Design Inspiration and Other Stories

I’m convinced that procrastination is a sign of a creative mind. But come holiday season, my “wait until the last minute” mantra leads to some very "bah humbug" anxiety. To help you beat the present pressure this year, I’ve pulled together a roundup of the best last minute gifts for everyone on your shopping list.

If you’ve followed the Narrative story from the beginning, you probably know that my daughters were a big motivating factor in starting this company. I wanted to show them by example that you can build a business driven by meaning and purpose. In the most direct way, Narrative does this by giving our customers a new way to memorialize the special moments and artistry in their lives. But as a company, we want serve a broader community than just our wonderful customer base. And so, I am pleased to introduce the beginning of Narrative’s corporate giving program.

If you are anything like me, holiday shopping angst is beginning to creep into consciousness. Now, I'm no Scrooge. It's not that I dislike gift giving. It's just that the pressure of weeding through so much stuff to find presents my loved ones will actually want feels daunting. How to find those unique, thoughtful gifts for friends and family? You can't go wrong with something personalized. To give you a head start on your holiday shopping, I've collected a few of my favorite customizable gift ideas for every member of the family.

I guess you could say I'm a colorful person. Just a tad on the expressive side. My emotions light up my face like a movie theatre marquee. So, when it comes to home decorating, is it any wonder I am drawn to walls painted in color? To get you in a colorful mood, here is a selection of Autumn appropriate decorating palettes matched up with four design tips for maximizing the impact of painted walls in any season.

Incorporating family photographs into your decor is tricky business. On the one hand, it can be heartwarming to fill your house with reminders of people you hold dear...on the other, too many personal photos can create visual clutter and feel fussy or out-of-date.

But don't let current design trends hold you back from enjoying cherished memories at home! To help you discover your own perfect balance of personalization and style, here are three tips for integrating family photos into your decor.

There has been a lot of hype in recent years about the "Maker Movement" and "Makers Fairs". A new wave of attention has been given to goods that are "Made by Hand" or "Handcrafted". Is this all just a hipster phenomenon or some clever marketing scheme?

Not even close.

Beyond inspiring intense personal gratification for the craftsman, handmade goods support the creative spirit in us all. Here's how...

Living in Southern California, it's hard to miss the influence of Mid Century Modern design. But if you're like me and don't have the budget - or desire - to go all-in on mid century home decor, it can be intimidating to approach such iconic furniture design.

To help you out, I've pulled together some of my favorite, versatile mid century style furnishings.