Design Dish with Katie Gavigan

Happy weekend my friends!

Today I want to share with you one of my favorite San Francisco based designers, Katie Gavigan. I came across her blog and absolutely fell in love with her
style, approach, and overall passion. As a budding designer myself, I think it's incredibly important to network and connect with other designers in your area and so I was beyond excited when Katie agreed to meet with me for coffee so I could pick her brain.

We met at one of my favorite lunch spots in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco called Arlequin. This place has fantastic food and an unexpected beautiful garden in the back where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine and pretend you aren't in a large city for a while. Take a peek...

Isn't it beautiful?! Ok, anyway, back to Katie :) Let's hear what she has to say about being a designer in this beautiful city of ours...

How did your passion for interior design start?

I think it really kicked in when we moved into our place about five years ago. Curling up with a design magazine was always one of my favorite things to do and it never really occurred to me that I could take this passion further. I would help friends with different projects here and there but once I really started getting into decorating my house I realized I was tapping into something--I could get paid for this?! It was a big revelation about 3 years ago and so I took some classes online through the Sheffield School of Art and Design. I then just started reaching out to friends and growing my business. 

What are some of the biggest lessons you've learned as you've developed your business?

I think one of the biggest things I've learned is to trust your gut--realize and believe that you truly do have something to offer. When I was first starting out I kept thinking I wasn't ready, that I needed more practice or training, but in reality I just had to go for it and remember to enjoy the process. 

So when did you start charging for your work, when did you feel ready?

Well, I started charging pretty early on but at first it was a 'portfolio building' rate. That way, even if you are doing work for friends, it maintains that business relationship and credibility. Then eventually over time I started increasing my rate as I gained more and more experience. 

Katie has an incredible and eclectic sense of style, here are some of my favorites from her portfolio:

Thank you Katie for taking the time to meet with me and sharing your passion for interior design! To learn more about Katie and the services she offers, visit her page here.

Enjoy this beautiful Saturday and I'll see you next time!

Summer in the City: featuring Stern Grove

Happy hump day my loves! This summer is going by way too fast, so I wanted to share some fun summer activities going on here in San Francisco. This city is so rich with culture, innovation, inspiration, and things to do it can be very overwhelming--not to mention expensive. However, if you do your research, there are plenty of fun things to do that don't cost a dime. Stern Grove Festival is one of those things. I've been going to Stern Grove free concerts in the park since I could walk. As a child, my mom and grandma would take us to see San Francisco Ballet because, how often can you see a world class ballet company for FREE?!

Sadly, SFB did not participate this year but several other amazing performing arts were and are on the docket:

My sister and I saw Andrew Bird last weekend and it was awesome. We got there a bit late (and by late I mean noon when the concert starts at 2) so we had to sit up in the trees on the hill. It's actually a beautiful spot, but the downside is the down-slide you will experience trying to get to and from your spot to go to the restroom or what have you. Although, the cool part is we became known as the "tree people" which I thought was pretty special ;). Here's a pic of me and Sof:

We the tree people...

Any other fun and free activities you know of in SF?? I'd love to hear!

xoxo