my website and i'm so proud of both of them - please visit my website *www.mholsen.com* and if you're feeling kind, send me an email on the contact page, to let me know what you think! 


bye for real -

december in dallas.

i'm in dallas!

{at least for a little while...}

i am in dallas for my *last* month-long break. thursday at 930am i submitted the last college undergraduate exam i will ever take - as next semester i will only be taking my healthcare studio class, and continuing to be a teacher's assistant for the sophomore studio class. so friday morning i packed up the car with enough stuff to last me a year, put the pup in the back, turned on my nicholas sparks book on CD and began my 11-hour journey. i pulled into the city at 630pm, which was great. i was driving on the flattest highway i've ever been on, with nothing to look at until all of a sudden i came around a bend and bam - there was the city. i love a city at night - something about the lights on all the big buildings gives me chills. it's almost calming. 

i hope to move to dallas come may, and be working in an architecture/interior design firm within the city. since i grew up in a small town, and went to college in a small town, i never thought i'd be allured to a huge metropolis, especially in the deep south. however, i am! dallas is the ninth-largest city and part of the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the nation, but it doesn't feel like that. i feel safe here, because the city has strategically made neighborhoods throughout the large skyscrapers, so it doesn't feel overwhelming. i also love dallas for all it offers, from the historic, free mckinney avenue trolley to dallas arts district to the uptown area (where i hope i can live) with the cultural restaurants, pubs and boutiques.

i'll be posting pictures throughout the month and deliver more stories and interesting things i find while i'm here.

til then....

furniture, fixtures & equipment

this is my LAST fall semester as a student (hopefully) - and this semester we are designing 5 smaller spaces within the auburn university hotel and conference center. these spaces include a deluxe hotel room, executive suite, a "think tank", fitness center & employee dining room. 


frighteningly, our project is DUE in two weeks. TWO WEEKS and we are presenting in front of the jury. i am terrified. we just had our ff&e pin-up a week ago, and are working towards the end goal slowly but surely. 

this is my pin-up which shows my floor plans, the furniture and furnishings..... not set in stone but definitely helps when you are trying to focus on the schematics of it all....

will post some conceptual sketches later on... 

til then.

joss & main.

recently, joss & main has become one of my favorite websites. it is also convenient that my best friend from home, elise, is now a buyer for joss & main! she knows my love for interiors and all things related, and i know her passion for fashion - so this is quite an exciting step she has taken. maybe i can get a discount, lise????


if you aren't already a member, or don't already KNOW about joss & main, let me explain -
joss and main gets some of the best deals i have seen on the web with furniture, artwork and homegoods. it is like an etsy - but run through one main vendor rather than separate ones. there is a daily sale at 11am, where 5 styles are showcased. i'm obsessed.


the company was created by a online home goods retailer, csn stores, whose long-standing partnership with a network of leading brands allows joss & main some unbelievable deals. it is members ONLY shopping, which makes it exclusive - but is so easy to sign up.


go to www.jossandmain.com and sign up - it will take a few days for you to get an invite to join their site, so if you would like to join sooner, email me and i will gladly send you an invite where you can sign up that day and get the deals you've been waiting for!


below are some gems i want that are currently on sale... wish i had some money. anyone want to sponsor me?

vintage smith paris map -

with the frame, only $99

horizon rug

wool beverly hills rug in RUST

5 x 8

originally $699

joss & main member price is $264.99

horizon rug

wool beverly hills rug

originally $699

joss and main member price is $264.99

back with it.

i'mmmmmmm back -

it has been a crazy few months and now i am back in my home for the past 5 years - auburn - finishing up my degree in interior design. i can't wait to be graduate and be in the real world working with design! it excites me every day to know that i am one step closer to living my dream.

this past summer i interned with fox architects in the washington d.c. metro area and gained so much experience. it was a wonderful summer filled with new ideas, new friends and a fresh perspective on the design world. fox was unbelievable in allowing me to be immersed into their office, teaching me new programs and allowing me to work on their projects. they are incredibly instrumental in giving me the last oomph (good design word, right dad??) i needed to push through this final year in school. 

after i left fox in august, i came back to auburn and moved into a new house with the baby pate and 3 new roommates whom i love. i've been enjoying studio (surprisingly) and am helping out with the sophomore studio - which keeps me on my toes! i have also been doing quite a bit of traveling - d.c. for my good friend's engagement party, dallas to visit my boyfriend, new york to visit one of my best friends --- SO MUCH TRAVELING that i am exhausted, but i have enjoyed every minute of it. 

now that i am not traveling anywhere for a solid month - i decided i really do need to start up my blog again. i love to blog and keep an active record of all design things that excite me! so here i go again.... wish me luck and please, keep following! 

