The New Southern | Making the Holidays Your Own

The New Southern’s holiday approach is all about creating new and warm memories while living your best life right now. This is a concept that builds upon the things in life that are already bringing us joy, love, and warmth. I am compassionate and understand this can be a sensitive time of year for so many for so many reasons. For me, the holidays haven’t always been joyful, but, my husband and I are taking this season’s warmth into our own hands and are mindful in creating beautiful memories now with a fresh set of eyes. These are our building blocks for years to come and this is how we are making the holidays our own:

Top 3 Ways of Making the Holidays Your Own:

1. Start a New Tradition: For me this was an easy one, I haven’t ever had a tree until this year. I am Jewish and I am looking at it as more of a symbol of love and acceptance… Since this was our first tree and I do not have ornaments… I incorporated a very New Southern approach and made this tree our own! I love soft linens and silk velvet bows. I styled beautiful linen and velvet bows all over the tree…… HELLO RIBBON IS THE NEW ORNAMENT!!!! #TheNewSouthern - This was easy, economical and delightful while assembling with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga playing in the background!

2. Focus on Making Memories: Now that I am off the road for a few weeks, I hosted a soulful friend dinner with memory making at the forefront of my mind.. My chosen family is very important to me. I left my hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma at 18 years of age and haven’t spent any real concentrated amounts of time there since leaving. Now, well into my adult life, I hold onto the people closest to my heart. I think it is so important to hold space for soulful authentic connections. These are the relationships that hold a safe space for your truth, these relationships are energizing rather than draining, and deeply supportive. May we all have life giving and loving relationships based on truth and connection. These are the relationships that will continue to support and expand our worlds in the most beautiful way. I created a night filled with Prossecco and Pizza in an intimate setting. I placed beautiful quotes around the dining room table and encouraged people to sit down with the quote they most resonated with. This set the tone for soulful conversations. Xx

3. Give yourself a Gift of Service…. This is being of service to yourself (Ask yourself what you need? More rest? More Relaxation? More time? and give it to your self… this is a form of love and you have my permission to give yourself the gift of rest or stillness if you need it) AND this is being of service to others! Connect with your local shelters / community youth programs and see how you can give your time and energy to another human who is in need of your love and warmth.

My Home Xx

Easy Decorating Tips Xx

Shop-able Links Below Xx

My First Tree Xx

Southern Living Magazine's Best New Southern Tastemakers for 2018: Alyssa Rosenheck !!

A few weeks ago while I was in Santa Barbara, I received a humbling phone call with the best news. Southern Living Magazine invited me to be a member of their Best New Southern Tastemakers for 2018! It was one of those jump up and down, dance, smile to myself, "oh wait, I can't be late for a shoot" kind of moments in a hotel room on the West Coast. I am so honored and incredibly thankful for the recognition, and to be included with some of the South's brightest new talents. 

This group encompasses what it means to be a member of The New Southern's community. I am pushing the boundaries with The New Southern nationally and I am passionate about providing a platform for creatives and entrepreneurs to share their stories to inspire not only your home but your spirit. I have a front row seat to design and I have the privilege to see how others are living all across the country... the members of The New Southern are creative pioneers in their communities across the country, they are fearless within their businesses, and they all believe in creating relaxed environments to where we all live our best life..... we are progressively creating a more open and tolerant place for creatives and design and I am grateful to shine a spotlight on those who are part of this movement. 

As we move into 2018, and though we're fresh off the tails of a whirlwind 2017, I'm so excited to see what's to come. Every day provides a new trial and another moment to surprise yourself. I challenge each of you to move forward with creativity, collaboration, light, and love as we welcome in the new year. Let this new year set the tone for much growth and love. 

