Alyssa Rosenheck, Southern Living's Best New Southern Tastemakers for 2018, Alyssa Rosenheck Interiors Photographer, Styling, The New Southern

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

December 18, 2017 in Southern Living Magazine, The New Southern, AR Interviews, AR Styling

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

Alyssa Rosenheck, Southern Living Magazine's Best New Southern Tastemakers for 2018, Alyssa Rosenheck Interiors Photographer, Styling, The New Southern

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)

Alyssa Rosenheck's The New Southern 2017 Holiday Gift Guide, Staying Grounded is the New Gift

The New Southern 2017 Holiday Guide | Staying Grounded is The New Gift

December 11, 2017 in The New Southern, Holiday, Gift Guide

This month, my attention is on stillness. As I wrap up travel with one more west coast trip on the calendar, my desire in closing out the year is focusing on getting back to basics. As fundamental as it sounds, I am intentional in taking deep, life-giving breaths in, releasing my lungs of the energy that no longer serves me and filling it with soulful planning for the year to come. Reflection remains at the forefront of my mind; it is so important to know where you have been to understand where you want to go next on your journey. Foregoing the busyness of the season, I am focusing my attention on connectedness, gratitude, intention—words that capture the month of December. I am walking to my own beat, prioritizing my clients and staying grounded within my own internal compass and connection to those I love and cherish in life.

December…a time of stillness and presence. Thirty-one days devoted to remembrance, a month for us to return to our core, centering ourselves with what life is about: connectedness and love. I leave you with a selection of some of my favorite items to bring a little stillness and solace to my life, and I deeply hope they serve you in a similar way.

Connectedness is a daily practice. Grounding us to know ourselves and to "see" one another, connectedness fills life with joy and love. Happy Holidays sweet friends, I am sending each of you love and light to conclude the year. Xx

CLICK TO SHOP ALL IMAGES | CLICK HERE FOR ROBE DETAILS

Feed Your Soul: Podcast

For daily inspiration through the holidays, my go-to podcast is Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations. Showcasing leaders from every facet of life, Oprah’s series of thought-provoking interviews will leave you lifted up while bringing you one step closer to yourself and the world around you.

Salts + Scents

If someone knows what’s more relaxing than a good bath, please tell me!! When I have time, this is how I like to conclude the day. Consider the products above my "Bath 101” crash course, along with some uplifting, calming, and grounding scents, all to help take the holiday edge off.

Feed Your Mind

Gabrielle Bernstein’s The Universe Has Your Back is a must-read (or a must-listen if you opt for the audiobook—my medium of choice while I edit). She is a true inspiration, and each time I hear her words, I become closer to transforming into one of her spirit followers…her words turn fear into faith, continuing to spread light into the world. She has helped confirm my own belief that there is light and love within us all, and I continue to encourage you to recognize not only the light within yourself, but the love and light within others. We are all one. Stop living from your mind and start living from your heart.

Journal

Free flow may be one of my favorite ways to start creating in the morning. For me, there is no difference between art and prayer. Putting pen to paper, I spend my morning writing my intentions, waking up in a way that hones in on my voice, clears the clutter, and sets the tone for a creative day. I give myself the freedom to jot down whatever comes to mind. The more vulnerable I am, the more open I become. As a result, the more creative I can allow myself to be. Pick up that pencil and try it out…what do you have to lose? Start with The Five Minute Journal—a great tool to set daily intentions, practice gratitude, and celebrate self-love.

Daily Practice of Gratitude + Intentions

Like anything in life, we have to practice and be intentional in developing a thorough skill set. Authenticity is a daily practice. Gratitude is a daily practice. Setting my intentions is a daily practice. For five minutes a day, setting aside time to take a personal inventory of all the things you are grateful can be life-changing. In turn, this trains your mind to focus on small, beautiful moments throughout the day, replacing mundane with magic. Just a little time spent practicing setting your intentions will have a tremendous effect on your mood and positivity; imagine drawing a map of where you want to go—that is exactly what you will be doing daily. Helping to create clarity and fueling your dreams and visions, intention setting is positive, uplifting, achievable, and present. I can confidently say it has been what has propelled me to this point in my life. EvenFlow is a new mindfulness app to help you ease into the new year.

