Nest by Tamara celebrates 1 million readers!
 | ||
1 million reads on Nest by Tamara!
  I am grateful Nest by Tamara blog
has reached 1 million of you...
I started this blog with a simple philosophical bent, to shine light on how to create a beautiful home, inside and out...nine years later I share a bit more philosophy on life. I begin with a quote I wrote from one of my very first blog posts back in 2009...
|
 |
| sharing my own homes and designs |
"a happy home starts with one that is rich in detail,
divulging the passions of the dwellers, bit by bit."
-Tamara Stephenson, 2009
Today marks 1 million readers have stopped here to read my daily musings. For nine years I have incorporated the blog into my life, and leading with my passion for and talent and training in writing and interior design. -Tamara Stephenson, 2009
 |
| setting a table in my beach house in East Hampton |
I have met hundreds of new people, bonded with many both in real life and online, traveled around the globe to cover topics for my readers, and through it all I have grown tremendously both professionally and personally from the experience. While I have seen many come and go in the blog hemisphere, I have stayed the course because, well, I love it. The blog merges my love for the written word and my love for interior design.
Why I blog...
I've learned that to stay relevant one needs to change, grow and move with the times. By launching a blog nine years ago, I have kept a fresh perspective on life through the vantage point of the blog. I probably would not have started my fabric and wallpaper company, root cellar designs if I had not taken the leap to write a blog (and stuck with it for nine years). Having loved textiles all my life, I did not just want to slap my name on a fabric line and be licensed, I wanted to create something new and unique and make it, literally make it, then sell it. I joined forces with my best friend, who is an incredible talent. I have been an artist all my life, and whether it is painting a painting, creating fabric, writing a blog, cooking, designing a home, it is in me to create. The blog gave me the voice to articulate that. I have learned while writing a blog to live in the moment, open my eyes and relish in the beauty that surrounds every day and cherish that, take it in, and then maybe later blog about it!
2011 visiting Terence Conran's home in London
9 years and 1 million reads,
Nest by Tamara's story year by year...
Nest by Tamara's story year by year...
2008 - I figured out what this blog thing was...
who knew what a blog was, never mind twitter, and don't even mention instagram which was a glimmer in someone's eye. So, we were "swinging from the bleachers" with every post and comment, a true learning experience.
blog, a noun
- a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.
2009 - interior design shares
I dove into sharing my projects, sources, ideas, thoughts on interior design here on the blog in a regular, editorial manner...like a magazine, but not.
in the homes we decorate
The farm to table ideology grew to a crescendo, and finding the best eats, green markets, and offering tips on entertaining was on the top of my list this year. I have long loved to entertain and I yearned to share that with my readers. I created the Under The Pergola column and started a Culinary Dinner Club with my foodie friends. My kids were actively involved- taking photos, traveling with me to events, and it was an incredible time for me to expand my knowledge and share it with my readers.
Under The Pergola column, recipe shares
2011 - networking with the design industry
The advent of the design blog opened up the industry a bit, and today it is less stuffy and pretentious, and the conversations are more about quality design, and sharing knowledge and talent. I have worked in the interior design industry in New York City since 1990 and it was not like that before, so to me, that's a good thing (as Martha Stewart would say). And, boy did I cover that on the blog. I have attended a gazillion design events, and through that I've connected locally with many talents in the industry
  |
I turned up the heat so to speak these two years while offering more, varied stories to cover entertaining, food, recipes, travel, hotel and restaurant reviews, fashion and more lifestyle topics as well as built strong platforms on social media. I started to get very busy, with many moving parts to the blog, but the industry started to notice me in return and I've been featured on blogs, magazines, podcasts and I'm grateful for all that.
touring a Venetian villa, 2015
 
Why in Design column (left); covering interior design we love (right)
2014 - sharpening my magazine writing pencil
I established myself as a writer and expert in the industry during this year. Many magazines and blogs hired me to write for them, and for four years I penned a column called East End Nest for Dan's Papers magazine in the Hamptons. Since this beach community has been my second home for two decades, it felt right to write about the history and design in the Hamptons. I also was a contributing writer for for NYC&G, TradHome, Venue, Today's Equestrian, and other magazines and blogs. Brands began inviting me to collaborate on events, travel and write about it.
|
2015- launched root cellar designs
Over a lifetime of love for design, Susan Young and I became designers and manufactures of root cellar designs. It is our very own private label, and we create it all from the bottom to the top, then manufacture it ourselves. It's a labor of love. In addition to utilizing both of our talents as designers, we quickly grew in part because of the resources and bridges built on this blog. We are regularly invited to participate in show houses, galas and events where we show our talent and new products.
2016- on the road, the traveling design blogger
The blog has afforded me opportunities to travel. I am often sponsored to cover Markets in Germany, Italy, France, London. I was sponsored to cover High Point Furniture Market four years as well as travel to dozens of other events in order to sleuth out stellar and nuanced, new designs
The blog has afforded me opportunities to travel. I am often sponsored to cover Markets in Germany, Italy, France, London. I was sponsored to cover High Point Furniture Market four years as well as travel to dozens of other events in order to sleuth out stellar and nuanced, new designs
Maison Objet, Deco Off in Paris, 2016
Maison Objet, 2016
visiting Hermes' Atelier in France
in Milan (left) and Paris (right)
2017- the year of talking,
panels discussions, connecting, sharing
all these opportunities have helped me to develop into an expert with my finger on the pulse of global design world. Through the myriad travels, I have access to the most stellar and current designs, allowing me to continue to share here.
all these opportunities have helped me to develop into an expert with my finger on the pulse of global design world. Through the myriad travels, I have access to the most stellar and current designs, allowing me to continue to share here.
 |
| my color trend talk at NY Now, 2017 |
reach out to me with any questions or thoughts at tamarastephenson1@gmail.com
Happy Nesting
XO Tamara
