Random Act of Kindness

My Bracelet!

All the way from Spain, the wonderful Carmen from Colgado De Ti sent me the most lovely gift in the mail - one of her signature bracelets!  I posted about Colgado De Ti earlier this year, and have to revisit these special jewels.



Featured in Elle, Cosmopolitan, and fashion magazines throughout Europe, jewelry from Colgado De Ti is truly unique, and I couldn't be happier to have my own special piece!



Thank you Carmen for such a random act of kindness.  It means so much.

Have a kind and happy weekend everyone!

New York Part II: J. Crew Silhouettes

In Part I of my New York trip, I highlighted the inspiring window displays at Anthropologie at Rockefeller Center. In Part II, I have to highlight their neighbor across the street, J. Crew.



J. Crew has one of my favorite window displays full of modern silhouettes. Absolutely classic, it seems that silhouettes are back in style and modern cut-outs like the ones featured here are definitely appealing.



Playing with tradition, I love that these silhouettes have a young and casual feel.



Of course it's no secret that I'm a fan of silhouettes. They are featured throughout my own pillow line, and I can't get enough of them.


Silhouette Black & White


Reflection Fuchsia

I wonder what other ways we can update the silhouette at AphroChic. Hmmm...some fun thoughts are brewing.

{J. Crew Photos: Bryan Mason for Aphrochic; Pillow Photos: Patrick Cline for AphroChic}

Original Art: Urban Bazaar

Searching the web can lead you to some amazing finds, and I was elated when I came upon the etsy shop, Urban Bazaar. Offering re-imagined WWII posters with a uniquely urban twist, there is no other way to describe these posters but cool.



The Urban Bazaar profile reads: My style is very ethnic and earthy. If you like things like Neo-soul music, natural products, or spoken word, you'll probably really love my...products. Well, I love all of those things, and I love these prints!



At just $16 a print, they are an affordable way to add style to your home, and they would look perfect in a shabby chic style white frame. I absolutely want them all!

Which one would you like to have at home?

New York Part I: Anthropologie Windows

One of my favorite places in New York is 50 Rockefeller Plaza. Of course I love Rockefeller Center for all of the wonderful things it offers - the Christmas tree, the ice skaters. But I also love that it is the one place where two of my favorite stores sit right across from each other with some fantastic window displays.



Anthropologie and J. Crew are right there at 50 Rock, and I was so happy when my husband decided to take me on a detour through the city to get a glimpse of the store windows while we were in town.



Anthropologie's window display is all about how art influences design. Abstract paintings inspired by their new Paint-By-Number Dinner Plate series are the inspiration for these windows. I absolutely love the swirls of color tempered by outfits in plum, beige and classic black and white.



Inside the store the colors and patterns are even more inspiring. A mix of pattern and texture comes together so beautifully in this bedroom display.



And it feels as if paradise is absolutely at hand with these amazing peacock feathers made by teaspoons. Can you believe it?

Inspiration is absolutely everywhere, and in New York you can find it around every corner. I'll have more pics from my travels to New York tomorrow!

{Photos taken by Bryan Mason for AphroChic}

A Successful Launch!

Design Within Reach Philadelphia

Whoo! The last two weeks have been so busy here at AphroChic. My apologies for the scattered postings. I'm quickly learning how to balance managing a new company, traveling to promote it, and maintaining the blog that we all love so much.

For two weeks my husband and I have been having nothing but fun. We had an amazing launch event in Philadelphia where I got to meet so many of you who read the blog every day. Over seventy people came to view the new collection and our incredible panel at Design Within Reach! It was a fantastic crowd, and I'll have pictures up very soon that highlight the wonderful time we had.


AphroChic Haze Mimosa and Silhouette Pillows

Above are a few photos of the pillows in the front window at DWR Philadelphia! I can’t tell you how exciting it was to see them up there. Every time someone passed by the store window, I couldn't stop myself from saying, "Those are my pillows!"


AphroChic Launch Event Invite in DWR Window

I also traveled to New York to meet with some fantastic people and introduce them to the blog and the new collection. Among the truly wonderful folks I met with were Cheminne Taylor-Smith at Elle Decor and Metropolitan Home, and two incredible women from HGTV, Lindsey Weidhorn and Courtney White. Lindsey and Courtney even posted a pic from our meeting. So many exciting moments, such great people, and then an evening in Times Square. It was so much fun!

It's been wonderful to receive so much support, and to see how people are responding to the collection and to the philosophy that inspires both the company and the blog. A special thanks goes out to Design Within Reach Philadelphia, our incredible event planner and moderator LaQueanya Henry, and photographer Jean Christopher!  More special thank yous to:

- Desire to Inspire
- Made By Girl
- Mimi and Meg
- Make Under My Life
- Design-Milk (w/ some great photos from the event)
- The Inside Stoop (HGTV's fantastic blog!)

I'll be posting more fun pics from our trip to the East Coast this week, so stay tuned. It's going to be a very fun week here at AphroChic!

{Images taken by Bryan Mason for AphroChic}

Angela Adams Welcomes You Home

Angela Adams has something new for Fall. These doormats are such a nice way to welcome friends and family into your home. For only $45, they're also affordably stylish.



Offered in two of my favorite Angela Adams prints, Lulu and Munjoy, these mats are the perfect way to bring some modern style into your home from the very first step.




See more of what's new for Fall at Angela Adams right here.

