My first mood board!

I have always wanted to make my own mood board but I didn't know how. Many bloggers mentioned that they used Polyvore to create their mood boards so today, I gave it a try. Needless to say, I really love it. However, there is one problem. I couldn't import images from other websites despite attempting to use the 'clipper' function a few times. I followed the instructions closely but this is what I got instead, "Sorry! Items from polyvore.com may not be imported." Have any of you encountered this problem? Do you have any idea how to fix it? 

Anyway, since I am very determined to learn how to do this, I created a mood board using the limited items I found on the website and this is what I came up with. For paint color on the walls , I would use a lighter shade of gray using 'Farrow & Ball Pavilion Gray 242' but any brand of interior paint with a similar shade will do.

'Farrow & Ball Pavilion Gray 242'

via

My mood board.

Modern, chic and glamorous living space.

Modern, Chic & Glamorous Living Space by www.mixandchic.com featuring hot pink handbags

Kate Spade hot pink handbag
$275 - zappos.com

Sahara Frame Indoor-Outdoor Rug | Crate&Barrel
$13 - crateandbarrel.com

Starburst Mirror
$199 - crateandbarrel.com

Haley Table Lamp
$249 - crateandbarrel.com

Regency Pink Fabric Cushion
25 GBP - habitat.co.uk

Vivacious Embroidered Linen Pillow in Pink by Trina Turk Modern Chic...
$140 - modernchichome.com

Seyhan Özdemir & Sefer Çaglar pumpkin side table
$2,195 - hivemodern.com

Orchids in Round Mosaic Mirrored Planter - Topiaries And Silk Plants -...
homedecorators.com

Spool Accent Table

$199 - crateandbarrel.com

via

What do you think? Please note that all items in my mood board are not done according to scale. This is my first attempt with mood board and I did it solely for fun.

Anyway, to all experienced Polyvore users out there, if you know any other ways to import items from other websites to Polyvore, please let me know. Also, do you know any good websites or wonderful software that provide similar functions? Any feedbacks and suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

The Versatile Blogger Award!

Many thanks to the lovely Michelle from Ispirato Design for this award. Michelle, it is very sweet and kind of you to present me with this award. I feel truly honored. I also enjoy visiting Michelle's blog because her blog is always full of gorgeous inspirations.

Once again, similar to the Stylish Blogger Award and the One Lovely Blog Award, I am required to reveal 7 interesting facts about myself.

1. My all time favorite color is green. I knew it was my favorite color even when I was a child because when I see green objects, it makes me really happy. Other colors are beautiful too but they didn't evoke any emotions like green does. I remembered the first time I felt in love with green, it all started with the green grasses. To me, green is like a breath of fresh air. Do any of you love green as much as I do?

2. I have a topiary obsession. I like them because they are green (obviously) and they are manicured to perfection. Being a perfectionist, I just love anything that looks perfect and symmetry. Since owning a home a few years ago, I have been buying so much topiaries, from small topiaries (about 1 feet) to bigger topiaries (about 4 feet). Now, I have 9 topiaries which included artificial green and brown ones and those preserved ones in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Crazy, I know.

3. As much as I love interior design and all things decor related, I do not read design blogs till a few months ago. I knew blogs existed since year 2003/2004 but all I read are food blogs, personal blogs and fashion blogs. Do you see a pattern here? Have you noticed how weird I am?

4. I remembered the first thing that inspired me. It is the four color combinations I see in a banner in a mall when I was a kid, about 5 or 6 years old. Those colors are red, yellow, blue and green. I was so inspired with these four color combos that I chanted these four colors repeatedly (but quietly) until I got home from the mall because I want to remember it. You know how kids have coloring books and that sort of thing, so with my "new found knowledge about colors", I would make sure I color everything in those four colors to create the most impact. If I need to introduce a new color to that color combo, I will start with orange then purple. When I thought I found a "formula" for something, I tend to use it again and again.

5. I am a collector. Because I don't have much toys as a child, I tend to collect things. I have collected colored feathers, stickers, foreign coins and currencies, stamps, first day covers, bookmarks and anything I deemed beautiful and adorable at that time. I am still very much a collector till these days. Besides topiaries, I love collecting Parade of Cows figurines, watches, office magnets, etc.

6. I do strange things during strange hours. I have found myself cleaning the microwave or the oven at odd hours, say 1 am or 2 am at some nights before I go to bed simply because I discovered a tiny stain and I feel the need to get rid of it right away. And that tiny stain lead to deep cleaning usually.

