Picturing Muhammad Ali

Today is Bryan's birthday!  Every day I write about the girly things I love in design, and today I thought it would be great to explore a masculine perspective in celebration of Mr. AphroChic.

Lately, I've been noticing a trend in modern interiors - black and white images of Muhammad Ali.  The former boxer, an American icon, is the quintessential image of strength, perseverance, and a no-nonsense attitude.  In home decor, his image expresses a sense of individuality and confidence that can only be attributed to Ali.



In stark white interiors, black and white photos of Ali are immediately provocate.  This image takes this dining room from sterile, to wow!



This underwater photo of Ali is one of my favorites.  Hung in the home of designer Kelly Hoppen, it is a beautiful addition to a classic black and white color scheme.



In the home of Alicia Keys, a large black and white photo of Ali is hung in the game room and is truly a striking piece.

For you own black and white image of this iconic figure, check out Etsy.  Muhammad Ali prints >

{Images: Kravitz Design; Rue; Metropolitan Home; AphroChic}

Inside The Home of Roxy Owens of Society Social

I loved seeing the home of Roxy Owens in last month's issue of HGTV Magazine.  The woman behind the brand known for beautiful bar carts - Society Social, showed off her cozy home that's packed full of style.  Roxy has a talent for mixing patterns, and blending together various styles in her decor.  This talent definitely shines in the living room where snake-skin coffee tables are placed in front of a sofa featuring romantic floral pillows and an animal print cushion.



This seating area shows off more of Roxy's eclectic mix.  Modern ghost stools are great space-savers and leave the eye to delight on pieces like the bamboo mirror frame and blue and white Asian vase.



Roxy's home wouldn't be complete without one of her beautiful bar carts.  I love how this one is also doing double duty as a side table.



The modern white bookshelf is styled beautifully.  Personal items are placed among books and organizational pieces.



In the bedroom golden florals take center stage.  The metallic pillow, wallpaper and brass shelf all fit together seamlessly.  What a gorgeous home.

{Images from HGTV}

The Road To Nashville

Last week we were in Nashville, Tennessee to tape my first video series for Homesessive.  While I can't reveal just yet what the series is about (all will be revealed next month), I did want to take you inside our trip to Nashville.  Bryan and I fell in love with this cool city, and definitely want to go back again soon.

Above, we picked up a cute little Chevy at the airport.  Everyone in Nashville is so kind.  Literally, it was the best car rental experience ever!



The clouds over the city were amazing.  You couldn't help but look up and be in awe.



Bryan took this image of the view of the city from our hotel room.  What a beautiful skyline.



We went on an amazing burger tour while we were in town.  Our first stop was The Pharmacy, and the burgers were super yummy.



Of course I was also admiring the decor everywhere we went.  Inside The Pharmacy, I loved their creative use of tin on the ceiling.



There was a brand new Anthropologie in town, and this one was so cute and rustic.  I screamed when I saw the hot pink "roof" detail.



And this settee for the backyard was too beautiful for words.



We took a step into the southern men's store, Billy Reid, to check out clothes for Bryan.  Both of us were caught up in the details.  It felt like a cool gentleman's study.



At the end of our four days in town we enjoyed one more burger at Burger Up.  It was an absolutely delicious and wonderful time in a fantastic city!

{Images by Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason for AphroChic}

Light The Way With Marquee Lighting

Eclectic Lighting by Other Metro Scott Coppersmith Designs

Swap out conventional lighting for stunning marquee lights to brighten your interior. Explore lit monograms, and your favorite words and phrases that will add a dash of personal style to your interior in Broadway-style lights.

Eclectic Lighting by Other Metro Etsy

Lighting creates ambience and sets the mood at home.  Why not add a little romance with marquee lighting that expresses how you feel about each other?

Eclectic Lighting by Other Metro Etsy

On Etsy and other marketplaces you can find a variety of marquee lights that can be customized to get your statement across.  This one of the word "soul" would take center stage in my next home.

Eclectic Lighting by Other Metro Etsy

Marquee lighting can be used to bring attention to anything that you want to express - even your love of the Big Apple.

Explore the marquee lighting trend and my favorite pieces on Houzz >

Design by Conran at J.C. Penney

J.C. Penney recently introduced a brand new home section for spring 2013.  With unique collaborations with designers like Jonathan Adler and Martha Stewart, one of my favorite collections is Design by Conran.  The iconic American brand partnered with one of the UK's most prolific designers, Sir Terence Conran, to introduce a line of modern home furnishings and accessories that offer a high-end look at budget-friendly prices.



