Kari Lopez
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Instagram: @theaccidentalbohemian | karilopez.com
Based in New York, NY
Photos by Kari Lopez
ORIGIN Rapid Fire Q&A:
1. The place you feel most yourself?
My home. Always.
2. Where do you shop to find your favorite pieces?
Thrift stores, Brooklyn Flea and a bunch of Instagram shop accounts.
3. If you had to de sign a room in one color, wha t would it be?
GREEN
4. Which designers or sites give you the most inspiration?
Apartment Therapy, @urbanjungleblog, Domino, Design Sponge, Justina Blakeney (@thejungalow), Jennifer Harrison (@fleamarketfab)
5. Something we wouldn't know about you?
I am pretty introverted and would die if I ever had to attend a social function.
6. What hashtags do you use to find awesome design on Instagram?
7. Where do you start when you remake a room?
Walls, then floors and then everything in between.
8. What's the fastest way to shift a space?
Paint! Paint can do wonders in changing a space!
9. One of your favorite quotes: “People who love to eat are always the best people.”—Julia Child
Best design advice:
Ignore the rules and fill your home with things you love. Your home exists to please no one but yourself and your family.
"If your couch isn’t good for napping, it’s not a good couch."
Five tips for designing a nurturing home space:
1. Lighting is important.
2. Cushions and throws make any chair or couch look more inviting.
What is something you wish you would've known when you were 20?
Everything is going to be okay and there is no need to please anyone but yourself.
Creating a home that nurtures you:
My mom was a flight attendant for almost 40 years, so I grew up with home decor from all her travels. In a way, I did the same with my current space and filled it with things I’ve collected from my own trips.
Personal sanctuary essentials:
Fill your home with things you love! I know this sounds redundant, but I can’t stress it enough. I collect pieces and art from travels and from home. You don’t have to keep those ugly candlesticks some relative gave you. If you don’t love it, then it has no place in your space.
Ways to make your space come more alive?
Color, texture and plants immediately fill any space with life. Paint can immediately change a room without spending too much!
The importance of color:
I used to be a minimalist who stuck to blues, whites, blacks and browns. It started with a red Ikea wall desk that I bought as my one statement piece. I loved how it changed that corner of my room, so I started buying more “statement pieces” until I ended up with an eclectic bohemian home.
What is essential to nurturing your creativity or what drives your creativity?
Instagram has been great for jumpstarting my creativity. I used to be a portrait photographer when I lived in the Philippines, and I tried
pursuing this when I moved to New York, but doing so only led me to shooting less and eventually ignoring my camera for years. Instagram has motivated me to stretch my creative fingers and to dust off my camera.
Secrets for capturing great images:
Natural light is important, so in spaces like my apartment, which gets light only on one side and only for a few hours in the morning, it is essential to capture images when the light is good. Timing is everything.
The 411:
Self-professed interior maximalist and plant hoarder. Inspired by her travels, she tries to incorporate various textiles and textures into her home. She hopes to inspire more people to be budding plant owners and one day build her own bohemian tiny house in upstate New York where she can farm her own food and raise chickens.