where she lives: morgan sandlin

The ultimate behind the scenes look into the homes of our fav creatives. Take a peek into the homes (and closets!) of some of the most inspiring bloggers, photographers, artists, and more.

FINALLY. I’m so excited to share with you this project that I’ve been working on. I had this idea the other day while I was scouring Pinterest for home decor inspiration that I thought “what if I did a series showcasing the homes of creatives that I am inspired by everyday?” Not only did I personally want to peek inside these people’s homes (hello, I need help decorating my new place!), but I thought if I wanted to, maybe others would too?

…and with that, my new series, Where She Lives, was born.

Along with interiors, I have also been dying to understand how other people curate their own personal style (since everyone’s style is so different!), so this series is going to be a combination of BTS inside the home of these creatives as well as highlighting their personal style. I hope you enjoy these as much as I’m going to!

Without a doubt I had to start with an ATL staple. Morgan Sandlin of @ATLGirlGang was the first to come to mind. She has a very laid-back, classic and clean style that I just had to get more details on. So without further ado… Here’s Morgan’s beautiful Buckhead condo right around the Shops around Buckhead area (um, can I move in?!).

Keep scrolling for my interview with Morgan >>>

THE INTERVIEW:

Tell us a little about who you are and what you do.

Well, I’m Morgan! My life has been a bit of a whirlwind for the past 7 months. Up until last June, I was simply doing my day-to-day sales job. One night, I couldn’t sleep and, totally out of the blue, I decided to start an Instagram account called @ATLGirlGang. I immediately recognized that I was accidentally onto something really cool, so I ran with it. Fast-forward 7 months and it’s become my happiest accident. It’s opened up a lot of doors, introduced me to some incredible people and allowed me such a cool creative outlet. And most importantly, it’s helped me fall in love with Atlanta, which I wasn’t sure was possible until now. 

Your home is beautiful! What inspired you to decorate this way?

My initial inability to fall in love with Atlanta comes from my true love of California. I love every single thing about California, but have a real passion for all things LA (says every creative girl out there…) Only thing I love more is my family and friends, and unfortunately they don’t share that same Cali passion. Moral of the story, I try to bring as much California to Atlanta as I can. My dream home is a cute little beach bungalow, so I try to bring in a few touches to create that vibe, hence the beach hats above my desk space. Naturally, this also means lots of greenery. Unfortunately, I have a black thumb and have killed multiple plants this year, so I’m down to one. Our place also has these fabulous bay windows, which I am truly head over heels for. As soon as I saw those, I knew our color scheme and furniture had to somehow match the natural, airy vibes. 

Where did you find these amazing pieces? We need to know!

I am the biggest bargain shopper you’ll ever meet. Seriously. And I am so proud of it. I can be found bragging about how cheap some of our furniture was on the reg. Pretty much every single piece in the condo is from Final Cut (an Anthropologie outlet), Ballard Design Outlet or Home Goods. Truly can’t think of a piece that’s not from one of those places. Our pillows are Serena & Lily, which is a California brand — see, it all comes together! One thing I’ll splurge on is artwork – specifically prints. I usually find my favorite prints on One Kings Lane — they have it all!

How would you describe your personal style, both interiors and in clothes?

Classic and comfortable with a little touch of trendiness. I own mostly neutral sweaters and tees. My shelves are filled with, like, 50 pairs of jeans. I used to be much more interested in dressing “trendy”, but I’ve learned what looks good on me and what I’m comfortable wearing, and honestly that is rarely the trendy pieces. I do still buy those trendier pieces each season, but much less often. I’m pretty much the same with how I decorate my place. Most pieces are classic and neutral, but of course I fall in love with a super “out there” piece and just have to have it. I try to really watch my dime on those items though, because honestly they could end up in the trash the following year.

In terms of your personal style, what are you most comfortable in, during the week and on the weekends?

DENIM. I love jeans, I love jean skirts, and I love jean jackets. Literally if I could wear jean skirts every single day, I would. Oh and tees or sweaters. Always. 

What are your three favorite pieces in your closet right now?

My All Saints leather jacket, my Zara black patent ankle booties and my over-sized denim jacket from Nordstrom. I can literally wear all three every day and it wouldn’t matter.

Do you have any specific brands that you love or places you shop at?

Zara. I love Zara. I’ve really gotten into a Zara rut lately, though. I’m trying to break out. It’s just so easy to find great pieces there. I’m going to start venturing back into online shopping, I think, I love Asos but there is so. much. to. look. at. Sometimes I just can’t handle it. I do a lot of Madewell and Nordstrom shopping, too. Honestly can find pieces I love just about anywhere. Also — back to the bargain in me — I love love love Saks Off Fifth, Nordstrom Rack and TJ Max. I got a  Mother jean jacket that I had been DYING for at TJ Max once and I swore I would never leave them after that. 

What tips would you have for someone trying to develop their own personal style?

Really stick to what you like and just expand on it. If you’ve always been a J Crew girl but are looking to dress a little trendier, just look for a sweater with some extra sleeve action. Or buy yourself a pair of platform tennis shoes. You wear something SO much better when you’re comfortable in it. I used to spend HOURS getting dressed and then would get discouraged and want to stay in, mostly because I was trying to wear pieces I didn’t feel comfortable in. Figuring out what I’m truly ALWAYS comfortable in was my saving grace. 

Okay, I have to know – what are your FAV spots in Atlanta?

Honestly there are so many favs. I love West Midtown, so any restaurants and shops around there are fabulous — plus Serena & Lily (again!) and Jeni’s Ice Cream, yes please! But my absolute favorite is driving down to Inman Park for a Saturday brunch at Parish, Barcelona, BeetleCat Den or Bread & Butterfly. And then walking the Beltline up to Ponce City Market. It’s just such a chill and enjoyable way to spend the day. And then, of course, grabbing drinks with friends at some outdoor bar.

What’s next for Morgan Sandlin? Give us all the details.

Eek — lots in the playbook. I really want to put a little more focus on ATL Girl Gang this year. There is so much that could be done with it, and now that I’ve finally caught up with my life, I’m confident I can spend the time growing it. On another note, I’ve been running social media for a few local businesses lately. Keep an eye out for some news in the field, can’t spill all my secrets, Sarah!

So there you have it! I’m still dying over how perfectly styled her place is. I’m also super excited to see what’s next for @AtlGirlGang. I mean, 8k followers in 7 months?! She’s doing something right…

Connect with Morgan here:

Instagram @AtlGirlGang | site www.atlgirlgang.com | email cheers@atlgirlgang.com

All Photography by the talented @MCMBrownfield (https://mcmbrownfield.com/)

WHAT’S NEXT??

> If you like this series, comment a thumbs up on my latest instagram post (@sarahwisted)

> If you want to nominate a creative to be featured, go ahead and slide into my DMs