Hi Everyone,
Hope you're enjoying your Saturday! If you're having a hard timing deciding on which prints to take advantage of our Free Framing & Shipping offer, then you're in luck as today's home tour is sure to inspire. We're heading to the East Coast to see how John & Olivia, both formerly based in Chicago, combined their decor styles while simultaneously establishing themselves asNew Yorkers. Without much further ado, please allow me to introduce you...
Hi you two, will you tell us a little about yourself - where you’re from, what you like to do for fun, and what are your individual blogs inspired by? What kind of content could we expect to see?
I was born and raised in Texas, and I moved to Chicago where I began my career in photography and eventually into content creation. With a background in public relations as well as branding and marketing, I started a menswear and travel blog – RiskyJackal.com – dedicated helping guys feel great and dress in attainable clothing and travel. I’ve found the best ways to grow as a human and photographer are to constantly expose myself to new people, foreign places and comically uncomfortable situations. ~ John
I started my career as a fashion blogger in Chicago, which isn’t far from my hometown in South Bend, Indiana. I focus mainly on petite fashion while sharing pieces of my everyday life along the way through personal stories, daily outfits, home decor, and faith. ~ Olivia
How did you two meet? What is the story behind moving to NYC together?
We met in 2016 on a press trip in Helsinki, Finland! We’ve become so close and since then have traveled to Mexico, Serbia, Portugal, Paris, and The Bahamas together.
I loved everything about living in Chicago, but had always wondered what it would be like to live in New York City. I knew NYC was the heart of the fashion industry and that it would be a great career decision to be in the middle of all the action. And it didn't hurt that my boyfriend already lived there and that my best friend was making the move with me! ~ Olivia
Traveling to NYC for work over the last few years, I began to develop an itch to move to New York that I just had to scratch. Like so many people, I really became addicted to the electric buzz pulsating through the streets. To me, living in New York was a pipe dream and somewhere that so many icons and trailblazers had once lived. With so much of my industry based here in New York City, it made sense to make the move. ~ John
Will you tell us a little bit about your home?
Our apartment is a high-rise in the middle of Manhattan’s Financial District. Our space is 1,100sq. ft. with 2-bedrooms and 2-bathrooms on the 35th floor. The building is brand new with an elegant and modern design. With white walls and light wood floors, the apartment was a great canvas to bring our interior design ideas to life!
Love it! And, how did you merge your styles together when it came to decorating your shared space?
We wanted to create a gender-neutral space that catered to both of our decorating styles. We combined our favorite colors, blue & pink, with modern and transitional pieces from West Elm.
Question for you both - Does your personal fashion style align with your interior decor style? If so, how?
Both of our styles are represented in our apartment. The overall decor of our apartment is laid-back with pops of color and a touch of glam. John’s style is mirrored in the cooler tones & blues as well as the leather chair, while the more luxe elements and feminine touches (like the pink swivel) are Olivia’s touches.
Well done! And, what inspired you to choose your various framed Gray Malin prints?
We loved the vibrant colors in both of the beach aerials!John has been to Sydney and the Iceberg pools the last two years for New Years. It’s one of his favorite cities and the Pools are such an iconic and beautiful scene in the city, so that's how the decision was made for Icebergs Pool Aerial. Then, with the Kauai aerial, we really loved the combination of colors inthe lush green, white sand and blue sea. They both bringa little bit of the beach and warm weather to New York City! ~ Olivia
As for the Chicago Beach, it was already part of my collection back in Chicago, then the Rockefeller print felt very fitting as we moved here pretty close to the holiday season. ~ John
Last but not least, what about the Gray Malin lifestyle brand do you connect with?
We love Gray’s tagline, “Make every day a getaway.” The bright colors and the exotic locations mixed with his playful eye is what we love about Gray’s work! There’s so much personality in the pieces and they’re always a great conversation starter.
Awww, thank you Johnand Olivia! I'm so glad you are enjoying all of your artwork in your New York home. I love how you've decorated and really given the space your mutual touch. And, THANK YOU to everyone following along! I hope you enjoyed seeing how these two are living the New York lifestyle. If you're feeling inspired, now is the time, FREE FRAMING & SHIPPING will only last for so long...
Cheers
xx
GM