Orblogdo – Page 8 – Orlando Soria

Oct / 24 / 2014Oct / 24 / 2014

Homepolish Highlights: Tropicaltimez in Noa Santos’ Living Room

Photos by Claire Esparros Courtesy Homepolish Dear Design Dorks, As you know I’m the West Coast Creative Director of Homepolish. Thus, I’ve decided to start a series highlighting my favorite projects from the company’s roster of crazy talented designers. Who better to start with than Noa Santos, the designer who started it all with his cofounder Will Nathan just a few years ago. As soon as I saw the banana palm tree in the corner, I knew Noa and his boyfriend Ross had great style. Before that I was like “That’s a lot of asymmetrical ironic flowing sweaters and male jeggings…

Oct / 21 / 2014

D.I.Why? If You Knew How Simple It Was To Make A Bench Your Head Would Explode

Photographs by Sean Gin Courtesy Homepolish Dear Diary, I recently designed Kelly Oxford’s house (remember?) and we needed a bench for her dining room. So I enlisted the help of Kelly and a highly-skilled child laborer (who happens to be her son) and we made a bench together. Oh Diary, I hope you’ll believe me when I tell you it was so fun and easy, anyone could do it! Even you, Diary, and you’re just a dumb old book filled with illegible scribbling about guys and shopping! Here are some preview shots of what we did: What, Diary? You want to…

Oct / 20 / 2014

From Garbage to Glamorous: Making Dreams Come True for One Special Bookcase

Dear Non-Garbage Person, The other day I was in St Vincent De Paul Thrift Store near Downtown LA and I came across a deal too good to pass up. They were selling these lovely little library bookcases for $15. Naturally, I was all “Oh my god I need one!” Which I say sometimes. Usually when I totally do not need one. If you’ve ever been in St Vincent’s you know how dirty and disgusting it is. It’s like jumping into a giant landfill. But filthier. But you find gems there from time to time so it’s worth it. The hunt is half…

Oct / 14 / 2014Oct / 14 / 2014

Whut Glamour: The New Man Repeller Office

Photographs by Claire Esparros Courtesy Homepolish Dear Leandra Medine, I love your site Man Repeller, which is basically a blog about how ladies should wear what they want regardless of what guys think because guys are garbageholes. Just kidding I put in the part about guys being garbageholes. But they are. AM I RIGHT LADIEZ? In other news, I love that you love overalls, because I’ve been obsessed with them ever since I read “East of Eden.” Homepolish has designed not one, but two of the Man Repeller offices, and the latest space is so delicious I wish I were a giant so I could…

Oct / 10 / 2014Oct / 10 / 2014

Further Proof That Paint is Magic

Photographs Courtesy Kyung Woo Han Dear Pool Party People, I came across the work of Kyung Woo Han recently while I was wandering aimlessly around the internet and I just had to share it even though he made this piece in 2009 which is like 500 years ago in internet years. Basically, he used wall paint to transform an indoor space into an optical illusion swimming pool (i.e. my dream home). As you probably know, I am a huge fan of transform a space using just paint and aqua is my favorite color, so this is basically the most important thing I’ve ever seen…

Oct / 9 / 2014

The Hommemaker Guide to Getting Over It

Dear Complete Stranger on the Internet, The year 2013 was not my year. If you’ve been reading my blog a while, you know what happened. A relationship ended, one that was very important to me and a first in a lot of ways. My career was in flux as I stopped working daily with Emily Henderson to break out on my own, a decision that was difficult for both of us as we were (are) best friends and working together every day felt like being with family. My financial situation was a roller coaster, dire, and stress-filled. Basically I got…

Oct / 1 / 2014

Get In My Eyeballz: Gray Malin’s ‘Dream’ Series

Photographs Courtesy Gray Malin Dear Gray Malin, You may remember yourself from the glamorous One Kings Lane home makeover we did together months ago, where we first met and became friends. I remember you from all the wonderful photos you take that are like candy for my eyeballz. Your newest body of work is an extremely fun project called The Dream Series. It’s a surreal, beautiful series featuring hypercolor sheep in the gorgeous Australian countryside, waddling around, being themselves, not caring what anyone else thinks. Don’t be scared, the dyes Gray used are totally harmless, vegetable-based pigments that wash off with water….

