In the BOH series What I Love, we’re asking designers to build us a mood board of what’s inspiring them right now.
Growing up in Maryland, Regan Billingsley was surrounded by Provençal flourishes and Parisian flair thanks to the decorating whims of her Francophile mother. But today, a different country and culture has captured her heart. Guatemala, with its rich history of weaving, now informs many aspects of her work—and her social activism. In addition to her eponymous firm, which has locations in Washington, D.C., and Naples, Florida, the designer founded RB Curated, an interiors brand rooted in preservation, sustainability, and equitable partnership with artisans across Latin America.
“My mood board is inspired by the layered, sensory richness of our sourcing trips to Guatemala, where even everyday objects are made with care and imbued with significance,” says Billingsley. That includes antique scissors found at an artisans market and a backstrap loom like those used by weavers in the Mayan community, the largest indigenous group in Guatemala. “Hand-forged tools, time-honored techniques, colors pulled straight from the land, and natural materials all underscore the enduring value of craft,” she explains.
By natural materials, Billingsley means custom-glazed tiles, ethically produced wood cutting boards and bespoke beeswax candles. But she also means zesty limes, aromatic coffee beans and impossibly fresh pineapples. “It’s all about crafted living—a celebration of the handmade, the meaningful and the deeply personal,” she continues. “Every item, from marled threads and woven textiles to carved wood and painted masks, reflects a way of living that values intention over abundance and balances beauty with real functionality.” Here, the designer highlights the colors, patterns and flavors she’d bring to a thoughtfully curated and culturally diverse home.
1. EXOTIC WOOD CUTTING BOARD/serving platter BY ITZA WOOD
“This handcrafted cutting board is made in Petén, Guatemala—home to the ancient city of Tikal and the largest remaining tropical forest in Central America. We admire Itza Wood’s commitment to ethical craftsmanship, using certified sustainable woods and investing in the local community through education and employment. It reflects our own values.”
2. PINEAPPLE
“Pineapple is one of the many fruits that tastes completely different in Guatemala [than in the United States]—sweeter, brighter, like the sun got involved. Every time I’m there for a sourcing trip, I start my day with a bowl of local fruit. It’s a small ritual, but one that reminds me why I keep coming back. Nothing compares.”
3. BACKSTRAP LOOM FROM CASA FLOR DESIGNS
“I found this traditional backstrap loom on the shelves of Casa Flor, carefully rolled to protect the intricate weaving inside. This ancient technique—still practiced today by Maya communities in Guatemala—is as much about heritage as it is about skill. Watching weavers patiently lift each thread with such care and precision is so inspiring.”
4. ICE BLUE COLORWAY
“Known as gris claro in Spanish, ice blue is a core colorway in my designs, chosen for both its significance in traditional Guatemalan weaving and its quiet versatility. Soft blues and silvery grays often appear in ceremonial textiles, symbolizing water, sky and clarity. It’s a tone that grounds a space with elegance while offering the perfect base for thoughtful layering.”
5. MUÑECA FABRIC BY THE YARD BY RB CURATED
“Our Muñeca fabric is handwoven on a foot loom using the intricate falsería technique. Each yard takes over eight hours to complete. The refined pattern is inspired by the traditional muñeca quitapenas, or Guatemalan worry dolls. Rooted in folklore, these tiny dolls are given to children to whisper their worries to before placing them under a pillow—symbols of comfort, storytelling and resilience.”
6. SHADO PENDANT BY SIN
“What I love most about this pendant is how it plays with contrast—lightness and gravity, softness and structure. Crafted in ceramic but inspired by the folds of paper, it feels both effortless and deliberate. Its form brings a poetic quiet to a space, while the downcast light adds just the right amount of glow. It’s more than a fixture—it’s a moment suspended in the room.”
7. PALM LEAF
“Spotted in a garden in Antigua, Guatemala, this palm leaf is a reminder of the country’s extraordinary biodiversity. Each year during our sourcing trips, we carve out time to explore the lush tropical landscape, where the flora and fauna are as vibrant and varied as the textiles themselves.”
8. DUNIS TILE IN SAFARI BY FILMORE CLARK
“We’re firm believers that handmade tile brings soul to a space in a way mass production never can. Dunis tile is a celebration of American-made craftsmanship. Each piece is shaped by skilled hands, resulting in rich glazes, nuanced textures and perfectly imperfect variations.”
