End of the Year & End of an Era at HGTV.com

Long before blogging, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest took over the Internet as a source for home enthusiasts to share "How To" home improvement projects, makeover photos, and decorating tips, there was a TV network who reached out to its community for engagement with a website called Rate My Space. Some may laugh at RMS, some took it as a competitive platform, some used it for inspiration, and some used it for help with their own design dilemmas. You could say HGTV pioneered the interior design and decorating social sharing we know today, from interior photography to vignette + tablescape styling to writing those How To posts we read on blogs, plus online magazines. And as of today, December 31, 2014 - the site Rate My Space will no longer exist - which is hard to believe it would cease to exist when it started back in 2007. 

 NYE Tablescape shared & featured at HGTV and on my blog - read here.

I can still remember seeing the commercial on TV (I think during Design Star or Devine Design with Candice Olsen) asking people to "Share their photos" and thinking - Hey - I could do that - I can share what I've done here (which was, at the time, our townhouse we bought in October 2006 in  Florida). The first share was an epic fail - filled with so much criticism, I deleted the photo. The photo was of our bedroom, and I hadn't yet decided whether to lean wall art on the night stands or hang above. Afterwards, I decided to go with above arrangement, retake the photos, and repost the room, which this time was a hit - no mean comments (yes, negative commenting was rooted back in '07!). 

 From RMS photo share to

25 GREAT HOLIDAY IDEAS TV SHOW (#23 & #25)

 The show aired 2008-2009-2010-2011 on HGTV.

From that point on, I had begun my own personal online sharing -- and -- engaging with other people who were posting and leaving comments. That was back in 2007, and I continued sharing up until 2013 (wow!! SIX years of photo sharing). Within those six years, I became friends with many of the people who were commenting - some are still friends today, from sending Christmas cards (Linda), to our Facebook connections (Patrick), and even meeting in real life Rate My Space commenters and contributors such as the Visual Vamp, Valorie in Miami and Janelle in Phoenix. Ironically, Janelle and I decided to meet for lunch back in 2012 (after we had connected on Facebook). I had a rough time getting settled in Phoenix, but meeting Janelle for lunch those three years was probably one of the highlights! We even drank our first Mint Julep together at lunch during the Kentucky Derby weekend this past Spring - and I bring this up because it all goes back to having formed the connections back on Rate My Space.

 

Our second Thanksgiving in our FL townhome - 2007

Sharing on Rate My Space helped me develop my ever changing seasonal style - but one thing didn't change: keeping my concept of repurposing, and using what you already have in new ways, with refreshed colors - even if shifting from room to room - to restyle, refresh, renew a home's space - without breaking the bank. The photo sharing, along with detailed room descriptions evolved into blogging - which Valorie had already tapped into, and who was a huge encouragement to me when I first started blogging back in late 2009. The two key points I learned from her were. 1. It will take a while to find your voice, but 2. Don't stop blogging.

Fast forward to today, and thanks to sites like Houzz and Pinterest, interior decor photo sharing has exploded on the Internet, and has changed not only magazine publications, but also site designs them-self - which is why I'm sure HGTV let go of some of their start-up photo sharing platforms.

 

Thankfully though, many of the photos and posts I had shared as NYCLQ on Rate My Space were featured in many of the HGTV specialty posts - although I don't think the RMS show or podcast (one of the first video bloggers aka vloggers, Angelo Surmelis) is available.  I have a link list (in my features tab above) but some of the most viewer favorites were the first bedroom I posted called Sweet Retreat, the yellow black and white living room called "Cash Cab" (I still get people complimenting me on that - Thank you!!), my Thanksgiving tablescape in brown & white, "JOY" mirror project from a Christmas Bedroom, New Years Eve tablescape called "No Reservations Required" and a few others...