Click HERE to read Southern Living Magazine's Best New Southern Tastemakers for 2018

©AlyssaRosenheck in Knight Rise, 2001 by James Turrell, Commissioned by Scottsdale Public Art

And a special shoutout to our New Southern Creatives who were also selected for Southern Living Magazine's  2018's Tastemakers:

Seija Ojanpera, The Dewll Hotel (featured) 
Mollie Creason, Well + Wonder (featured)
Charlotte Harris Lucas + Liz Carroll (coming soon - House of Harris) + Taylor Colson Horton (coming soon)

The New Southern | Coffee Table Styling Tips Plus 35 of the Best Coffee Table Books

More than just a simple piece of furniture, a coffee table often acts as a highlight reel — The New Southern’s NEW version of the mantel. It is meant to tell a story, to be loved and lived in with visual consistency and appeal, rather than being topped with prized possessions that you don’t touch. It’s a spot to showcase new loves, old treasures, and sentimental ornaments… It’s also where we will go with family and friends to catch up, set down drinks, and relax. The charming vignette that we display gives us an opportunity to welcome guests not only into our homes but into our lives.

As the foundation to a space that is meant for gathering, I feel that it is essential to decorate with this in mind. Styling can be deeply personal and because of that I carry an intrinsic interest in focusing on what matters most to my client and their homeowner clients. While southern design is traditionally known for its rules and strict adherence to the past, The New Southern highlights creative differences within the south and all across the country. The top of a coffee table can be filled with a variety of visual elements that all work together as personal renderings. This is our chance to transform traditional concepts of design in our own fresh NEW way. There are no rules here and we can take a deep breath in and a big exhale out as we toss out all of the guidelines and start implementing personal moments and what I like to call "proof of life".

My secret sauce to a flawless coffee table is in every piece of the jigsaw puzzle. It is the whole and all of its parts. There are no bounds in The New Southern’s world of design and coffee tables truly capture this message. Whether it may be my own home or that of a client’s, here are my coffee table must-haves! Xx

Photo + Styling: ©AlyssaRosenheck Design: Raquel Garcia

THE ANCHOR

This is the focal point of the table and something that I cannot do without. I suggest choosing your anchor based on ceiling height and the shape of your table. You can go with a low anchor that has a lot of surface area or a high one with a bit less. Think short hydrangeas in a short bowl or a tall vase with airy branches! In the above image, I used a low profile bowl with a lip to support casual layered tulips. 

LONG, LINEAR & ROUND

If you want that jigsaw puzzle to come together you’re going to need to play around with pieces of all shapes and sizes in order for them to fit. Get creative and add some dimension. Staying true to The New Southern, I always seek to mix the old with the new. Maybe consider a super contemporary bowl alongside a more boxy, vintage find. 

PROOF OF LIFE

This can be anything from an open book, a necklace, or sentimental piece. Lately, I have been loving layering with large wooden necklaces and mixing family heirlooms like an antique tray or modern bowl. Styling with an open book is one tip in particular that truly speaks to me. Choose a page that holds meaning or showcases a sentiment of value for you. It’s a soulful moment that will give those entering your home a glimpse into who you are.

TEXTURE FOR VISUAL INTEREST

Incorporating personal elements and pulling organic moments are key when it comes to styling coffee tables. I love greenery of all kinds! Pears and fruits are a fun way to add texture and are especially great during the holiday season. 

CLICK ALL BOOKS TO SHOP

My Go-To Tips for Making a Space Light & Bright with PureWow!

With just a simple scroll through my Instagram page or perhaps a little reading on my blog, you will realize instantly that my work is almost inherently focused on light, bright, airy spaces. My love language is a crisp white room full of layers, texture, and as much natural light as absolutely possible.

Creating that light-filled atmosphere is sometimes tricky. What's even trickier is to catch that look and mood on camera. But friends, don't fret! Along with PureWow, I've shared simple ways to open up any space, all of which I use often when styling a room before a shoot and in my own home! Classic, fussy design rules say to fill space with more color, more pattern, more heavy fabrics, and endless amounts of "please-don't-touch-that" trinkets. Every single day, my clients and friends across the country in The New Southern way are flipping that script. It's amazing the way white—the total absence of color—and natural light can totally fill a room the way all of that stuffiness once did. Think: a fresh coat of white paint. Gauzy drapes instead of heavy upholstery. Vertical lines. Clutter-free surfaces. But now I'm getting ahead of myself!

To see my full list of space-brightening tips, read on at PureWow.com! And as always, thanks so much to PureWow for including me in the Coterie and introducing me to so many amazing, talented, supportive souls out there! Xx

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