Attendee Profile: Julie Thigpen of belle maison

I started belle maison in March of 2008 as an outlet to share my passion for interior design with anyone who was interested. In looking back at my first blog post I wrote, “I created this blog to post new, interesting and inspiring finds that I encounter on a weekly basis. Design is my number-one passion and I am forever searching for the next accessory, piece of furniture or cool fabric to inspire me.” I’ve maintained that promise week after week, year after year, and here I am, 700+ blog posts later, just as passionate about blogging as I was back then! In a nutshell, belle maison is a compilation of images and resources that I find beautiful and inspiring. While the content is mostly interior design related, I also like to mix in, fashion, food, and travel, along with bits of my personal life and career in the design industry.

A little more than a year ago, I launched and online design boutique called Modern Chic Home, which is basically a virtual shop filled with all of my favorite accessories, furniture and home décor. I’m obsessed with finding the next gorgeous pillow or fabulous accent chair and Modern Chic Home is a way for me to share those discoveries with customers and clients who can purchase the items to enjoy in their own home. I’m currently working on expanding my shop by adding hundreds of new items, along with treasured flea market finds, which everyone seems to love these days!

I’m inspired by other designers and entrepreneurs – I love hearing stories on how people got started in the business and how they grew to become successful. I’m also inspired by fellow bloggers who share the same passion for design. Each and every one of them brings a unique perspective to the table, providing insight on hot trends, projects and resources on a daily basis.

The Design Bloggers Conference sounds like an incredible opportunity to learn from the best of the best in the blogging and design community. I look forward to meeting everyone attending, especially fellow bloggers I’ve come to know so well over the years!