A Favorite Thing: Moroccan Wedding Blankets

You know how we all have those lists in our heads of things we would LOVE to have or do, but for whatever reason probably never will? For me that includes spending a Christmas in the Swiss Alps, owning a dalmation, being a nanny for a Hollywood celebrity (my aunt tried to convince me this could be a real possibility), having a wedding á la Rachel Getting Married, actually loving wine and, finally, having a Moroccan wedding blanket across my bed.

Moroccan wedding blankets are something I've been loving for a while now, and every time I see one pop up in a photo of a beautiful serene bedroom I fall into a daydream about owning one myself (even though I don't think my obsession with vintage chenille bedspreads will ever die). It spells adventure in faraway lands and centuries-old stories of romance... plus they're really, really pretty.

Here's a little schooling for ya... According to Apartment Therapy, "The creamy, sequined blankets, or handira, are a window onto traditional Berber culture. Known as Moroccan wedding blankets, handira are woven out of sheep's wool, cotton and linen by Berber women in the Middle Atlas mountains of Northern Morocco. [...] Berber wedding blankets are woven in anticipation of, you guessed it, a wedding, by the bride's female relatives. It can take many hours — even weeks — of work to attach those hundreds of mirrored sequins once the weaving is complete; it is thought that during this collaborative task, the bride's relatives teach her all about the birds and the bees, among other marital duties and expectations. After the wedding ceremony, the bride wears the blanket tied around her neck as a kind of cape. It might be associated with her trip to her new marital home, which could be a chilly ride."

Pretty cool, right? Behold....

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Gorgeous, right? What things do you have on your "list?"

Design Trends 2013

I'm typically not one to follow trends; the only ones I can recall following from 2012 were the high-low skirt trend and the turban trend - the latter of which I never wore outside of my house, thank god. I put it on and spent a good 10 minutes trying to make it look like I had envisioned, when it dawned on me: I live in Portland, not LA, and I am not trendy. Free People's online marketing campaign had hypnotized me into believing I was though, for the five minutes it took to add the turban to my shopping cart then charge it to my credit card. Maybe I'll incorporate it into some weird Halloween costume this year and it won't go completely to waste.

So, when it comes to trends I end up either chickening out and the item just stays in my closet or I'll wear the thing a few times then feel like it's way past its prime (even if it technically isn't). But interior design trends are different, and that's why I wanted to do this post. Unless it's something that has rarely been done before and then EVERYONE and their hairstylist is behind the trend (chevron, Keep Calm and Carry On), interior design trends seem to be a little more subtle and therefore have more staying power. I perused blogs, magazines, and other interior design inspiration hot spots to come up with a short list of design trends that will be big in 2013. I hope you enjoy and get some kind of inspiration for the year ahead.

High-gloss / Lacquer

I love this trend because it can be done on a variety of scales: from accessories to walls, furniture to floors. For example, if you have a nightstand or dresser that needs a fresh coat of paint, you can just buy a high-gloss color at Home Depot and call yourself the Rachel Bilson of interiors. I accidentally followed this trend a few years back when I needed to repaint some furniture I'd picked up at a flea market (and lived with as-is for far too long) and for some reason or another went with high-gloss for my dresser and kitchen table. There have been absolutely no regrets since.

a glossy turquoise cabinet via Pinterest

balls to the lacquered orange walls via Odi et Amo

a pretty high-gloss nightstand via Decor Pad

Brass/Gold

Get the heck out of here silver because brass and gold are IN. This trend makes me especially happy because I usually answer with "gold" when someone asks me my favorite color. The color combos are endless: cream, slate blue and gold; pink, white and gold; navy, chartreuse and gold... I could go on forever. This is another trend that can be followed on a budget, just collect a few brass accessories or search for a brass lamp at garage and estate sales - trust me you will find one!

brass fixtures via The New York Times

brass lighting via Design Crisis

brass in the bathroom via Thunder In Our Heart

Grass Cloth Walls

If only I didn't live in an apartment and if only I had crossed "buy a sofa" off my to-do list. This trend is a bit of a splurge for most of it, but doesn't the beauty of this luxe wall covering make it worth it sometimes? Often done in pale blues, greens and greys, I love this in an unexpected color like pink or navy.

