We love the “Good as Gold” feature put together by Mary Beth Jones in the Dec 2019 issue of Southern Lady.  Whether you decide to go modern or traditional, gold is a great way to bring warmth to the table. And during the holidays, mixed with red and persimmon, it’s a look you can enjoy from Thanksgiving through Christmas.

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One of the happiest things you can do is create a room for a little one. And whether you have kids or are just constantly surrounded by them (ahem … you’re a grandparent, so you’re doing the school run again), it’s important to create an environment that is cheerful but also timeless.  Too often, kids’ rooms have to be redone after a few years, but with a little planning, it’s easy to avoid this by just sticking with classic patterns and colors.

Instagram darling Gray Malin, who first shot to fame with his pictures of pools and beaches around the world, has hit it out of the park with his new collection of furnishings based on his shots of animals prancing around his favorite hotel, the Parker Palm Springs.  Malin, who recently had twins with his husband Jeff, knows what it’s like to think like a child and truly create magic.

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We always look forward to Kim Seybert’s spring collections. One of the more gorgeous reminders of the changing of the seasons, her new Bouquet runner and placemat create a spectacular floral backdrop for entertaining.

Take a look at how quickly you can change the look just by editing the accessories around it.

Here are some other ideas for accessorizing these amazing runners:

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There’s nothing more timeless than a space which goes back to nature and blends into the surrounding environment. Think back to your days spent at your grandparents’ lakeside lodge or those nights roasting S’mores in a open fire pit on the beach. Wasn’t it glorious to spend time outdoors?

Now, after hours spent in front of screens or sitting in traffic, we need to do the same at home: get ourselves closer to nature, so we can take a deep breath and relax.

Luckily, if you’re the sort who appreciates true craftsmanship and the perfect imperfections created by nature, there are lots of materials found in both land and sea that are being used to produce exquisite pieces to connect you back to where it all began.

Here’s a look at some of our favorites.

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As you plan your summer travels to Bali, India, and Morocco, here are some easy ways to update your home with a relaxed vibe.

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What do you do before you plan your trips?  For me, I always look to see what hotels are available first.  It’s probably because I generally already know what the must-sees are, but at the end of the day, if I can’t come home to a great room, then it’s not really a vacation.  I’m probably crazy to admit this, but once I realized this, everything started falling into place.

So of course there’s a ton of information out there, but the good places generally stand out pretty easily: they’re across parks or near major embassies, and almost always near the major museums and shopping areas.  But here’s my twist: while I’m checking out the properties online, I always look closely at pictures of the bathrooms.  Why?  One, because I don’t unwind in the lobby.  And two, because in a bath you can really tell how much attention the designers paid to creating the perfect experience for their guests.

I look at everything — the light fixtures, the tiles, the towels, the bath accessories, and the soaps and lotions — and then I take it all in.  Does everything belong there?  Are there surprises along the way?  Is there enough space for toiletries?  I keep asking these questions until I can finally imagine myself there. Then I’m ready to look for flights.

Here’s a list of some of the hotels that have most inspired me, and ten great ideas on how to take a little of these special places home with you.

1. If you have a view, keep things airy and minimal.

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As we all know, high-end hotels are the best at choosing sheets that are luxurious, soft, and durable, so they look good wash after wash.

New York Magazine’s The Strategist recently set out to find the sheets that hotel insiders loved in a column “The Best Sheets, According to Hotel Insiders.”  Featured was the Garnier-Thiebaut’s Nice bedding collection:

It seems they tracked down some of the insiders at the Four Seasons Hotel, New York, Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC, Park Hyatt, Chicago, Ritz Carlton, Key Biscayne, The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, Cheval Blanc, Courchevel, not to mention Per Se in New York, Qatar Airways, and the Chateau Restaurant Joel Robuchon in Tokyo. One of the most respected names in the hospitality industry, Garnier-Thiebaut supplies linens to some of the finest hotels and restaurants in the world, so it was probably inevitable they would make it on such a list.

Just take a look at their linens:

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See the entire Garnier-Thiebaut selection online here.

We love working with coffee tables, as they are both beautiful and infinitely practical.  Here are some of our best design tips.

1. Generally, your coffee table should be about two-thirds the length of your sofa.

2. A coffee table should either align with the seat of the sofa or be about one to two inches lower.

3. Place your coffee table 18 inches away from your sofa, or any other seating in the room.  If it faces a TV stand or fireplace, leave at least 30 inches from the edge of the coffee table for walking around.

4. In oversized rooms, you can often combine coffee tables to create what you need.  For a large square, place two rectangular ones side by side.  Or get creative and join three triangular ones to form a neat whimsical shape.

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What do you get when you combine a stylish artist with a musician in a city full of soul and manufacturing prowess?  Regina Andrew!

Founded in south Detroit (the Paris of the Midwest, as they love to say) over twenty years ago, this talented couple has created a very personal collection full of classics with a an edge (modern, rock and roll, funk), so you can use them over and over again, no matter how often you move.

Their first product – a designer doghouse for a charity fundraiser – speaks volumes to their commitment to living a well-lived life and to supporting the local community.  They’re also super passionate about the environment.  Regina Andrew’s headquarters and warehouses are 100% solar powered, they use as much recycled cardboard as possible, and they transform reclaimed objects into beautiful things.

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Have you seen the latest in melamine dinnerware?  Many of the newest collections from Los Angeles-based TarHong are inspired by natural materials, so they’re perfect for indoor dining.

Escape to the wine country with the Marin and French Oak melamine collections:

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