Roxy Sowlaty // 5 Design Tips

Roxy Sowlaty lives and breathes everything design and beauty. Because your home should always be #glowy, we asked her 5 tips to creating good vibes in any space. Roxy Sowlaty, our very own Tara's older sister, runs her own interior design firm along with a line of home goods. Her roots in design began at age 16, when she started a clothing line with Tara called RoxTar. Starting this brand showed the girls how to transform design into a full-fledged business. After this, Roxy earned an undergraduate degree from USC’s Marshall School of Business and went on to obtain her Masters degree in interior design from the Parsons New School of Design in NYC. She loves fashion but she realized her heart was in interiors when she started helping her friends and acquaintances redesign their homes and offices.

During her time in New York, Roxy worked free-lance on a number of residential projects in Manhattan as well as a home in Aspen – which certainly confirmed her love for interior design. Now back in LA, she has opened her own interior design firm specializing in high end residential projects and is simultaneously launching an online do-it-yourself interior design website and home goods product line. Her new Princess Candle is the first in line of her home goods-- an intoxicatingly amazing smell of green accord with a white rose base in the main body, with hints of warm oakmoss, tonka & musk. She has more scents in the works, along with pillows, home decor, and more!

Roxy's brain is seriously hard-wired to think in terms of aesthetics. She literally dreams of colors, patterns, furniture, and design as she falls asleep! She's truly one of the kindest and most helpful souls we know, always wanting to bring beauty and #glow to every person she meets. Whether it's clothing or furniture, she really has an incredible eye to accessorize and push limits to create intriguing beauty. Her specialty lies in finding chic aesthetics on a budget-- especially getting creative to find ways to achieve luxe design without spending a fortune.

Roxy's 5 Design Tips to Make Your Interiors #Glowy:

1. COLOR SCHEME -- Pick a color palate, of up to 3 colors, and incorporate that through your pillows, accents, and artwork. Sticking to 3 colors brings cohesion to your space.

2. SYMMETRY -- Adding at least 1 element of symmetry to your space will make worlds of a difference. It is soothing and pleasing to the eye and creates balance within your space. But don't get too carried away with symmetry, add in some odds and ends to create interest and definition.

3. GOOD SCENTS -- Always have your interiors smelling good, scents are just as important as the design itself!

4. BIGGER IS BETTER -- Well duh. LOL, but no really always go bigger with furniture pieces than smaller. Bigger pieces make your room feel bigger. It's counter intuitive I know but trust me!

5. THE PERFECT RUG -- Because your rug is usually the biggest item, it's important that the rug is perfectly cohesive! Your rug should marry your color scheme and style. It becomes the most grounding part of your design-- literally and figuratively. The style of your rug defines the direction and feel of your room.

HOW THEY GLOW QUESTIONNAIRE

NAME: Roxy Sowlaty

WHERE'D YOU GROW UP? Beverly Hills, CA

WHEN YOU'RE EATING HEALTHY, WHAT IS A TYPICAL... When I'm eating healthy I definitely try to avoid carbs after lunch

BREAKFAST: I usually eat whatever I want for breakfast-- I feel like it doesn't count!! I'm definitely an egg person, so my breakfasts usually consist of eggs, toast and fruit.

LUNCH: I am obsessed with tuna, so lunch is usually a tuna salad, tuna sandwich or a spicy tuna sushi pack from Whole Foods (they're delish!)

DINNER: I oddly only really crave sushi, pasta or chicken so my dinners are accordingly sushi, pasta when I'm indulging or chicken breast and salad!

SNACK: I snack on almonds, walnuts, fruit and granola.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS/ RESTAURANTS TO EAT HEALTHY? I don't really go to "healthy" restaurants; rather, I try to find the healthy and yummy options at the restaurants that I frequent. I love Chaumont's kale salad, South Beverly Grill's Greek chicken, Freds' Madison Avenue salad, La Scala tuna chop, E Baldi's chicken salad, Le Pain's chicken curry, M Cafe's salmon, Sugarfish trust me lite, etc...

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INDULGENCE? My favorite indulgence is ice cream (my guiltiest pleasure) and a good cheeseburger!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO INDULGE? Hmmmm I don't have a favorite place my indulge, I usually follow my craving to find my place of indulgence!!

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR LAST MEAL ON EARTH? My last meal on earth would include: Penne Madeo, Sushi of Gari's salmon tomato, Rubirosa meatballs, a delicious homemade cheeseburger and, of course, ice cream. What a frightening combo?!!!!

WHAT IS THE BEST DISH YOU COOK/ YOUR FAVORITE RECIPE? I'm not very good at cooking, I'm more of a baker. But I do make the most delicious nachos and mac'n cheese. I also make a fabulous parfait.

WHERE DO YOU GROCERY SHOP IN LA? I usually grocery shop at Whole Foods and local farmers markets.

WHAT IS YOUR FITNESS REGIMEN? I spin 2 times a week at SoulCycle. It really allows me to eat what I want and maintain my weight.

WHAT IS YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE? I have recently become Lancer obsessed (there are many of us in LA)! I have oily skin and when I went to China a few years ago my skin really acted up-- two trips to Lancer and his Blemish Control face wash and moisturizer later, and voila my skin was back in shape and glowier than ever! His products are phenomenal!!

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE NATURAL MAKEUP/ BEAUTY PRODUCTS? I love Chantecaille foundation. Lancome Hypnose mascara is just the best thing in the world - I normally have lash extensions, but when I'm taking a break and lash free (as I am now) this mascara is just like no other. Terry baume de rose lip balm is the yummiest ever. My Edward Bess highlighter is one of my favorite things. Nars matte lip pencils are the best too - I'm currently stuck on "Biscayne Park." Rodin hair oil is life changing-- trust me. I live off of hair texturizing sprays - Oribe and Serge Normant are the best.

IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT THREE THINGS WOULD YOU TAKE WITH YOU?

1.  SPF - don't need wrinkles

2.  A fabulous book - probably a love story

3. Mascara - incase I run into a boy?!

WHAT PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY/FITNESS/HEALTH GURUS DO YOU SWEAR BY? I have a guru. She is an Ayurvedic practiconer and genius. Her name is Martha and she founded the incredible Surya Spa. She changed my life and my relationship with my body and food. I recommend people I love to her to experience her love and wisdom.

My other guru is my sister and #glowgirl Tara. She always gives me the best insight on food and fitness routines-- and whenever I've gained a few extra, she's the first person I call frantically of course, and she gets me right back on track :)

TOP FAVORITE SONGS?

1. Gyptian - "Hold Yuh" reminds me of Maha Yoga and forever love this song 

2.  Any old Kayne

MOST LIFE-CHANGING BOOK? Fountainhead 

WHAT'S THE BEST GIFT YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED? Lychee Lou-- my 6lb energy-filled maltese. She brings the biggest smile to mine and everyone's face!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE YOU’VE EVER VISITED / HOTEL? It's so hard to pick one favorite, they are all so beautiful and spectacular in their own way.. I recently went to the AmanZoe in Greece and it was truly the most breathtaking hotel and setting I have ever seen. It was heaven.

DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY. My perfect day is spending time with my friends and family and just laughing and telling stories. Some delicious Persian food wouldn't hurt either :)

WHAT IS YOUR MOST VALUABLE BEAUTY TIP/SECRET? My most valuable beauty tip is definitely happiness. So cheesy I know but nothing makes me feel more beautiful and glowy than being happy and confident with myself!

WHAT MAKES YOU GLOW? Love

Photography by: Emily Knecht