With a new year always comes new year's resolutions -- all those personal things we want to accomplish over the next 365 days. But did you know that your home affects how you show up in the world? Think about it -- this is the place you eat, sleep, live...naturally how it looks & feels will carry over into how you look & feel.

This is why I've decided to come up with 7 easy resolutions (translation: resolutions that you can actually keep) for your home, to not only help you love your space but also design your life for 2018.

Analysis: And Just Like That... An Intergenerational Reboot?

At the top of the year, I found myself binge rewatching old shows and/or movie series… with some new shows sprinkled in between. Reconciling how these shows/movies made me feel as a young adult when I first watched em with how they resonated with me now as a thirty something wife & mother… it was kind of a mind trip.

One show that I watched A LOT in my twenties, that I could not bring myself to binge watch again, though, was Sex & The City (SATC). I own the entire DVD box set - the collector's gift set - with all sorts of bonus DVDs, and yet it's been probably close to a decade since I last watched the show. Earlier this year I rewatched the movies - in the middle of my tv show binge - and by the end of em, it was painfully clear to me that I no longer connected with these characters & their stories... more so, it made me wonder if I ever did or if I was just too young, inexperienced, and naive to know any better.

LifestyleAlbie KnowsDecember 18, 2021tv, nyc living, sex and the city, and just like that

Fall 2019 One Room Challenge Update: Renovation Realities

DesignAlbie KnowsDecember 30, 2019renovation, nyc living, one room challenge, kitchen, design therapy

Fall 2019 One Room Challenge Week 2: The Makings of a New Home

If you read my week 1 introduction to this project, then you know that we’re renovating a basement and converting a one-car garage to create, in essence, a single, split level apartment.

Last week, I showed you some before photos and the floor plan, but what is the design plan? So glad you asked…

Each area has its own plan but it is one streamlined aesthetic. I’ve mentioned that for this project, I was keeping everything super simple because while having it look good is obviously important, the priority is making it livable, functional, and comfortable. So while a reno may seem like the perfect opportunity for me to go balls-to-the-wall creative with the design, here I really kept it super simple, focusing on keeping it feeling cozy and effortless.

DesignAlbie KnowsOctober 10, 2019one room challenge, renovation, nyc living

Fall 2019 One Room Challenge Week 1: A Cross Country Renovation

This is my fourth time participating in the bi-annual design event. Designers, design bloggers, design enthusiasts, DIYers, and everyone in between all participate, completing a design project within 6 weeks. In addition to the guest participants — like myself — 20 designers are featured, documenting their projects from start to [hopefully] finish.

This season I’ll be taking on a project that’s very personal, and very near to my heart...

A home renovation! Specifically, gonna be converting a garage into livable space and renovating a flooded basement.

DesignAlbie KnowsOctober 3, 2019one room challenge, renovation, nyc living

Decorating For The First Time: What I'd Do Differently

When we moved out west, it was a lot of firsts for us. First major life change as a new family of three. First move as husband & wife, and as parents. First time being responsible for a home we’d be creating together. That said there’s a lot I know now that I couldn’t have known before because, for us, it was all new territory. As mindful as I thought I was being when it came to furnishing our new home for our new life, there’s quite a bit a didn’t exactly get right.

So what would I do differently?

LifestyleAlbie KnowsAugust 25, 2019moving, west coast transplant, nyc living, reversible design, mini cribComment

One Room Challenge Week 5: When E-Design Meets Full-Service Interior Design & Organization

Holy Moly Canoli…One week to go!!! And OMG!!! What a couple of days it was! It was a perfect reminder that some progress is better than no progress — the magic is in the editing, not in the perfection. The beauty of e-design is that it doesn’t have to stop here — I can consult with her on the next phase of what she’s ready to tackle, whenever she’s ready, with a quick video conference. But with the bulk of the transformation completed by yours truly, the space already feels less overwhelming and daunting. She can now start to feel confident in her home and be at peace knowing that her stuff isn’t working against — it’s working for her. It’s Design Therapy!

3 Reasons I Loved Our New York City Studio Apartment

When I moved into my Hell’s Kitchen studio nearly 7 years ago, I had no hesitations — large kitchen, washer/dryer, and an amazing view all equaled a no brainer. The square footage didn’t matter to me because it was just me. Then I met my now husband. THEN we had a baby. Suddenly my perfect bachelorette studio started to resemble one of my many shoe boxes. In hindsight, it was great, and I'm glad we didn't immediately move!