Robes + Throws

While we all love a little bit of Bravo Andy, I like to shut it all down and take a little tech break with a cozy moment. The ingredients for this involves: a cozy couch, a good book, my favorite robe, and a soft throw. Give this gift to yourself soon, you won't regret a little stillness and self-love.

Play Music

Another love and form of connection for me is music. Especially living in Music City, it sparks emotion and community. Valerie June and the incredibly talented Kelleigh Bannen are my current favorite loves, and I encourage you to listen to their sounds. Slow down your holiday with these two gems.

Get Moving

Take a walk with loved ones for some quality time (hello, Meyer Lemon) or hit the yoga studio for a solid power flow. A local favorite, Inner Light Yoga is a setting for me to find energy amongst others as well as free my mind. Good for the body, good for the soul.

Fuel The Holidays!

Staying fueled is important when you are in the midst of the holiday rush. I orient my fuel around easy, grab-and-go snacks like Rx bars, nuts, kale chips, and smoothies. For healthy and energizing ideas, follow three of my favorite ladies to discover their current musings and nutritional inspirations. I love all three of these women, as each has such a beautiful soul. Follow them here: Be Well By Kelly, Nutrition Stripped, and Laura Lea Balanced.

The Gift of Giving

As warm and welcoming as the holidays are, they can also create stress and sadness around your life circumstance. A soulful way to get though the holidays is by helping someone else or donating your time to a good cause. Our top organizations to do that are:

Local to Nashville: Hands On National: Salvation Army | Ali Forney Center | Toys for Tots | OneSimpleWish | Family Giving Tree

Alyssa Rosenheck's The New Southern Designer Spotlight with Alyssa Kapito, Alyssa Kapito Interiors of New York, NY

The New Southern | Designer Spotlight: Alyssa Kapito

December 04, 2017 in The New Southern, TNS Spotlight

Named one of the top ten Instagram interior design accounts to follow by Elle Decor and an Instagram favorite of British Vogue, among multiple other shelter publications, NYC-based Alyssa Kapito has a polished, tailored aesthetic with a posh, Hollywood-esque flair that makes her the modern maven to The Traditional New Southern.

Praised as a “tastemaker for millennials,” Alyssa caught our eye for her affinity for clean lines complemented with hints of glam, as well her interplay between moments of masculinity and femininity. Unexpected masculine details, like dark finishes, sleek leather armchairs, and rich mahogany desks, pair elegantly in light and airy spaces that include more feminine furnishings, such as lucite coffee tables, brass hardware, and elegant wallpaper prints. This balance brings an air of sophistication and class that design enthusiasts strive to attain, however Alyssa does so in a way that is approachable and warm, connecting to a young generation with her inspirational eye and delightful enthusiasm for the design business.

On her Instagram page, you’ll discover a mix of behind-the-scenes moments, finished work, and urban exteriors that shed light into her brand - one that is traditional and time-honoring, rooted in a neutral palette, yet is met with a modern edge, displayed by her inclusion of contemporary shapes, abstract art, and carefully-styled, often perfectly minimal, tablescapes.

We sat down with Alyssa to pull back the curtain on how she got started in interiors and her design advice for creative entrepreneurs seeking to break into the industry.

Alyssa Rosenheck: Tell me about yourself.

Alyssa Kapito: One of six, I grew up on Long Island. I studied renaissance art at Columbia University, then making a career switch to interior design after an internship at Bunny Williams. After working a few years in the industry, I started my own firm in 2012. Recently, we moved into a beautiful new office space - right in downtown NYC.

AR: How are you modernizing / updating southern style when you design?

