Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1020305
50 H ouston designer Paloma Contreras is not a designer cliché. She didn't start redecorating her room at the age of five, didn't attend design school, didn't apprentice under a renowned designer. She was a restless Katy high school Spanish teacher who traveled to Europe for the first time and felt a spark. When she returned home in the summer of 2007, she started a blog, La Dolce Vita. Thanks to her keen editorial eye and intense work ethic, the blog took off, and her design business followed suit. She appeared on the cover of Domino, was named a House Beautiful Next Wave designer, and most recently landed a spot on the coveted Elle Decor A-List. And if you've ever met Houston-based Contreras, you know she is resolutely dedicated to her craft. This month, her first book was published by Abrams: Dream Design Live. Equal parts fascinating personal story and Design 101, the book is a practical guide to Contreras' design process. The book is separated into three sections: "Dream" chronicles inspiration and how to channel it within your home; "Design" provides design advice in layman's terms; and "Live" shares entertaining and accessorizing tips. Fourteen of Contreras' projects, including her own home, illustrate the book, photographed handsomely by photographers Max Burkhalter and Brittany Ambridge. Sprinkled throughout are diagrams on mixing furniture, lighting, and accessories; and advice from top design talents Kelly Wearstler, Alexa Hampton, and Martyn Lawrence Bullard. THE SWEET LIFE INSIDE PALOMA CONTRERAS' WORLD BY ANNE LEE PHILLIPS Paloma Contreras Paloma Contreras