About Me July 10, 2007
MELISSA MICHAELS
“The Style Coach”
ABOUT THIS BLOG:
The Inspired Room blog was honored to be featured on the Washington Post Blog Watch Thursday March 13th.
Welcome! I am a wife and mother of three ranging in age from 7 to 20. In my professional life, I am an interior design consultant for my business, The Inspired Room in Portland, Oregon. In addition to helping clients refine their homes, I write extensively on design and lifestyle, including a monthly column for Christian Women Online Magazine. I am so glad you came by my blog home! This is one of my favorite places because it is where I get to interact with all of you! Here is a little overview of what my blog is about:
I am passionate about practicing and inspiring others in what I call Authentic Living and Authentic Style. Authentic Living is living a life that really works. It is focusing on things that are appropriate for you and the season in your life. It is about being true to your core values. It is about letting go of pressure to live out a life that isn’t really “you.”
Living authentically gives you permission to do things differently than everyone else! I love to explore ways to live authentically — creating both a beautiful life and a beautiful home. I think life and design should go hand in hand and I enjoy weaving the two together. For me it is about the focus, I design my life first and then I create rooms that reflect, complement and inspire that life.
Creating a beautiful home isn’t about being a slave to trends or spending lots of money, it is about finding joy in living your own life and reflecting that joy in your surroundings.
“When life inspires our home, our home will inspire our life.”
Out of Authentic Living comes what I call Authentic Style — a reflection of each individual. It is a design style unique to you, born out of a lifetime of experience and discovery. It is a style fitting for where you are right now. It has to make sense for you or it won’t feel authentic. I believe your style should evolve as you evolve, not as the trends might dictate. Your tastes are refined by living. By experiences. By memories. By travel and study. Your style evolves with your interests and passions. And while you are the inspiration for your style, your style can also inspire you to the life you want to live.
I like to open my eyes to new things to inspire me in living a beautiful and authentic life — hopefully things that will inspire you too! My life is crazy busy and I am no Martha Stewart, so this blog is about making the best of it all!
Along the way I hope to slow down enough to appreciate all the beauty around me every day. Life flies by too quickly and I don’t want to fail to notice the little things.
Come by anytime!
KIND RECOMMENDATIONS ON MY WRITING:
“I am very happy to find your blog as it is one of the best I’ve seen. You really are an excellent writer, and it is very enjoyable to read about what you are thinking and feeling. Clearly, I’m not the only one who realizes how good you are! Based on their comments, your audience really likes what you have to say, too.”
–Lauri Ward, best-selling author, founder & President of Use What You Have® Interiors and the Interior Refiners Network®
“Your ability to weave faith into an article is always brilliant and inspiring. In fact, this one left me in tears. Few people can write interesting content and match it with quality images the way that you do. That’s a rare combination! When can I buy your book?”
–Darlene Schacht, Founder and Editor, Christian Women Online Magazine, www.christianwomenonline.net
“From my perspective as a fellow blogger, Melissa is one of the sweetest and most genuine people out there. From my perspective as a writer, she has one of the freshest, most accessible, and authentically vibrant voices in the blogosphere. She takes on design, inspiration, and personal style at a level we all can relate to, no matter what kind of home we have.”
–Abby Kerr, Proprietor of The Blissful, A French Inspired Boutique, Canton, Ohio
“Melissa Michaels’ decorating articles for Online Christian Women are authentically delightful! She has touched the ‘decorating psyche of the everyday family’ and given them both ideas and permission for creating a home that is a true reflection of their own family’s unique spirit—a home that is comfortable, attractive, and welcoming, but not necessarily perfect. How refreshing!”
–Kathryn Bechen, Professional Writer & Consultant for home and garden publications and entrepreneurs www.KathrynBechenInk.com
