Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I’m so grateful to be able to appreciate all the blessings we have; Sometimes I still catch myself bothered by minimal things that, under the light of the Paris tragedy , shouldn’t even face me, but I’m spoiled and impatient and need to be reminded how precious life is and how it all can change in a split second.
I’m so grateful for my family, they are my everything, it shouldn’t matter that we live in different places of the country and of the world, what matters is that we are alive and that we love each other and we have each other’s back.
I’m grateful for friends, real ones, the ones that stay with you when you are down and cheer for you when you are up. They are rare and precious and we should treasure them for the blessing they are.
I’m grateful for the little moments and the little things, those that fill us with joy and hope, making it all worth it; the moments we hold on to forever to remember anytime we want or need to. We only need to take the time to bring them back, pause for a while and accept them for what they are, presents from God, the opportunity to relive and experience the love again, perhaps not in the same way we would like to, but not less real for that so… We realize as we age, that we almost don’t know anything, The more we live, the more we learn, the better we understand how little our grasp of the universe is, how minuscule our understanding of the power of the brain… How limited our perception of the greatness of the soul!
Today, after complaining for days about my computer’s wireless mouse freezing all the time, after being frustrated because even though I bought a new mouse I still can’t connect it to the computer because I can’t sinc them! Today I realized I still have an iPad and an iPhone to THANK YOU for the more than 16,000 visits to my little blog… More than 16,000 visits to my only 37 posts…. I’m humbled and grateful…. Even though for some bloggers that number might be small, it is not to me! it means the world to see people from all over the world in here, specially all the people from France these last days… I’m GRATEFUL for you all and I’m sending you my love.
I’m writing this on my phone and I’m not good at revising what I write, so forgive me for the mistakes, I just want you to know that I do feel you and I do appreciate you.
Finally and more importantly, I’m grateful for God, for His Love and teachings, for my faith, for always asking me to love and respect all, for asking me not to judge. For expecting me to help and serve others regardless. For asking me to be humble and for teaching me that joy is only found in love and compassion for all, for teaching me that there is no joy in a mean spirit who only looks up for its self and self gratification. For teaching us that we come from light and we come from love, that we are all one and that we need each other to connect with the source of it all. His love. I’m grateful that my God never asked me to kill and hate others in order to be able to go to heaven and I’m grateful I was never taught otherwise. Not everybody is that lucky.
Downton Abbey influenceMixed patterns, gold and silver working together in this tablescape I created for a friend
Yesterday I was playing around with tablescape designs, preparing ideas for a friend who asked me for help with a Christmas dinner party she was having at home. She was a little nervous, it was going to be a semi-formal event and she couldn’t afford the time or the expenses to go shopping just for that. Even though I had to put together something with the few things I had, it shows once again that we can do a lot with what we have at hand, an example of that is the throw I brought from the livingroom to use as a tablecloth, at the moment I had red apples and that is what I used in addition to a leaf pulled from the mantel wreath. I know it’s not perfect or ideal, but I was trying to show her how to put together something pretty with a little imagination. The napkin was actually a hand towel….
Gold, red and silver, and the living room throw!
It is amazing the way we can communicate with each other nowadays, instantaneously, with images and sound that rival those of cinema! We can even add enhancements or erase blemishes if we choose to do so, all this in the comfort of our homes and in our pajamas!
My friend was really happy with the results. We “toured”, or to use the interior design lingo, we “shopped” her house and put things together in a way she never had imagine possible, now I am sure, next time she’ll be able to do it by herself.
It is hard to know if all is good about this mind blowing technology but it sure has some unbelievable advantages. I don’t want to go into that now and talk about the problems associated with it either… Overall I believe it is like a dream come true, it brings us all together, makes the world even smaller, show us how alike we are, broaden our markets without limits, keep us connected to our families, helps us create new ones and rediscover old friends. To me it is like if the Harry Potter’s books I used to read to my children at bedtime, had come to life, it appears that magic has sipped through the books’ pages and became one with reality… just fascinating…
As always I talk and talk about everything! Ok then! I was only going to share the first tablescape inspiration I made for my friend and I did. Tomorrow I might have another one if necessary. In the mean time I’ll include some gorgeous images that always inspire me and I hope they inspire you to have some fun and create one of your own. Have a great friday night!
