Aztec Rugs – Where to Start

aztec style rug in living room

Aztec rugs are a real secret gem that I’m been obsessed with lately. One of my favorite ways to use them is to start with an Aztec rug on the ground and then build out an entire room around it. Aztec decor is such an interesting and exciting and I’m so happy to have found it. But it’s not just Aztec rugs and decor, it’s all decor and interior design that I’ve become obsessed with lately. What treason! Blue with brown! Victorian atop modern!

I once saw a mouse living in a foxhole and a fox living in an attic.  It was quite peculiar.

Look, I grew up amidst four women that created with architectural and artistical precision a majestic spectacle of grandeur in our living room.  The curves blended into the linear movements.  The fabrics mended together across the empty spaces. And, I tell you, if one thing was out of place, my mother was aware of it.

From this interesting upbringing, I naturally absorbed from my mother the eye for these sorts of things and with it an appreciation for decor especially in the home.  Fast forward a few years and there I was, taking my talents to the post-soviet suburbs of Latvia, the war-torn, ever occupied nation that it is.  You see, I was a missionary there.  In that particular “labor of love”, our biggest issue was communicating effectively that we were there to be of help.  Sadly, the world has become such where hidden motives are assumed and genuineness are thought to be facades.  I vividly remember becoming acquainted with one woman who lived in a modest house but was very concerned with the presentation of it.  One evening, while walking by, we noticed a plethora of weeds arrogantly protruding themselves through her finely trimmed shrubbery.

It was peculiar; like a zit on a celebrity or something. Hoping to offer our assistance in removing the pesky plants, we knocked on her steel, safe-like front door.  When she opened and beheld us, she immediately was skeptical. Before I had a chance to say anything, I noticed on her floor was what appeared to be an old Persian rug, one like my mother had in my aforementioned childhood living room.  I immediately pointed it out and within seconds she had let us in her home and we were examining various pieces of furniture.  I felt educated enough to hold an intelligent conversation with her about her home decor.

Decor, in that moment, created nearly instantaneously an international, multilingual, interfaith connection.   That is what it means to me, and yes the weeds got pulled.

By the way, if you are in the market then I got my Aztec area rug from Southwestern Rugs Depot.

Area Rugs & Other Inspiration For Home

area rug in homeWhen people think of decor, they think of the way a home or any other area is organized in terms of furniture, decoration, accessories, and scenery. While this is true on a basic level, the decor of one’s home or general area goes deeper than that and portrays a lot more than just the visual aspect of it. Decor in my home personally matters to me because it says a lot about who I am as a person. It is important to present oneself in a high manner. I make sure to keep the elements of my home clean, organized, and overall pleasurable to look at. I am a person that finds value in the relationships I hold with people. I want people to think highly of me, and how people perceive goes deeper than what you just say to them. People also take into consideration one’s demeanor, the way one carries themselves, and their living arrangements.

 

How one presents their home also signifies how one feels about the guest that is coming into their home. If you think highly of the person that is to be the guest in your home and you greatly value your relationship with them, you are more likely to want to present your home as nice as possible. Decorating is also a form of self-expression, people can incorporate elements of their character traits and personalities. My home contains artwork that I personally find interesting and that is an accurate representation of who I am and what I value. My household contains colors that I enjoy and certain colors can invoke certain moods in someone. I like my house to be neatly organized and have a comfortable feel to it. Being in an environment that is pleasurable to look at, as well as clean and relaxing is proven to automatically make one feel happier. The decorating process of someone’s house can also be a fun activity to take part in. Overall, decor and area rugs are important and should be greatly taken into consideration.

 

 

Decorating My Apartment With Area Rugs and Other Decorations

While shopping for supplies for my first year of college I came across many things I would need such as notebooks, pencils, note cards, a laptop, Etc. Throughout my shopping experience with my family it never fully hit me that I would be leaving home to travel an hour and a half away to an area I knew little about to be living with and around people I did not know. It wasn’t until I went looking for bedroom furniture and bathroom utilities that I realized how different things were going to be. As a child I always loved helping my mother and family decorate the house for different seasons and holidays. It created warm memories that imprinted my heart. On my first day at college, I had many family members drive to school with me to help bring all of the things I decided to bring with me on my journey to college.

