Exclusive Photos: Our CEOs Home Tour + Your Chance To Win a Total Living Room Makeover!
A total dream.
For the past 6 months, I took on a side hustle to C&C, full on home renovation. Is this for the faint of heart? No. Did I know what I was getting into? Absolutely not. Was it worth it? You bet ya! Over and over again people will tell you that real estate is the best investment and as such, I wanted to make smart moves with money I saved. My dear friend, Lyndsay Siegel, runs a home renovation company called The Tradecraft. She told me that the best real estate in LA is the fixer-upper market. After nearly one year of looking, we found our fixer. That's when the work started and we enlisted an army of amazing brands and partners to help us bring it to life. Here are the final results (as photographed by Monica Wang) and some of the tips and tricks we learned along the way. Best part? Myself Havenly and CB2 are teaming up to give you a living room makeover, scroll to the bottom for details! (Plus click here to read how their VP of Marketing creates the company's swoon-worthy appeal.)
The Entryway
Our house was a 1920s semi Spanish Style home. Our first big move (and investment) was adding the Spanish style roof! Once we nailed down the roof tile color, we teamed up with Dunn Edward on the paint colors (Which is one of the hardest things to pick out!). I definitely recommend doing test swabs as some of the initial colors I picked weren't working. We ended up using Vanilla Shake for the exterior and Misty hillside for the accent color. Lighting Fixture is by Cedar & Moss.
The Living Room
This is one of my favorite rooms in the home. We teamed up with CB2 and Havenly to design the space. The Space was beautiful to begin with, featuring an A -frame ceiling from the '20s, but the floorpan was a little trickier as the room was super long. My friends at Havenly helped re-jigger things to make it flow perfectly and I couldn't be happier. We added brass shelving which serves as our own kind of "built-ins" plus the couch is beyond comfy!
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The Guest Room
We wanted to make the guest room feel boho, chic, and comfortable but also wanted to combine some of the items we already had in our house into the mix so the results were a super eclectic mix with brands ranging from Design Within Reach to Target Style. The centerpiece of the room is the photography by Rick Rodney, framed by Framebridge.
The Kitchen
The heart of the home! The kitchen was the biggest overhaul we did-- we literally gutted walls, appliances, you name it! We teamed up with Kohler on the sink and faucet and used Cb2's Brass Hex Handles for the cabinets. The countertops are quartz by Cambria Quartz in the Torquay pattern.
Feeling Inspired?
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The Master Bedroom
My husband urged me to skew slightly masculine when it came to the master bedroom. We paired High Fashion Home's Hansen Bed and Hauser side table with navy and shibori accents including our wall, which is painted "Parisian Night" another Dunn Edward paint.
The Master Bathroom
The master bathroom was a fun challenge as it was a larger room that we wanted to strategically fill, but not crowd. The main focal point is the tile which is Fireclay diamond tile with dark grout. The pattern is so mesmerizing and when paired with a vintage rug and gold West Elm pots it's the perfect minimally chic moment.
The Guest Bathroom
We had a little fun with the guest bathroom! We designed the room based on the wallpaper we chose from Hygge & West (Strike / Mist in collaboration with Heath Ceramics), the vanity is from Kohler as are the faucets and towel bar. The mirror is from West Elm and the tile is by Fireclay.
Feeling Inspired?
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The Home Office
Notably cleaner than my actual office (LOL) I wanted to use this room to create a small little work sanctuary in the home for those weekends where I have to crank out some emails! The color palette was focused around black and gold which was perfect for CB2's collection. The wall hanging is from Target Style and part of the Nate Berkus collection.
The Outdoor Space
Living in Southern California, we had to take advantage of the outdoor space. One of the best hacks I learned from a friend was using the corrugated metal fencing -- not only is it cheap and durable but it looks amazing! Further we wanted to add some green as we don't have true grass and olive trees are a great way to bring shade and greenery with very little upkeep.
The Giveaway
We are teaming up with our friends at CB2 to give you your dream living room makeover which means $2,000.00 worth of CB2 goodies and a design consultation with the team from Havenly. Enter to win below ( US Residents Only), winner announced July 1st, 2017 and will be contacted via email. All rules and restrictions apply. See terms & conditions.
Feeling Inspired?
Download the credit list for all items pictured.
How the VP of Marketing at CB2 Creates Its Swoon-Worthy Appeal
Plus her super sleek trick for Instagram giveaways.
photo credit: CB2
Alicia Waters is the powerhouse behind CB2's amazing marketing. As the Vice President of Marketing for the brand that attracts consumers young and old, she is responsible for the voice, the look, and the swoon-worthy pics we can't get enough of. Elevated doesn't have to mean $$$.