We can do the same thing in different scale while keeping the beauty of itHow beautiful can this be? I almost never wear red anymore but I can appreciate it in other peopleI wish I had all this beautiful stuff to work with…My love for candles….BaccaratMore inspiration..Le Rouge… Exquisite!Scrumptious!Napoleon’s Dining Room, Le LouvreSinful temptation, liquid inspirationValentino, beyond beautifulWow…A little Downton Abbey to put us in the mood! So elegant..Le Rouge et le NoirTHE VICTORIAN TABLE! THEY ACTUALLY NEEDED ALL THAT INDEED.Lady in red, a princess dressI wonder if one day we’ll be able to travel in time…HISTORY… WHAT CAN I SAY! IT ALWAYS SHOWS US WHERE WE CAME FROM AND HOW FAR WE HAVE GONE…. OR NOTTHE COLORS ARE SO RICH THAT MAKE THE TABLESCAPE FEEL WARM AND WELCOMINGHOW ROMANTIC! 1904 NOW WE KNOW WHY THEY ALWAYS PUT THAT WEIRD LOOKING FISH FORK! THEY NEEDED ALL THOSE FORKS AND KNIVES FOR ALL THE COURSES THEY SERVED, OF COURSE THAT WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE ARMY OF MAIDS AND BUTLERS THEY USE TO HAVE…Cristal Room, Baccarat. ParisThe Butlers… the wizards of all ! (That was good!)What a table! Cristal Room, Baccarat, ParisThe tableThe ladiesMore Downton Abbey! Majestic..R.M.S MAJESTIC MENU – SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20TH 1890. Broiled Kidney?!!!! Calves Liver?!!!! Somebody help me please! Disgusting.The contrasts inevitably…
I FEEL SICK JUST READING THE MENU… I’M SO GLAD I WASN’T BORN DURING THE VICTORIAN ERA…
I finished the front porch’s urn today. Perhaps I should have waited to finish the door’s wreath to post this but I’m not sure I am going to make one. The porch is kind of small and since I made the planter pretty big I don’t want it to look like too much for the space!
I’m not sure it’s going to stay like that, it might look too busy or too crowded for me tomorrow. I always need to step back and relax, rest my eyes and then I’m able to “edit” whatever I am doing.First I added a few branches I cut from the field behind my house ( the next day they started to die and look bad!) So far for pretending to be Martha! I was feeling so proud and decisive, resourceful and assertive! I was playing the role of Martha Stewart in my own movie, fake it until you make it! like I knew what I was doing!… Ha! those branches showed me! They bursted my buble. I didn’t want the neighbors to see!!! the same ones that approached me the day before enchanted with my creation! I took the compliments graciously! The next day I was exposed! I’m just a city girl (Girl?… oh well! why not! you can’t see me from there anyways and that’s the way I feel almost everyday. Almost.) A city girl that ended up living in the midwest, who admires those wonderful master gardeners with their beautiful lush gardens, (they seem to be everywhere here with their additional organic vegetable gardens!) but who doesn’t know a thing about plants! I know how to play with them, decorate with them, combine them, create pretty things with them but It seems I also know how to kill them….Enough said.I wish I had done something like this… When the kids were little I actually took the time and the money to do it, now I just want to be Martha or… why stop at that?! the amazing Carolyne Roehm! Walk graciously through my gardens selecting and picking, ( with no apparent effort and without breaking a sweat) the fruits of my crops and all nature’s bounty that appears to surround them at all times!My gourds, (or little pumpkins thingies) look like duckies or swans! so cute 😉 You see? playing already!This might look too busy or too crowded for me tomorrow. It is important to always step back, take a moment or two to relax, rest your eyes, do something else and then you’ll be better able to edit and to judge what is working and what is not. At least that works for me.Evergreen from the front yard added, check!I didn’t wear gloves while cutting the evergreen … Oh boy, those needles are nasty and have a kind of glue that stick to your fingers and it’s difficult to clean… All worthy! I love the fresh smell of pineSo cute!Close-up. Ain’t that pretty? Not bad for a city girl 😉I know ! too many pictures of the same thing… my only excuse is that I’ve seen other bloggers doing the same ! It happens when they love what they do and they do it for themselves, just for the pure pleasure of creating something, knowing we are simple people enjoying simple things… and then, there is the Pros, the ones that really know what they are talking about and are here to teach, I admire them, I love them, I am not one of them. It takes a lot, I should recognize, to get over yourself and just go for it, accepting your limitations, accepting your imperfections, it is ok to sing out of tune! What the heck… if we don’t, we’ll be missing the pleasure of the experience…. Is it worth it? Who do we want to impress? The only ones worth the effort is our own selves and our families. That is a universal and eternal truth. I must say, I’m not completely over my self, I still am self conscious and uncomfortable at times but less than expected. The joys of growing up, growing wiser, growing older and LIKING yourself, doing stuff for the pure pleasure of doing, experiencing, living, just because we can and loving the ride!The big pumpkin on the left looks devastated! Like it had received the worst news and had gotten depressed… it looks like a flat tire, doesn’t it?! It has the same look my dog has when he knows I’m about to leave, a look of sadness beyond believe, all flat and deflated on the floor, a picture of devastation… he deserves an Oscar for breaking my heart everytime! Have you noticed the more irregular a pumpkin is, the more imperfections it has, the more appreciated, coveted, sought after and expensive it is!…. I wonder… shouldn’t it be like that with humans too?!