7. I can play the piano but not at a performance level. I have passed the Grade 5 practical examination and the Grade 6 theory examination. I also passed a duet examination (Grade 6 with distinction). I love playing my favorite songs but I hate practicing. I wanted to learn how to play the piano when I first saw someone played it beautifully in a movie.

Hopefully, you enjoyed reading bits and pieces of quirky little facts about me. And now, 'The Versatile Blogger Award' goes to:

1. My Beautiful Life

2. First Sense

3. V T Interiors

4. Decor Is Like Butter

5. Blurry Bright

6. Santi Royal Home

7. Travel Moon

8. Seven Seven Inspire

9. Wishful Thinking

10. The Short And Sweet Of It

11. Sublime Home

12. Swirls Of Happy

13. B For Bel

14. Homestilo

15. A Casa Dava

When you get a chance, please visit these fabulous blogs. They are my daily dose of inspirations. I am sure these blogs will inspire you, too.

Stylish Blogger Award!

Many thanks to the lovely and wonderful Miss Walker for this award! Miss Walker, you are very sweet and I am truly honored! I enjoy visiting your beautiful blog everyday because your blog is always full of great ideas and gorgeous inspirations.

Again, similar to the 'One Lovely Blog Award', I am required to reveal 7 things about myself.

7 things about me:

1. I am a very meticulous person on the inside but a very clumsy person on the outside. Whatever I do, I always think about the minute details especially when it comes to design, cleaning, planning things, etc. Oh, I am also very detailed-oriented when it comes to irrelevant things, too. When I say 'clumsy on the outside', I mean physically. You will never see me a day without bruises on my legs or arms because I tend to accidentally knock myself into furniture, walls and everything in between, everyday.

2. I cook for my family everyday except during weekends. Although I cook everyday, I dislike cooking because I find the routine mincing, slicing, chopping and dicing very boring. The ironic part is, I love trying new recipes ( mostly recipes I found online ) because I love experimenting in the kitchen. So far, I have cooked Thai food, Korean food, Western food, Indian food, Japanese food, Malay food and of course, Chinese food. My motivation to learn new recipes come from not knowing how the dishes will turned out eventually because I love the element of surprise. In addition, I also love indulging in new flavors and learning new cooking techniques at the same time.

3. Although I am an extremely picky eater, I truly enjoyed eating. My all time favorite and comfort food? Noodles! Because they are so versatile and so delicious! I can eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper!

4. I hope to visit Paris and Venice some day. Both are such romantic cities.

5. I don't smoke and drink at all, not even occasionally or socially.

6.  I can remember faces and voices very well but I can't remember numbers and figures. I don't even remember my own phone number so I had it saved on my cell phone as a reminder.

7. A true story. When I was in elementary school, I rode the school bus everyday. The school bus was packed to the brim everyday and all the poor kids (me included) who came in late had to stand on the aisle of the moving bus with their huge backpacks. The strange thing is, there is a girl in high school (a stranger) who would always save her seat for me. She would always waved her hands to signal me to come to the rear of the bus where she sat everyday. When I came to her seat, she would stand up and gave up her seat for me. I never once say 'thank you' to her because I was an extremely shy girl back then but in my heart, I was deeply grateful for her kindness. She was like a guardian angel and I will never forget that. Up until now, I didn't understand why she would save her seat for me because they are so many other kids without a seat too. I find her act of kindness very inspirational because fast forward a few years later, when I was a high school student, I found myself saving a seat for another kid without a seat, too. I truly believe in paying forward the good things people did for me. If more people were like her, our world will definitely be a better place.

Hopefully, you enjoyed reading some bits and pieces about me. And the 'Stylish Blogger Award goes to:

1. Sparrows And Arrows

2. Alamode

3. Design Chic

4. Inside-Out Design

5. Live Eat Smile

6. Simple Dwellings

7. The Interior Root

8. Design Elements

9. Habibi

10. Heather Nette King

When you get a chance, please visit these lovely blogs. They are such wonderful reads. 

Have a wonderful Easter weekend, everyone! Hope you have fun!

Regards,

Jessie

A birthday wish!

Time surely flies and with a blink of an eye, I turned 31 today. Bye-bye youth, I will never see you again! But it is okay. Although I am getting older and gaining weight on the side, I am looking forward to many more birthdays to come. There are just so many things to look forward to and to accomplish, however hard they may be.