The Beep Table Lamp is a beautiful, sculptural piece.  It's the perfect designer desk lamp.



The Cairns Dining Table is another beautifully designed piece in the collection.  The unique shape will make it a statement piece in your dining room.



The Design by Conran collection is full of whimsical pieces that you would expect to see in British design, like this adorable three-legged candlestick holder.

View the complete Design by Conran collection at J.C. Penney >

Original Art: Bright Prints by Vikki Chu

Springtime is the perfect time to look for new pieces to add to your art collection, especially when you can get something bright and colorful like these prints by Vikki Chu.  In her Society6 shop you can find some beautiful floral prints that resonate with this time of year. 

 





Explore the complete collection at Society6 >

The Home of Swedish Interior Stylist Saša Antić

In April, Elle Decoration South Africa, one of my favorite home decor magazines, took a look inside the homes of some fantastic interior designers.  Their look into the interior of stylist Saša Antić caught my eye.  Antić has been able to design a home with lots of character that comes in the form of unique accessories, art, and an eye for sculptural furnishings.  Even with a subdued color palette, this home reads bold and beautiful.



The rug in the living room reminds me of ones that you can purchase from Morris Etc.  The color palette of brown and blue is masculine, and brings in a suit and tie feel.



An art wall has a great presence in the bedroom.  I love the mix of abstract pieces that are presented simply in thin frames.



The slate blue kitchen cabinets are stunning.  Each element in this space is so cool, from the dining table with unique metals legs, to the numbered kitchen stools.

You can view more of Antić's stylish interior on Elle Decoration South Africa > 

The AphroChic Pretty In Monaco Contest on Kaboodle

Are you ready for some mood board fun?  We have partnered with our friends at Kaboodle to bring you the Pretty In Monaco Contest.  Monaco blue is Pantone's color for Spring 2013, and it is gorgeous.  I have gone onto Kaboodle and personally picked my favorite products in the deep blue shade that you can add to your fashion and home decor accessories this year.  To make this shade even more spectacular, you can create your very own Pretty In Monaco mood board on Kaboodle and enter to win a $500 gift card from American Express!

Head on over to Kaboodle and enter to win.  You have until May 27th.  Pretty In Monaco >

Twin Designers Create A Beautiful Clinton Hill Home

Last month, while reading The New York Times, I was thrilled to land on a story about Teman and Teran Evans, DIY consultant's to Sabrina Soto's HGTV show - The High Low Project.  The twin designers, who live in the picturesque Clinton Hill area of Brooklyn, have an incredible design aesthetic that they've been honing since they were three years old.



The home that they share is filled with pieces that have wow factor.  The living area is a perfect example, with so many pieces to enjoy from the upholstered mustard chairs, to the large Buddha head, and cool black boombox that doubles as an iPod dock.



Every corner of this 1400 square foot home is filled with stylish pieces.  Here, an Eames lounger is made to feel casual with a chevron pillow atop it.



In the kitchen, shiny black lacquer adds to the modern and masculine feel of the space.



It is clear that these two brothers have a love for art, and I love the Keith Haring mural that's been placed behind the armoire in the hallway.



The interior is filled with so many personal touches that make this space their own.  The black and white photo above, is a picture of their sister.



Modern and vintage pieces are blended together throughout the space.  This yellow dresser serves as the coolest bar cart I've ever seen.



A painting by the twins, "Duel", adds color and texture to this seating area.



With a mix of color, pattern, modern and vintage pieces and lots of personal style, this may be Clinton Hill's coolest pad.  You can view more of Teman and Teran's style in The New York Times >

The Great Gatsby Style: Art Deco

Last week, Hollywood released The Great Gatsby. The film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan is an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel written in 1925. A celebration of the jazz-era style of the 20s and 30s, The Great Gatsby promises to be filled with beautiful Art Deco style.



From the fashions to the architecture and interiors, at every turn we can expect to see the geometric forms and bold outlines that Art Deco is known for. Once an exposition of the modernist decorative style that emerged in Paris in 1925, the glamorous style featuring luxe palettes of black and gold and cool zigzag designs can still be spotted in the skyline architecture of cities like New York, Chicago and Detroit.



Art Deco is making a comeback in 21st Century design, and you can discover it in a number of home accessories.  Check out my post on the DLB Blog on how you can bring Art Deco style home >

{Images: 1 / 2 / 3}