Who among the lot of us doesn't covet just about everything in those CB2 catalogs? And guess what? Traditional marketing has changed so much that user-generated content actually now informs what goes into them. If you're feeling curious, you're not alone.
We picked Waters' brill brain about collabs, campaigns, and hooking an entire world on the CB2 aesthetic. And trust us when we say, you might want their goods in your living room, but after reading the below, you'll definitely want to invite Waters over for tea too.
What was your very first job and what skill did you learn there that you still use today?
My first job was in sales at a custard shop. It paid $5.50/hour and was my first taste of independence, so was glorious. Plus lots of free custard -- so what's not to like? I worked there for five years and learned a lot about customer service - i.e. caring for customers when they were disappointed, rewarding best customers in special ways, among other things. (People can get pretty angry, especially about ice cream.) On my first week a man threw his half eaten custard cup at the window at me because I had topped it with hot fudge instead of chocolate... that experience alone taught me how to diffuse anger and to implement checks and balances to drive a more flawless operation.
What do you wish more people understood about what you do?
I think most people have an innate sense of how they want to be marketed to. This points to the fact that marketing really is about psychology and empathy at its core -- and that's what I love about it. That said, I'm not sure if people realize that marketing decisions are rooted in analytics. We constantly sift through data to identify segments and micro segments, to dissect / optimize media performance, and to understand the incrementality of various media platforms to make sure we're getting the best return on our dollars. Even with creative ideas and decisions, we are constantly looking through data to optimize performance.
"Even with creative ideas and decisions, we're looking through data to optimize performance."
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Which parts of your business come the most naturally to you? What skills have you had to work overtime to develop?
When I joined CB2, I was comfortable with the strategy & marketing pieces, having studied both disciplines in college/grad school and having led marketing teams at other companies. I truly do like all aspects of marketing, but my favorite marketing activities are collaborations and customer research.
The aspects of the business that were newer to me upon joining CB2 were e-commerce and visual merchandising. The A/B testing approach of e-commerce has inspired me to mimic a similar process when testing new marketing vendors. Visual merchandising is an incredibly effective discipline that balances creative/analytical. I've realized that visual merchandising and marketing are cousins, and must work in synch at all times. So we've maximized our cross-functional communication among those two groups as well.
We now live and work in the multi-screen economy. How do you ensure the CB2 vibe is strong through all your channels?
We use a basic content calendar to coordinate messaging across channels. Our teams are challenged to ensure that our messaging is cohesive -- yet differentiated by channel -- so customers have a real reason to engage with us across platforms. Not an easy task!
Marketers need to know how to merge disciplines. It’s not just enough to have beautiful ad anymore. Would you say that marketing and branding need to have a 360 approach and how does social tie into this?
Not too many years ago, our distribution channels were really simple - retail, e-commerce, and catalog. Now, our distributions model has become exponentially fragmented. My role has morphed into the voice of the customer (across platforms & fragmented distribution channels), identification of new collaborators and technologies/vendors to test, in addition to my "base" job. When I first started at CB2, customers primarily got their inspiration from print and catalogs ... while both still play a role, clearly that model has blown up! Social media has become the place where our customers start their searches and do research. We need to be where they are (which means we test out new platforms continuously), providing information and inspiration that informs and excites them. The beauty of social media is the real time feedback ... our customers have impeccable taste and quickly give us a sense of where we need to head. Programs like #mycb2 (user-generated content) have started to actually inform our catalog shoots (vs. the other way around) as our creative customers use and shoot our product in incredibly innovative ways.
The CB2 collab with Lenny Kravitz drove crazy sales and engagement, which can be hard for any brand to pull off. What do you think you do differently that made that work so well?
Thank you!! I think a key factor in that collaboration's success was that it came from a place of authenticity. The theme and inspiration behind the collection came from Mr. Kravitz himself, whose own extraordinary vision & life shaped every glamorous, sexy piece. Also, the CB2 design and buying teams gave full rein to Kravitz Design to create the pieces (rather than micromanaging in any way), so they ended up in a place that wasn't watered down but instead true to the original vision. Our customers care a lot about authenticity. The visuals and tactics we developed fell into line under that same vision. My favorite individual marketing tactic was the social media auction on Instagram. We posted a photo of the sleek Nova Side Table and asked people to bid on the piece by commenting “I want it” in the comments. The person to leave the last comment at the end of the auction won the item. Trick is, we didn't state the end time.
photo credit: CB2
How did the collab with Ross Cassidy come about?
