I recently shared my secret weapon for an easy, elegant Christmas tree with Elle Decor: RIBBON. And while the beauty of a well-styled tree is undeniable, I am thrilled to share my Christmas tree styling tip for a few reasons. First, my tree represents love. Growing up Jewish, we never had a tree. This was the first time we brought a tree into our home, and to me it represents the warmth surrounding the season. Second, I love using ribbon because it is an easy, affordable way to elevate a tree without having years of ornament-collecting under my belt. I used vintage velvet ribbon for mine, which instantly adds a layer of softness to the space. To see my tip and 50-plus more ideas to make your season extra special, read the story here.
Elle Decor
A Contemporary Farmhouse with Elle Decor
For this small community on the outskirts of D.C., the very soil their homes stand on mean so much more. I recently styled and shot this gorgeous home, designed by JWS Interiors and architect Piet Boon, which is part of an "agrihood," meaning the community's residents choose to support local farmers and the nearby markets where the local crops are readily available. I am a firm believer that a home feels rooted in something real if the outdoor surroundings are reflected in the interior design. Visiting a community such as this, seeing the intentional connection between a people and their land, and learning how we can foster this sort of friendship and sustainability was in a word: inspiring.
From the start, Boon sought inspiration from a traditional farmhouse ( Hello #TheNewSouthern), but chose to deconstruct the layout to highlight clean lines, simple geometries, and create open floor plans with soaring 12-foot ceilings. You'll notice the subtle displays of the outdoors throughout, as usual in the leafy greenery I placed here and there, but especially in the artwork. Note the ivory relief piece above one of the contemporary console tables, which upon a closer look appears to mimic tiny mushrooms that sprout overnight on a bed of fresh spring grass. Above the console's twin, two stacked pieces cased in acrylic boxes remind me of the baskets used to carry fresh produce from field to market. I loved spending time in this space, which was so full of light and space in the best way. As soon as you walk in, all your anxieties are sort of taken up by the vastness of space, and then they diminish. And that's the kind of design that really means something.
Elle Decor Feature: Eclectic Functional Home in Seattle Washington
In this Seattle home designed by Katie Hackworth, eclectic and cool reign supreme. Katie is truly a grassroots designer, lending a hand from the beginning phases of architectural planning and seeing it through till we both fluff the last flower arrangement on the shelf. I so admire when a designer is multi-talented, and like so many other New Southerners, Katie truly brings so many skills to the table as she helps her clients build homes from the ground up.
We worked seamlessly together, and that working relationship translates to the subtly thoughtful moments tucked throughout these beautiful images. It was as if we spoke the same language, allowing for calmness and creativity to really flourish in the prep days and months before the shoot. And perhaps calmness is what I love best about Katie's spaces. While there's color, pattern, and playful items integrated throughout, Katie exemplifies a key element of The New Southern aesthetic—every room satisfies and soothes through balance.
Balance of the old and the new, as seen in her use of contemporary and vintage pieces. Balance of neutral and color, like crisp white walls and linens offset by funky shades and shapes of tile or patterned wallpaper. Balance of scale, seen with the use of both large scale artwork and delicate but striking accent pieces. It was such fun styling and shooting Katie's space, which so embodies the eclectic side of the New Southern that I often see from coast to coast.
To see the entire home, visit ElleDecor.com! And many thanks to team ED for featuring! Xx
Chic Industrial Layered Loft with Elle Decor
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.