Photography: Danielle Moss

Alex Berlin makes her living creating unique, welcoming, aesthetically pleasing homes as an interior designer. She used her home decor expertise to create the perfect home for her fiancé, her dog and herself. Alex took great care cultivating the perfect mix of pieces for her home and it certainly paid off. Muted greys combine with touches of pink and gold to bridge the dichotomy of masculine and feminine, and small accent pieces pair with large statement pieces to create a cohesive space. Alex invited us into her home and spoke with us about her foray into design, style aesthetic and personal blog: Things That Sparkle.

“I wore these Valentino shoes to our engagement party so they will always be a little special to me. And who doesn’t love a 5″ heel with a big fat bow?”

How did you first get interested in interior design?
I have always been interested in interior design, ever since I was a little girl locking myself in my room to rearrange my furniture, I just never thought it could be a career. I went into advertising after college and really thought it would be a perfect fit, but 2 years in, something was missing. I started my blog and my passion for design continued to grow from there. I left my job, went back to graduate school for design and opened my firm a couple of months later.

“This is our beloved Jayson Home & Garden sofa that took us two years to choose. But I am so glad we waited because we love it! Its deep and comfy and the perfect dark accent for the space.”

What is your favorite part about being an interior designer?
I love that every single project is different. It is so much fun being a part of the creative process of making a home that my client loves to be in. I also really love the combination of design and business, for me its strikes a perfect balance.

“Our living room is the perfect place to plop down and catch up on magazines, DVR and life. We spend the majority of our time on this couch with our pup!” JBrand jeans, Iro jacket, Vince silk blouse

How did you get into blogging? What is the best thing about having a blog?
As I mentioned before, my blog was a creative outlet for me during a time where I wasn’t professionally satisfied. I figured a couple of my friends would read it and it would be a good place to store pretty pictures. And for a year, that’s really all it was. Then I discovered there was an entire community of people out there, that not only are friendly and welcoming but incredibly supportive. The best part about having a blog? I can’t name just one. The incredible people I’ve “met”, the encouragement I have been given, and maybe most importantly, the opportunities that have come out because of it. A large number of my clients come from Things That Sparkle, it is like a portfolio that is updated daily, I couldn’t ask for anything better!

“The Amanda Talley painting in the dining room, was the very piece first of real art I ever purchased. I had been in love with her work for years and knew it would be perfect for our big empty wall. I commissioned the piece and worked closely with Amanda on colors and patterns. I am head over heels for it.” Jcrew necklace, Nieves Lavi pants, Joie Silk top and Miu Miu shoes.

Tell us about your home! How is it an expression of yourself?
My home is not only an expression of myself, but an expression of me and my fiancé. When we moved in together three years ago I had no idea he had so many opinions regarding interior design. So every step of the way we made decisions together on the functionality of pieces, while still keeping a sharp eye on the aesthetics. It took us 2 years to choose a couch that he thought was comfortable and I liked the look of. Quite the challenge. In the end we made a home together that is eclectic, comfortable and welcoming. We entertain a lot and I would say we have created a perfect space to do that. There are touches of pink and gold (for me) and plenty of greys for him.

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