By Angela Betancourt
Photography by Aubrie Pick
A peach One Kings Lane Ava Settee couch basks in the warmth of the sun as it shines through the window on a perfect day. A mid-century brass vase glimmers on top of a West Elm marble box frame coffee table, while an ivory Moroccan Fez wool shag rug, beckons to be touched. For interior designer and TV personality, Roxy Sowlaty, these are the makings of a perfect living room, for the spring season.
Roxy is one of the stars of E! Network’s #RichKids of Beverly Hills and the founder of her own interior design firm, specializing in high-end residential projects. Roxy is the product of a wealthy Persian family, and is the daughter of Acuprints CEO, Sam Sowalty. At just 26 years old, the Beverly Hills native is proving to be more than just another wealthy pretty face in the sea of reality TV stars.
Roxy has worked in the design industry since she was 16 years old, when she started a clothing line with her sister, Tara, called RoxTar. She graduated from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, and later enrolled in Parsons New School of Design in New York City where she graduated with her Master’s degree in Interior Design. In addition to New York, she has designed a variety of homes in cities like Los Angeles, Aspen, and Bel-Air that ranged from 800-square-foot city apartments to extravagant mansions.
Her style is timeless, yet never dated and her ability to infuse vibrant flair into any room is capturing attention nationwide. Despite what her ties to “rich kids” might imply, Roxy is passionate about helping others design homes they will love regardless of their budget. Redecorating doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and Roxy demonstrates that perfectly with her favorite interior looks for spring.
This spring it’s all about warm pastels, white linens, Carrara marble, and lots of metallic accessories.
Starting with the living room, Roxy recommends making things brighter and more vibrant by incorporating peach and coral colored fabrics and metallic accessories into the design. Replacing drab, lifeless pillows with new ones in fun, bright colors or patterns is an affordable way to bring spring into any room.
Another quick and affordable way to give a room a lift is with a great area rug. An area rug is actually one of Roxy’s favorite design elements and it has often been the starting point for her decorating projects.
“Rugs are usually the largest and most defining piece in a room. Going from a dark to light color can really change the look of the entire space,” she explains.
The furniture that will be around this carpet is also important. Carrara marble furniture is one of Roxy’s favorite decorating items. This is the next best thing when your budget doesn’t allow for a full marble renovation. Carrara marble immediately gives a room a much more expensive look. In a blog post Roxy gushed that “Carrara marble makes anything look instantly sexy and beautiful.”
If you opt not to buy any Carrara marble, the beauty of furniture is that it can easily be reorganized. “Sometimes just moving an existing side table makes all the difference.”
One of the biggest mistakes she sees people make when it comes to furniture is buying matching room sets. “Buying a room set seems easy, but there is no dimension. You have to mix it up.”
Rather than buying everything from the same location, Roxy recommends shopping around at various stores for great finds that will complement each other. “You don’t want things to look cookie cutter.”
She recommends going to stores like West Elm, Target, Pier One, and Urban Outfitters to find unique and affordable pieces to bring home.
“So many things are being massed produced and it’s more important than ever to connect to your true personality. We all have our personal style. But if you don’t know where to begin social media sites like Pinterest and Instagram are good ways to find and keep track of rooms that you gravitate to.”
When it comes to picking the right furniture size, Roxy says that bigger is always better. It’s a common misconception that if you live in a small space you need small furniture. The opposite is actually true. “Bigger furniture can actually make a space look larger.”
Her favorite springtime look for the bedroom also incorporates a lot of warm pastel colors, warm peaches, and creams. Intertwining metallic and pastel colors is her secret to creating a soothing yet vibrant space. “Use pastels as your base or accent color and add metallics like silver and gold.”
No matter what your budget; revamping your home for spring doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Some warm colors, the right accessories, and a bit of creativity can go a long way.
Click here to view post on the 2015 March/April issue.