FOCAL POINT STYLING: Love Neutrals? Get Southwest Chic!

This Moodboard Monday asks: How does a city girl move here metropolitan style out west and merge it into her Fashion + Home decor? Answer: She keeps her foundation neutral, and merges rustic details with her east coast influences to do the desert and get Southwest Chic! If you love neutrals, but you're looking for a way to refresh its style this Fall season - Southwest Chic is the look for you...

Southwest Chic Mix - Fashion + Decor

Benjamin Moore has some great neutral colors,

also inspired by the desert...

Benjamin Moore Colors:

1. Desert Light

2. Desert Twilight

3. Desert Tan

4. Desert Sunset

5. Desert Camel

Geode & Gold Cuff

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A desert lifestyle can merge both fashion & decor...

Mix textiles & stones...

Agate & Gold Cuff

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Petrified Wood Bookends

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Agate Stacking Boxes

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Petrified Wood Bookends

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Southwest Chic

Keeping the foundation neutral is key plus mixing in metals and pattern scale in related colors. Antique brass accents work great as the metal mix. Navajo textiles are indicative of the southwest area, but an alternative this native motif can be Mexican. Although Mexican textiles can be very vibrant and colorful, you can also find them simplified in shades of grey (just not 50!) plus black & white paired with a color like brown or red.

Mexican textiles from Urban Outfitters last Fall,

but easy to find thru thrift or markets living in the southwest...

The textiles can be used as a throw, or hung as wall art, and are also durable enough to layer with other woven rugs.

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BTW: HAPPY BIRTHDAY RALPH LAUREN!!

Born October 14!

When we were getting ready to move out west, two key elements I wanted to add to our existing decor to make it more "Arizonian" were a cow skull and a Navajo rug or pillows. Not Navajo, but I did recently score a Mexican blanket in Black & White at Goodwill... Not a bad add for only $4. At various markets, (especially up in Sedona) these Mexican blankets & textiles would run from $28 - &78 each...

My PINspiration...

Scored at Goodwill...

A simple add to modern decor for a southwest chic look:

Textiles & Cow Skull

A master at mixing fashion and decor influenced by the southwest colors, climate and landscape is Ralph Lauren. I just LOVED the look he had created this past Summer called Desert Modern - He also brought the outside in...

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Definitely not the 80's look of southwest!

And because it's so neutral, a simple layer of color can change it for a season - for example: add touches of turquoise in the Summer. The southwest style also mixes well with other motifs such as Moroccan, Aztec and American Indian. Pairing the rich textiles, worn leathers and woods works beautifully with white...