The interiors have a crisp look thanks to a marriage of the original midcentury bones—including the high A-frame ceiling in the great room, wood-accented walls, and courtyard entrance—and modern elements such as bright blue cabinetry and a custom cloudy backsplash in the kitchen, sleek built-in shelving, and contemporary pendant lighting. Retro vibes permeate the living area with a brick fireplace and breakfast nook with a wraparound booth.
The interiors have a crisp look thanks to a marriage of the original midcentury bones—including the high A-frame ceiling in the great room, wood-accented walls, and courtyard entrance—and modern elements such as bright blue cabinetry and a custom cloudy backsplash in the kitchen, sleek built-in shelving, and contemporary pendant lighting. Retro vibes permeate the living area with a brick fireplace and breakfast nook with a wraparound booth.
Funny Cats and Kittens Meowing Compilation www.youtube.com
The interiors have a crisp look thanks to a marriage of the original midcentury bones—including the high A-frame ceiling in the great room, wood-accented walls, and courtyard entrance—and modern elements such as bright blue cabinetry and a custom cloudy backsplash in the kitchen, sleek built-in shelving, and contemporary pendant lighting. Retro vibes permeate the living area with a brick fireplace and breakfast nook with a wraparound booth.
black Mercedes-Benz car Photo by Dhiva Krishna on Unsplash
The interiors have a crisp look thanks to a marriage of the original midcentury bones—including the high A-frame ceiling in the great room, wood-accented walls, and courtyard entrance—and modern elements such as bright blue cabinetry and a custom cloudy backsplash in the kitchen, sleek built-in shelving, and contemporary pendant lighting. Retro vibes permeate the living area with a brick fireplace and breakfast nook with a wraparound booth.
white vehicle with blue neon headlight bulb Photo by Olav Tvedt on Unsplash
The interiors have a crisp look thanks to a marriage of the original midcentury bones—including the high A-frame ceiling in the great room, wood-accented walls, and courtyard entrance—and modern elements such as bright blue cabinetry and a custom cloudy backsplash in the kitchen, sleek built-in shelving, and contemporary pendant lighting. Retro vibes permeate the living area with a brick fireplace and breakfast nook with a wraparound booth.
black Shelby car on road Photo by Joey Banks on Unsplash
The interiors have a crisp look thanks to a marriage of the original midcentury bones—including the high A-frame ceiling in the great room, wood-accented walls, and courtyard entrance—and modern elements such as bright blue cabinetry and a custom cloudy backsplash in the kitchen, sleek built-in shelving, and contemporary pendant lighting. Retro vibes permeate the living area with a brick fireplace and breakfast nook with a wraparound booth.
cooked food Photo by Olena Sergienko on Unsplash
The interiors have a crisp look thanks to a marriage of the original midcentury bones—including the high A-frame ceiling in the great room, wood-accented walls, and courtyard entrance—and modern elements such as bright blue cabinetry and a custom cloudy backsplash in the kitchen, sleek built-in shelving, and contemporary pendant lighting. Retro vibes permeate the living area with a brick fireplace and breakfast nook with a wraparound booth.
The interiors have a crisp look thanks to a marriage of the original midcentury bones—including the high A-frame ceiling in the great room, wood-accented walls, and courtyard entrance—and modern elements such as bright blue cabinetry and a custom cloudy backsplash in the kitchen, sleek built-in shelving, and contemporary pendant lighting. Retro vibes permeate the living area with a brick fireplace and breakfast nook with a wraparound booth.
About 6 weeks ago I started hearing rumblings about an upcoming ‘documentary’ produced by James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger about vegan athletes. Now those are some heavy hitting hollywood names so there was a lot of buzz about this documentary. I must admit, when I first heard about this, I was extremely skeptical. I am pretty sure I have PTSD from the terrible food ‘documentaries’ I’ve seen so far such as Fed Up, What the Health, and Supersize Me. All of them steaming piles of propaganda and BS. A real documentary takes opinions from both sides, presents evidence, and lets the viewer formulate their own opinion. These were not documentaries, they were story-based narratives that twisted scientific information for their own personal gain.
About 6 weeks ago I started hearing rumblings about an upcoming ‘documentary’ produced by James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger about vegan athletes. Now those are some heavy hitting hollywood names so there was a lot of buzz about this documentary. I must admit, when I first heard about this, I was extremely skeptical. I am pretty sure I have PTSD from the terrible food ‘documentaries’ I’ve seen so far such as Fed Up, What the Health, and Supersize Me. All of them steaming piles of propaganda and BS. A real documentary takes opinions from both sides, presents evidence, and lets the viewer formulate their own opinion. These were not documentaries, they were story-based narratives that twisted scientific information for their own personal gain.
About 6 weeks ago I started hearing rumblings about an upcoming ‘documentary’ produced by James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger about vegan athletes. Now those are some heavy hitting hollywood names so there was a lot of buzz about this documentary.
The Great Report
2020 Global Report Sheet
Oftentimes, my creative juices flow much more freely in an office that gives the vibes. As a creative, that means anything but sterile cubicle walls, bland nudes, or spaces that just don't scream vibrant invention and individuality. I like to be inspired to do more and to elevate my thoughts in any workspace, so infusing color and culture is a must.
