Say hello to a new era in home furnishings. Hollywood Regency, in it’s hey-day, was all about making your guests feel as comfortable as possible in your home. That’s why certain elements of this design aesthetic channel 1930’s and 40’s hotel rooms. The look is a bit more staged than comfortable – i.e. your living room organized according to entertaining, serving, and conversation, rather than all pieces of furniture in full focus of the television.

Editing is key in this aesthetic; it’s way too easy to get carried away with all of the tufted furniture, crystals, and gold detailing. Try not to jump at every formal piece of vintage furniture you see – go for cotton twill upholstery over velour, and blown glass over multi-faceted crystals. Modernizing Hollywood Regency can happen in a lot of ways, too. You can make it fresh and youthful with a bold, graphic print area rug in a coordinating hue, or soft and traditional with natural elements like coral and distressed wood.  One of my favorite, and widely conveyed themes in regency is that of chinoiserie (meaning chinese-esque in French).  This can come in the form of greek key print fabric, vintage oriental print China, and faux bamboo furniture.

Last but not least, one should ideally aim for only one piece of the quintessential Hollywood Regency mirrored furniture in each room - before it starts looking like Vegas.

Pottery Barn Chinoiserie Drapes $69+

Williams-Sonoma Home Chippendale Bamboo Chair $562 (30% off!)

Target Sunburst Mirror $69.99

Inside Avenue Greek Key Bench $715

West Elm Safari Rug $99+

I know, I know - It’s been over a year since my last post!  A lot has happened in the past year - a promotion at work, I married my long time love, went backpacking through Southeast Asia for our honeymoon (Bali, Malaysia, Singapore), and now we have gone and moved to San Francisco.

Goodbye Austin.  It was nice knowing you - but really anyone who knows me, knows that’s a total lie.  I’m more than happy to be back in a real city - with ethnic food (hello Inner Richmond!), bodegas, and H&M!  There’s a Mark Twain quote my husband stumbled upon that says, “In America, there is New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans.  Everywhere else is Cleveland.”  I have definitely lived that line, and agree whole-heartedly.  Some may be surprised we didn’t get on the next plane back to New York, and I admit I am a bit too.  I will always love New York, I still feel like a New Yorker and have dreams of being bi-coastal one day, but I already know San Francisco is going to be the perfect medium.  Plus, the 400 square feet apartment thing, we just…can’t…do…it.

So, that being said - I have some time on my hands with the recent move to dive back into my passions and agonize over spelling errors and proofreading.  Another move, another apartment - but same husband, kitty, and Jenny.  One of my old co-workers at RL once told me, change is always good.  Cheers to that!

Illustration by Megan Nolton - check her out on Etsy.