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Interview with jaime derringer from design milk

Interview with Jaime Derringer from Design Milk Header

designmilk.com is one heck of a Website! Covering all the design bases from art to interiors and all that comes around and in between, this site is the product of true artistic passion, and as the founder and editor in chief Jaime Derringer definitely has buckets of just that.With Design Milk, Jaime brings inspirational design to homes all over the world, but not only that she's also a talented artist in her own right!

Jaime Derringer from Design Milk

In this interview I ask her a few Questions about her journey through the world of design and the growth of her website into one of the top design inspiration go-to’s for designers and enthusiasts alike!Read on to find more about this truly brilliant creative mind and web entrepreneur.


Q1/ What in particular do you remember initially inspiring you to set up Design Milk?

Honestly, I was bored and I needed to find creative inspiration! I was at a job that was great but uninspiring, and so when I had time, I'd scour the Internet for the things I wanted to buy or thought were beautiful or interesting and saved them to a blog, which I called Design Milk. The name started out as kind of a joke but turned out to be memorable enough to keep!

Q2/ Tell us a bit about your journey from setting up design milk to now?

Design Milk grew very organically, but I have been very lucky as to have been recognized by various folks at important organizations like Twitter and Google. I'm grateful that they've helped me spread the word about beautiful and innovative modern design to more people. In 2009, I quit my day job to pursue Design Milk full time and it was such a freeing decision, and it allowed me to give the 110% that Design Milk really needed to grow. Most days, it doesn't feel like work. Design Milk isn't a job, it's part of who I am and it permeates every aspect of my life.

Q3/ Can you tell me about your ideal reader?

Someone who is loyal and comes back often and shares our content, I suppose. Anyone who gets delight or inspiration from what we post. Someone who purchases a product or contacts a designer about manufacturing or selling their product is also ideal -- I like making connections between other people through the blog; it's what keeps me going.

Q4/ What do you think are the most important key rules to follow when creating a web magazine and blog?

Attribute your content and your sources, respect the Internet and treat others as you'd like to be treated. Just because we look at cats in tutus all day long doesn't make it more acceptable for us to do things we wouldn't do in a professional workplace setting. Also, don't compete: collaborate.

Q5/ What achievements are you most proud of to date, and what are you aiming to achieve in the future?

I am most proud of the connections I make between designers and manufacturers, retailers and other design folks. It makes me so happy to find out that one of our posts has helped launch a product or even a career. I hope to continue to do that and will try to find ways to expand our reach to more people.

Q6/ Could you pick up to 5 images that you feel describe your tastes/style?

Collage of 5 inspirational images

Clockwise from top left: 1- T-shirts and caffeine: the blogger uniform and my everyday style. Most days, I'm not very fancy and I enjoy being comfortable because I work long hours. A good quality t-shirt is an invaluable wardrobe staple. 2- My Eames chairs. I appreciate good, modern clean design like the timeless classics of the mid-century era. 3- I like art and design to be a little bit weird. Actually, sometimes, the weirder the better only because it sparks interest and imagination. It produces though and perspective. I especially love design that teeters on the edge of art. I like things that elicit a visceral response. This image is from the Pro-Aesthetics collection by Francesca Lanzavecchia. You can learn more here: http://design-milk.com/proaesthetics-by-francesca-lanzavecchia/ 4- When I'm not on the computer, I try to get outside. That's what I love about living in CA. A big part of my style and who I am is about how I feel, and running or being active makes me feel awesome. Also, I love sneakers, the brighter and more fun, the better. 5 - A detail of one of my black and white drawings - I am a huge fan of black and white anything. I am a perfectionist with a hard time letting go and being laid back, so the chaos in these drawings I do helps me relieve some of my stress and be a follower instead of a leader. I go where the lines go. More at jaimederringer.com

Q7/ Who would you class as your main role model(s)?

My 20-month old daughter -- I hope to always remain a happy child content with discovering the wonder in the world.

Q8/ what are you most looking forward to in the next 12 months?

Changing my lifestyle a bit. We recently moved to San Diego, California, where we lived for a few years. When we left, we could not stop thinking about it. We ultimately made the tough decision to sell our amazing house and move across the country -- far from family -- to live out our days in the sun and raise our daughter as a California girl. I also started drawing and painting again so I'm most looking forward to getting a little creative myself. I share creative things all day and it's a fun job, but I am enjoying discovering my own creativity. Thanks Jaime, what a wonderful insight into your truly amazing success story!

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