Sep / 29 / 2014Sep / 29 / 2014

Goop + Homepolish Team Up to Decorate a Sunny West Hollywood Bachelor Pad

Photographs by Zeke Ruelas Courtesy Homepolish Dear Client Kevin, Did you see the Homepolish miracle that occurred in your apartment after I waddled in and waved my arms all over the place like a deranged octopus? I hope so, because you live there. If not, you have plenty of options. First, you can check out the full story on Goop to see how I took your apartment from “OH NO” to “OOH LA LA” in just a matter of moments. Once you’ve done that, head on over to Hompolish Magazine for more coverage. Then, continue drinking with me like we…

Sep / 25 / 2014

My Friends Made This So Now You Have To Watch It: ‘Paragon School for Girls’

Film Stills Courtesty Paragon School for Girls Dear Anyone Who Is Listening, Hello? Are you still there? It’s me, Orlando, calling you from inside the “Internet.” Anyway, a long time ago my friend Jim showed me this web series he was developing called Paragon School for Girls and I was like YOU HAVE TO PUT THIS ON THE INTERNET IMMEDIATELY. So he finally did. JUST IN TIME FOR HALLOWEEN! And now you can enjoy it. Have you ever fantasized about living in a dollhouse? If so, you’re going to be obsessed wit this. If not, there is something wrong with…

Sep / 23 / 2014

Whut Glamour: Aandersson Ceramics

Photographs Courtesy Aandersson Ceramics Dear Diary, I love my life and everything is perfect! I never see anything I want that I can’t afford and I have all the white ceramic objects a man could ever need. I’m so content! Love, Orlando …Moments later… Dear REAL Diary, I hate my life and I want everything all the time and can only afford one expired can of tuna and a half-drunk Diet Mountain Dew in a dented can. Oh Diary, how I long to buy all the white ceramic things in the world, so that I one day when there is a…

Sep / 19 / 2014

Homepolishing Kelly Oxford’s House

Photographs by Tessa Neustadt with Additional Photography by Sean Gin, Courtesy Homepolish Dear Kelly Oxford’s Weird Looking Cats, Have you heard the news? Kelly’s new house is finally furnished and ready for scratching! After months of texting and mutual whining to each other about everything, Kelly and I wrapped up the project a few weeks ago and I’m super stoked with the results. My favorite thing at her house, which I am def getting made for my own place, is this triptych by Erika Gragg. Erika and I have been close friends since college and I’ve always been a huge fan of her…

Sep / 17 / 2014

Six Shocking Facts About Fire Island That Will Change The Way You See Everything

Dear Tell-All Diary, Did you know there is a Gay Island super close to New York City where lots of gay guys go every summer to wiggle around like Mexican Jumping Beans? It’s called Fire Island and its about 2.5 hours away from Manhattan (via a train, another train, another train, yet one more train, one final train, a bus, and a ferry). I went there this past weekend and I learned a lot of facts about this magical island. If you like facts, keep reading! If you hate them, just look at the pictures! Okay, onto to the facts! 1….

Sep / 16 / 2014Sep / 16 / 2014

A Dining Room That’s Good Enough to Eat!

Photo by Sean Gin Courtesy Homepolish Dear Internet, Hi there! It’s me, Orlando, here. And I’m typing directly to you. Anyway, do you have a boring dining room? Do you wish the walls had more personality and stuff or whatever? Do you sometimes stare at the wall hoping a giant shape will show up out of nowhere if you stare hard enough? If you answered “yes” or “no” to any or none of these questions than you simply must read the heartwarming story of my dining room’s transformation from moldy to marvelous today on Emily Henderson’s Glamoursite and Homepolish Magazine. CLICK…

Sep / 5 / 2014Sep / 5 / 2014

Hello Giggles? I Will Remember You? Will You Remember Me?

Photographs by Tessa Neustadt Courtesy Homepolishc Dear Zooey Deschanel, Remember when you started a website called Hello Giggles? With your friends Sophia and Molly? And then Hello Gigggles moved to downtown LA? And the office was all beige and boring and made everyone want to claw their eyes out? And you wanted it to reflect the fun, happy vibe of the site instead of being sad and depressing? And then me and Homepolish came over to spice things up? Well now you can see what the office looks like now that it’s decorated? By reading posts on Hello Giggles and Homepolish? WHY…

Aug / 29 / 2014

Whut Glamour: Robert Bingaman’s Night Pool Series

Photographs Courtesy Robert Bingaman’s Website Dear Art Nerd, Every once in a while I see paintings and wish I’d made them and it infuriates me and makes me want to punch the computer whilst screaming “WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY!” These amazing pool paintings by Robert Bingaman are the perfect example. I love how simple yet totally intoxicating they are. I just want to jump inside these paintings and live in them forever, saying goodbye to the worries of the real world where you have to do boring things like eat breakfast and dress yourself every day. Enjoy Robert’s Night Pool series here and…

Aug / 26 / 2014

From Nasty to Rhinoplasty: Upholstery Made Simple

Photograph by Sean Gin Courtesy Homepolish Dear Sir or Madam, Remember when you were applying to jobs and you used to write cover letters and you’d always have no idea how to address them? “Do I write ‘Dear Sir or Madam’? Do I write ‘Dear Hiring Manager’? Do I write ‘Hi There’?” It was so confusing, because whatever you wrote it sounded stupid and you felt like you’d never get the job and it seemed pointless and annoying because applying for jobs is the worst thing in the world. Well this post I wrote for Homepolish Magazine is nothing like…

