A Tienda To Love

This looks like a shop somewhere in Spain. All I see is that I need a vacation. A real one. I'll be planning one this weekend. We leave for somewhere as soon as the Easter Holiday has passed. More on my vacation spot pick next week. Happy Easter.

Decorating in the Tall Trees of Vilnius

I am now living less than a kilometer away from a cemetery among the tall trees. I love it and I actually love my new house..or, erm, I love its deco potential. I'll be painting and tinkering a lot with it. It is decidedly dated...that bathroom, for example, will be a challenge. I am replacing my Brussels furniture with some new pieces and I am looking forward to the end result. And yes, it comes with a sauna too.

An Alabaster Monday

Rick Owens Alabaster Bed

 

 

 

Randy Zeiber Alabaster Lighting

 

Kelly Wearstler Alabaster Sconce

 

 

Alabaster Ceramic Tiles

 

 

1930s Alabaster Sculpture

 

This is a perfectly acceptable alternative and affordable to Italian marble in my book. 

The Cotton House Hotel

 

Photos Found Here

I went to Barcelona by myself, maybe 7 years ago. I remember well that I was starving in the evenings-- dinner time was around 10 pm and not a moment earlier. The food was exceptional but my belly was not happy about eating at such a late hour. I especially remember that trip because I took a bus, about two to two and half hours to the Costa Brava, where I spent a wonderful, peaceful weekend in a rustic little room by the seaside. I would go back to Barcelona. It is an amazing city to do an architectural tour.

There is a lovely hotel in Barcelona called the Cotton House Hotel. This is it, above.  I love that it is not straight-up contemporary. There is a mix of furniture styles. I also love the designs on the upholstered doors in the rooms. This looks like a good place to start if planning a return to Barcelona.

Decorate!

All Images from Pinterest

 

So, are you decorating, or are you decorating? There's really no other option. Don't let me start shouting at you--one must observe the Christmas season by decorating like no other plans matter.

What Would I See: Lee Mindel

 

I have often wondered, if I were an artist, a photographer, an architect, what would I see as a rambled around the world? How would it inspire my work? Lee Mindel is an architect "with a near photographic memory" who has designed for Sting and Ralph Lauren, among others. He says he is moved by the strength, simplicity and rigour of Louis Khan's buildings; and travels with no fewer than four cameras, all with different lenses, because he is not a formally-trained photographer and struggles with changing lens. I went to play voyeur at instagram again because I wanted to see what an architect sees.

 

 

Photos from Lee Mindel's Instagram, 1st Dibs and Wall Street Journal

 

You can definitely see that Mindel gravitates to clean lines, symmetry and uniformity in layout. It appears that everything he sees in real life is edited via a camera lens and then processed-- even his rooms look as though he designed them, and then took a camera, viewed the finished room through its lens and proceeded to edit the final space.

 

 

 

 

Jo Malone and Lisa Fine: Copy That

This is Jo Malone's London advertising campaign for its Mimosa and Cardamom fragrance. If you saw the post of my living room you know just how much I like blue and white Chinese porcelain. But I love this picture for more than just the blue and white. It definitely portrays the bohemian vibe. Look at the throw pillows and the leopard print in the background. I also love that everything is anchored by the red.

 

 

This picture, above, is from House Beautiful's November 2015 spread of Lisa Fine's home. Again, the blue and white porcelain and a pop of red and lots of jumbled pattern.

 

If ever one wanted to create a pop of Bohemia in their home these two pictures, above, can be used as inspiration. I thought I'd help you along.

 

I think this would make for a grand foyer. And I would definitely paint the walls a bright, sunny yellow, broken up by a bit of wainscoting on the lower 1/3 of the wall.

 

Indian pearl inlay console: 1stdibs; John Richard Cheetah Chairs: Horchow; Blue and White ceramics Bombay Company; Ceramic Parrots and Parrot Dyptyc: One Kings Lane; Belgian Tapestry: Mille Fleurs Tapestries.

 

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Welcome December!

 

Darlings, I just wanted to give you a nudge, a poke and the tiniest bit of encouragement. I'd love to pass on my love for the Christmas season to you through your computer screen, but alas, technology fails us on this one.  I know many people who get into a big fat stink during the holidays and I get it. And then, I don't.

 

 

 

Pull up your big girl drawers and make merry for you, for your family and especially for the little ones. Start out with the littlest things. Grab a candle at the supermarket and one or two reindeer; buy one of those cute little red toy cars at the dollar store or the pound shop; tie a red bow on a door knob; and if all else fails, pop by the green grocer for a pomegranate, grab some cranberry juice, maraschino cherry syrup and some cava and make a fizzy delight.

 

 

 

Slowly build your way up to merry. It's December!