I think I should stop right now and clean up, it’s starting to look like a mess here!I STARTED EDITING, TAKING THINGS AWAY…I WANT TO HAVE MY HOUSE READY SOON.SWEET MEMORIES FROM A LONG TIME AGO! HE IS 20 YEARS OLD NOW, ON HIS WAY TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER DOUBLE MAJOR IN MATH AND A MARINE CORPS OFFICER!
Have a great weekend and go somewhere you can admire nature’s ever changing colours….
NEXT DAY
As predicted I wasn’t happy with the end result, the problem is that having a small space and it feels crowded right away. Pictures were taken with my iPhone kind of late in the afternoon so I didn’t have much light to begin with. Today the branches I added from the field behind my house had started to wilt …. I had to take them out of the picture literally. I decided NOT to make a wreath for the front door this year. I went to the basement to find a simple one I could work with, adding real branches and stuff like that, you know, anything that looks and feels autumn, like pine cones, cinnamon sticks, fall foliage, olive branches…. only to realized I had donated most of the stuff to the local thrift stores…. what to do?… so it hit me. I don’t have to make everything just because I’m trying to write a blog, it is ok Not to want to work and just curl up with a book and a cup of cocoa and read! Sounds good, right? Sadly it only sounded good to me, I have homework to do, MATH homework… I hate math… but I have to do it…
Right then I decided it wasn’t bad to use a wreath I found from when my kids were little, who is going to say anything? and if so… who cares? Simple, keep it simple… that is something I have to remind myself sometimes… it isn’t that I don’t know it, it’s just that sometimes I feel that I have to do everything from scratch and now I don’t want to. And it is ok.
Here are some pictures of my simpler front door urn. I edited a lot and I feel more comfortable with it. My house is way too simple and small for the first one I made.
I love Eucalyptus, everything about it.Another one of the same thing… the evergreen is coming back, I know, I need to fill those gaps.How pretty does that little urn look like?! Those orange gourds, with long twisted necks and bumpy skin look like swans to me, don’t they?!!! I feel like a proud mother…I think I like it, it just needs more eucalyptus as a filler to bring the whole thing together… but that won’t be happening today! I’ll buy it when I get a chance!Not to disappoint, I’m adding a couple of pictures of really pretty fall planters!Why am I doing this to myself ?! This is gorgeous. Those master gardeners I was talking about… I’m telling you…I hear the angels singing !Awww! Now my little display looks almost funny …. I’m done. Happy Harvest xx
It is hard to let go of Summer’s long, sunny days, specially when here, in Wisconsin, Winters are so long and cold. Spring and Autumn are my absolute favorite seasons, sadly they never last long enough!
The flowers in my living room’s coffee table are still summer blooms and look as lovely as ever, but even though we are getting a few more beautiful sunny days here in this corner of the world, it is soon and almost suddenly going to change..
– These came from my backyard
For a peruvian girl like me, who gets the Winter Blues bad, it doesn’t help if those darker, colder, shorter days… would find me still with a few tired summer planters looking sad and old… this week I decided to take action and start my Autumn decorations even little by little so I won’t feel sad when the cold gloomier days arrive…
This year I will keep it very simple, there are no kids at home any more and I still get emotional thinking about it. It is a mixture of feelings, the sadness of letting go of spring’s fresh air, green grasses, soft rains and happy blooms … Summer’s long, bright, lazy days, full of bike rides, picnics, lake swims, bonfires, roasting marshmallows, making s’mores … my kids’ childhoods and teenage years! … and the wonder and excitement of this new season to come with all the beauty and discovery it brings! Gorgeous crisp, intensely colorful days full of magic, where you can walk endlessly admiring nature exploding on fire! So much passion… so powerful … Just like summer’s colossal thunderstorms! New lives starting for my boys and myself… I have to work on Not letting the tears obstruct the view of all the blessings around me and all the fantastic things to come….
Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring breaks and every special occasion just aquired a new brighter feeling about them and became more exciting and joyful than ever! The promise of the boys coming home makes everything wonderful and special! Now I can just enjoy them and NOT clean after them! at least I don’t mind it anymore! When they were still living at home, it was an absolute joy when my daughter and my two older boys, who live in Pennsylvania and Florida respectively at the time (everybody is moving now a days!) came home for the holidays, birthdays and graduations !!! We were crazy excited and overjoyed for days before it happened! but, being so far away made it difficult to make it home more often, therefore there were many sad moments and endless hours spent on the phone trying to fill in the blanks that their presence would have filled otherwise….
CHANGE … life sometimes doesn’t prepare us for THAT kind of change…. it’s wonderful, it’s good, it’s right… and like the seasons of the year and the seasons of our lives, IT’S ALWAYS GOING TO HAPPEN! All seasons have their own beauty and purpose and definitely they bring their own JOY… It’s just taking me a little bit longer to adjust….
Oh, yes! I was writing this to share my attempts to start my Fall decorations with my entrance urn and the two half whiskey barrels I have in the backyard, even though they are not finish yet! I still need to go find some branches to add!
I decided to spray paint the urn black, it was a greyish cement color before and was looking rather bla, specially against all the white outside my house. There is no need to buy a new planter each time, sometimes a little bit of elbow grease is all you need and some paint goes a long way! Ahhhhh! the joys of spray paint!I bought a few plants, it was hard to decide among all the pretty Kales available but it had to be done. Doesn’t that grass look a lot like Cousin Itt in the Addam’s Family?! Just buy something that makes you happy or all cozy and fluffy inside! Trust your instincts, doesn’t have to be perfect.
– Dog not included!
It’s not even necessary to use flowers, sometimes a combination of plants with pretty leaves, grasses in different heights, colors and textures,( vegetables are a beautiful thing to use too!) and some gourds and pumpkins make a gorgeous combination for your planters.
I love the hint of purple in the grass playing with the deep purple of the KaleIt was kind of hard to move it to the front of the house but I managed! I really need to clean a lot around the house after spending three months in Perú this summer! Haven’t been able to catch up yet… In this case I did use mums in my arrangement.
One of my backyard’s half whiskey barrels. This time no flowers! It doesn’t mean it’s not going to change… I am always adding and switching things around and it is OK.I have yet to bring back, throws and pillows and all the stuff we decorate with around these days, so I decided to grab anything to take this picture… Actually most of the books I read now are e-books and I haven’t read Killing Lincoln yet. I’ve read Killing Kennedy and Killing Jesus in my e-reader, this is a book my husband read recently. Bill O’Reilly did an AMAZING JOB with this series! So easy to read, so many things to learn… I think it’s gorgeous the way it is! those leaves are as pretty as it gets, all the colors of the fall in one convenient plant!I added another pumpkin to the container for more color and layers, this is the other side planter… see what I meant about the leaves? I can’t remember the name of the plant but I know I saved the plastic tag with it somewhere.
– Added another pumpkin to the right side planter too and it’s looking a little better each time.
– Look at the subtle changes in colors and textures! Perfection! That Kale is beyond pretty, can’t get over the hues!
I just love how much those little pumpkins look like swans ! (Are those called pumpkins too? Are they gourds?) I’ll google it sometime…Now I just need to add some birch branches or anything I can find … that “Cousin Itt” grass is looking a bit out of place in this vignette I think. but I don’t want to let go! It’s so awesome looking in person and makes me smile everytime I see itIs it just me or those flowers are really ridiculously pretty?! – I guess it’s not going to be as hard to let go of my flowers… or my children’s childhoods and teenage years if I decide to start focusing on this new season of our lives and concentrate in all the beauty it is going to bring…. Just like Autumn!
Pantone’s Color of the year, RADIANT ORCHID is finally on it’s way out and I’ve put some pictures together to remember it’s kindom, even though most of these photographs are older than 2014! … What brings me to the reason I am writing this post, classic Design is Timeless, either in Fashion, Architecture or Interior Design. Classic lines, impeccable taste and quality materials can make some pieces last almost forever or at least a really long time.