This year, one of the best decision I made is starting a blog. I have always enjoy reading other people's personal blogs, food blogs and fashion blogs for so long but I never thought I will be having one simply because I don't think I have the right materials or will I be disciplined enough to update them frequently. The most ironic thing is as much as I love interior decorating, I only started reading decorating blogs since the middle of last year. Anyway, much to my own amazement, I managed to update this blog everyday ever since I started it on February 13, two months earlier.

The best thing that comes from blogging is meeting like-minded people. I don't know about the rest of you but I don't seem to have any friends that love interior decorating as much as I do. Many people I know seems to view furniture as utilitarian and not something they can admire as well. With meeting like-minded people through blogging, it leads to building friendships as well. And building friendships through sharing common interest is the greatest thing. In addition, the constant support they gave me through commenting on my post really moved me. A big thanks to all my readers, followers and commenters! You really, really made my day when you post comments and that keeps me going when I feel like a slacker!

As fun as blogging is, there is just one thing that has been bugging me. It is the mysterious readers. I feel like I do not know them at all. So, since today is my birthday, I have a simple wish. I wish that everyone who happen to read this post would come forward and tell me a little bit about themselves. I will be very appreciative if you state your age group( 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, etc), your occupation, how you chance upon this blog, which is your favorite post and why, content suggestions and your website, if you have any. Frequent commenters are welcome to tell me more about themselves, too. I hope it's not too much to ask for! :-)

Thanks for taking the time to read! Have a happy weekend, everyone!

Regards,

Jessie

One Lovely Blog Award!

A big thank you to my new blogger friend, My Beautiful Life for awarding me the 'One Lovely Blog Award' yesterday. I feel so honored. Besides being one of the sweetest person I know in blogosphere, she is also a very supportive friend. (She always drop by my blog and leave comments.) And I can't thank her enough! :-)

Following the tradition of this award, besides linking back to the person who nominated me, I must reveal 7 things about myself, nominate 15 other bloggers for this award, leave a comment on their blogs and tell them to pick up their prizes.

Seven facts about myself:

1. I was born and grew up in Malaysia in a small town named Ipoh. I have been staying in the United States for almost 9 years.

2. I am multilingual. I can speak: 

i.   English (a second language in my home country)

ii.  Cantonese (a Chinese dialect)

iii. Mandarin (the official Chinese language) 

iv.  Hakka (another Chinese dialect) 

v.    Malay (our national language)

I can speak each languages with different levels of fluency. Cantonese is my first language. The funniest and most ironic thing is, I can read and write in English and Malay but not in Chinese because I have never received any prior formal education. I only recognized approximately 100 words of Mandarin. (mostly self-taught)

3. I can draw anything (quite accurately) if I am shown a picture but I can't draw very well using my own imagination. Weird but true. I guess my imagination is not concrete enough.

4. I love looking at creative, beautiful and elaborate window displays! I find it very inspiring and I can stare at them for minutes. Sometimes, I also take pictures.

5. I am the pickiest eater ever. I dislike candies, chocolates, desserts, ice-creams, cakes and cookies of any kind. People always seemed a little surprised and skeptical when I told them this little fact about myself. After hearing what I said, most people always find it hard to believe and often responded with "You really don't like them or are you just on a diet?" It sounds strange but true but I have never liked them even when I was a child. 

6. I graduated from Campbell University, North Carolina with a degree in Mass Communication, majoring in Advertising. 

7. I am a perfectionist. For example, if I planned to wash the bathroom sink, I usually end up cleaning the bathroom mirror and the bathtub, mopping the bathroom floor and reorganizing everything in the bathroom or else I wouldn't be satisfied.

Hopefully you enjoyed reading all the facts and the little quirky things about me! :-)

And the 'One Lovely Blog Award' goes to: 

1. Brooke from Inside-Out Design

2. Maurenice from Villa Bisono

3. Kirsten from 6th Street Design School

4. Shelli from A La Mode

5. Jasmin from Oh How Sublime

6. Kellie from This Blessed Nest

7. Jessica from The Eagle's Nest

8. Leah from The Way We Are

9. Louise from Table Tonic

10. Janell from Isabella And Max Rooms

11. Amy from Positively Splendid

12. Melissa from The Inspired Room

13. Chelsea from Two Twenty One

14. Sarah from Thrifty Decor Chick

15. Chelsea from Interior Chocolates

When you get a chance, please visit these lovely blogs. They are such good reads!

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

Regards,

Jessie

A weekend makeover!