till the next time........

m.

workspace design magazine.

i guess you can officially call me a nerd. i am now a contributing writer for workspace design magazine, an online magazine which focuses on the ever evolving office and the systems surrounding it. please, click here 

if you would like to read my article. hopefully soon i can get off my booty and write some more blog posts :)

i've been a bad blogger.

you can call me the world's worst blogger. i have been so tired recently after work and just don't have the energy to blog! on top of that, i have been finishing up an article i have been working on for a magazine {i know right? who would hire me to be a contributing writer?!?!}. so i'm pooped. luckily this week ends with my article being turned in, along with my headshot and bio {which are much harder to produce than you would expect} and a short work week because bryce and i are heading to atlanta for a little vacation! woooohooo! i think it is much needed.... last night i went up to bed at 10pm. on a friday. what 23 year old does that? tonight we are both exhausted watching the usa/mexico soccer game {in spanish because we don't get the american channel... bizarre} and ready for bed. old people? whatev. i'll blog sooner, in more detail - promise -  even if no one is ready it! 


hope you have a great saturday xoxo always.

daddy day!

{happy father's day!}

i love love love my daddy - and i'm sad i can't be with him on father's day this year - - so i decided to do a little father's day blog on all the reasons i love my dad. 

he loves our family - especially my mommy. a few years ago he took her on a secret weekend trip - to iceland. he loves traveling, and never can really sit still..... so a 3-day excursion across the big pond is totally his thing.

can you guess which side is my dad's side? yes.... the left. this is just one example of how he loves everything to be organized - i think this is possibly where i got my ocd tendencies from.... hmmmm.

this is definitely a "why i love my dad AND my mom". i think the picture speaks for itself... where would he be without her?

are you scared? stan - my old roommate's dad - and my dad are telling alllll those boys out there that they are watching. weirdo's.

my parent's have always been adventurous and have always pushed us to do activities with them. i first started skiing when i was 3 years old - that's teeny. this is my dad and i when i was young enough to rock that sweet onesie ski suit. 

he likes to have fun. i don't know if you know the "crap" - but he invented it. and no, you sicko's it's not what you think... it's "cocoanut rum and pinapple". nuff said.

i love my family. every year we take a week-long vaca in .... NEW HAMPSHIRE. but hold on - it's cool, i promise. while we may be from new hampshire, and the drive to this spot is only about 2 hours away, it is the best vacation ever. we go every single year around the same time to the balsams. it's a time for my whole family to relax, eat, drink, play golf (well... those three play, i sun), tennis, hike, etc. etc. it's SO much fun and so relaxing and the main reason it is so great is because i am there with my fam.

oopsies.

i've been skimping on the blog posts. oopsies! thought i would update everyone with what is going on with my life this past week - - -

{life as an intern}

at fox architects life has been good. a new girl who just graduated from virginia tech was hired and seems to be taking over what i was helping with on team yellow. i was moved to a smaller team which is overwhelmed with work! they work with landlord services, and do more basic, base-building design. it isn't as exciting as working on team yellow, since i got to design a rug, select finishes for offices, design a custom reception desk, but being on this team is giving me a whole new perspective on what it takes to be an interior designer!

i am working with two other designers - amanda and su. i love them both - su is an amazing teacher. my skills in revit have improved dramatically. i have been keeping a little "revit tutorial" on everything i have learned, and already it is multiple pages in a word document! i will definitely be taking that with me when i return to auburn :) i now survey sites, go to finished sites and "punch" (which means i take note of the site and everything that is wrong with it before the tenant moves in), complete red-lines that su gives me, write up transmittal requests and order samples. it's definitely a different pace than what i was doing with jenna on the yellow team, but i love it just the same!

yesterday we had our friday interiors meeting - and one designer talked about her past work for a very famous law firm - foley and lardner. it was a very informal meeting where she presented us the design with before images, presentation images and the finished product. looks stunning. makes me excited to do this type of work.

conference room. check out the stunning views of the potomac and dc.

great shot of waiting/lounge - the materials used are fabulous.

i believe this is an open conference room - with another amazing view.

{life in d.c.}

i love this town! although it is difficult to be a poor college kid in this fabulous place, i'm getting by just fine with the things i have found and what i have been doing. thankfully, my great friend melissa moved up here and got a JOB (so proud of her) in the city, so that has been nice to have a girlfriend around. while living with boys is all good and fun, i miss my girlfriends so much. melissa and i met up in reston town center for drinks and dinner after work - it was so fun!

we don't go into d.c. as much as i would have thought - but there is so much to do in our little "mini-city" of clarendon and in the surrounding area - so it really doesn't matter much. to get into the city can be exhausting! while it is a fun excursion, i prefer arlington. 