I often look to Instagram or Pinterest for inspiration when it's time to refresh my workspace, and I just love seeing the manifestation of professionals' auras, accomplishments, and tastes all reflected in their office spaces. Here are a few that I find intriguing, enlightening, and inspiring that I hope will inspire you as well:
Desk DIY
Fashion designer Andrea Pitter shared a DIY that I loved watching simply because it looked like something that might be sold by CB2 or any other luxury brand. And I love a good look-for-less project for home decor. This one offers a way to have a desk that's not the traditional option yet functional (and affordable) enough to get the unique look I prefer for office decor. And the fact that she did this with her partner---something else I'm a huge fan of since I'm always stressing my bae out to do the heavy lifting and assembly myself--is a plus. I literally have a meltdown when I see too many parts and screws, so having a partner to help is definitely something I can relate to.
The Color Purple
For this room, Shavonda Gardner of SG Style incorporated several decor favorites of mine: the color purple, a neon sign, and texture. All three of these elements exist in my home, and the office space would be no exception. If you're not wowed by that trifecta alone, watching her paint and put the whole look together can be soothing in and of itself.
Neutral Meets Bold
Taking a black-and-cream color theme up a notch is always a win for me, someone who absolutely cringe at all-neutral choices for home decor. This hits different. Between the natural elements (that seagrass wall decor is everything) the art deco wallpaper, the marbled table, and the use of the fur throw, I'm literally in love. The space, created by Dominique Calhoun of Remix Living, is how neutrals are done right, evoking feelings of wanting to level up and embrace the bold, luxe spirit of blacks, greens, and golds.
Pretty in Pink
This is a subdued but well-done space that incorporates muted tones that make me feel a sense of calm and safety. The simplicity and just-right tones of natural wood, khaki, white, yellow, and champagne pink ensure you won't have too many distractions when doing your work but you won't be bored to death with walls that scream nursery or nursing home.
Morning Blues
This room does something I find refreshing: It realistically reflects an everyday aesthetic that mixes fantasy with real life. While the dark blue hue gives the room a dreamy writer's mood and the printed rug along with the complimentary planter and vases accent the room well, there's still an ergonomic chair that puts any of those popular cute little seating options we all see in many popular interior decor photos to shame. As someone who sits and stares at a screen for most of my work day, I've gone through a half dozen of those aesthetically pleasing seats, all either too small, too low, or lacking the back and knee support that a real-deal office chair provides.
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Do you remember what you did with your first real-job paycheck? I mean that check that was the answer to all your prayers. You could finally afford rent, groceries, and happy hour. Maybe you were able to put a down payment on your dream car. Maybe you bought your first house or bought that Fendi bag you'd been eyeing since childhood. (Was that just me?)
Spending that first major paycheck is both a moment of celebration and a way to acknowledge your hard work. It's a dream realized. It can also be the biggest mistake of your life. (And that's okay. Life is about making those and moving on to bigger and better from the lessons).
When I got my first nice-sized paycheck that was over $1,500 after taxes, I spent it on an overseas trip. I'd never been allowed to travel abroad in my teens and in my 20s, I spent the bulk of my paychecks on my half of the rent (Roommate life, anyone?) and coping mechanisms for burnout. (Think lots of Hennessy, four-day-a-week club nights, 7-nights-a-week eating out, a few emergency room visits, a couple of run-ins with toxic boyfriends, and impulsive shopping at Century 21, Forever 21, and H&M.)
Let's take a look at how our favorite Black women in sports, music, and entertainment spent their first big paychecks, if not just to remind ourselves that they, too, are human and have the usual feelings of power and vulnerability when receiving a large lump sum:
Kerry Washington
The UnPrisoned star also shared with The Hollywood Reporter that her first purchase from the proceeds of one of her first major acting gigs to buy a laptop, hoarding the per diem cash she was given during her time shooting Save The Last Dance--her second movie role, ever---under a mattress.
Issa Rae
Actress, producer and entrepreneur Issa Rae told Buzzfeed Celeb that she bought a Tesla with her first big paycheck after getting a major role. She also told US Weekly that after buying it, she got into an accident a month later and was without a car for a whole year.
Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland reportedly did what many of us do when we finally get our hands on a nice sum of money: splurge, especially on things that we didn't have easy access to in childhood. She told Instyle that she bought groceries that her mom used to tell her were "too expensive" and had a party where everyone enjoyed the food and had fun. (Same, sis. Same.) She further talked about the lessons she learned from buying a 5-bedroom house after becoming a millionaire at 20.
Enjoying the fruits of her Destiny's Child labor, she recalled that the home was "too big" and that she was "too young" to buy such a home. She'd later make informed choices about how she spent her money and used credit cards.
Serena Williams
Both Serena Williams sisters have always acknowledged the valuable money lessons they learned early on from their father. When Serena got her first check, she reportedly took it straight to the bank, rolling up to the drive-through (as if it wasn't $1 million!) She also said in an interview that she wouldn't just go pick up her check and the tour directors at the time had to eventually come and give it to her. Talk about discipline!
Regina King
Regina King is the ultimate legendary actress who has range (from 80's classic 227 to '90 cult favorite Boyz In The Hood to iconic western The Harder They Fall) and looks damn good after decades in Hollywood. She told The Hollywood Reporter that when she got her first big paycheck, she invested in something many of us promise ourselves when we've gotten to a certain salary or status: a car.
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