Pablo Paniagua
Accessories are the key to update a look. Use accent pieces to refresh your decor and wardrobe and to bring color and a little bit of an edge to your spaces and your closet. A few pillows, a throw, some books, flowers and pieces of art will be plenty if you feel the need to follow the “new” fad, the new trends … A belt, a Scarf, a piece of jewelry, a pair of shoes, even your make-up can bring a breath of fresh air to your wardrobe without looking overdone or like everybody else. Always use the new color sparingly, as an accent, never all over. We are talking about colors, not neutrals, a monochromatic color palette and an accent color is always a winning combination.
Elie Saab, Fall 2014Karlie Kloss by Alexi Lubomirski for Vogue GermanyJimmy ChooWall Street in Purple light
Elegance feels effortless and natural and always should have your personal touch!. It’s something you create and develop throughout the years. Start small, add just a few pieces at a time, don’t get something you don’t absolutely love… or at least we should all aim at that!
For the sake of Harmony and Flow, I did not follow my own advice in this post while putting together all the images. You are in for a PURPLE RAIN overdose and hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as I did! Thanks for stopping by.
– CAROLYNE ROEHM
Carolyne RoehmBottega VenetaSalvatore FerragamoTory Burch, Fall 2013Dolce and Gabbana..Haider AckermannHaider Ackermann
– SALVATORE FERRAGAMO
L’hotel de Paris !
– wedding flowers! what a gorgeous palette!
Lanvin
– LANVIN JACQUARD
– CHLOÉ
– Exquisite and elegant table! Purple is always such an elegant and sophisticated color.
– OSCAR DE LA RENTA
– KAZUO SHIRAGA
– CHIHULY
– PORTERS CHAIR
– NATALIA VODIANOVA FOR CALVIN KLEIN EUPHORIA
– J MENDEL
– OSCAR DE LA RENTA EARRINGS, NECKLACE AND CUFF
Valentino
– VALENTINO
– DE GOURNAY
– EDGAR DEGAS, “LA TOILETTE” I JUST ADORE THE HUES…
– CHRISTY TURLINGTON
– LAZARO
– LANVIN
– DIOR
– DALLAS FLORAL DESIGNER CAROL GARNER
– MARIE CASSATT
– HENRI DE TOULOUSE LAUTREC
Carolyne Roehm
– THE IRONER, PABLO PICASSO
– THE CELLIST, BY AMADEO MODIGLIANI, 1909
Colin Cowie weddings
– LA TOILETTE, TOULOUSE LAUTREC
– FIESTA EN FIGUERES SALVADOR DALÍ
– VINCENT VAN GOGH, UNDERGROWTH WITH TWO FIGURES, 1890
AUTUMN …. What a magical season! Everything feels calmer, kinder and softer. There is a quiet feeling of reflexion and introspection in the air and in our souls. Despite the crispiness in the air, there is a warmth inside of us that grows every day with anticipation… The leaves are falling, sign that all is going to be made anew again… what a promise!
PUMPKINS AND MUMS…
WARM CLOTHES AND WALKS IN THE PARK WITH YOUR FAVORITE PERSON
Home becomes once more the center of our lives, we grow closer to our families, we reconnect with our friends …. We feel more than ever the need of meaning and purpose in our lives … a nesting feeling comes back stronger than ever…. Books and blankets, boots, sweaters and scarves, go together perfectly with apple cider, hot cocoa, hearty soups and warm apple pies ….
There is a stillness in the air that reminds us of a time, when priorities were quite different and life made more sense!
SEEING THE WORLD IN AMAZEMENT THROUGH A CHILD’S EYES…
We borrow nature’s colors to cover ourselves, inspired by the ever changing leaves of the Fall … we fill our homes with the intensity of Autumn and it’s jeweled and earthy palette and with the quietness and muted tones of golden fields of wheat or greyish heavy skies that often look like they are about to cry… we just don’t know why… Is it from sadness or joy?… or just to wash away our worries and doubts … I wonder…
Hoping to inspire you to fill your homes with the glow that these Legends of the Fall will cast into our homes and into our lives! After all change is always good, right? Change makes us grow because it challenges us.
MAGICAL MOMENTS FOREVER IN YOUR HEART…THE RED DOOR…
SWEATERS AND MITTENS, CHICKENS AND KITTENS…
SOFT LEATHER BOOTS!HOW SOMETHING SO SMALL CAN BE THIS BEAUTIFUL?!
