Shelly Rosenberg, Author at Shelly Rosenberg Studio

Zen Home: Designing Peaceful Interiors

Feeling the drain? If you’re like me, you love the hustle! But, we can easily burn out if we don’t have a refuge for serious downtime. We all look forward to relaxing at home after a long day of work. However, your house can be just as chaotic as the office if your interiors aren’t designed properly. Is your personal space designed for rest? To promote tranquility and create a stress- free environment, keep natural elements in mind. Earthy architectural materials, like stone or wood floors in simple linear patterns, are key factors for a zen home. If you really want to make an impact, you might even want to invest in an earth toned composite door – composite doors benefit from ultra-secure steel door frame reinforcing so they not only look great, they give you the peace of mind that your home is that little bit more secure. Even if you don’t have that option, then add texture and softness with layers like a wooly shag rug or a tweed carpet in hallways or underneath furniture to anchor the arrangements. One of the blogs I follow, Fresh Home, suggests the rug be a similar shade to your flooring or in earth tones like beige, brown or gray. This harmony will reduce contrast, appearing calm and restful. You can get some fantastic rugs from places like Bazaar velvet, so shop around until you find the perfect rug for your house.

Interior Design by Shelly Rosenberg Studio

I also believe that fresh florals and lush green plants add so much to our living spaces. I always have potted orchids, in chic vessels, around the house. Clusters of cut flowers look fantastic and modern in a single color. Another cool blog Canvas, by Saatchi Art, notes that green plants help purify the air and provide a restful vibe. Part of the jet set? Low-maintenance sculptural succulents like aloe, jade and rubber tree are great choices. Care is minimum and their clean lines compliment cool, contemporary artwork. If you love art like I do, visit Saatchi and you’ll be hooked.

Via ModGreenUS.com

Aquariums are also very relaxing and I love the sleek look of a modern salt water tank. Still, I think I would prefer a more natural Koi pond and I fantasize about getting a local pond contractor to incorporate one into my landscape someday. These graceful carp represent strength, courage and good fortune. I can use all of the good luck I can get, but fish are quite a commitment! For now I settle in a comfy spot and play Zen Koi from Landshark Games and Lucky Koi by Pocketfruity. Within a few minutes, my stress starts to melt away. I also enjoy art that features water and the beauty that lies within.

Koi on Pale Ochre by Lily Greenwood

As you can see, the interior design of your space has so much to do with how it feels to be there. But don’t forget function… Another key component to a zen home is minimalism. In other words- limit your stuff. Cluttered spaces make cluttered minds. Everything you own should have its place. Organize your closets, cabinets and shelves with cool boxes or colorful woven baskets. Keep supply drawers neat and orderly with pretty drawer liners and dividers. This way, surfaces are clear and distractions are limited. All the fun containers in my son’s room, below are from The Container Store.

Interior Design by Shelly Rosenberg Studio

Upcoming Rizzoli Book: Designers Entertain

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All good things take time- the best are worth waiting for. I am thrilled to be a part of a new BOOK, just green-lighted by the premier publishing house Rizzoli, featuring topnotch interior designers entertaining at their own homes. It will be the perfect how-to, full of luscious photographs, by Michael Hunter, and insider secrets! My esteemed colleague and mentor, Pam Kelley, and I put together a rainy Sunday supper in her lovely Highland Park cottage. I cannot wait to see the results!

The unusual and memorable fabric above, Pearl River in Jade, was designed in 1918 for F. Schumacher and remains in their Classics Collection. We mixed the print with a fun powder-blue plaid and a lively collection of antique silver, colored glass and modern florals. As proud as we are of our own soireé, we are just as excited to be featured along with famous colleagues across the country! I wish I could tell you more…be ready, Spring of 2018!

Design Picks for Lake Austin Magazine

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Creative collaboration is gift to all involved. So, I treasured the opportunity to share the spotlight, in Lake Austin Lifestyle Magazine, with the woman who was my very first inspiration, my mother, Donna Stockton Hicks. Interior designer and co-owner of Stockton Hicks Laffey trade showroom in Austin, Texas, this woman has everything to do with my love for this profession. When I say that interior design is in my blood, I mean it literally!

