Decorating with maps

Decorating the home with maps is a trend that we can really get behind. Vintage maps are a constant source of inspiration here at Rosanna headquarters. In fact, we have incorporated maps into several of our collections - on both porcelain and gift boxes. 

Below you'll find our Paris tray as part of our Voyage collection, and NYC tray & USA tray as part of our Cartography collection. All pieces are food safe and can be used for serving, or simply for use as a decoration.

Paris Tray | NYC Tray & USA Tray

R O S A N N A I N C . C O M

Decorating With Letters

Using letters to decorate your home is one of our favorite tricks. Even Rosanna spruces up her own office space with an assortment of collected Rs. Whether you like to celebrate your own initials or spell out entire words, this trend makes it personal and fun! Here's some of our favorites from around the web:

Get started personalizing your space with our To the Letter collection. These eclectic porcelain letters can even be hung on the wall and make an excellent gift.

Image Credits: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

R O S A N N A I N C . C O M

Table Wear: Alhambra

This just in: everyone loves turquoise. And gold is practically the new black so, this week we took our lovely Alhambra collection that combines both these colors and created a living room around it. Playing up the negative spaces and combining textures gives this room a sophisticated yet cozy feel that will transition easily from Winter to Spring. 

Rug | Sofa | Side Table | Throw | Picture Frame | Teal Pillow | Love Pillow | Lamp

R O S A N N I N C . C O M

Table Wear: Luxe Moderne

This week we're classying it up with our favorite new Fall collection, Luxe Moderne. Gold is practically the new black - timeless, sophisticated and goes with everything. We thought it'd be fun to create a whole living room around this sleek color combination, with a touch of tangerine for good measure. Enjoy!

Sofa| Pillows | Mirror | Coffee Table | Rug | Sconces | Poufs

R O S A N N I N C . C O M

Table Wear: Rue du Bac

It's hard to go wrong with classic grey + white, which is why we created our Rue du Bac collection, named after a famous street in Paris known for great shopping. Combining various shades of greys with neutrals is effortlessly chic, both in your wardrobe and the home. 

TOP: Dress | Cardigan | iPhone case | Necklace | Tote | Sandals | Nail polish

BOTTOM: Chair | Duvet | Bench | Polka dot pillow | Grey pillow | Rug | Sheets | Papier-mâché deer

R O S A N N I N C . C O M

Table Wear: Vino

This week on Table Wear we're creating a wine country-style room inspired by our Vino collection. Focusing on vibrant purples in varied hues and complementary rich wood tones, we've recreated a little slice of Napa. We even snuck in our own pressed glass goblets placed atop this gorgeous upcycled wine barrel tray. Cheers!

Rug | Pillows | Coffee table | Sofa | Chandelier | Tray | Vases | Goblets

R O S A N N I N C . C O M

Hang 'em up!

Dishes do double duty (say that ten times fast!) when artfully arranged on a wall. Here, we're showcasing L'Orangerie, a Spring-time favorite of lush green ferns and botanicals. 

Where's the orange?! 

Allow us to explain: l'orangerie is a French term used for green house. Historically, an orangery was built specifically for orange trees, but over time the word has become more generalized and is now used to described a green house of any variety. Also, we think it's pretty.

R O S A N N I N C . C O M

Falling for Pumpkins with Girly Obsessions

I've teamed up with Girly Obsessions again! This month I'm guest-blogging about my current Fall obsessions, and Girly Obsessions' is writing all about pumpkins! Take a look!

Hi everyone, it's Ashley here again from GirlyObsessions.com! I don't know about you, but this Fall has been flying by! October came and went in the blink of an eye and now we're in November, with the oranges of Halloween shifting into the browns and reds (and sparkles) of the upcoming holidays.