 

I admit I might have gone a little overboard on how much I bought, but I was excited, a little nervous, and didn’t want to not have anything I would potentially need and I wanted to really make myself feel at home. It took hours to unpack, but when I was finished I felt all of my precious memories go through my mind and warm my heart. I had pictures hung up on my wall, a tapestry with my favorite colors near my bed, colorful and fuzzy rugs, posters of people who inspired me, and quotes from people I admired. I also had tiny decorations that people have given me over the years ranging from stuffed animals to cards. When walking into my room, it screamed my name, it showed my personality and it had the emotional atmosphere of being “home”. As they say, “home is where the heart is” and being able to decorate my room made me feel at home.

 

Throughout each semester, I went through hard times as well as good times. Whether the time was good or bad, what helped me through was my rooms atmosphere. When I felt sad, I looked at good pictures of people I loved hung above me. When I felt great, I continued to appreciate all of what I had in my room to make my time there special. When it comes down to it, having no decorations at all can even speak volumes for who a person is.

 

One other thing that comes to mind when I think of decor is the Egyptians. When a king had passed on, they essentially decorated the walls of their tomb with paintings that were beautiful. The intent was that only the king and the Egyptian gods would be able to see the paintings in the afterlife. They were meant for the deceased to be able to take all of the images of their life with them. To me, that shows in itself how powerful decor can be.

 

Interior Design Ad Design Show

The most important time in my life when decor mattered to me was when I moved to college. When I came college I moved six hours away from everyone and everything I knew. I was dropped off and had to quickly settle in before classes started and I was left by myself. My parents were here for two days to help me get settled. My mom put away my clothes and organized them with my guidance. My dad played with my two younger sisters and kept our adventure updated on Facebook. I did all the decorating. I wanted to make sure that since this was going to be my new home I wanted it to feel like my home.

Before coming to college during my planning and packing time I had to think about what I wanted my dorm to look like. I didn’t think it would be very important, but I still wanted it to look nice. Of course, my instinct was to look on Pinterest for some ideas. After finding what colors I wanted to do and a general idea what I wanted it to look like I started gathering items. I found tons of pillows and blankets for my bed so it look nice. Then I started to look for stuff to go on the walls. I had pictures of quotes and saying that made me smile or challenged me to live my life to the fullest. I also brought with me decor that I already had so I could have something I recognized and made me feel at home. There were also things that I wanted in my dorm but didn’t have exactly, so in the spirit of trying to save money, I repurposed some of the things I already owed to fit the theme of my dorm.

After the first week of classes and coming back to my dorm to study or after work I am so happy with how it looks. Because it is decorated how I wanted it and it looks like home, it feels home. My transition was much easier because my room was decorated and it felt like home.

 

Is it possible? Could it be? #Girlboss a series? Netflix Orders Sophia Amoruso’s ‘#Girlboss’ to Series!

Variety states that sources tell them Netflix is teaming up with Kay Cannon and Charlize Theron to turn Sophia Amoruso’s popular autobiography into a comedy series. Can we say, What!!! There is nothing funny about a bipolar, thieving, vintage clothing seller, turned #GIRLBOSS. Yet then again….

As per Variety: “#Girlboss” series is about Amoruso’s rags-to-riches story from dumpster-diving and selling vintage clothes on eBay through her Nasty Gal Vintage label to building a L.A.-headquartered multi-million dollar fashion empire by the age of 27. Read more here.

#TTF is kinda feeling this idea…I hope Amoruso is 100% involved.

Wellness tips by New York Times best-selling author, speaker Gabrielle Bernstien

We know the New Year can feel like it’s bringing hope right when the ball drops. Then the next day comes and it is back to same ole same ole. Trust me we get it. After meeting Gabrielle Bernstien, New York Times best-selling author, speaker, and now Brand Ambassador for Philosophy, we felt it necessary to share with you her top tips to making this year work which she shared with our Editors.

Tip 1:

Take a ME break! Commit to a ME break at least once a week. Take time out to focus on yourself. This is a powerful habit to create early in the year. Need some suggestions? Take a long yoga class or prepare a nice meal for yourself.

Tip 2:

Get creative. This year, I commit to spending more time painting. This creative hobby takes me out of my daily patterns and ignites my inner spirit. Pledge to engage in a creative project or even take a trip to the museum. You’ll find that time spent in creativity heightens your happiness and gives you more energy for the other areas of your life.

Tip 3:

Sit back and receive. I work hard to balance my go-getter mentality with my “sit back and RECEIVE” approach to life. This year, welcome stillness and receptivity. Begin a meditation practice. Take these steps into your daily practices and enjoy the positive results. Trust the Universe has your back, expect miracles, and be happy!

