“Hindsight is 2020”

Hindsight, meaning to look back or reflect on things in the past and 20/20 referring to perfect vision. Well, I think we can all safely say that no one reading this blog had perfect vision as to how the year 2020 would unfold.

Well… we made it to February 2021!

The past year of our lives was completely unexpected, wouldn’t you say? This time last year we all had big plans for the first year of the new decade -- traveling, starting projects, redecorating, or what have you. But then the pandemic came!

I, like everyone else, have both enjoyed and gotten a little sick of being at home all of the time. It’s easy to start falling into a negative spiral, but with this fresh new year of 2021 upon us and perhaps a little bit of light at the end of this tunnel, I’ve decided to take a look back on 2020 with a positive lens.

One of my goals for last year was to create more blog posts for you, and I am proud of what I accomplished! I always have several ideas floating around in my head for what to research and dig deeper into, but the pandemic made me re-evaluate several of the posts I had planned.

What A Difference 100 Years Makes

While I started off with a big feature on Art Deco and the Roaring 20s, I wouldn’t say this decade of the 20s started off quite as fun as the last century’s! Either way, I love to scroll back through this post when I need some quick inspiration or to tune up my Art Deco-spotting eye. Since reading the post, have you been finding Art Deco everywhere you look?!

The Eichholtz High Point Furniture Showroom has a dramatic Art Deco-inspired staircase. So simple in structure but magical in form.

Ernie and I just finished watching the three-episode BBC version of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None”, I highly recommend this rendition of a classic, especially for the amazing Art Deco movie set---look at that lamp!

You don’t have to go to the movies to get an Art Deco fix into your life. I’m in love with these Art Deco-inspired pendant lights I saw at High Point Market. Contact me if you want to bring them home!

We Needed Some Blues in Our Lives

After a nostalgic look at the 1920s, I took a deep dive into Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2020, which was Classic Blue. A nice, simple, classic color -- and thank goodness it was such a classic -- I think we all needed to get back to our roots to find some sanity last year!

I seem to be on an Agatha Christie tear and what better way than to see her dreamy Classic Blue Aga in her holiday home in England-- a stove which is on my dream list!

The calming, grounding sensations that Classic Blue brings to a room were ever present in some of my designs over the past year.

While last year’s color was a classic, I’m thrilled about 2021’s colors… that’s right, I said colors, plural! I’m guessing that Pantone felt 2020 was doubly long and one color was not enough for 2021’s Color of the Year.

I do love gray and yellow as a color scheme, and right now that yellow makes me feel like there are sunnier days ahead!

This sunny yellow Art Deco-inspired(!) kitchen by dynamo interior designer, Kelly Werstler is Inspiration with a capital “I”. Stainless steel takes care of the gray to round out a 2021 palette.

Spending More Time in Bed?

The blues really hit as the pandemic seemed (seems!) never-ending. I adjusted my content calendar because as we were all stuck at home, I knew that home improvement projects were at the top of all of our lists. An easy way to break the ice on project lists and redirect the blog was to look at where we spend the majority of our lives: in bed! This blog post on how to properly make a bed detailed all of the small elements that go into creating your cozy yet stylish space. Especially now that bedrooms have become some Zoomers seemingly-permanent video backgrounds! What improvements did you make to your bed after reading this post? Send me a picture, I’d love to celebrate with you!

WFH Not To Be Confused With WTF

In keeping with the small Pandemic Pointers series that were borne from this dystopian year we’ve all been living through, I then turned to bringing you information about how to transform your home-working space to work for you. Many of us already had some temporary set-ups for those one-off days we wouldn’t go into the office, so in this first post I highlighted the basics of home office that should be perfected before moving to the smaller details that pull the whole space together in this post.

I had an amazing response to these home office posts and the one office thing that was most frequently shared with me were the props being used to hold up laptops and desktops in an “ergonomic” way!

I’ve recently updated my own desktop prop with a fancy adjustable standup desk (thank you, Costco and Ernie!). I wasn’t sure I’d like it as much as my stack of Architectural Digest magazines which were much more the aesthetic I’m going for ---but I have to admit, I love it!

Richmond_Va_Interior_Designer_Home_Office_Standup_Desk.jpg

One bright spot from the pandemic was the way we could all connect with different people, companies, and events that we might not have otherwise. Once everyone is online, it’s pretty easy to meet virtually with colleagues hundreds of miles away somewhat regularly! I took advantage of this by featuring my friend, Ari Lerner, and his guest post on what we may expect from “real” offices once things start opening back up (Fall 2021?! Fingers crossed!).

I think my favorite post from 2020 came towards the end -- my post on sheep! Being married to a Scot, I have a deep appreciation for these bucolic animals, and I always get comments on the sheep that we have in our living room. I found the history and stories behind these iconic sheep so interesting! Tell me -- have you started thinking about your own in-house sheep herd? Or started seeing them everywhere too?!

The most beautiful home offices are not only meant for business, but also meant for relaxing. These chairs are super cozy fleece--what a great way to tie in working from home and sheep! Photo credit.

Home Fires and Home Brews

The last two posts of the year I found helped me cope with all that was happening at the end of 2020… thinking about my loved ones and plenty of cocktail hours! My gallery walls post was inspired by my small corner of fame in Washingtonian Magazine! A gallery wall is a great way to liven up blank corners of your home -- fill it with friends and family, your collections, or any other tidbits you want to show off. In writing this post I had the chance to think through all of my favorite photos of loved ones which I will put into my own gallery wall…someday!

If you don’t want to leave your guests wondering what your gallery wall is all about or how you feel about your gallery wall, visually express your feelings as part of your gallery. Source.

Catherine Jordan Design ended the 2020 blogging year much as Cathy did-- with a cocktail: revamping your home bars!

Another bright spot in the midst of this pandemic is how we have begun rethinking how we are spending our time at home and the tools we need to create the ambiances we are missing. Namely, where your favorite neighborhood hangout is concerned: bartenders!

When you’re locked down because of a historic, global pandemic, you’ve got to become your own bartender. And what is a bartender without their tools? I loved taking a look at some of the unique home bar solutions people have created in their various homes. Small space solutions are so creative!

…To Wow! Source. Michelle Nussbaumber, Designer

While 2020 was really one for the books (or one to forget entirely?!), I hope that you found a few bright spots in your year as well. Working on my blog to bring you interesting stories and helpful information was so valuable to me, and I hope you feel the same!

Here’s to a happier and joyful 2021! Cheers from Richmond, Virginia!