One of my favorite seasonal activities is taking a drive through the foliage to a local farm for apple and pumpkin picking. (I'm obsessed with all things pumpkin!) There is one in particular I go to every Fall after Hugh Jackman was spotted there a years ago. But, unfortunately, I never see him. Sigh. And this year my husband and I were about three weeks too late for picking anything, but luckily the farm had plenty of pre-picked stock for us to choose from! (By the way, I made sure to bring along my latest bag obsession, my Ink Blot Tote! It's light and roomy and perfect carrying all my fall goodies!)

So after leaving with a bag full of apples and mini pumpkins, and a few colorful mums, I came home to decorate for the season. Better late than never, right? And there is no reason the stash of mini pumpkins you bought need to be tossed out with the candy wrappers! They totally work as seasonal decor well into Thanksgiving. And one easy way to make them last, especially when they start getting a little funky, is to make them sparkle. A little glitter makes anything better, don't you think?

This is a very simple project that requires three things: a pumpkin, decoupage glue, and glitter. I used a combination of fine textured glitter in smoky quartz and onyx along with a coarse gold glitter. But the beauty of this project is you can use any color or texture glitter you like to match your style.

First, brush on the glue and then (generously) sprinkle on the glitter. I would do half the pumpkin, rest it on its side to dry, and then finish the other half. Then once it's dry, repeat the glue and glitter process to get full coverage. Finally, once the second coat is dry, add one last coat of glue to seal it all in. And then done! You now have sparkly pumpkins that will add an element of rustic elegance to your home for the holidays.

www.rosannainc.com

Spring Decor and a Special Spring Recipe

We're partnering with Social Couture this week! Stop by and read their post on hosting a lovely spring brunch!

Spring is almost here! Freshen up your home with springtime decorations. Each spring festival has its own set of symbols we can use to decorate our homes, but in general I decorate my home with green boughs, branches, potted spring flowers, and all the symbols of rebirth: bunnies, eggs, chicks, and ducks.

In your garden, find a nicely shaped barren branch or a spring branch with budding flowers. To preserve freshness, smash the bottom of the branch with a hammer so it will better absorb water. Place the branches in a tall vase of water. Decorate the branch with tiny symbols of the season: blow out eggshells and tie them with a ribbon, tie skinny pastel ribbons in bows with long tails, and set tiny figurines of bunnies, chicks, or ducks amid the twigs. Display in a hallway or on a mantle for a striking spring statement.

Find a hand-hewn willow basket about five and a half inches (14 centimeters) high. Line it with plastic and set small, colorful spring plants still in their containers inside the basket. Between the containers, put moss from a floral-supply store or home-decor store. This makes a charming centerpiece on a dining room table or as a beautiful explosion of color anywhere in the home. Be sure to water it regularly, misting the moss occasionally to revive its bright green color.

Find unusual vessels like 1960's Danish modern coffee pots or tall heavy cut crystal vases and fill them with branches or pussy willows.

Fill old silver-plate trays that are about ten inches (25 centimeters) long and about three inch (7.5 centimeters) deep with faux moss or grass. Nestle some pale-colored faux eggs in the moss and place the trays around the house.

Find some fun, vintage-looking bunnies, eggs, or birds and create a small tableau on an old silver tray. Pair with votives or a dramatic par of candlesticks to center the scene. Place in a prominent spot such as on a sideboard, the center of the dining table, or on a kitchen island.

Coconut Cream Pie

This delectable cream pie is a wonderful mixture of lightly toasted coconut and dense homemade cream base with hints of velvety vanilla. I love the combination of the slightly salty crust, the creamy filling, and the crunch of the toasted coconut. This pie makes a lovely spring dessert and a culinary treat.

MAKES 1 (9-INCH) (23 CM) PIE; SERVES 6 TO 8

1/2 recipe (1 ball) My Mom's Extra-Flaky Pie Crust Dough (see below)
1 1/2 cups (114 g) shredded sweetened coconut
5 large eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups (592 ml) whole milk
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1/4 cup (32 g) cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) fine sea salt
3 to 5 tablespoons (52 to 70 g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 1/2 tablespoons (22 ml) vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) (Gas mark 4). Roll the dough out to a circle 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick and fit it into a 9-inch (23 cm) pie pan. Trim and flute the edge. Line with parchment paper and fill with dried beans, rice, or metal pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes, until browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Lower the oven temperature to 300 F (149 C) (Gas mark 2).