Putting Together Our Dining Room: Part 1

Even before we officially decided to move, I would fantasize about designing wherever we would end up -- floor planning, coordinating color schemes, wish listing -- doing all the things I would do for a client.

Fast forward, to when we started doing apartment tours and then to when ultimately chose a place, I was super excited about having a space to really flex my design muscle (not for lack of trying in our NYC studio).

How to Redesign & Decorate on a Budget

It's the time of year for lots of hosting & entertaining, so naturally you want your place to look the best it possibly could. I know lots of people who take this opportunity to finally work oh home upgrades, not only for guests, but also to start the year off with a fresh look!

But what do you do if you don't have the budget (or desire) for a complete design overhaul because you're buying gifts & things for the holiday season?

Video, DesignAlbie KnowsNovember 13, 2017design therapy, dining room, decor styling, holiday season, nyc living, edesign, renderings, small spaces

Small Space Must Have: The Mini Crib

Enter the mini crib!

It was amazing to me how not a single one of my family members, friends, acquaintances, or even co workers had ever heard of it. Admittedly, I can’t even remember how I stumbled upon this wonderfulness (you google enough, I guess you’ll find anything) but I’m glad I did.

So… what is the mini crib?

It’s exactly what its name says — a small crib, measuring about a foot (give or take) shorter than a standard size crib, making a great long term alternative to a bassinet and space saving alternative to a standard size crib.

LifestyleAlbie KnowsNovember 9, 2017review, nyc living, mompreneur, small spaces, mini crib

Sophisticated Yet Casual Living Room

DesignAlbie KnowsNovember 8, 2017client photos, moving, youtube, color, nyc living, edesign, renderings, my home, reversible designComment

How To Fit 3 People In a New York City Studio

New York City living is practically synonymous with small space living, so whenever I tell people that we used to live in a NYC studio apartment, in the heart of Manhattan no less, the expressions on their faces tend to alternate between amazement, confusion, and pity. But for 16 months, my husband, daughter, and I all comfortable fit in our c. 500 sq. ft. studio.

Design, LifestyleAlbie KnowsNovember 7, 2017west coast transplant, moving, nyc living, mompreneur, small spacesComment

Mood Board Monday: Quirky Coastal Half Bath

This half bath was a renovation of a closet -- yes, closet! This really excited me because this closet was flanked by her daughters' bedrooms, and so the new bathroom would be for them to use.

Talk about making use of the space you have to create the space you need!

Business, VideoAlbie KnowsOctober 30, 2017national kitchen & bath month, bathroom, renovation, nyc living, edesign, small spaces

Charming Modern Kitchen

I love working on projects where the client knows early on what they want for the simple fact that it feels more like a collaboration than a job; and this remodel was, from start to finish, an awesome collaboration! She had a great vision in mind for updated their kitchen. We weren't making any changes to the actual foot print -- this was all cosmetic, and all fun.

The initial mood board was inspired by their style, as well as the style of the house, since th the kitchen is part of an open concept floor plan.

DesignAlbie KnowsOctober 10, 2017kitchen, renovation, youtube, west coast transplant, nyc living, edesign, renderings, mompreneur, shoppingComment

Elegant Boho Living Room

The foundation was already laid with a new sofa & rug, however, we needed to break up all that gray; so I created a design, anchored by those gray tones & featuring organic fibers & metallic accents for a cozy & eclectic setting. By introducing woods, leathers, and other natural materials, we would make the space feel pulled together & inviting, while still maintaining a modern appeal with clean silhouettes. As we worked through this design & brought this mood board to life, we were ultimately able to create the perfect setting for relaxing, working, and entertaining.

Business, VideoAlbie KnowsSeptember 11, 2017nyc living, edesign, small spaces, shoppingComment

Outdoor Space & Patio Refresh

The client was looking for help with layout and furniture selection for the outdoor patio; and hoping to incorporate an eating area, with some casual seating if possible.

Video, DesignAlbie KnowsAugust 21, 2017outdoor, summertime, west coast transplant, dining room, youtube, nyc living, edesign, shoppingComment

New York City To Hong Kong Living Room & Home Office (Guest Bedroom) Design

One of the biggest reasons I began to really started doing online design was the fact that I'd be able to reach people I'd otherwise never have access to and in the past year, I've worked on so many projects throughout the country. When I initially got the brief for this project, I read their location -- NYC -- and said, "Oh cool, someone from back home" (because I'm geeky & weird like that); silly me for thinking that's where the design was actually located...

Video, DesignAlbie KnowsAugust 14, 2017international design, nyc living, edesign, small spacesComment