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ON THE COVER
april 2024
Monica Benavidez is the DIY, floral obsessed blogger behind MonicaWantsIt.com where she provides tutorials, tips, and inspiration for people to create their dream home on a budget. City Trotter had the opportunity to interview Monica and we hope you love her styling as much as we do.
BEHIND THE HUSTLE:
A City Trotter Exclusive Glimpse into the Interior Designs & Lifestyle of Monica Benavidez
Monica, I love following you on Instagram and seeing your beautiful home designs. You have such a great eye. Can you share what the defining moment was that made you realize this was your dream?
CTG
Growing up as a girl who didn't have her own room until college, having my own beautiful space meant a lot to me. When I reflected upon my childhood, I think about how many people probably felt the same way I did and that is when I decided I wanted to help people create a beautiful home no matter what their budget is.
MB
Can you briefly describe to us a project you are proud of?
I am super proud of adding all of the picture molding to our builder grade home myself. I think so many of the houses in any metropolitan area kind of start to look homogenous, so it was important for me to add character and value to our home in a way that is timeless.
How do you balance aesthetic appeal and functionality in your designs?
I try to incorporate vintage and thrifted artwork and decorative objects for interest, and keep the big upholstered, investment pieces easy to clean and durable so it all comes together for a stylish, modern, livable home for everyone to enjoy.
How do you navigate both being an Influencer and Interior Designer? Is it challenging?
It is challenging, because I always aim to be accessible. My focus is on being relatable while providing actionable tutorials, ideas, and tips for people to create magazine worthy homes, no matter what their budget is. I hope overall my community realizes I'm in their corner and here to help.
If you were granted one wish, what would it be?
This is an excellent question! I definitely would choose to have endless funds to travel with my husband, daughter, and dog...luxury travel, to be clear. :-)