Featured Blogger: The Ruffle House

Kendra of the Ruffle House caught my eye first with her amazing red hair and natural beauty. Between her graphic design skills, photography, DIY projects and style, she keeps me coming back! She has a way of illustrating her projects and experiences through writing, photography and design that I find so appealing and inspirational. Read more about this 25 year old Canadian musician and check out her blog, the Ruffle House!

Your blog covers everything from DIY projects to outfits to an inside look of your home and décor.  What is your biggest passion from all your interests and topics you cover on your blog?
If I had to pare my passion down to one chapter it would definitely be Interior Design. It's been a creative outlet & help-less addiction since childhood. I would take any opportunity I could to talk my mom into re-painting my bedroom walls or scour the dollar-store for new "decor" details!

The Red-Head Street Style column was created from a secondary addiction to fashion and an undeniable relation between street-style and home-style. As I "grow up" in my own personal style and dig deeper into the world of Interiors, I have started noticing a fusion between the closet and the home.  I thought this special parallel between fashion design + room design needed a show-case on The Ruffle House!  Interior ideas can be born from simple things like a favourite skirt or the cover design of a book. It's interesting how people interpret & filter their influences of colours, patters and even furniture!

What prompted you to start your blog?

The Ruffle House was born out of love & obsession for interior style + design! It was created to be a "space" to collect + share all the things that inspire my life & career as an aspiring Interior Designer. It's a baby-step into the world of design & a way to start sharing/networking with other artists and creative minds!

How long have you been blogging?  
After an anxious and exciting year of creating the concept for the blog --  I finally took the plunge, decided on a branding  and "let it all out" this past September! To be honest, it has been one of the most vulnerable + frightening things I have ever done BUT I have grown so much personally & have created the most beautiful friendships along the way! *Wink wink Andrea :)

 How would you describe your style?

 Ah -- this is a tough one! I usually find myself in the battle between classic + edgy. I love playing with silk scarfs, neutrals and ruffled pieces but a sword of graphic pattern or a pop of colour always makes it into the mix. A little un-predictability is always fun right? I'm really pumped to start playing around with neon accessories in my home + wardrobe this Spring!

 

You’re a musician. Talk to me about this!

 Yes -- It is true! My day-job consists of instructing the young and the old how to rock out on the guitar! I picked up the instrument when I was 8 years old out of sheer determination to become the next Shania Twain (haha!) and it has now been my career for the past seven years. Along the way my husband and I created the band Christmas, spent endless nights writing + creating material and adventured on a Canadian tour. My Mister now has a group of his own // Day Dream Johnny // and I am often found gigging as a bass player in various Jazz groups! You know that cheesy elevator music stuff? Yeah -- I do that ;)

What would be your dream job?

 Well there are a few of those on the list but alongside being an Interior Designer, I would love to work for an Interiors Magazine such as House & Home as a stylist or Interior specialist! It would be a dream to work on big-scale projects with such an uber-talented team. When I grow up, I hope to be jump the ocean and start designing spaces in my favourite city of all -- Paris!

 

What fellow bloggers inspire you?
Having daily beauty & inspiration at our finger-tips is so incredible and some-times a little daunting because you just wish there were endless hours in a day to sift + look through it all! I am always adding new blogs to the read-list but lately I have been loving Elsie's DIY projects and recipes on her blog A Beautiful Mess. I also look to Helena of Brooklyn Blonde and the adorable Kimberly of Eat.Sleep.Wear for daily outfit inspiration!

Who are some of your favorite bands/music artists?
There are some bands that will just always have a special place in my heart whether it is the memory of listening to their album in a certain time of my life or un-real concert experience. Bjork // Sigur Ros // The Arcade Fire all make that list. These artists & their creativity blow me away both in song and in person. I am pretty sure I have cried tears of joy at every one of their live shows.

What’s the one must-have/favorite item in your closet?

Oh it's so hard to choose! But one of my favourite "must-haves" would probably be my vintage plaid blazer. I spotted this tartan beauty at a local thrift-shop and it was in definite need of a little TLC. I touched it up with some classic gold buttons & a trip to the tailor and now it's my go-to jacket for any casual or dressy occasion!

What’s the DIY project you’re most proud of?
Projects projects! My husband would be the first to tell you that I always have a few too many on the go -- but the feeling of accomplishing something hand-made is so addicting! My favourite project this year would have to be our handmade antler plaques. They are a favourite design-detail in our home and also hold some fun-family meaning! The antlers were discovered by my Dad on one of this "nature-walks" in the Canadian prairies & we had the wood plaques custom cut by our Grandpa to re-create the shape we used in our Wedding details last Spring. Keep a look-out for the antler DIY post coming next month on The Ruffle House!

 

You and your husband are so damn cute—is he supportive of all your interests and your blog?
Oh you sweet lady! Yes-- my Mister is more than supportive of my ambitions & interests. Sometime I think he believes in me more than I believe in myself. It's good to have that push -- especially from someone you are experiencing the crazy roller-coaster of life with! While he loves watching me chase after my goals & aspirations, he doesn't always love assisting me with the "many" projects I always have my hands in! Sorry husband :)