I met Ross through our Webby winning campaign, APT CB2, back in 2014. Ross was a rising star and Pin influencer who rallied our customer base to create a crowdsourced design of a stunning dining room online that CB2 then built out in real time in a New York City apartment. I was equal parts blown away by his unequivocal talent and his magnetic charm. It was clear there was an opportunity to share Ross' design vision with our customers as it felt really fresh and elevated for the brand. At his first meeting with our head of brand Ryan Turf, he came more than prepared, bringing along full sketches for a Japanese-inspired collection with CB2. We were smitten, the rest was history.
Any advice for young women who are looking to stand out in their careers?
My advice is to be authentic to yourself and to work hard. Understand your strengths and find environments where you can shine - run from those that require you to try and be something you are not.
"Run from environments that require you to try and be something you're not."
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What has been your personal edge and helped you stand out through your career?
A bit of a rule breaker attitude. I have never been a great rule follower. Today's constantly evolving marketplace, which is always thirsty for new ways of thinking and new models, suits me pretty well.
The Beyoncé lyric that describes your mood right now?
Don't bore me, just show me - Check On It
As someone who has to travel a lot for work, what are your secret airport hacks?
I always take a photo of my parking spot so I don't forget it, and I pack a few extra ziplock bags and am surprised every trip that they still come in handy. I wear a scarf on most flights and use it as a pillow if needed, and I bring my eye shade to I can get some zzzz's.
My favorite airport hack at Chicago's O'Hare Airport (my airport) is that you can order tortas by Frontera (acclaimed chef Rick Bayless's famous restaurant) on an app -- so I can pick them up on my way to my flights or I place an order as I'm landing and then have a delicious meal to pick up/ take home.
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MORE FROM OUR BLOG
When Your Office Feels Like Home: Touring the C & C Home Base
With everyone home for the holidays, we wanted to give you a peek into our second home: the Create & Cultivate office.
To design a space where the C & C team and guests were happy to hang, Veronica Valencia of The Design Hunters chose a blend of smaller, LA-based companies as well as larger brands. Companies like Fragments Identity, Park Studio, Parachute Home, CB2, Framebridge, Helix Sleep, and Artfully Walls. It's a space that doesn't feel like an office -- but also one where work gets handled.
Be sure to check out The Founder's Office as well as the C & C Guest Bedroom.
An Office Fit for a Boss: Peep Inside C & C Founder's Creative Digs
An exclusive look inside Jaclyn Johnson's LA office.
When Jaclyn Johnson, CEO and Founder of Create & Cultivate and (No Subject) moved the office HQ to Atwater Village, she turned to Veronica Valencia of The Design Hunters to really make the space pop.
As the former Lead Designer / Art Director for ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Veronica knows how to make spaces feel like "home." Something she says, that is extremely important, even in an office. "As a boss you want your office to feel professional, that's a given, but you also want it to feel like an inviting, creative space. One where ideas can grow, where employees and visitors want to stop by." To really make the space come alive, Veronica turned to CB2, Artfully Walls, and Framebridge --as well as some amazing palm leaf wallpaper from Anewall. "When designing her space, finding that WOW wallpaper was a must," she says. "I'm usually not a fan of accent walls but in this case it was perfect. I wanted something that was powerful, rich and inspiring. Your office environment is so important, especially when you are a creative. It could be that little push to an even better day!"
The result is an office fit for a creative like Jackie. "Good ideas inspire," says Veronica, "but good spaces, bring the ideas."
Moreover, when you spend as much time at work Jackie does (no such this as a 9-5 when you're in charge), the space has to be somewhere you're happy to call a second home. Click through the above gallery for some serious #officeinspo, and check out the below links to deck your office out in style.
Welcoming Front Entry Accents: CB2 Marble-Rose Gold Pedestal Table & CB2 Braided Fringe Wall Hanging
Storing Important Things: CB2 Suspend Media Console
The Boss Desk: CB2 Aqua Virgo Dining Table
The Boss Sits: CB2 Tayabas Can Side Chair with Black Cushion
The Guests Sit: CB2 Roadhouse Leather Chairs
Says Veronica: "When selecting CB2 furniture, I actually chose dining and living room furniture. Office furniture can sometimes be a little blah, and I wanted the space to feel more homey and welcoming. Jackie's desk is a dining room table, her guest chairs are dining room chairs and her office storage is a media console with a marble top."
Wall Storage: CB2 Revere Wall Mounted Magazine Storage
Art 'n Stuff: Framebridge Irvine Slim Custom Frame & Woman in Boat from Artfully Walls
Says Veronica: "The cherry on the cake was the lady boss oversized print above the console. When selecting all of the artwork for C & C, I wanted the art work to have meaning. It's amazing how much C & C has become such a trailblazer for women and I wanted the art to represent that. To capture those feelings, I chose portraits and paintings of different women."