Apologies

 

Sorry for the lack of post these past days... but this is what's happening to me. I'll be back soon and I'm still piling up stories for you guys. I'll see you on the other side.

Friday Escape

Le Clos Bourdet in Honfleur

Two hours away from Paris in Normandie. The bed and breakfast is lovely, very nicely decorated if you are looking for something very French and the croissants are homemade in the morning. Don't miss the Saturday morning fresh market by the Church. If you are a gourmet and like fish, you MUST make a reservation at Sa.Qua.Na for an amazing eleven course dinner. Otherwise, just enjoy all the seafood restaurants every corner in the village.

London Baby!

 

A few of my friends have recently moved to London and are trying to persuade some of us to move there as well. I would personally move back to Paris before moving to London. But in order to be fair play and show some interest in England I've decided to feature some great interior elements done with the Union Jack.

Frame from Maison de Vacances

Couch found on this great blog the urban lifestyle decor

Interior picture found on this other blog

Greetings from Paris

Postcards are so 20th century...

I'm sending you Eiffel Towers from my hometown. xoxo, Alice.

1- Grid Eiffel Tower Chair at 3 Rings 2- Eiffel Tower Fabric at the Fabric Finder 3- Eiffel Tower sticker at Etsy 4- Eiffel Tower plexiglas chair at Barrocomundo 5- Eiffel Tower lamp at Absolument Design

Sunday treat

I like moving furniture around. Every 6 months I paint a wall in the apartment I live in. Last month was the lower half of the living room wall in cadmium red. Six months before it was in the dining area: chalk board paint that time. I don't know how long this can last... So until I move into a new place and paint new walls I'm looking for inspiration. Today, I'm craving bookshelves everywhere. This image comes from Maison de Vacances. They have a great store in Paris.

Day Dreaming #2

I had dinner with a bunch of friends and then didn't sleep enough last night. So of course, I'm day dreaming about what a nice bedroom would look like. High ceilings, high ceilings again... What I am really liking in this room is the wall covered with frames all from different materials and colors. It gives so much warmth to any space with a sense of life and a story behind each picture. I collect pictures from friends, from photographers I've worked with or when I have a coup de coeur from people I don't know. So when I get back home tonight Yvonne might see me with a hammer, knocking walls down, and hanging frames everywhere. I hear it's very relaxing...

Day Dreaming

"Ca ne coute rien de rever"
(It doesn't cost a thing to day dream) would tell me my mother...

Coming back from Staten Island to Manhattan on the ferry last Sunday after the 42 miles, I was day dreaming about taking a hot bath. Any type of tub would have been fine on Sunday: except I don't even have one in my apartment... I'm not complaining. I'm just saying: my bathroom sucks. I actually HATE my bathroom, hate it. So instead on focusing on the hate part, I've decided to focus on the dream part /when I'm an adult part (oops...)

This is what my dream bathroom would look like.

At first glance it does look nice but not that fancy... well it is. Can you imagine having that much space and light in a bathroom? And don't get me started with the brick wall and the wood beams... This is just heaven. So what I've found is the faux wood beams for you. It's not that I like having "faux" things at home, it's just that I'm trying to make the best out of a situation. If you haven't read my post about the faux brick wall: 1st) shame on you, 2nd) here's where you need to go, rosebrand...

See, I already feel better. I'm still going back to my tiny bathroom tonight, but it's okay. I'll just close my eyes while knocking myself down in the shower looking for the slippery soap.

Wall Paper? Wall Sculptor?

How would you call this?

Before I comment on this, I first want to say how big of a fan I am of Anthropologie. It's not that I buy very much over there, it's just the experience in their stores that is amazing. They've created such an individual and very recognizable brand image. I have this routine: a weekly trip in one of their stores nearby my office just to check out the new display windows and the inside installations. Very inspiring...
This week, they have this kitchen/bakery installation where they've created this real bread/real muffins/real scones/real baguettes wall paper... or wall sculptor I should say? My first thought was ahhhhh cool and took a picture for my "what inspires me" folder. Back home, I didn't feel so great about it anymore. Don't get me wrong, the concept is great... it's just the idea of food hanging on a wall I think.

Jose Esteves

Life Is Short, Do It Now!

That's the name of the business Jose Esteves created to sell his amazing lighting collection. How appropriate in these times. What I like so much about his work is the nostalgic element of each piece, yet his aesthetic is modern and elegant. The rumor says that he is coming to New York beginning of May for his "Re-born Exhibition" inspired by nature. You can be sure I will be there for the opening and find out all the details for you. Maybe I'll ask an autograph while I'm at it...
The sad news for us in the U.S. is that his collection is sold exclusively at Intérieurs, (lucky new yorkers...) The good news is my secret agent in France a.k.a. Chloé has given me his contact information...

José Esteves
Société LISDIN
25, rue de la bourssardière - 61130 Igé
Tél./Fax : 02 33 83 87 29

Again, no need to thank me, I'm here to help.

Tamar Mogendorff

From my good friend Chloé

My good friend Chloé has this unbelievable and natural good taste... and she's sharp. There is no room for error with her. Planning on getting married or decorating your (new) apartment, if you're brave enough and ready to hear that your taste sucks, she's your girl.
So this is the link she sent me this morning, Tamar Mogendorff: amazing dolls. You would be tempted to think this is for kids, well... I think that would be "donner de la confiture aux cochons" like the Frenchs say. Just get these dolls for yourself, you've deserved it and there's nothing to be ashamed of. Just go for it!

Now, more about Chloé... she refuses to admit it or even make a living of it. But if you DO need someone to help you out with wedding art direction or apartment art direction... contact me, I'll see if I can push her a little.

Apartment makeover

I've been dreaming of this!

You obviously can't get everything you dream of in one apartment. So for those of you who enjoy "loft looking" places, here's the perfect answer to depressing white walls: THE FAUX BRICK WALL... It seems to be made from a thick molded, compressed paper. It looks much more realistic than those "faux" brick wallpapers you can find everywhere. It's not cheap but it costs as much as a good wallpaper and apparently is much easier to install yourself. Oh... by the way... you can find this at Rose Brand. No need to thank me, I'm here to help.
www.rosebrand.com

For those of you who have kids

...or for those of you who are expecting

Check out what the French Vogue shot a few months ago for their Kids magazine. It's pretty cute and creative without being too corny. What can I say, it's French and it's in Vogue...