City Architect   +  Tampa

Please meet my friend and fellow blogger, Jaime Rogers of DOXA Home. Jaime was my first, or one of my first, comments on my early Ragland Hill Social blog posts. For those of you who blog, you know what a special place that person holds in your heart. And for those of you who don't blog it means someone is actually reading, listening and liking what you have to say finally.

She is based in Tampa, Florida, has a great style and a wildly successful interior design firm and store, DOXA Home. Like all my other blog friends, Jaime was nice enough to answer my questions so you all could learn a little more about the girl behind the beautiful interiors seen below.

And to bring my point home even further, she has offered a 20% discount to all Ragland Hill Social readers through the end of this month. Does this girl ROCK or what? So, finish reading my post, view the awesome things I picked as my favorites, and then go quick to DOXA Home and start shopping. I would plan several hours to peruse, it will take that long for sure. Happy Shopping!

Question 1: Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

For the most part I grew up in South Florida, additionally spending time in Montgomery, Tulsa and the Bahamas. Currently, I reside in South Tampa in sunny Florida. I've been here for nearly 15 years, for several years I lived between here and NYC (East Village shout out) as we established an office in the city. We were blessed to have a client in Trump Park Avenue when it first opened, which was great, it was while Veranda had their amazing showhouse in the penthouse, what a beautiful showhouse that was! I now operate solely from Tampa, though I work everywhere, I am designing an apartment in Thessaloniki this month.

Question 2: What is your profession?

I am an Interior Designer, although I prefer decorator. It's old school but if it was an appropriate title for Billy Baldwin, Albert Hadley and David Hicks, then by all means I am proud of the term decorator. There was a civility that surrounded decorators of that era which seems to have diminished today in the business of design, although I have a feeling Charlotte Moss maintains that air about her projects.

Anyway, enough about that, I am also a retailer, DOXA Home, a home furnishings boutique and have two blogs, DOXA Home (to go there click here) as well as The Style Scouts (to go there click here) which is about design driven travel.

Question 3: Why did you start your blog?

Truthfully, I originally created the DOXA Home blog to improve SEO for our e-commerce unit, based on advice from a friend in marketing. I had no idea what I was doing, I am not remotely technie nor did I even follow blogs at the time (which I loathe now that I missed out on so much in the design blogging world)! Anyway, it took over three months for me to attempt my first post and another six months for me to become a bit more consistent in my entries. My entries began to move from "promotion" posts to merely a collection of all things which I find interesting as well as periodic posts on DOXA Home products and DOXA Design Group projects. I think I am finding my voice, I just try to keep it authentic to who I am and DOXA aesthetic. While DOXA Home is about boutique home furnishings, the blog is inclusive of other brands and findings as that is the way I decorate, I never purchase everything from one or two sources. DOXA is about execution not pedigree and I enjoy showing people how to recreate and/or incorporate items and ideas into their own spaces...although I am pretty darn sure that few novices are reading blogs so...wait, why am I doing this again?

Question 4: What do you like most about blogging?

The interesting and talented people, such as yourself, who I have had the pleasure of meeting. There are so many talented people out there! What Joni at Cote de Texas does with research, Deb at Dumbwit Tellher with photos and Jenny at My Favorite and All My Best with words...it's truly amazing. I stay intimidated. The blog is also great for storing images, collecting products and ideas for clients. I have had a tear sheet file cabinet for years, sadly, a misguided mover accidentally tossed them this summer. It was Linda Merrill of Surroundings, and one of my favorites, The Skirted Roundtable, who first mentioned using a blog as a place to organize and store images, and that has clicked with me.

Question 5: What is the most valuable thing you've gained from blogging?

A repeat of my answer above, the people I have interacted with along the way are priceless. How crazy is it that Vicente Wolf answers readers questions? His blog is great for other designers as his advice is invaluable. Additionally, look what has happened with The Skirted Roundtable (a true gift to designers), what they have created in such a short time and with limited technology is amazing and incredibly exciting...at least it is to me.

Question 6: How long have you been blogging?

Officially, DOXA Home since St. Patrick's Day of 2009, regularly since late September 2009. The Style Scouts blog is yet to officially launch, we operate from Facebook right now.

Question 7: How many new friends do you have because of your blog?

Oh goodness so many, I already love going to market but NOW, I feel like it's camp all over again.

Zygote Bowl Trio

Off White Cowhide Rug

Click here to purchase the Off White Cowhide Rug.

Trapunto Mirror

Click here to purchase the Trapunto Mirror.

Madison Bar Cart

Click here to purchase the Madison Bar Cart.

Miles Table Lamp

Click here to purchase the Miles Table Lamp.

Brock Side Table