HUNTER BOOTS!
LONG WALKS WITH YOUR BEST FOUR LEGGED FRIEND, PRICELESS!
PENDLETON BLANKETS!
A VIEW FROM THE TOP
COMFORT FOODS…
Pumpkin Soup with Sage and Bacon serves 4
2 T butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 lb. floury white potatoes 2 1/4c of pumpkin flesh, diced 2 3/4c vegetable soup 1c cream, not low fat 2 t freshly grated ginger 1/2 t lemon juice 1 pinch grated nutmeg salt and freshly ground pepper 4 sliced bacon, diced 5 fresh sage leaves 1 T extra virgin olive oil -Heat the butter in a large saucepan and fry the onion and garlic
-Add the potatoes and pumpkin, cook for a few minutes, stirring -Stir in the vegetable stock and cook for 25 minutes until the vegetables are soft -Puree all in a blender, return to pan and add the cream -Add a bit more stock if desired -Add the ginger, season with lemon juice, salt, pepper and nutmeg -Fry the bacon in small pan in the butter until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towel -Add the sage to the pan and fry for 30 seconds -Add the bacon and sage to the soup, drizzle with the olive oil and season with fresh pepper
FOUNDED THIS IN 5TH AND STATE BY DEBRA PHILLIPS, I still can’t figure it out how to link to other people’s websites or blogs. Sorry!
Deliziosa, dolce, gustosa, la vellutata di zucca è un ottimo primo piatto, ricco di vitamine e sapore. Questa portata si può facilmente personalizzare, a seconda dei gusti di ognuno, impreziosendola con dei Porcini, o ancora con formaggi come il Taleggio o il Pecorino, oppure optando per preparazioni più leggere e delicate con i porri, le patate, o lo zenzero. Oggi scopriamo una versione saporita: la vellutata di zucca e speck.
3 cups crushed pecans (the original recipe called for 3c chocolate chips, but I thought it was too sweet with the glaze and I love pecans, so there you go.)
Mix wet ingredients, then add the dry ingredients; mix well.
Bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes. While baking, make glaze:
Glaze
2 c powdered sugar
4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
1 Tbsp. milk
Mix well and immediately frost warm cookies. (If this seems thicker than a glaze, just add a little more milk- I can’t attest to the consistency if you’re somewhere drier than Dominica)
– SHAKESPEARE COULD HAVE WRITTEN A NOBEL ABOUT HER BEAUTY! THOSE LOVELY COLORS! SKY AND FIRE…
FAMILY PICNICS! LOTS OF BLANKETS, HOT CHOCOLATE, CRUSTY LOAVES OF BREAD!
CARAMEL APPLES!
LAVENDER, WHEAT AND PUMPKINS
FIRST FROST OF THE FALL….BREATHTAKING
ROADS ON FIRE !
PUMPKIN CINNAMON ANYTHING!
HOT FREAKING CHOCOLATE!!!
APPLE TARTS…
Gatherings around the table, outside, enjoying this magic season
GOLDEN BUNDLES OF WHEAT AND FIELD FLOWERS
THERE IS A SEASON FOR EVERYTHING… TIME FOR CONTEMPLATION, TIME FOR INTROSPECTION..
A PERFECT MOMENT FROZEN IN TIME..
PRINCETON’S IVY
GORGEOUS URNS WITH MUMS ON FIRESIMPLICITY, BACK TO BASICSWORN OUT MEMORIESENCHANTED PARADISE..A NEW SEASON, A BRIDGE TO A NEW LIFE.CHILDHOOD REVISITED..BLESSINGS AND BOUNTY
– THE NOTEBOOK
A DEAR JOHN LETTER … THIS TIME WITH A TWIST… I DO LOVE YOU!
– THERE IS SOMETHING SO ENCHANTING ABOUT PENCILS AND PAPER…
One of the strongest influences I had in my “DreamingDesign” life was the Amazing director Nancy Meyer and her films. I know I’m not alone in this one, I read many years ago that the house in “Something’s gotta Give” was the most requested house in the history of Interior Design! No wonder! It left me dreaming about it for years to come…It was like somebody entered my mind and soul and created the vision I had inside of all the things I love!