Home Exotic Home

I have been away from home for two weeks now.  It's been a wonderful time here on the East Coast exploring some of our favorite cities - Philadelphia, New York and Washington D.C.  I find myself thinking a lot about home.  What would my dream home look like?  What would be filled within it?



This new home featured on one of my favorite sites, Shootfactory, is so exotic, so warm and absolutely alluring.  Located in London, this is definitely the home of a traveler.  Traditional furnishings are married with ethnic decor that seems as if it's sourced from every part of the world.



Vibrant cushions in every color of the rainbow line a daybed that just beckons you to lay down.



This home is so unique.  I am in love with how special it is.  It is the perfect dream home.  One that can only be made by an ever changing and remarkably interesting life.  See more of this beautiful home right here.

Stina Persson Comes To Life

I can't recall when I first fell in love with the work of Stina Persson.  The way she uses watercolors is absolutely inspiring.  Stina has the ability to blend art and fashion in such a unique way.

I am always excited to see what's next from Stina and was happy to receive a note from her describing how her watercolors have come to life.  In this beautiful advertisement for Replay Your Fragrance, Stina's watercolors literally move across the page.  I think I could watch this video over and over again just to catch another glimpse of her beautiful work.

I am even more in love.  Thank you so much for sharing Stina!

Original Art: Aisyah Ang

I am just in love with the work of artist Aisyah Ang. Her paintings and collages are so visually stimulating.  Beautiful organic shapes, geometric arrangements, and a sophisticated blend of color all dot the landscape of Aisyah's paintings.





Representations of water falls, botanicals and trees come to light in Aisyah's mixed media paintings. 



Colorful depictions of rainbows are among my favorites.

If you are in search of original pieces that are affordable, and absolutely original, visit Aisyah's etsy shop.  The work is incredible.

Silhouette Wall Plates by Andrew Tanner

These wall plates by designer Andrew Tanner are a beautiful decorative piece for the home.  I first spotted them in Living Etc., and fell in love.  Modern and traditional all at once, these cut out designs allow your wall to become a part of the design.



The Louis XV plate is my favorite.  This traditional chair is represented through modern technology that cuts the silhouette into bone china.  Amazing!



The Butterfly silhouette wall plate is so whimsical.  It would look lovely on the wall of a child's room.



The Birds wall plate is simply lovely.  Whether placed together as a collection, or repeated in just a single design, they are sure to make a statement.

You can find them online right here.  Enjoy!

P.S. - Saturday's launch party was fabulous!  Thank you to everyone who came out to view the new collection and to our awesome panel.

Happy Weekend!!!

click on image for larger view

I'm so sorry to have pulled a disappearing act this week. Getting ready for our upcoming launch event required more attention than I had anticipated. When I haven't been working on the party or traveling, I've been trying to get some sleep before our big celebration!

If you haven't already RSVP'd, we would love to see you there. Just RSVP right here. And if you can't make it, don't worry, there will be more fun events coming up.

Have a happy weekend! I can't wait to meet so many of you in person at our DesignPhiladelphia event!!!

{Image: AphroChic DesignPhiladelphia invitation by Gadabout}

Room & Board Los Angeles!

Room & Board just opened a brand new store in Los Angeles!  With over 35,000 square feet and new in store events, Room & Board L.A. is sure to be a favorite among designers in the area. 



My sister was one of the many visual designers working hard on the new showroom.  You can see some behind-the-scenes work right here. 



Located just south of Santa Monica, there is much to do and see in this historic district of L.A. and this beautiful new showroom.  It's definitely worth a visit!

{Images from Room & Board}

THANK YOU!!!

Wow!  The last few days have been absolutely incredible.  I have to give a very big THANK YOU to Apartment Therapy for the beautiful post about the new Dreamland Collection.  We were also on Re-Nest, AT's green home site!  Kristen Lubbe wrote this fantastic article, and she is one of the many incredible people you can meet at our launch party on October 10th.

We've also been getting tons of e-mails, comments and tweets celebrating the new AphroChic shop, and I have to thank you all for your love and support!  And a big thanks to all of the wonderful blogs who featured our new collection:

- Fly Girls
- Get Togetha
- Maison21
- Mustard Seed Collective
- Simplygrove

Ok, now I am exhausted!  I am going to spend the weekend in LA playing with my god-daughter and celebrating this wonderful new phase in my life.  And of course I'll be back on Monday with lots of new design treats.

Have a wonderful weekend!

AphroChicShop.com: Life Is But A Dream...

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily...life is but a dream.  Today I am so excited to announce that the AphroChic Dreamland Collection is here!  After a year of hard work to create a diverse collection of pillows and apparel, our new online boutique has officially launched.



A collection of sustainable pillows, Dreamland features four one-of-a-kind designs - Haze, Mandala, Reflection and Silhouette - that are sure to turn any room in your home into the world of your dreams.  These over-sized prints in vibrant colors integrate my love of culture and modern design to create something that is a true reflection of modern soulful style.



I also worked hard to ensure that the collection is environmentally sustainable, lessening the impact on the environment through manufacturing techniques, working closely with businesses in the local community and offering organic alternatives for the t-shirt collection.  You can see the Environment and What We Believe sections to find out more about the philosophy behind the collection.  The end result is a company that I am truly proud of. 



This is the beginning of a new phase for AphroChic, and I'm so happy that we can all share it together.  I also hope that you can take part in our launch event that will be held at DesignPhiladelphia on October 10th.  Click our Events tab to RSVP.  Can't wait to celebrate with you!

{Photography: Patrick Cline for AphroChic; Model: Maryse Weekes}