Spread the coconut on a baking sheet. Toast until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool at room temperature.

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs until light yellow. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring the milk to the scalding point; you'll know the milk has reached the right temperature when a "skin" forms on top of the liquid.

In the top of a double boiler off the heat, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, then whisk in the heated milk until thoroughly combined. Put the pan over simmering water in the bottom part of the double boiler, then gradually add the beaten eggs, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and blend in the butter with an electric mixer. Stir in the vanilla.

Stir in 1 1/4 cups (127 g) of the toasted coconut, then spoon the mixture into the cooled pie shell and top with the remaining coconut. Cover with wax paper and refrigerate until cold. Serve.

My Mom's Extra-Flaky Pie Crust Dough

Make sure that you don't work the dough too much or the crust will be tough and not flaky.

MAKES ENOUGH FOR 1 (9-INCH) (23 CM) DOUBLE-CRUST PIE, OR 2 (9-INCH) (23 CM) SINGLE-CRUST PIES.

4 cups (512 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (6 g) finely ground sea salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) (340 g) cold organic unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/8 cup (28 g) cold organic vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (125 ml) ice water

Put the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter in small pieces and shortening and pulse until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal.

While pulsing the motor, slowly add the 1/2 cup (125 ml) ice water through the feed tube. If the dough has not formed a ball, add a little more water, pulsing until the dough forms a firm ball. Do not overprocess or the dough will be tough. Divide the dough ball in half and wrap each ball in plastic wrap. Set aside in the refrigerator for 1 hour before processing with the pie recipe.

Happy Spring!

With love,

www.rosannainc.com

Nesting, Part 1

By Rosanna's eldest daughter, Alessandra Wollner

About a week ago I signed the lease on my first post-college house. Despite the house’s quirks, I’ve fallen in love. From the moment I stepped across the threshold, I could feel it inviting me to fill these rooms, to make a house a home. It was an invitation I was more than happy to accept. 

It’s a big thing, moving into the first home of one’s own. Throughout this process, I’ve devoted significant psychic energy to one question: 

What makes a house a home? 

Nearly every waking hour finds me working on the answer to this question. The more I mull it over, the more answers I find. For now, here’s what I’ve got: 

Name Your Home

In Morocco, people name their houses—Dar Dmana, Dar Zaman, Dar Malek, Dar Afram. In Arabic dar means “house.” Morrocan transplant and writer Tahir Shah devoted two whole books to depictions of life at Dar Khalifa (The Caliph’s House), his home hidden deep in the heart of a Casablancan shantytown. 

I like the idea of naming a house. It acknowledges the fact that every house has a personality and a story, like us. Naming your house works the same way a pet name does; it deepens your fondness, drawing you closer to the object of your affection.   


Everything about our new house, from the inlaid wood floors to huge, verdant garden, feels charmed. And somehow, each furniture piece and decoration we add looks like it belonged here all along. In light of this enchanted environment, it felt natural when we started calling our new home “Magic House.” 

"Dar Danai" 

The Usable Used and the Free Store 

 “Home” to me means a place with soul. Homes acquire soul over time, which is why I much prefer to live in old houses rather than new ones. Magic House was built in 1890. 

The accrual of soul is the reason I furnish my home with previously owned or vintage objects and furniture. Chips and paint scratches welcome. Some people prefer the look of new Ikea products to found objects from their local thrift shop—that’s fine. Aesthetics are, after all, a matter of taste. I will maintain one thing: it’s easier than you think to find what you’re looking for secondhand; you just have to put a little time into the search. 