Something’s Gotta GiveThe incredible living room with that view… the rain, the soft and calming color palette… can you see how the outside colors are repeated seamlessly in the inside?! Talking about perfection! One the extension of the other…I fell in love with the beautiful slipcovered sofas and armchairs, all in a subtle variation of blues with grey undertones…The kitchen that started it all! Decades later we are still trying to achieve it’s beautiful down to earth, homey appeal.The wonderfully oversized area rug, very unpretentious, fresh and perfect. The contrast between the dark and shiny sofa and side tables and the light slipcovered sofas, armchairs and accent pillows, all covered in such exquisite fabrics, we can almost feel their softness, just looking at them!The amazing Erika…The dining room, that fabric everybody tried so hard to find!
EVEN THE PASTA SERVED BECAME A SUBJECT OF CONVERSATION! SISAL RUGS BECAME A MUST IN DECORATION EVERYWHERE LIKE NEVER BEFORE…. WHAT A POWERFUL WOMAN, SO TALENTED, SO INFLUENTIAL, THANK GOD FOR HER IMPECCABLE TASTE AND ABSOLUTE COMMITMENT TO DETAIL, HONESTY AND LOVE OF ART AND EVERYTHING HARMONIOUS AND NATURAL!…. OH, HOW I WISH I COULD WORK WITH HER IN ANYTHING, EVEN HOLDING HER COFFEE AND ENJOYING THE RIDE!
Preparing to film one of the scenes with the adorable Keanu Reeves. Look at the moving platform where the dining room table and chairs are placed! I think the “sisters” are asking him: “Can we REALLY kiss you a lot?!”The one and only NANCY MEYERS with the great DIANE KEATON. What a pair of strong, crazy talented women.Jack without pants in the kitchen…. Priceless! Those soapstone countertops….Attention to detail at it’s best!Erika’s marvelous bedroom/office
ERIKA’S WRITING NOOK…
Found in HookedonHouses.net -I LOVE THE BOOKS SO HANDY AND THE WALL OF FRENCH DOORS
I always find my self recognizing her influence in my home decor
FROM THE PIPING ON THE SLIPCOVERS TO THE HYDRANGEAS, EVERY DETAIL BECAME A TREND THAT LASTED FOR DECADES AND IT’S STILL STRONG NOW. WHAT COULD WE ARGUE AGAINST A CLASSIC? NEVER OUT OF STYLE, FAMILIAR, UNDERSTATED AND VERY CHIC.. DID YOU NOTICE THAT THROW ON THE LEFT ARMCHAIR? CAN YOU FEEL THE CASHMERE? I SURE CAN !
FARM SINKS AND INDUSTRIAL LIGHTS BECAME ALL THE RAGE AND ARE STILL ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR KITCHEN FEATURES. I STARTED PREPARING PANCAKES WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE RECIPE SINCE I SAW ERIKA DO IT SO EFFORTLESSLY IN THIS FILM! I LOVE THAT MOMENT, IT FEELS SO NATURAL AND REAL, EVEN THOUGH I ALWAYS MADE PANCAKES FOR MY CHILDREN, AFTER THE MOVIE I REALLY STOPPED LOOKING AT THE RECIPE AND PRETENDED TO BE AS COMFORTABLE AND EXTRAORDINARY AS ERIKA WAS. IT WORKED. I ENJOY MAKING PANCAKES NOW MORE THAN EVER AND IT TAKES ME JUST A MOMENT LIKE IT TOOK HER TO PREPARE THEM ! DO I SOUND A LITTLE CRAZY HERE OR ARE WE ALMOST ALL LIKE THAT?…
Borrowed from Cote de Texas cotedetexas.blogspot.com/ I don’t know how to put the links yet….Frances McDormand…Genius. I love her!
THE EXTERIOR OF A REAL HAMPTONS’ HOUSE, THE ONLY REAL PART OF THE HOUSE ACTUALLY USED IN THE FILM.
The delicious Keanu Reeves and the fabulous Diane Keaton in PARIS! – What a dream…Le Grand Colbert… A bucket list kind of place!Le Grand Colbert Brasserie, serving dreams every day!Le Grand Colbert, where the last scenes were filmed… I felt in love with the place!
THE HOLIDAY
JUDE LAW… DON’T YOU JUST ADORE HIM IN THIS ROLE?! I DO, I DO, I DO.
