Kevin O’Gara Lamps Plus DBC Scholarship WINNER

I’m Kevin O’Gara, founder and editor of the design blog Thou Swell. I’m based out of Atlanta, GA, but am currently in school at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. When I was 15 I created Thou Swell, named after the famous jazz standard and inspired by the song’s spirit and nostalgia. In just over five years Thou Swell has become a destination for interior lovers and entertaining enthusiasts.

On my blog, you’ll find a mixture of home tours that inspire me, my favorite new products and design trends, and original interior design, entertaining, and gardening projects. I’ve had the honor of working with amazing brands like Annie Selke, Home Depot, Lamps Plus, Target, west elm, and World Market to produce design projects. As a young Southern blogger, I’m constantly inspired by the contrast of old and new. I share design inspiration from all over the world on Thou Swell, but I love when contemporary interiors are juxtaposed with vintage finds or sentimental antiques that infuse a fresh dose of character into the room.

 

 

(Blush living room update)

I’m so grateful for the opportunities that my blog has provided me, and I hope to continue blogging to grow my business, launch product lines, and eventually establish and eponymous design firm after I graduate. I am incredibly excited to hear from this year’s keynote speakers at the Design Bloggers Conference. Design and marketing are changing rapidly with the pace of new technology, and I’m always eager to learn the latest digital marketing strategies and hear from industry leaders on how they have expanded their businesses through brand extensions like book publishing and product design. See you at DBC!

 

 

 

(My dorm room makeover)