Almost anything you can imagine wanting already exists out there, slightly used but still perfectly usable. All it takes is a trip to Goodwill and a quick jaunt through ebay to realize that our world is stuffed with stuff. Now that I’ve seen what’s already out there, I find it nearly impossible to justify the purchase of anything new. Buying items secondhand is the way to go. It’s environmentally responsible and pretty fun, thanks to the thrill of the chase. Finding the thing I’m searching for often requires a little digging, but when I stumble upon it at last, the discovery always thrills me. Be forewarned: it’s also a little addictive.  

If you don’t care for Goodwill or flea markets, and lack the patience for online trolling, there is another place you can look. It’s close to home, you never encounter other shoppers there, and the prices can’t be beat. I’m talking about your parents’ basement. I call it “the Free Store.” 

Luminescent, Not Fluorescent

I detest overhead lighting. It’s unpleasant and harsh. Buy lamps. Floor, table, wall, whatever. Use 60-100 watt bulbs. If you’re not in the mood to buy new lighting, at least replace the harsh bulbs in your overhead fixtures with lower wattage alternatives. Full disclosure: these bulbs aren’t environmentally noble like halogen bulbs or fluorescents, but in this case I’m willing to bend my environmental ethics a little for the sake of an agreeable ambiance. 

Candlelight 

This one is obvious, and almost stupidly easy to execute. Here’s how: 

Buy a bag of votive candles. 

Take them home. 

Put them in holders.

Light them. 

If you don’t have holders, light the candles anyway. 

Any candlelight, even naked, adds instant warmth and sophistication to a space. Whenever my friends come over for dinner, they’re always inordinately impressed by the presence of lit candles. At which point I pull out the bag of unlit votives and reveal their country of origin: CVS. 

Original Art 

Original art and ambient lighting are the keys to making a space your own. Original art displays your aesthetic and creates an atmosphere unique to you. Note the adjective here—original art. Van Gogh still lifes, Matisse cutouts, and Warhol Campbell’s Soup prints do not count as original art. 

If you’re worried about cost, don’t be. Original art doesn’t have to be expensive. Take a trip in to your local thrift or antique store. I guarantee you’ll find at least one thing worth hanging on your wall that costs between $5-$50. Another good place to keep an eye out is at your weekly farmer’s or flea market. Local artists often make appearances at these venues to get their work out to the public. Etsy is another place to find a treasure trove of cool, original art. Watch out though—the site is extensive. Sucks me in every time.

My favorite way to procure original art by far is to collect work done by friends and family. When I can, I buy their pieces to support their work. Sometimes though, I get lucky and they give me a painting, print, drawing, or sculpture, much to my delight. A growing collection of paintings by my stepmother, Barbara Van Wollner, populates my walls. Whenever I move, I find a new place of honor to hang a painting by a visionary family friend, Carols Perez. Recently, we received a housewarming gift from Janet Delaney, a photographer who also happens to be a friend, mentor, and the mother of a college friend. Seeing her print in our kitchen every morning never gets old.

I love looking at these pieces and knowing someone I love created them. Needless to say, owning pieces by such brilliant artists whom I personally know also comes with an excellent set of bragging rights. 

By Janet Delaney

By Carlos Perez

By Barbara Van Wollner

Returning to the original question—What makes a house a home?—it’s obvious that our answers will vary; our homes are intimate reflections of our selves. Our homes telegraph our personalities and values to everyone we invite inside. In them we display items that expose our passions and hang photos that reveal whom we love and where we’ve come from. Regardless of how differently we answer that question that inspired this post, it’s undeniable that all of us seek the same essential things from our homes: comfort, safety, and rejuvenation. So—

How does comfort look? 

What makes you feel safe? 

What restores you? 

The key to figuring out what makes a house a home hinges on articulating the answers to these three questions and envisioning them. Once you do that, then congratulations—

you’re home. 

