COLOURlovers Interview with Erin of Design For Mankind

Erin Loechner is a writer, stylist and designer. She is a quirky girl with lots of style and a great swagger about her. Everything she publishes on her site, Design For Mankind, pushes the envelope just enough to keep you interested and excited about trends and styles. She has graced the pages of many magazines all the while keeping up with trends and colors on her HGTV.com segment.


First up, why don’t you tell the community a bit about who you are, what you do, how long you have been doing it, and your background. 

I’m Erin Loechner, a 28-year-old freelance design writer and blogger (DesignForMankind.com). I dabble into styling, consulting and rearranging the furniture of any willing party! I’m also an online personality for HGTV.com.

What past experiences do you think have contributed the most to where you are now?  
I tend to think of life (and age, for that matter) as little more than a collection of experiences and encounters that continually shape you as a person. So many moments have led me to where I am today, but the catalyst was probably the foundation of my art/design blog, Design for Mankind, in 2006. So many opportunities have stemmed from that tiny little website! The Internet is an amazing thing.What colors do you think we will see a lot of in 2012? 

I don’t know if it’s the wintery months or the beginning of a new trend, but I’ve been noticing a resurgence of muted tones as an alternative to the bright, cheery hues of seasons past. Candy-colored hues in muted tones are all over my radar this year!


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What patterns and trends do you think will be big in 2012?

I’m seeing a huge trend in art-inspired patterns (and am so excited!) in the past few months, so I’m predicting everything from landscape art clothing (like this collection! below) to watercolor housewares (like this rug! below).


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Which colors, patterns & trends are you personally most excited about?

Oh, definitely art-inspired patterns. If I could watercolor everything in my home, I would!

What is your favorite website or app right now?

My favorite app is Instagram; I’m a total sucker for documenting my day visually, but will never find the time to hone my photography skills. Instant problem solver!

When decorating your home, what are the top three colors you turn to for the space? What is your favorite paint color?

Oh, I’m very much of a believer of a neutral home (exhibit A = my dining room! below). I’ve found in the past that my job can be so stimulating, it’s important for me to come home to a clean, natural color palette. Every wall in my house is Architectural White (Olympic Paint), and I often layer each room with blacks, grays and natural wood tones. I’m very monochromatic these days!


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What’s the best home design-related advice you’ve ever received?

If you love a piece, there’s room for it. Alternatively, if you’re not 100% in love with a piece, ditch it.

When you are feeling stumped, where do you turn for inspiration?

I’m rarely at a loss for inspiration, but I’ve found that when I am, it’s usually due to too much research, rather than not enough. This usually means I’ve been spending too much time behind the computer screen, so I’ll get out of the house, grab a coffee, take a walk or head out for a bite with my husband. I’m usually back to square one in no time!

For someone that is just beginning down the road to create a better home, what resources or advice would you give to them?

Find a general direction you’d like to go in, and make the rest up in your head. Start collecting images from online or your favorite magazines, and really study what each image makes you feel, rather than what you see. This will give you a great starting point for the sort of space you want to create, whether it’s cozy, modern, chic, glamorous, or all of the above. Most importantly, enjoy yourself and continually surround yourself with things you love. It makes a world of difference!

Allison is the blog editor and gal behind the Twitter, Facebook & Pinterest at COLOURlovers. When she is not spreading color love around the web, she writes and manages Engaged & Inspired, a wedding blog and vendor resource for brides.