Hey Folks! On February 2, 2015 IKEA launched its brand new kitchen range called Sektion. Almost a year prior to the launch, I was chosen as the interior designer to represent our Atlanta store at the US Service Office. Along with Kim, our Sektion sales leader, and Erin, our Visual Merchandising planner, we created a beautiful department that kitchen dreams are made of.  Here we are below sitting on the famous concrete Klippan sofa. These ladies were amazing to work with! 


While there, I collaborated with Common Store Planning to create the layout of each kitchen in our store. When I came back home, I had about 5 weeks to and create all of the IKEA roomsetting documentation, as well as all of the official installation drawings and contract documents for city permitting. Fast forward a year later and there are 19 new kitchens in our store! Wanna see? Here are the ones in the kitchens and dining department. 

Brokhult / Ringhult, Grevsta stainless steel 






This one has a butler's pantry!



Next door is a mudroom that leads to the Bjorket kitchen.





I am totally in love with this Algot laundry solution. I can't wait to have a space for it.






Grimslov Off-white





This one has an attached laundry room which my co-worker pointed out to me is the size of someone's kitchen! We can all dream, right? :)






Bodbyn Gray




Hittarp off-white





Veddinge white




Grimslov medium brown






Laxarby black brown




Pantry swag





Ringhult white and Yarsta yellow




Here's a deck for a little outdoor entertaining.




Tingsyrd - a low price kitchen






Bodbyn off-white


Grimslov medium brown




Bodbyn Gray









Are you tired yet? I know we are! Our Sektion implementation group and Com-in team are exhausted, but so proud. And you've only seen about 2/3 of the new kitchens in the store! I'll post the others soon. In the mean time, come by and check them out in person. :)
I know it's February. Yes, it's almost Valentine's day, and I haven't done any holiday posts. To say that I've been grinding this past month is an understatement (more on that later). I will however share a few photos from the holidays simply because I really don't want to forget how wonderful it was. Check it out. 


My mother and I spent Thanksgiving with my sister in O'Fallon Illinois which is just minutes outside of St. Louis, Missouri. It snowed the day before Thanksgiving, which was surprisingly wonderful. 


While we were there, I helped my sister create her first table setting (which is special because she's not usually into that sort of thing, but you know that's my jam). For the centerpiece I just picked some tree branches out of her backyard. 


We also helped her set up her first wine bar (which has grown to include a bar cart and wine fridge since our last visit - busy girl!)


PS, can we wallow in the beauty of her door knobs for a second? That is definitely a perk of living in an old house. Even if they don't lock, they're lovely. 


Of course you can't take a trip to St. Louis without snapping a picture of the arch in all it's glory. It really is gorgeous, especially when the sun is setting. 


And I don't know what I was more excited about, the arch or the IKEA store that's being constructed. Let's just say that I squealed like a little piggy when I saw the sign, and I may or may not have had my sister drive by the site so that I could get out and take a pic. I'm a nerd. There you have it.


Christmas was at our place here in Atlanta. My paper bag + yarn gift wrap was as quick and chic as ever. I may never go back to traditional gift wrap. I did these all in less than an hour. 


Christmas morning


No fireplace, so I decided to hang the stockings by the IKEA Framsta unit with care. One for me, one for my mom, one for Brandon, and one for my big sis.


I picked up some hydrangeas at Kroger a few days before Christmas. Kroger's manager special never lets me down!


For dinner we had a collards, German potato salad, macaroni and cheese, and or course finger-lickin' fried chicken. So down to earth, so wonderful.


Notice the hot sauce. We like to keep it real.


I didn't want to go overboard with the tablescape, so I kept it simple by mixing patterns, adding a runner, moving some greenery over from the coffee table, and adding some candlelight. Done and done.


Rocko (my nephew) enjoyed every minute of it, and is the sweetest dog I have ever met. (That's his cage underneath the console table in case you were wondering).


Of course my brother Versace' was as stately as ever with his elf costume and glamour shot.


Overall, I would call our holiday very blessed, especially since it was the first time in years that my mother, sister, and I were able to spend both holidays together.



I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family and to live the amazing life that I do. That's why I simply could not skip over this post. Thank you God for such a prosperous, lesson-filled year, and I am so excited to see what you have planned for the rest of 2015!