Tip 4:

Be less irritable in the New Year. How to calm down when people irritate you Let’s face it; no matter how happy or serene we may be there are always those friends, family members or co-workers who can get under our skin. This technique offers you a very quick solution for releasing stress when people piss you off. You can practice this meditation anytime and anywhere. You can begin right now.

Get Calm How-To:

Gently press your thumb against your pointer finger, then your middle finger then your index finger then your pinky finger.

  • When you touch your pointer finger say: PEACE
  • When you touch your middle finger say: BEGINS
  • When you touch your index finger say: WITH
  • When you touch your pinky finger say: ME

Breathe deeply as you say each word. Go as slow or as fast as you’d like. Use this technique on line at the bank, under the desk in an office meeting, or in the middle of a fight with your lover. This technique will get you through all kinds of crazy emotions and help you release resentment fast.

Tip 4 Continued:

Choose a new thought and move with it! Saying positive affirmations can be a great way to shift your mood and release stress. But there’s nothing more effective than combining your new thoughts with physical activity. I like to use a trampoline. This is an awesome stress buster! I jump on the trampoline while reciting an affirmation.

So if I’m feeling stressed, I’ll jump on the trampoline and say, “I am calm, I am balanced.” Ten minutes a day with this activity can help me release all of my stress and move through my day with grace. You can bring your affirmations to any kind of physical activity. Swim, run, walk, dance and repeat your affirmation, “I am calm, I am balanced.

Tip 5:

Laugh It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of life, negativity on the news, or the self-inflicted stress that takes over at any given moment. The key to quickly getting out of these anxious moments is to laugh. By simply laughing we can detach from stress and choose to see a better perspective. If something silly is bothering you, this tool can help you let go of littleness and center back into your happy reality. Let laughter melt away the petty fears that consume you. If it sounds simple, that’s because it is.

Tip 6.

Talk less, listen more!

Ever walk away from a conversation feeling hungover from all that you spewed? Do you ever lose track of your filter and overshare? Or are you someone who is totally unable to listen to other people and instead only ramble on about yourself? Let’s get honest here. If we want to keep our private life private then it’s important to use today’s tool. Whenever you notice yourself oversharing simply say to yourself: W.A.I.T: Why am I talking? This simple acronym will take you out of the ego behavior and center you back into your truth. Even if you’re mid-sentence it’s okay to W.A.I.T. Use this tool as often as possible and soon you’ll become a great listener!

Designerlebrities Decorate the 8th Annual Holiday House NYC Showhouse Benefitting the Breast Cancer Foundation

#TTF IN THE CITY

On November 10th I attended the 8th Annual Holiday House Gala located on 2 East 63rd Street in New York. This year there were over 20 Designerlebrities all creating original designs in their designated rooms throughout the mansion. #TTF Mag got an exclusive VIP showing hours before the gala event started. All highlights from the event were captured LIVE on our Instagram. Plus I’ve added a few “not seen” shots for your design viewing pleasure below.

The showhouse will be open to the public daily from November 11 – December 2, 2015 from 11:00 am- 5:00 pm, with extended hours on Thursdays until 8:00 pm. General admission is just $35 and all proceeds will go to The Breast Cancer Foundation. Mr. Leonard Lauder once again served as Honorary Chair. Iris Dankner and Christopher Hyland are Co-Chairs. Alexa Hampton, Thom Filicia, Geoffrey Bradfield and Mario Buatta are Design Chairs. A big round of applause needs to be heard for the above mentioned.

There is a lot of hard work and love that goes into producing such a fine event year after year. It takes a village so you can’t enjoy beautiful interiors without saluting the interior designers who created them as well:

Ally Coulter Designs | Antonino Buzzetta | Ashley Darryl Interiors | Archives ID | Bjorn Bjornsson | Buckingham ID | Calder Design Group | Campion Platt | Darrin Varden Design | Drew McGukin Interiors | James Rixner | JDK Interiors | Kathleen Walsh Interiors | Katie By Design | Lonni Paul Design | Marks & Frantz | Paris Forino Design | Robert Passal | Stacy Garcia | Vicente Wolf | White Webb

I had a blast sipping on champagne, schmoozing with a few of my Designerlebrity friends and taking in some pretty stylish and out of the box design work. So have your five senses come experience what I did. Visit Holiday House and share your thoughts using hashtag #HHNYC2015. Trust me Designerlebrities do read the comments. Cheers!