Aug / 21 / 2014

Homepolishing The Beach House Great Room

Photography by Tessa Neustadt Courtesy Homepolish Dear Diary, I spend a lot of time wondering if the stuff I do is weird. Like is my love for peanut butter unclean? Is is wrong to drink so much coffee every morning that I start vibrating? Does it make sense to listen to NPR all day just so I can hear liberal voices murmuring things about foreign policy even if I don’t listen to what they are saying and I just use it as a substitute for being around actual humans? When I’m not neurotically second guessing daily activities, I’m usually wishing that whatever room I’m…

Aug / 19 / 2014

Interior Design Magazine’s Designers to Follow on Instagram

Dear Instangrandmas, I’ve had a lot of luck in with my Instagram account lately. I’ve been added to a few fun “Design Instagramers to Watch” lists, including Buzzfeed and DesignSponge. The latest of these lists I’ve magically been included on is Interior Design Magazine’s list of 15 Inspiring Designers to Follow on Instagram. They created their list in collaboration with a mobile mood board creation app called Morpholio, so each designer was tasked with creating a mood board representing their brand (see mine above). Below is the list of Interior Design Magazine’s list, along with each designer’s mood board: Kemble Interiors Miles…

Aug / 18 / 2014

D.I.Why? Making a Headboard All Alone By Yourself in Silence

Photographs By Sean Gin Courtesy Homepolish Dear Slumberers, Do you have a bed with no headboard? Do you yearn to make one alone, by yourself, in silence, whilst weeping? If so check out my latest post for Homepolish Magazine! In it, you’ll learn how to make the lovely headboard featured above. Also, you’ll see hair-raising action shots like this one: Think you can handle it? Head over to Homepolish Magazine and check it out! Best, Orlando READ FULL POST HERE

Aug / 15 / 2014Aug / 15 / 2014

Deck Design Challenge Reveal: Before & After at My Parents’ House!

Dear The Cast of Melrose Place (the original one, not the Ashlee Simpson one, which I cannot stop watching now that it’s on Netflix because the fashonz are so 90z and amazing), As you may remember, I entered a design challenge recently and I’m thrilled to announce that I have won and that everyone else is a complete loser. Just kidding I don’t know if anyone is actually winning. But if one were to win, I’m hoping it would be me. Or one of the other bloggers who entered the challenge. Or better yet a random person on the street who…

Aug / 13 / 2014

Fashiontimez: Eliran Nargassi’s Cool Clothes You Need to Covet

Dear Fashion Diary, I was sitting at home alone the other night, minding my own business and fantasizing about the future, when I came across this exciting fashion designer on Etsy. His name is Eliran Nargassi and his work excites me because it’s interesting and unique and for dudes. Have you ever noticed how fashion for guys is always boring and disappointing? Meanwhile, women’s fashion is filled with creativity and fun. Don’t get me wrong, I love a classic suit and tie combo. But it’s always refreshing to see something kind of cool/weird out there in guys fashion. Also, I kind of love…

Aug / 12 / 2014

Homepolishing The Beach House Guest Rooms

Photographs by Tessa Neustadt courtesy Homepolish Dear Diary, The owner of the beach house is constantly hosting friends and thus wanted the two guest rooms there to be welcoming and comfortable. I had a great time designing them because there’s always less pressure with guest rooms than there is on bedrooms where people sleep every night, scrutinizing all of your design decisions each night before they go to sleep. I ended up loving the these two rooms, which have the same spare design of the rest of the home but feel a little more playful, more youthful. The goal with these…

Aug / 8 / 2014Aug / 12 / 2014

I Entered A Design Challenge And If I Don’t Win Everyone Will Die

Dear Reader, Do you have a big outdoor space that is just DYING for a makeover? Me neither. Because I am a poor, apartment-dwelling fool and the closest thing I have to an outdoor space is the window ledge I sometimes stand upon because I am so upset about not having an outdoor space. Thus, you can imagine my confused outrage when I was approached by Del Mar to enter into their outdoor space design challenge. Now I know what you’re thinking. You’re all “GAG ME WITH A SPEWN THIS IS A TOTALLY LAME SPONSORED POST” but it’s totally not. I…

Aug / 7 / 2014Aug / 8 / 2014

A New Bedroom Gets Newer With Some New Newness!

Dear Everyone! I made some changes to my bedroom and now they’re on the internet for you to put your googleyes on! Check out my new, improved, masc4masc bedroom on Emily’s blog! Hurry! There’s not very much time left BEFORE THE APOCALYPSE ENGULFS US ALL IN FLAMES. Love, Orlando SEE FULL STORY HERE! PS: BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE! Check out the step-by-step instructions for how to get this look yourself, including where I bought everything, at Homepolish Magazine! Hurry! READ FULL STORY HERE! Okay bye.