 *Still thinking about what makes a house a home. Check back soon for Nesting, Part 2

Magic House

Fall Decor

Living seasonally opens up a world of opportunity when it comes to decorating. The bounty of harvest time offers a literal cornucopia of natural elements to enhance your home environment. During these months, I incorporate the rich reds, oranges, golds, and yellows of autumn into my home in as many ways as I can.

Fall is the perfect season to take full advantage of the nature in your backyard, and, more broadly, in your area of the country. For example, Washington State is famous for its gorgeous apples. We grow over 40% of the apples for the entire United States! To celebrate the bounty unique to my part of the country, I arrange apples in a large bowl or compote to make a living centerpiece. (The other great thing about apples is that they last forever).

What grows best in your area? Perhaps if you live in the Midwest, you’ll decorate with dried corn. Or, if you’re in the Northeast, you could fill your house with bouquets of flaming fall foliage.

Pumpkins, whole or carved, are a must-have for every part of the country. Also keep an eye out at your local farmer’s market for unusual squash varieties to take home for arrangement, display, and eventual consumption!

Another beautiful fall décor element that comes straight from nature are nuts. I buy assorted collections of nuts still in their shells, and then display them in a big bowl with a nut cracker (not the Christmas kind). A bowl filled with nuts of various textures and shades of brown creates a fall look that is both inviting and edible.

Remember to light candles! Votives, pillars, tapers, or tea lights enhance fall decorations with warmth and magic.

Here are some of my favorite spots to decorate to inspire your own visions of fall decor:

-The front stoop
-The front door
-The entryway/front hall
-The dining room table
-The living room coffee table
-The living room/family room mantle
-The kitchen island 

www.rosannainc.com

New Starts

Hello everyone and Happy New Year! My apologies for staying silent so long. I’ve been very busy during these past few months preparing for the release of my new book Coming Home, which will go on sale in March (more updates on this exciting event to come.)

I’d like to talk about the new year and the opportunity for new beginnings. Renovating a living space is one of the most potent ways to wake our sluggish minds from their winter slumbers. “Home” is the space where we begin and end everyday and we often forget how much of an impact the atmosphere at home can have on our psyches.

Cleaning and rearranging our home space can help us become more dynamic and vital. It doesn’t take much. Here are some ways you can make your own small, new beginning at home:

Instead of tackling the entire kitchen, make a commitment to clean out and reorganize your refrigerator. Or your silverware drawer. Or the “junk” drawer. Or your pantry shelves. Give yourself one small project at a time that you know you can finish in one go. Afterwards, not only will your home be a better space, but you’ll also feel a sense of accomplishment.

Try out a few new recipes. Refresh your repertoire by adding a handful of fresh, healthy and seasonal dishes to the rotation. For inspiration flip through your favorite cookbook or visit your favorite food blog. I love Tastespotting for the gorgeous food photography. What could be more inspiring than the pictures of delicious meals?

When it comes to decorating our living spaces once we find a place for something it usually never moves again. We might occasionally add a new item here or there, but rarely do we take items away or swap them out for something else. Designers, however, do things a little differently...rotating their décor according to the season. I’m not talking about Halloween decorations in October or Christmas lights in December. Rotating your decor can be as simple as changing the centerpiece or tablecloth on your dining room table. Maybe that means a simple, delicate runner for the spring with a vase of fresh blooms. Or a rich, heavy tablecloth for the winter. Accompanied by a pair of dramatic candlesticks, like the ones in our Dauphine line.
Or maybe you place a few special items in your foyer that correspond with the season. A pumpkin and a lantern for the fall? A big bowl of ripe fruit for the summer?

Varying our home aesthetics, even just slightly, makes a huge difference. Don’t underestimate the power of some small new things to combat the monotony of the routine.

My new book Coming Home is a great guide to seasonal, mindful living filled with more ideas like these. Sometimes, all it takes is a little nudge to make a subtle change that surprises us with its big impact.






www.rosannainc.com