{things i still want to do while i am here}

- go to the florida avenue dc farmers market

- take a boat out on the potomac

- go to the bbq festival in dc

- find a good swimming hole/lake 

- find my favorite happy hour spot

- FIND A GOOD PLACE TO GET MY HAIR DONE {that isn't a million bucks...}

- take a day and go through dc taking touristy pictures

fill in the blank friday.

{fill in the blank friday}

while this is not my favorite fill-in-the-blank sesh... i still enjoyed it. i love thinking about vacations, but right now all i really want to do is BE ON ONE. that will happen to me soon enough, i suppose.... and besides, aren't i basically ON a vacay for the summer? i get to see my boyfriend every day (huge deal since we're long-distance), live in an amazing city (washington d.c.), and go to a fantastic internship where i feel more like i am playing than working.

hope your summer is just as enjoyable!

1.   This weekend I'm   hanging out with Bryce - getting some SUN - and babysitting with melissa.

2.  My last vacation was  our roadtrip to Hanover over memorial day weekend.

3.  My next vacation will be    to peachtree city for 4th of july! can't wait for more sun.

4.  My favorite way to relax is  to watch a movie, hang out and read a book outside or play with my puppy.

5.  When vacationing one should always  do what they please!! you're on vaca... it's your time to relax and recharge......

6.  When vacationing one should never       count calories. i totally stole this from the original "fill in the blank" blogger... but it is so true. there is only one life. there are very few vacations. don't spend it counting your calories. ew.

7.  The best part about a vacation is  {are} the memories afterwards.  i love looking at pictures of my vacation and realizing how much fun i had, i relaxed i was....i feel like after a good vacation you grow closer to those who went on the trip with you - you share a special bond over it. i love it.

renovations.

i am a huge fan of renovation projects. i have always said that when i grow up - i want to buy a dilapidated, beat up house and make it my home. i am on stumble upon {if you haven't gotten on there yet, you need to ... it's a great procrastination tool} and found this wonderful project. this couple bought their teeny tiny apartment in horrible condition and renovated the entire thing themselves. they have clever ideas for their cozy space, including materials used. i love it!

{below are some before pictures. veeerry intimidating for a project to take on yourself.}

{now for the after pics. stunning.}

all pictures were taken from this blog: desire to inspire found on stumble upon at this address: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2QE64V/www.desiretoinspire.net/blog/2010/8/13/a-completely-renovated-first-apartment.html

my love for etsy.

many who know me know i'm constantly searching for new art to bring into my house. i love prints, paintings, sculptures and furniture, but on a discounted price, of course. i absolutely love etsy! you can find amazing things on here - and it is so worth it to take a few minutes {or a full day} to search the site and find some gems. but don't worry, i did the work for you this weekend, so below are a few of my fab weekend finds. you're welcome :)

medusa 11 x 14 fine art print by sealilystudio
$35
http://www.etsy.com/listing/75257114/medusa-11x14-fine-art-print?ref=cat1_gallery_17

RUM - 8 x 20 print
$14
http://www.etsy.com/listing/75036205/varieties-of-rum-print-gray-and-orange-8?ref=v1_other_2

GIN - 8 x 10 print
$14
http://www.etsy.com/listing/75040690/varieties-of-gin-blue-and-gray-8-x-10?ref=v1_other_1 

{mom and dad - i totally see these going above the roll-top desk bar}

keep calm and sail on - 8 x 10 print
$10
http://www.etsy.com/listing/71472156/keep-calm-and-sail-on-8-x-10-print?ref=cat1_gallery_4

{i need to get this for bob at fox}

custom family rules sign - 24 x 36 inch on distressed wood
$170
http://www.etsy.com/listing/71464370/custom-family-rules-sign-extra-large?ref=cat1_gallery_40

i honestly do believe that how you decorate and design your house is a direct reflection of who you are {or who you want to feel you are} as a person. my house at home is extremely open - the family room is open to the kitchen which is open to the bar. there is a patio and screened porch that all ties together, and offers seating for conversation and parties. even the study upstairs offers additional seating for people to sit and enjoy each others company while someone else is working on the computer. i love how open my house is, and the warmth it emits. in high school {and especially during breaks in college} all my friends would come over to my house - and i believe it is because there was free booze my house makes people feel welcome. i want my home to feel that way, too. 

my friend tucci's house in delray, florida is a perfect example of this. her parents don't believe in a "formal" living room, because they don't like that feeling. so in the space where there was supposed to be a "formal" living room, they put a custom bar - and at the other end, a giant 10 person round dining room table. it is perfect and so suits their family. instantly you walk in and understand that they are a family who enjoys company, people & good times. i hope my home will reflect who i am the way her family and my family have done.