a warm shade of grass cloth La Dolce Vita

a serene green grass cloth (and notice the desk?) via La Maison Boheme

my favorite grass cloth of the bunch via Elle Decor

Emerald Green

As Pantone's "Color of the Year," you're going to be seeing green everywhere in 2013. Hopefully in more ways than one! Be bold and paint a wall or four in this bright jewel tone or simply bring some new green and white decorative pillows into your living room. Even though the trend is a particular shade of green, I can guarantee you this hue will have a pretty lax interpretation.

a bold green wall via Andie Johnson Sews

Pantone emerald green chairs via Chic & Deco

green all over the place via My Luscious Life

Natural Elements

A nod to nature will continue to be big in 2013, demonstrated with the use of raw materials in remodels, rustic furniture, vignettes of shells, bones, rocks, feathers and art depicting wild animals, vegetation, and interesting natural landscapes. My goal this year is to create a collection of potted succulents in front of my kitchen window and up the number of indoor plants in the rest of my apartment (because Mr. Staghorn is lonely).

dried wildflowers via Design Sponge

a driftwood wall via Design Sponge

a collection of bird prints via BHG

And to wrap it up, one trend I saw pop up but just can't get behind? Camo. Sorry folks, I will not be upholstering my couch in red, yellow and pink camouflage and I hope you won't be either. ;)

What 2013 design trend are you most excited about?

The Best of Lately

After years of knowing it was coming eventually, my punishment for openly loving The Bachelor finally showed its annoying face. In an attempt to get over a ruthless cold, I used Oregon Trail logic and went to bed at 8:30 last night, only to be awoken by text after text after text with my friends' live Bachelor premiere commentary. That's what I get for being a passionate fan (not the hopeless romantic kind) and forgetting to make a public announcement that I was going to bed early. So I just spent the past hour (omg was that two hours?) hacking and sneezing through The Bachelor premiere a day late, understanding my friends' texts a day late, and I realized - if I can spend this much time watching something that absolutely adds no kind of value to my life, I think my blog deserves a little time too.

It's been a while since I've done a house tour post, or any post for that matter, so I'm going to play a quick game of catch-up and share a few of the best homes I've seen lately. Because frankly, these aren't ones to miss.

First up is the ultra-cool L.A. home of Interior Designer Jason Martin and Jon Brockett featured just today on the much-adored Apartment Therapy. What made this place really stand out to me were the unusual color palettes, bold artwork (with an emphasis on photography) and stylish pieces of furniture. I have been wanting to fill my apartment with oversized photographs and now I'm even more convinced that it's a must-do. On another note, I've never seen denim done better. I encourage you to check out AT's full tour, interview and source list here. Photos by Bethany Nauert

Next is another tour by Apartment Therapy showing off the incredible Hollywood Hills home of Parks & Recreation writer Alan Yang, designed by Sally Breer of Commingle Home. The best part about this tour? Alan's interview had me laughing out loud like a goon and his house has a real speakeasy tucked behind a secret door! Of course there's much more to love (must. have. that Lichtenstein!) so you should check out the rest of AT's tour, interview and source list here. Photos by Bethany Nauert

Okay I should just call this post The Best of Apartment Therapy Lately because this last house tour is from there too. Except we're not in Los Angeles anymore; this house is in my home state of (Austin) Texas. Homeowners Levi Dugat and Evette Richards have done a really nice thing with the abundant use of primary colors, which you honestly don't see very often. It feels good to just look at those youthful hues. I also love the airiness and simplicity of the space... something I appreciate mainly because it doesn't come naturally to me (for better or worse) when decorating my own home. Check out the rest of the AT tour, interview and source list here. Photos by Chris Perez

As I went through all the photos I've saved from house tours I've drooled over the past couple of months, I realized there are many more to share. Coming soon... after I catch up on all of my trash TV.

Which of these house tours appeals to you most and why?