Not the home improvement kind, unfortunately or else I will show you the before and after pictures. If you have been following my blog, you would have noticed a big difference in my blog today. A new header, some new dividers and a different blog template. I spend the entire evening today tweaking my new blog header with the help of this wonderful website: www.befunky.com. I am not sure if it is a new website so, I just want to share it with all of you. The great thing about this website is, it is absolutely free! ( unless of course you want to pay $2 per month for premium upgrades) You can apply effects, enhance and edit your photos online with so many different tools they offered. I had so much fun trying all the free tools. What about you guys? What softwares, applications or websites do you use to enhance your photos and contents on your blog? Any  good suggestions? I would love to know and try them someday.

Back to my new blog header. Overall, I am happy with it because it looks so colorful and cheery but the only problem is, it is not centralized. I have tried so many ways which includes widening the blog header but it only makes it looks worse. Any ideas how to centralize a blog header? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Hopefully, you will love this weekend blog makeover! What are your thoughts? Do you prefer the old blog template or the new one? I would love to hear from you!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 

The Inside Scoop- Furniture Store (Chiasso) in Chicago, Illinois.

Yesterday, our family made a trip to Chicago for dim sum in Chinatown and several other furniture stores like The White Attic, George Lowell and of course to Chiasso. I didn't take any pictures in The White Attic and George Lowell because when we were there, it was almost closing time for these stores. So, maybe next time.

Alright, back to Chiasso. Here are the pictures I took yesterday to give you an idea on how an online store would decorate their brick and mortar store. The great news for local residents is prices for any pieces in their local store is 15%-20% less compared to what one would pay for the same products online. I checked the prices for a few items for comparisons.

Note: Store Price (SP) if I remember correctly and Online Price (OP)

I didn't check the prices for all their products but I will reveal what I know and remembered.

Beautiful and dramatic woven sculpture to highlight the store's name.

The architectural details on the legs of the cocktail table are just so gorgeous. SP: $498 vs OP: $598

Elegant, sleek and modern Le Corbusier style sofa. OP: $1,098

Oversized decorative sculptural vases. OP: $398 (large) $298 (small) 

Simple clock, floor model. (black decal sold separately) Original SP: $38 Floor model: $19

Contemporary vases. SP: $118 vs OP: $148 (set of 3)

A group of stylish office chairs and office accessories.

A group of chic side tables and ottomans.

Handsomely woven bench. (also available in white) OP: $448

We really needed a bench in the entryway and so, I did some research. Among all the benches I saw online, the bench above in white fits the bill perfectly because it's so gorgeous and the design is so timeless. However, it is a little pricey for me so maybe I will wait for a sale of some sort. I really like furniture that looks simple and polished, well-made and with subtle beautiful details. While at the store, I did inspect the furniture and it didn't disappoint. The bench is firm and seem to be of good quality.

Chic and elegant side table with a modern twist. OP: $188

Stylish office chair. OP: $348

I really like this white office chair for my future office table (can you really tell I like white by now?) because it looks very polished and comfortable but I also love the look of this Tobias chair from Ikea. The chair from Ikea is definitely cheaper with a $99.99 price tag but I am not too sure what will happen if I sit on it for a long time. It seemed comfortable when I tried it at their Ikea store a few weeks ago. Did anyone else have the Tobias chair at home? Can you share with me your experience about this chair because I have a bad back and I really hope to get an inexpensive yet stylish office chair with good support in the next month or two.

A comfy looking button turfed sofa. OP: $998 

Embroidered retro pink pillow OP: $38
Gorgeous textured pink pillow. OP: $48

Colorful retro coat rack. OP: $78 Whimsical wall decal. OP:  $28 (set of 8)

Great selections on home accessories.

I actually got the branch sculpture in white last year for $28 in the store last year (if my memory didn't fail me) compared to $38 online. Awesome deal, right? I know. It was also my very first purchase from Chiasso. Now looking at the same white branches in pair, it really does makes a difference compared to the one and only branch sculpture I got. Maybe good things really come in pairs. Buy another one in the future? There is always a possibility. What do you think? A pair or no?

Mini vases on a base. SP: $14 vs OP: $18

Adorable pear vases. SP: $38 vs OP: $48 (set of 5)

Modern, sleek and gorgeous pendant lights.

A general view of the store.

A wide selection of modern and whimsical clocks.

A pretty good selection of modern chairs and bar stools.

