a grand villa

having spent a significant amount of time in florence, italy, this yatzer article on the grand hotel villa cora brought me back.  all of the details grand and minuscule have been revived, yet not necessarily with the intent to recreate what had once been.  there is a sort of modern "polish" that has been applied that simplifies the forms, stream-lines the profiles and adds a couple extra flecks of pigment, rendering truly stunning spaces.      

eye on: wearstler's malibu sanctuary

 kelly W knows whats up.  she's got such an amazing collection of sculpture and furniture, making for a really interesting, rich space.  not to mention the ocean view...not a bad backdrop.  these shots come from kelly framel at the glamourai as she and fellow blogging/photog friend, jamie were insanely lucky enough to borrow the beach house for one incredible shoot!

what to do with those bare walls: maps

displaying collections of any sort is such a wonderful way to fill your home with character and create an interesting space.  i was at a friends house a while back, it was a real bare-bones bachelor pad filled only with the necessities for living.  on the walls he had displayed his collection of vintage maps of all sizes and it was amazing!  i had no idea that he was a collector.  anyway, this memory has inspired me to gather interesting examples of displaying maps.  enjoy.

images: elle decoration; elle decor; apartment therapy

resource: national geographic

hidden gem: deer hill

located in the hills just on the outskirts of a tiny upstate new york lake town called cazenovia is this enchanting bed and breakfast, deer hill.  while you will not find deep tissue massages, bikrim booty morning boot camps, or outrageously expensive seven-course meals, i guarantee that you will find the keys to a happy life: peace, quiet, and tranquility.  if the crickets, butterflies and resident (and very loveable) doberman are not enough company, hop on your bike and ride into town to sit by one of upstate's most beautiful little lakes.

winter months are equally as beautiful...

home for the summertime

there's nothing quite like the smell of the country in the summer and the magical evenings that are ushered in by the twinkling of a million fireflies.  this is my summer.

images: bed, girl

stockholm furniture fair

the swedes get it right...pretty much every time.  here are a few items from the 2011 stockholm furniture fair that were covered in wallpaper mag.  i usually go pretty traditional as far as sofas, but those acne numbers have me rethinking my tendencies.  anyone going to the icff in nyc this weekend??

divine mount athos

in reference to the easter holy week, 60 minutes aired a fascinating short documentary on the monasteries of mount athos in greece.  the architecture of the place is unbelievable in every sense, including the fact that the monasteries have been there for over 1000 years.  

the journey to get there is treacherous but the waiting list to visit or join is long.  it's the only place on earth that keeps byzantine time where the day begins at sunset and is filled with devout concentration, prayer, and basic chores of sustaining a secluded life.  the monks that live there have come from the four corners of the earth to live in solitude and constant prayer.  

to the everyday outsider it may seem like a melancholy existence, but their total isolation from the chaos of the outside world and dedicated concentration on a spiritual existence renders the place and the monks that live there as anything but melancholy.  plus the views are astounding.

images: 1  2  3  4  5

dreaming of...casa tua

on a recent trip to miami i was introduced to an absolutely astoundingly beautiful little restaurant/club/hotel called casa tua.  it's tucked away just far enough from the action to be peaceful and romantic but still maintain some of that south beach-by-night excitement.  it's a little bit hamptons, a little bit st tropez, a little st barts and a lot of glamour.

ps. the food is outstanding as well

  

entry

outdoor dining

upstairs club

dining room

hall

images via casa tua & éclat

melbourne re-style

beautifully done renovation by hecker guthrie in melbourne, australia.  first floor breakfast bar, second floor smokey, speak-easy, lounge room.  the key to my heart is the tripod floor lamp...

images via hecker guthrie and
vogue living australia

sunday tea

Hermés has opened a new shop in shanghai called shang xia.  the interior was created by famed architect kengo kuma and the brand is run by shanghai designer jiang qiong'er.  the walls and ceiling of the shop are draped with a shape-retaining, hexagonally cut cloth that gives an airy, cloud-like feel.  the rest of the store is minimal but rich, displaying delicate porcelain teaware, capes made of cashmere felt, and fine jewelry.  what's not to love?...as usual.

images: shang xia, kengo kuma
book via amazon: kengo kuma 

weekend getaway

I'm totally inspired (and a little jealous) of kristiana spaulding at silver trailer. reinventing the interior of an old airstream has been on my wish/to-do list for a long, long time. she has a collection of them and they're for rent...

happy friday

images: via
book via amazon: the history of the land yacht

collecting

yesterday a friend of mine showed me her amazing collection of old pakistani caps or taqiyah. after years of international travel and countless homes in various countries, she has settled in nyc. the new apartment is filled with beautiful asian pottery, elaborate tapestries, piles of oriental carpets, and rich colors. now we're looking for a good way to display the taqiyah. i thought i'd gather some inspiration on displaying collections:

images: 1 skona hem; 2 apartment therapy; 3 lonnymag; 4 apartment therapy; 5 (via éclat); 6 automatism
book via amazon: the art of display


see what's for sale on etsy from the above photos:  the observery

ruggedly sophisticated

i first learned of el garzon while watching an episode of anthony bourdain as he covered the mouth-watering food creations of chef francis mallmann in uruguay.

the restaurant and hotel has this remote sort of elegant campy feel that's just beautiful.

here are some of my own finds...

images on left: nowness, ingalls photography, el garzon

found items: chairs via 1stdibs, table, metal bins, candles, lanterns, grill

getting green

i love the green of spring, the way it contrasts with the shades of grey left behind from winter. here in nyc we're just starting to see some little baby sprigs fighting their way up through layers of dirt and sand left behind from way too many snowy days. this got me thinking about gardens and some work done by one of my favorite shops in austin, tx.

worldly pavilions

i'm a neglectful blogger these days. in the middle of a move and trying ever so hard to turn the page on a new chapter of life. in the mean time, these images are of two pavilions rising in shanghai for the upcoming world expo 2010 beginning may 1st. the top two are of the spanish pavilion and the bottom show the uk seed pavilion...

i'm intrigued.

casa larrain, chile

casa larrain, done by chilean architect cecelia puga is intriguing, however when i first was introduced (at a lecture given by puga) i was uncertain. there was something too obvious (i'm not talking about the general form of it) and i was left skeptical. but puga's explanation of chilean architecture sheds some light. shes says:

'We have never had access to the type of technology that you do in more developed countries, so we missed certain movements like deconstructivism and the more recent focus on digital technologies. Instead, we've been forced to stick with and develop modernism with more modest construction means and with local materials and labour,'

there is something honest and humble about this house. despite the acrobatics, it doesn't feel like it's trying too hard like many "modern", contemporary homes do. i am curious of it's current condition in the aftermath of the recent earthquakes in the area.

photos via: new architects

patagonia, a little piece of heaven

a little off topic, but i couldn't resist

found at:

flory photo

happy weekend

enjoy the view

my boyfriend (now fiancé:) spent some time in the swiss alps a while ago. i was perusing some of his photos (half in awe of the beautiful scenery and half peeping for funny younger photos of the boy) and i found this pic of the camp site's loo. i don't think you need to bring reading material to this one, the view is spectacular! the pink painted structure makes me wonder if it's the ladies room.