Revisit 1960s French Design: Jonathan Adler

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Everything about embellishing interiors turns me on, but lighting has to be one of my favorite aspects of the creative process. Sourcing vintage lamps and fixtures could be considered a full time hobby (ahem…an addiction) at this point in my career. I adore the thrill of the typical hunt, but with three kiddos, my junking marathons and eager jaunts to antique fairs are few and far between. This, friends, is where the internet has seduced me. And the fabulous candy store, 1stDibs, is the mecca I visit most often. I search. I save my favorites. Mostly, I fantasize about each piece I covet. But, every once in a while, I find something so delicious, I indulge. As is the case with an exquisite French pendant fixture, circa 1960, from Kerson Gallery in NY, NY.

A gold-plated, circular brass disc, lit from within, holds sparkling glass orbs that absolutely glow. It is so chic! So French! It looks just like that funky-cool-something that I imagine Kelly Wearstler might score for one of her over-the-top sexy penthouses. If I can think of 3 ways to use something, I buy! I can instantly imagine it in a dreamy pastel boudoir, a sleek dining room or a dark, moody library. It was love at first sight. And it’s mine… Oh, you want one too? Well, you’re in luck! I’ve found the perfect substitute.

Can you believe? How smart is this new fixture from the retro-savvy and fiercely fun Jonathan Adler?! I was delighted when I saw the Globo Demilune Pendant in his new collection. Black and brass is such a hot combo too! Just like my vintage piece, this beauty is so versatile- try it in a powder room, media room or even two over the kitchen island. Si grande, oui?

Design Your New Container Store Closet II

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Hustle seems to be the name of the game these days. There is so much to juggle that life can feel pretty chaotic at times, right? So, how does it feel to come home to an environment not much different than the outside world? It makes me feel less like I’ve entered a sanctuary and more like business as usual. I believe in the power of a well designed life. Clean, organized spaces give us a sense of well being, whether we realize it or not. And our intimate spaces, like our bathrooms and closets, really set the tone for the beginning- or ending- of our day. The Container Store‘s latest product launch, TCS Closets, is the perfect way to feel organized and at peace. Less frustration and more time- who would say no to that? I am thrilled to have partnered with the Container Stories Blog series to show you just how lovely and personalized a closet can be. This post is Part 2, showcasing three additional interior design “mood boards” to inspire you!

I took the soft Aspen finish and paired it with rich jewel tones of amethyst and malachite. This neutral is a serene backdrop and really allows deep colors to sing. I saw this possible client as a sophisticated patron of the arts. Perhaps a passionate collector who appreciates a world in vivid color. Ombré fabric layers with multiple geometric patterns and lends an artisan quality to the textural sisal floor covering. Earthy bronze leather balances the sparkle of acrylic hardware, faceted glass and polished stone. Softly woven baskets and plush, padded hangers complete the ethereal feel.

Pure white is so clean and fresh that I couldn’t help but think of an optimistic young couple with a fast-paced schedule and the world at their feet. Here I imagined futuristic sputnik lighting, hangers and hardware in bright and shiny chrome. High-tech black and grey tempers the hot yellow in a fun, graphic wallpaper and supple leather. The smooth and metallic surfaces are softened by a wool rug in a classic Greek Key pattern. The feel is sunny, high-wattage fun with modern seating and contemporary accessories.

The mid-range finish, Chestnut, is anything but mediocre. The dense and warm feel of this hue takes me to tropical destinations where earth tones, like deep moss green, rule the landscape. The color of damp earth is echoed in the bronze hardware and dark wood finish of the bench seating. And who can resist adding a few complimentary wild cards- animal prints like tiger stripe and snake skin? Tribal style baskets, natural wood hangers and woven grass trays round out the jungle experience- exotic and slow paced, you have all the time in the world…

TCS Closets offer you endless options. It just takes a commitment to better your life and a little imagination. (Okay, and maybe a bit of help from a fabulous interior designer!) Visit The Container Store today and start the process- you will not be disappointed. And see my prior post, Design Your New Container Store Closet, to read more about the impressive quality of this new product. Happy organizing!