Later on, I fell in love with “The Holiday” another incredible film directed by Nancy Meyers, who has impeccable taste, exquisite sensibility and a vision so clear of what she wants that she always achieves her goals, each one of her movies are a tour for the senses, she makes the houses in her movies look so darn real!!! They are always perfect for the characters, you REALLY believe those are their real houses, you feel they have lived there for a while, the houses have their personalities and their seal infused on them!
I couldn’t imagine Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law or even Jack Nicholson,( whose apartment in the city was a work of art! and almost never gets mentioned..) living somewhere else in those movies! (or I should say their characters) It was what I call design PERFECTION! Those houses were not just another character in the movies, they played a main role, they were the stars of the films, if you know what I mean, they were more than supporting actors for the characters, they were protagonists themselves and I can never get enough of them!
– THE GORGEOUS FRESH AND SOPHISTICATED CAMERON DIAZ HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
It would be too hard in one post to try to describe the beauty of those houses and so many magical moments during those films… like the moment Jude Law and Cameron Diaz shared with his adorable daughters under that magical tent in the girls’ bedroom! …. What can I say? I am a grown woman and it still makes my heart skip a bit! (It doesn’t help that I fell in love with Jude’s character in this movie either!)
– SOPHIE AND OLIVIA’S DREAM BEDROOM AND THE ADORABLE TENT EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT!
Director Nancy Meyers works closely with Beth Rubino and with her interior designer James Radin. It is a match made in design heaven! Now I’ll leave you with some images to enjoy and get inspired, like I did many years ago, perhaps the new generation isn’t aware of the films, they were just kids when they came out, nevertheless, everybody should watch these movies, it would be a shame to miss them. I know I’ll watch them again and again!
– IRIS’S ENGLISH COTTAGE! THE FABRICS ARE PRECIOUS, LOVE THE RUNNER GOING UPSTAIRS, AND THE TUFTED OTTOMAN REMINDS ME OF THE ONE IN “SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE”
– I DON’T WANT TO BE REPETITIVE BUT I HAVE TO MENTION THE OUTSTANDING ATTENTION TO DETAIL PUT IN THESE HOUSES!
– JUDE’S HOME IN THE HOLIDAY!
– THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION!
THEY MADE ALL THE MAGIC HAPPEN! BUT IT WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN THE SAME WITHOUT THE HOUSES CREATED FOR THE MOVIES BY THESE GENIUSES
Can you tell the influence in these next two old photos of my home at that time?! Sorry for the mess and everything, they were not intended to be shared, I took them some time ago for no reason and wanted to show you!
You can still see the influence in a later work
I usually write in an impulse and come back later if possible, to try to correct my writing and make it better, the problem is that I do it after I publish it, don’t have the patience to wait…
UNBELIEVABLE! ELI WALLACH IS GONE! … LOVED HIS CHARACTER IN THE HOLIDAY… HE STOLE MY HEART… HE WAS BRILLIANT IN THE GODFATHER TOO, MEAN BUT BRILLIANT…. MR. WALLACH, YOU WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED…
IT’S COMPLICATED
With the incredibly talented Meryl Streep, another lesson in design genius and trendsetting power. After this film we saw that the use of four or five armchairs instead or in addition to a sofa became very popular and in every magazine, window treatments made of natural grasses and black iron for window frames and doors became the craze! they are still going strong, just beautiful.
MORE DREAM KITCHENS FROM NANCY’S MOVIES AND THE EXTREMELY TALENTED AND ADORABLE MERYL STREEP
I LOVE HOW ECLECTIC THEY ARE, TIMELESS… THE VIEW, SO CALIFORNIA STYLE, WHAT A CONTRAST WITH “SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE”‘S CLASSIC EAST COAST, HAMPTONS’ STYLE, HERE WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE BEAUTIFUL PACIFIC COAST WITH ALL THE SPANISH ELEMENTS AND CHARM… OPEN SHELVING, BLACK IRON WINDOW AND DOOR FRAMES… TRENDSETTERS DEFINITELY!
IT WOULD BE HARD OR IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO PRETEND TO COVER EVERYTHING ABOUT THESE FILMS AND THE INTERIOR DESIGN OF THESE HOUSES, BUT AT LEAST THIS IS MY ATTEMPT TO HONOR A REMARKABLE WOMAN, DIRECTOR, DESIGNER AND ARTIST. WHAT A VISION, WHAT A WOMAN!
My Thanksgiving tablescape
JUDE LAW… DON’T YOU JUST ADORE HIM IN THIS ROLE?! I DO, I DO, I DO.
CHÂTEAU DES RÊVES 