A series to get your creative juices flowing for your interior design firm’s blog.  [Link to earlier posts: Introduction/first set, numbers 6-10, numbers 11-15, numbers 16-20, numbers 21-25, and numbers 26-30]

1. Promoting a post that you liked on another blog.  If a fellow design blogger posts a great post on her blog, show her some love.  You’ll get reciprocity and build goodwill.
2. Great finds from High Point or NeoCon. Talk about trends.  Show your favorite pieces.  Show what’s new.
3. Canopy beds.  Talk about the history of the canopy bed and how it translates into today’s interior.
   

   A dreamy canopy bed. Photo: Elle Decor

4. Green upholstery options.  Vendors that are now offering green upholstery.  What to consider and how to know if something is truly green.
5. Considering Living in Place when building your home.  Design of passageways, thresholds, roughing in an elevator, and more.

Plus two extra for the end…

• Historical uses of crown moldings.

Crown molding frames a pretty window seat. Photo: Traditional Home

• Splurges + steals- mirrors, cocktail tables, beds, etc.  This is your typical magazine article showing the Versace dress with its hefty price tag (that is absolutely to die for) and a BCBG dress that achieves the same “look” at a more affordable price.

We hope you enjoyed the series and found a few points of inspiration for your interior design firm’s blog.  If you found any of these suggestions particularly helpful, or if you’ve created any innovative posts for your blog,  please share your ideas with us! We’d love to see what you’ve come up with.

Happy Spring!

After a snowy and (seemingly) endless winter, spring has finally arrived in full force: the sun is out, flowers are blooming, and jackets are becoming a distant memory.  Nature’s happy perseverance is definitely something to celebrate.  So, in the spirit of spring, the GDM team has answered some questions about what we’re looking forward to most this season:

1. How will you spend time outdoors this spring?

Martha Enjoying a View of the Rockies

Riding my horse.  We’ve had so much snow this winter that he’s gotten fat…him not me.
-Alexandra Gibson, President/CEO

My husband and I love to take late spring motorcycle rides through the Colorado Rockies, experiencing the beautiful scenery coming to life after a long winter.
–Martha Kirkpatrick, Director, Member Services

I can’t wait to bike from Rosslyn to Old Town Alexandria with my friends. The Mt. Vernon Trail is right along the Potomac – a gorgeous ride to gorgeous Old Town!
-Amanda Butterworth, Director, Creative Services

Walking to the Charlottesville City Market on Saturday mornings for Shenandoah Joe’s iced coffee, running outside, and reading poolside.
-Lolly Rush, Senior Associate, Member Services

Doing homework in a bikini on my back porch to upset my crotchety neighbor and his 20 feral cats.
-Isabel Lampton, Intern

Grilling outside with friends on spring evenings, watching UVA lacrosse games at Klockner Stadium, and wishing I had a puppy to walk.
-Jessye Aibel, Social Media Intern

A View of D.C. from the Mt. Vernon Trail

2. What are your favorite warm weather treats?

Happy hour on the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville.
-Alexandra

Hot fudge sundaes delivered by car-hop at the local Sonic burger joint; a cold, crisp Pinot Grigio on the deck at the Platte River Grille; grilled shrimp tacos on my back patio.
-Martha

A Pitcher of Homemade Sangria

Now that it’s warm out, I cannot wait to sit outside with my friends and a pitcher of sangria. Whether it is homemade or out at a happy hour, a glass of ice cold sangria always hits the spot.
-Amanda

Arch’s Frozen Yogurt is a must for warm weather and Slurpees from 7-11.
-Lolly

Curry and wine outside at Monsoon.
-Isabel

Chocolate milkshakes, homemade peanut butter banana smoothies, and margaritas from Continental Divide.
-Jessye

3. This spring, what song makes you want to drive with your windows down?

One of my favorite songs— The Killers “All These Things That I’ve Done.”
-Alexandra

“Beautiful Day” by U2.  Awaiting their June 12^th concert in Denver with breathless anticipation.
-Martha

An oldie but a goodie, I love blasting Third Eye Blind’s “Semi-Charmed Life” when I’m driving with the windows down!
-Amanda

“Cruisin’ Together”—Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis.
-Lolly

Anything not by Justin Bieber.
-Isabel

Tom Petty’s Greatest Hits CD; it reminds me of cruising around with my dad during childhood summers!
-Jessye

4. What’s your favorite spring color to wear?

Turquoise on the Runways | Spring & Summer 2010

Turquoise- Pantone’s 2010 color of the year!  I look forward to sporting it with a better tan.
-Alexandra

Orange!  One of the happiest, most vibrant colors I know.
-Martha

Turquoise!
-Amanda

White pants (after Easter of course,) with my new favorite color charcoal gray.
-Lolly

White! But not while eating aforementioned curry…
-Isabel

Yellow! It’s sunny and cheerful, which is how I’m always feeling in the spring.
-Jessye