I am a lifestyle and entertaining expert, a design maven and a tastemaker.
I scour the design and food trends from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Scandinavia, and Australia to bring the best of what is happening worldwide to my readers on a daily basis.
I specialize on how to host stylish stress-free parties at home. I founded At Home with Kim Vallée in 2007 to share my daily inspirations, unique finds and simple solutions for stylish easy entertaining, home décor and modern living.
My Blogging Experience
I started blogging in 2005 with a French-speaking blog called Flair et Style. It was followed by a French version of At Home. I stopped writing in French when At Home took off.
The success of At Home with Kim Vallee enabled me to appear 5th on the Top 25 Web stars in Quebec, a list compiled by the Radio-Canada journalist Bruno Guglielminetti (February 2009).
I wrote food and entertaining articles for FoodTV.ca before becoming a collaborator for Style Sheet, the blog of HGTV.ca where I write about home décor. Major newspapers and magazines seek my advice and tips on entertaining, home decor and social media.
Involvement in Social Media
I deeply care about the future of social media. Women, who now form the majority of Web users, will help fashion the face of the Web in the coming years.
I put my technical knowledge to good use by sharing easy to follow blogging tips on the Web and mentoring a selected group of women bloggers. That led me to launch a second blog called On the Web with Kim Vallee where I talk about women and social media. To better spread the words, I speak at conferences on these topics.
My life mixes the English and the French cultures. Born in Quebec, I worked in Toronto for 5 years before returning to Montreal. I currently live in Montreal, Canada with my amazing husband and our two energetic cats. My husband is an extraordinaire Web application developer and a good photographer. He is currently working on social games.
What I did Before I became a full-time blogger
I completed two diplomas; one in actuarial mathematics and the second in interior design. I have 10 years of experience as a Web designer and a Web strategist. Over my career, several fields of design captured my attention. I created user interfaces for software, built dynamic e-commerce Web sites for clients and organized many events socially and professionally before launching my design blog.
As a Child
I started traveling internationally when I was 4 years old. My thirst for good design originated from my parents who always brought the latest innovations at home. I was raised visiting my mother’s business; she owned a popular beauty salon. Since I was at the top of my class in school, she let me skipped school and followed her at hairdressing conventions. It is probably why I developed early a deep sense of style. My passion for mid-century modern architecture started when I was 8 or 10 years old.
The Different Steps of My Career
After completing my Bachelor of Arts at Concordia University, I worked 7 years as an actuarial associate in Toronto and Montreal. I finished my actuarial career as the Head of Quality Assurance for a huge Pension Plan Administration software. I also wrote technical manuals and trained the end users during that time. But something was missing: I was craving to express my creativity.
I went back to school in interior design. My husband who founded Paradivision, a small software development consulting company convinced me to join him in the company after I completed my interior design diploma. At Paradivision, I worked on every facet of the Web from design, strategy, usability, Web site development, Web content to online marketing.
Friends and family have always asked me about the latest home trends, cool stores, the best restaurants or to suggest unique gift ideas. I organized wonderful events and unique kiosks with a small budget for Paradivision. As more people requested my advice, I made the plunge and became an event designer. But I found my true calling by blogging everyday.
I evolved from the girl who produced technological solutions to the girl who uses technology to create her own media. I find it so much more exciting. At Home with Kim Vallée gets all my attention; it is my job. I built a renowned brand around my blog and I wish to make it bigger.
Business Objectives
As I said in LinkedIn, I wish to bring At Home with Kim Vallee to the next step and become a major online media on home decor and entertaining. I am looking for opportunities for social media coaching and strategy mandates, sponsorship, a book deal and speaking engagements. I am bilingual: English and French.
Here is the link to my press coverage.