7 HGTV DECOR and DESIGN FEATURES:

OUR FAVORITE BUDGET-SAVVY LIVING ROOMS

 15 (Almost!) FREE LIVING ROOM UPDATES

URBAN OASIS - SMALL SPACE & BUDGET DESIGN

25 NEW WAYS TO USE YOUR OLD STUFF (IMG #6)
SMART CHIC OUTDOOR LIVING

8 WAYS TO DECORATE WITH AUTUMN COLOR

 WAYS TO USE THROWS IN A LIVING ROOM

 

10 HGTV SEASONAL HOLIDAY DECOR FEATURES: 

EASTER DECOR: MONOGRAMMED EGG PLACECARDS

HOPPY SPRING - CHALKBOARD VIGNETTE

RUSTIC CENTERPIECES 

 SPOOKY HALLOWEEN TABLESETTINGS

15 STYLISH THANKSGIVING TABLESETTINGS

WINTER DECORATING IDEAS 

WINTER TABLESETTINGS & CENTERPIECES

20 GORGEOUS HOLIDAY TABLESETTINGS

HOSTING THE HOLIDAYS - EYE CATCHING CENTERPIECE

 NEW YEARS PARTY PLANS

The Internet has evolved, especially the way we get inspiration for interior design, holiday decorating and entertaining. And so to have the style and decor tastes of homeowners, dorm dwellers and even renters! I feel blessed and I'm grateful to have been a part of this design industry game changer - because not only did photo sharing on RMS grow, so too did the diy industry and building an online presence. Yes - there are still plenty of home improvement projects that should be left in the hands of a professional - even licensed professional, but there is a certain pride in ownership when one can share what and how they made an improvement or turned a house into a home, over time, on their own.

Although the first RMS posts I shared have already being deleted from the site in the past two years, some of the newer ones had remained...

So thank you HGTV! Thank you for having the foresight to see so far into the future and pioneer the online diy decor social experience - and also for having us create one of the first online "User Profile", where I so proudly came up with my NYCLQ user name, and I had my license plate personalized with it too! lol But mostly thank you for giving creative minds a place to mix and mingle, without worrying about watermarks and branding and making a photo pinworthy as we need to be today.

Thank you to the staff contributors who shared my content such as Kayla Kitts and Camille Smith, and thank you to those who commented, saved, or shared one of my posts! Thank you for the opportunity to have had the chance to inspire you to make your home your haven - and all with a little shift and shopping thrift! A special thank you also for having had the opportunity to meet so many good people (you know who you are!!)

While this may not be an end of the year recap of 2014, it is still a time of reflection (we all started somewhere!) and a time to show gratitude. My personal Rewind 2014 will be coming up next - In the meantime, head over to HGTV and check out their new site design at HGTV.com

 

 Good-bye Rate My Space - and thanks for keeping it real!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a Happy and Safe New Years Eve!

THANK YOU FOR THE SPRING FEATURES AT HGTV.COM!

We've all got to start somewhere... and my first dabble into posting and sharing on the Internet was at HGTV.com's Rate My Space back in 2006. Although I don't post as frequently on the site as I did when I started, from time to time I do pop over, take a look around, and seasonally share a post. Yesterday I popped over to see what they were featuring for Spring and Easter, and I came across "25 Easter Decorating Ideas". I remembered I had one picture featured in their post (from 2010), but they must have added or updated some of the images because yesterday I saw three more of my project photos shared! And one was from my "Spring Stoop" I had done last year here in AZ. Here's what was featured at HGTV.com...

 

 EASTER DECOR: MONOGRAMMED EGG PLACECARDS

 

 HOPPY SPRING - CHALKBOARD VIGNETTE

 FRESHEN UP YOUR FRONT PORCH FOR SPRING!

 

  DECORATING WITH FLOWERS FOR SPRING

While I was visiting HGTV.com yesterday, and looking through all the pictures I've posted (yes - missing our FL home too), I realized I never made a post of the entire house as a tour - I would only post individual rooms or tablescapes. It was from this act of "sharing" photos and the DIY info behind them that myself (and I think MANY others) got inspired to start blogging.

 

See more of my HGTV.com feature in tab above: FEATURES

Since the last post I shared on HGTV.com was back in November for Thanksgiving tablescapes, I thought I'd share the Realtor photos of our Florida home when it went on the market. This morning, It's featured on the front page of Rate My Space in Highest Rated and Most Viewed, which I thought was pretty cool...

 See: TOWNHOME TOUR

Top Rated & Most Viewed within 24 hrs of posting.