9. SATIN BRASS TEXTURED EDGE PULL BY HOFFMAN HARDWARE
“This textured pull is a small detail that helps carry a cohesive language throughout a room, reminding us that even the most functional elements can be beautiful. It brings a sense of softness and flow to cabinetry or custom furniture, and the living finish only gets better with age.”
10. SUPPORT THE HARVEST BY P14 COFFEE
“Mornings start with coffee—always. Coffee is Guatemala’s second-largest export, and coffee farms cover the landscape between the weaving communities we partner with. We love it so much, we bring it home through a subscription to Support the Harvest, which gives access to small-batch, experimental Guatemalan coffees—from classic washed to wild fermented varieties. It’s a delicious way to keep Guatemala in our mornings, even from afar.”
11. TRADITIONAL HAND-PAINTED JAGUAR MASK FROM NIM PO’T
“In Guatemala, hand-carved and hand-painted masks have long played a role in traditional ceremonies—blending ancestral knowledge with artistic expression. We search for masks at Nim Po’t, a favorite shop in Antigua known for its thoughtfully curated selection. The jaguar symbolizes strength, protection, and the bridge between the earthly and the divine. Keeping watch from the wall, it brings a sense of story and intrigue to any room—and a playful layer of protection too.”
12. ANTIQUE SCISSORS
“Found in the Mercado de Artesanias in Antigua, these antique scissors are a vital tool in the weaving process and a quiet reminder of the hands behind every finished piece. Guatemalan markets are full of everyday objects with deep history, where function and beauty intertwine. They carry memory and emotion, grounding a home in something deeper than aesthetics.”
13. WAVE KAL RUG BY TANTUVI STUDIO
“We’re always searching for chic, artisan-made, indoor-outdoor rugs—and the Wave Kal checks every box. Handwoven on a traditional panja loom using PET fiber made from recycled plastic bottle caps, it’s both eco-conscious and incredibly refined. The tight weave gives it a soft, durable finish that works just as beautifully indoors as it does outside.”
14. TINY TERRI ROUND ACCENT LAMP IN HAND-RUBBED ANTIQUE BRASS BY THOMAS O’BRIEN FOR VISUAL COMFORT & CO.
“The Tiny Terri lamp is a staple in our projects thanks to its versatility, thoughtful design and understated beauty. We love layering it into bookshelves, tucking it into cabinetry, setting it on mantels, or nestling it into a cocktail bar—wherever we want a soft, ambient glow. We often make it our own by swapping in a custom shade crafted from handwoven sheers by our Guatemalan partners.”
15. ASSORTED THREADS
“We source many of our threads from the town of Salcajá, where textile traditions have been passed down for generations. The thread shops here are humble but rich with history—walls lined with vibrant cones of cotton. Salcajá is believed to be the birthplace of Guatemalan jaspe (ikat), and its legacy as a textile hub lives on in every skein.”
16. SMALL SKIRTED CANDLE IN IVORY BY OBAKKI
“Hand-poured beeswax candles from Obakki smell deliciously earthy and natural, while also conveying tradition and artistic intentionality. We like to add candles of various shapes and sizes to our designs as small, beautiful displays of craftsmanship that are also functional and grounding.”
17. MEZCLADO THROW BLANKET BY RB CURATED
“Our Mezclado throw is minimal at first glance, but reveals its depth in the details. Two shades of cotton are carefully twisted together by hand—a technique requiring expert skill—before being woven, creating the marled texture that sets this piece apart. Individual panelsl are then seamlessly joined. The result is our softest throw: nuanced and effortlessly elegant, with a muted palette that brings warmth and calm to any space.”
18. ÓVALO FABRIC BY THE YARD in Caki BY RB CURATED
“Our Óvalo fabric requires the precise coordination of 50 heddles—a level of difficulty that demands deep technical expertise and intimate knowledge of weaving traditions. The elegant oval motif is especially rare in Guatemalan textiles, where geometric forms typically dominate. Its presence here reflects both innovation and reverence: a union between contemporary expression and ancestral symbolism.”
19. LIMES
“The lime is a staple in Guatemalan cooking, bringing a bright, citrusy lift to just about every dish. After several hours spent under the Guatemalan sun, nothing beats a tall glass of limonada con hierbabuena—cool, fresh and just the right kind of reviving. And when the day calls for something stronger, we’ll take that same limón in a cocktail with Guatemalan rum (mojito, daiquiri, you name it). We keep a bowl of limes on the bar cart and a stash in the fridge—because a squeeze of lime just makes everything taste better.”