Did you notice the spotlight floor lamps above? I actually bought one during the Black Friday sale last year. I have always admire the look of the spotlight floor lamp because of its industrial look but the price tag always send me running the other way. Take for example this lamp from Pottery Barn or this lamp from ZGallerie, priced $299 and $499 respectively. The leaner and more affordable spotlight floor lamp version from Chiasso fits my space and my budget nicely. What is there not to love and do you have any idea how much I paid for it? Buying online easily cost you $118 and buying it in the store costs about $84 (I don't really remember). And during Black Friday's sales, they took 20% off everything and I got it around $75 total with tax. Sweet, right? I have been to Chiasso several times previously but somehow I never noticed this wonderful floor lamp. On that lucky day, I noticed it and bought it on the spot. Score! This floor lamp looks absolutely gorgeous in person but not the most substantial because of its tiny tripod legs. However it doesn't bother me at all because we placed it in a very low traffic area near the television. The height is adjustable and the head can be tilted so it's the perfect marriage of form and function.

A glimpse of the store.

Another glimpse.

A sleek and modern mid-century style tweed sofa. OP: $1,198

The sofa above reminds me of the sofa we bought along with the spotlight floor lamp during the Black Friday sale. It sells for $1,098 online but we got it for a little less than $900 with tax plus delivery and assembly. We didn't buy the sofa on impulse because I already had my eyes on it for months. Rather, it was my hubby's idea to wait for the Black Friday's sales to see if they have any discounts and luckily they did. By the way, the sofa still looks great until now (about 4 months). It was firm, made with white faux leather with beautiful mid-century modern lines and very roomy. Still loving my sofa till this day. Too bad it is not on display anymore or else I will snap a picture for you guys. So, check it out on the website if you are curious about it.

Small modern sectional sofa perfect for smaller spaces. OP: $998

Cool lounge chair. OP: $398
Decorative pillow. OP: $58

A dining set near the entrance/ exit area.

Geez, I have so much good things to say about Chiasso everyone must be thinking I am making a sales pitch or something. The truth is, I even had to approach the sales associates and asked them for permission before taking any pictures. Of course, they said okay. I just love sharing stories about my favorite store and their products with my fellow readers so that they can have more options when it comes to home decorating.

If you are interested to know more about their products, please visit their website. They have so much more awesome products offered online that are not available in their store, so check them out.

Their store address is: 2112 N Clybourn Ave

                                      Chicago, Il 60610

I hope to do a regular feature of The Inside Scoop on this blog. What do you think? Do you like this special feature? Please let me know in the comments section below. I hope everyone enjoy reading about it as much as I enjoy writing about it.

Happy Monday everyone!

Disclaimer: The author of this blog did not receive any monetary payment or other compensation associated with this particular post.

What's in a name?

Welcome to my blog. I got inspired to start this blog after stumbling upon many beautiful and stylish design related blogs. It is very inspiring and makes me want to transform my ordinary living space into a very happy, comfortable and chic space where I can unwind and have a peace of mind. Hopefully with my sharing and discovering of chic spaces and cool objects, it will inspire, bring joy and excitement to you, too.

So yesterday, I got so motivated about this little blogging project and begun to come up with many, many names for this blog which includes but not limited to 'the flair factor', 'inspired casa', 'interior motives', 'create and decorate' just to name a few but unfortunately, the good ones were always taken. Isn't that always the case?

Anyway, since I was still highly motivated, I ended up coming up with more names and in just less than 2 hours, I managed to come up with another 60-70 contenders, believe it or not. After narrowing down the name options, I came up with 'mix and chic'. I love this name because it is fun, catchy, easy to remember and it suits my blog content to a T.

I coined my blog 'Mix and Chic' because it sounds like Mix and Shake, pun intended obviously, with good and fun reasons. 'Mix' -In today's world of home decor, commonly mixing furniture with different styles and time periods are inevitable considering people are constantly exposed to global trends and cultures through frequent travelling, diverse population in every parts of the world and of course, through the internet. Besides, mixing and blending unexpected objects and furnishings in a home makes a space feels fresher, less boring or serious, thus injecting the home with loads of fun, personality and character!

Not forgetting why I chose another word- 'Chic', which is one of the most overused term and kind of a cliche in the design world but this humble little word is essential to sum up the content of this blog. I mean, how else can I sum up good taste, stylish and elegant in only a four-letter word?

So, let's Mix ( it Well ) and Chic ( it Up), people and have some fun in your decorating! Remember, there's no right or wrong in decorating. It's just an expression of the mind and spirit and a matter of different design choices for different individuals.

Hope you will have fun following along!