CASH CAB REMIX

The post I shared in 2008 at HGTV.com is still mentioned to me online today. I've come a long way since then, evolving and changing my style... but the mixing, the thrifting, and seasonal changes are still my key design elements today...

 

Many thanks to you (the viewers) and many thanks to HGTV for not only featuring my shares, but for launching the first platform FOR people to share xo

Thanks for stopping by!

 

HGTV's Make Space + My Feature for Launch!

Over the years (since 2007), I've been contributing images of my projects, holiday decor, tablescapes, and seasonal makeovers I've done to our home over at HGTV.com. I've also shared a few client makeovers as well. Although most have been through their Rate My Space channel online, several of my projects have been featured as online special topics  for HGTV fans to read & enjoy. A few weeks back, I was contacted by Kayla Kitts, a contributing editor at HGTV.com for permission to use another one of my projects I shared - but here on the blog NOT posted to RMS - last year: A client bedroom renovation. The project was included in a feature for the launch of new segment of the HGTV.com experience called MAKE SPACE. The segment includes clever cluster busters to stylish storage solutions for people to use in their home or office. The launch I was included in is called 25 New Ways To Use Old Stuff...

 TEACUPS (& SOUP BOWLS) JEWELRY ORGANIZER

 "We can never have too many ideas when it comes to organizing and displaying jewelry. If you're not short on storage space, reserve a vanity or dresser drawer just for holding bracelets, necklaces and rings. Designer Lynda Quintero-Davids wanted to add as much style and function to her client's dressing table, so she incorporated antique china teacups and soup bowls into one of the lined drawers. Each dish serves as a perfect way to separate small pieces like rings, earrings and brooches. Photo courtesy of Lynda Quintero-Davids"

A bit more about the table: The dressing table they referred to was actually a console table I thrifted at Faith Farm Thrift (Ft. Lauderdale) and refinished in two-toned distressed white & chocolate back in Florida - along with a few other pieces from the makeover. Here's a link back to White Furniture Finishes & Inspirations. The liners were scented and I found in HomeGoods, along with the crystal knob drawer pull.

 Click my Media tab above to see more of my HGTV features!

Many thanks to you, Kayla, & HGTV.com!

 Thanks also for stopping by!

MORE PICTURES FROM DAVID BROMSTAD'S FABULOUS COLORSPLASH SPECIAL

Did you see it??!! The shots you saw on TV looked amazing!! Actually being a part of the makeover and then seeing how it all pulls together for TV was very interesting! Most interesting has to be having been there to actually see the before, and what it takes to get you the viewer the after. It's truly a crazy process. And yes, Jeanette the homeowner was as excited and sweet as she appeared on screen. I loved the way they included David sharing his color and design knowledge with you. I snapped as many pics of the process as I could, but I wasn't able to show them until after the show aired. Now that it has, here are some of the pics I shot, starting upstairs with the gorgeous bedroom and fun sun room...



and now... shifting down stairs...

See that stone in the picture above? Here's what you didn't see on the show:

At about 5:30 the night before the reveal, it had to be removed because David wasn't liking the look (and rightly so!) But removing it damaged the boards it was applied to. Juan tried smoothing it out but it just wasn't happening. I had even suggested applying a paintable textured wall paper. The morning of the reveal, Stuart applied the boxes and Juan applied the beautiful faux finish, by mixing the Sherwin Williams colors used in the house. Micheal, David's assistant asked what I thought of it. I said it look amazing, but felt too heavy on this side of the room, it needed sparkle. About an hour later, I was sent out on a trip to go have mirrors cut. I needed it in an hour - the guy at the place said he was going to lunch - I said fine, I'll go somewhere else. An hour later, I was on my way back to the house with the mirrors. In the end, adding the studs to the framed mirrors to mimic the door truly made this THE show piece and focal point of the entire home. And it also just goes to show, that some of the best ideas can be born from something  that's not as brilliant - you've truly got to "feel" the design, go with your instincts, and... think fast! ;-)

Just a peek back at what it looked like before...

And again - kudos to the production company who put together the process for you to see!

And also, be sure to check out yesterday's post to click on the entry for the

Sherwin Williams $5000 Gift Card Contest.

You can pick up a boat load of the beautiful colored paints & handy supplies

David used for the makeover.

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a great day!