Brittany Bolz
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Instagram: @cocoandblush | cocoandblush.com
How to Decorate on a Budget
There are so many great places where you can get gorgeous home decor for less. A few of my favorite stores are CB2, Target, Urban Outfitters and Zara Home.
Tips for Designing Your Space
Start with an inspiration board on Pinterest, then write down all the things that stick out to you in the photos. This will help you narrow down what you really want to do with your space.
Wake Up Your Space
Add plants and fresh flowers! A little bit of green is a great way to bring the outdoors inside to your living space. Fresh flowers around the house always brighten me up.
Design Hacks: Insta Gold Furniture
I love Ikea hacks. One of the easiest hacks is to spray-paint any metal Ikea furniture gold. I did this with my $40 bookcase as well as my bookshelves. Instant upgrade!
Secret to Capturing Great Home Images
Use a great camera that can really capture the details. And natural light is a must!
A Love for Seattle
I’ve lived in Seattle almost my entire life, so I know it very well. Although I can’t stand the weather, the city feels like home, and it will always have a special place in my heart. Seattle has a few distinct neighborhoods—my favorites are Capitol Hill (where I’ve lived for the past five years), Ballard and Fremont. Each neighborhood is super cool with trendy bars and boutiques on every corner.
Don’t Miss These Gems in Seattle:
Pier 66 has an observatory deck that not very many people know about. The views are some of the best in the city. You can see all of the buildings downtown, the Space Needle and the Great Wheel. (One of my photos is a view from Pier 66 looking through an old school observatory device.)
Seattle has some really fun speakeasy bars. I love that they feel like a secret that no one else knows about. One of my favorites is called Needle & Thread. It’s hidden above another bar in Capitol Hill. Patrons have to call the bartender on a vintage rotary phone to be buzzed up. Once inside the intimate speakeasy, the bartender asks you some questions about flavor preferences. Since there is no drink menu, each drink is custommade just for you.
Pike Place Market is one of my favorite places in Seattle. I like to go around 5 p.m., right before the market closes, when the tourists die down and it’s less crowded. I always stop by the flower market.
Travel Hack
If possible, try to check into your hotel as late in the day as possible. When you check in later, the likelihood for an upgrade is higher because the hotel has already filled up the majority of their rooms for the night. Anything left over is going to be open anyways, so the staff is more likely to upgrade you. Almost every time I check in after 5 p.m., I get a free upgrade!
Bars in Seattle
Mr. West Café Bar (Downtown)
Undoubtedly the most amazing avocado toast in Seattle! This café is a blogger’s paradise, filled with marble tables and big, luscious green plants.
Oddfellows Café + Bar (Capitol Hill)
Oddfellows has a lovely vintage vibe, probably because it’s located in historic Oddfellows Hall, built in 1908. The food is delicious.
Bar Melusine (Capitol Hill)
Probably my favorite brunch spot of all time! Featuring a menu inspired by the south of France, the café is also beautifully decorated with mint-green high-top chairs at the bar and natural light streaming in from every angle. It really can’t be beat.
Tallulah’s (Capitol Hill)
This vibrant neighborhood café is tucked away in north Capitol Hill and features a globally-inspired, locally-focused menu. The modern decor and quirky wall art make the dining experience a real treat.
Bar Vacilando (Capitol Hill)
This bar is newer to the Seattle scene, but after one visit I couldn’t wait to go back. They serve the best gin gimlets I’ve ever had (my favorite cocktail)! Not to mention, it feels like you’re dining in a beautiful greenhouse. The patio is just lovely.
Fun Places to Stay in Palm Springs
I loved the Parker hotel in Palm Springs. The grounds were beautifully kept, and the decor was done by interior designer Jonathan Adler, who I absolutely love. It was like stepping into a 1960s vacation. From the hammocks and croquet, to the swanky poolside Lemonade Stand, everything about it felt like a dream.
1. The Avalon hotel
2. The Parker hotel
ORIGIN. QUICKIES
Where do you shop to find your favorite pieces?
I love shopping at Nordstrom, Revolve, Free People, Aritzia and Madewell.
If you had to design a room in one color, what would it be?
Blush pink.
Which designers or sites give you the most inspiration?
Dior, Valentino, Chloé and Céline.
What hashtags do you use to find awesome design on Instagram?
Where do you start when you remake a room?
I start with the big pieces like large furniture, then make my way down to the smaller details as I go.
What’s the fastest way to shift a space?
New pillows, fresh flowers and candles change a space completely!
Describe your style.
Feminine, clean, modern and bright.
Something we wouldn’t know about you?
I’m a huge history nerd! I took advanced placement U.S. history in high school and loved it. I still have my old textbook!
Your story?
I’m a twenty-something girl living in the heart of Seattle. I’m passionate about design, art and style. I love making things with my hands—whether that’s music, painting or baking; I was born to be a creator.