AK: We love the base of our rooms to have classic shapes and a mostly traditional outlook, yet we keep things fresh with clean lines and lots of contemporary layers. We also shy away from chintz and brocade in favor of neutrals in more contemporary-friendly fabrics, such as linen mohair and leather.

AR: What innovative trends are you seeing with Southern style across the country?

AK: Very contemporary art. I think it creates a wonderful opposition when placed in traditional spaces, and contemporary art is a great start when initially incorporating more modern accents.

AR: What are your favorite hometown design boutiques?

AK: Gallery BAC, BK Antiques, Modern Link, Maison Gerard, Bernd Goeckler.

AR: Favorite shade of white and black paint color?

AK: “Wimborne White" by Farrow and Ball. We have actually not yet used black!

AR: What’s your life motto?

AK: Never take no for an answer!

AR: The one shade that changes everything? Tell us what mood it evokes and when/how you’ve used it.

AK: I’m all about ivory. We use it all the time and find it much richer than white. We only use ivory sheets, we paint our walls ivory, and we use ivory notecards.

AR: The place you go to get inspired?

AK: Instagram!

AR: The key to making a house a home? What does a home need more of and less of?

AK: The key to making a house a home is honestly the family you are designing it for. We are inspired by our clients, how they live, and how they entertain.

AR: Design advice that you’ve received that made all the difference?

AK: Only buy what you absolutely love.

AR: What’s the best piece of design advice you could provide for creative entrepreneurs starting out?

AK: The creative part is easy. What makes the difference is whether you can manage the business end. As a rule, don't spend more money than you have. Figure out how you can make it work within your budget.

AR: What’s your advice for mixing old with new?

AK: Balance.

AR: What’s your favorite house-warming gift?

AK: My go-to gifts are coffee table books. I like to gift one that relates to the host’s interests.

AR: Design book that you will always have on your shelf?

AK: Anything about Agnes Martin and Cy Twombly, two artists I adore.

AR: What’s currently on your nightstand?

AK: A glass of water and my phone.

AR: The greatest color combination that ever existed?

AK: Grey and ivory.

Alyssa Rosenheck The New Southern with Elle Decor and Christina Cole in Washington DC Bachelor Pad

Chic Industrial Layered Loft with Elle Decor

November 30, 2017 in Elle Decor, Interiors, AR Photography, AR Home Tour, BlackWhite

I'm thrilled to share a beautiful project I recently shot and styled in D.C. alongside my fabulous friend and designer Christina Cole of Austin, Texas, who pumped new life into this light-filled space which, by the way, was dubbed the "Hottest Bachelor Pad in DC" by Curbed not long before.

Everything about this home feels thoughtful and collected—as if each piece were carefully selected to tell its own story. The "Collected" New Southern movement is a practice of meticulous layering and the use of unique pieces from far-away travels, which creates a feeling of comfort and warmth, as well as a sense of liberation from traditional design notions. The people who gravitate towards this style of design present items from travels and a life well lived.... they are wanderers and gypsy souls that are defying the rules when it comes to design. These individuals are not afraid to mix genres while bringing it back to the roots of mixing old traditional with their new found worldly finds. Christiana embodies this approach and you can sense her travels and life abroad through her approach to each room.

When I began styling, I wanted to take full advantage of the floor-to-ceiling shelving in the living room without stuffing them full of precious knick knacks as your grandmother might do. Instead, it took 8 (yes, 8!) trips to Goodwill in search of used books, which lining up the binding inward to create an unexpected layer to the room. Using my go-to practices for arranging a coffee table, I anchored the vignette with fuzzy greenery and payed homage to my ultimate inspiration, Richard Avedon, with a large-scale coffee table book. A special thank you to Salt and Sundry for letting us pull some pretty fabulous finds to help accessorize this beautiful space, who is another incredible New Southern moment HERE.

Please head over to ElleDecor.com to check out the rest of this gallery! It was such fun working with Christina and I hope you love this space as much as I do! Xx