Eleven Unexpected, Chic Home Styling Ideas

Hello my lovely friends! How are you? Hope you all had a great Mother's Day weekend. Things have been so hectic in my part of the world lately that I’ve missed several weeks of posting.  I never like to be missing in action for weeks at a time so hopefully my schedule will calm down moving forward and I can focus on what I truly love to do—blog! This past week I was perusing through Jonathan Adler’s book, 100 Ways to Happy Chic Your Life, and found it quite entertaining. I really appreciate his embrace-what-you-love take on life, a mantra that’s clearly evident in his quirky, irreverent, and super chic décor. The book was filled with great tips, and got me thinking about a few of the quirky and unexpected, yet chic home styling ideas I love. Here are a few.

                          {sources: 1♦2♦3♦4♦5♦6♦7♦8♦9♦10♦11}

My favorites are numbers 2, 4, 6, 7, and 10, and I actually plan to try them out in my new home. What are some fun, unexpected home ideas you'd love to try?

Truly Inspired By...AphroChic

Truly is all about inspiring us to be the best we can be. And what better way to do that than by featuring individuals who inspire us to live our biggest dreams. Hence my new column, Truly Inspired By.  One woman in particular that stands out among the rest is Ms. Jeanine Hays, Creative Director and Founder of AphroChic, a lifestyle blog and textile company.

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Jeanine began her career as a policy attorney. In 2007, she started  AphroChic blog  to escape the stress of work and express her passion for design. She made the leap from blogger to blogger/designer in 2009 with her line of pillows. Her signature look is a blend of ethnic heritage and culture with luxurious and modern style. She calls it Modern. Soulful. Style. As a psychologist who loves design, her story struck a cord with me. I imagine she must have had many fears about following a different career path, especially after spending all those years grinding in law school. But clearly she didn't let her fears stop her. Take a look at some of my favorite pieces from her AphroChic shop.

AphroChic's Haze (left) and Vibe (right) wallpaper are indeed both modern and soulful. I particularly like the 1970's vintage feel of the Vibe wallpaper.

Chevron gets a much needed update with this swanky Vibe Saffron and Pink Pillow. It adds a touch of cool to any decor.

How fun is this Brooklyn Life runner? These stylish city life images both celebrate and validate  urban life.

I really like this Park Slope Placemat. It conveys urban chic in a simple, yet impactful way.

Like a page ripped from the Divine Destiny Handbook, Jeanine's design career is a lesson in perseverance and passion. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Elle Décor, and Lucky Magazine just to name a few. She was an online judge for the 2010 season of HGTV's Design Star, and her pillow collection was on the 2010 California Home + Design Hit List—how cool is that. Jeanine also contributes as a design expert on HGTV.com, the DIYNetwork.com, Houzz, and the Stylelist Home.

The Vibe wallpaper and Brooklyn Life Table Runner are at the top of my wish list. What are some of your favorite AphroChic pieces?