Today’s episode features the multi-talented Alyssa Rosenheck. Alyssa is a renowned interior and architectural photographer, stylist, a cancer survivor, a lifestyle expert, and best-selling author of The New Southern Style. Alyssa shares her inspiring background and life pivots, and she encourages us all to tap into our creativity; whatever that means for us. What You’ll Hear on This Episode: Alyssa’s story; including growing up as one of the only Jewish families in OK, life pivots, cancer, and staying YES to herself. Alyssa left high stress corporate jobs and started helping build small businesses about 7 years ago. What is “The New Southern” movement and where was Alyssa when she came up with it? Alyssa describes what her new book The New Southern Style is; not just a picture book! Why rituals are so important and what some of our favorites are. What “living in the light” means to Alyssa. Alyssa shares some tips on how to counteract burnout with creativity. The different ways you can define “creativity”. Alyssa’s process for writing, and photographing, her book. How Alyssa does the job of two people both styling and photographing her shoots. Why you should be flowering your home with Israeli Ruscus. How Alyssa picked the people she would feature in her book. Alyssa’s book inspires and nurtures the idea that you can make a living being a creative. Mentioned in This Episode: Alyssa Rosenheck Alyssa Rosenheck on Instagram The New Southern Style Decorating Dilemma Hi Cindy, I think this is a really great open space. I would love for it to all be one color and be light, bright, open and airy to reflect all the windows in the house. We all agree that statement walls need to be very intentional and think white walls with white trim in a different sheen will work wonders. I think this will be the biggest bang for your buck then you can bring in in textures and layered accessories within the same tonal family. Use art for pops of color. You can really change the meaning of this room by bringing the furniture in closer to the fireplace. Adding another chair and maybe a little card table would be good because this is a great room for people to gather. Add some more lamps with the plants on that table behind that long sofa, as well. I do like the bar area, but I almost want to see those top cabinets gone and do shelving above it instead. The important thing is to make this room more intimate. - Alyssa The first thing I think you need to do is check out Lauren Liess; a designer in Washington, DC that specializes in this style house and uses an earthy, 7os color palette in a really modern way. The second thing is I think you really need to invest in your art collection. You have a lot of blank walls and I wouldn’t buy (or even make) anything under 40”. It doesn’t need to be expensive! I know you have a lot of windows, but 2-3 pieces above the TV, flanking the windows, above the bar or above the dresser could be great places. Think outside the box! I also with giant ceilings like this you could get some great, large light fixtures. I personally don’t hate the wood trim; you could try the wood trim but you’d need a professional help you out. We’re not sure about painting the brick around fireplace; start with painting the room one color first. Good luck, Cindy! We really like this room and its architecture and can’t wait to see what you do with it. - Caroline