HOUSE HUNTING FANTASIES

Hi! I am back. I noticed that my last post was done in the Fall. Oh, My! We are in the middle of winter already. But never forgot my blog... Nooooooo! I didn't. I thought about it almost everyday. And I feel really bad abandoning it like that. I am just been out of track, trying to catch up with all in my life. Between client's projects, new classes and country house hunting in the weekends with my husband. OH! That's a lot of work... house hunting. If you have house hunted before you would know what I am talking about it. Specially if you are doing in a tight budget and want it all! Anyway, I would love to share one of my "furnishings fantasies". Below is a breakfast/dining furniture collection as a result of one of those fantasies. This last weekend I really liked an antique house that we visited. Since then I have been day dreaming about the house. The kitchen was really spacious... and it had a nice area for a table setting. There was a brick fireplace there, vaulted high ceilings with light/honey color rustic beams; and the whole kitchen was wrapped by a paneling warm wood, in a the same color as the beams. I thought I would like to create a cool palette for the floor area, for the furnishings. Here is the result of my kitchen/breakfast area wishes.

FOR THE SOURCES

 

FALL IN LOVE AGAIN (with your home)

I think I already said in this blog that fall is my favorite season… But here I have to say it again. Every fall I “fall in love again”. I fall in love with the warm colors of the trees, I fall in love with the chill in the air and the cozy sweaters… the hearty food, all kinds of pumpkins decorating peoples' house. For me, the mood of fall has a feeling that mother earth is coming to visit my home. So I have to do something special to wait for her… clean and prepare the house, maybe refresh it. How do we refresh the house? Get inspired. Get a lot of inspiration. Do you know Pinterest? It’s a great website to get inspired. Here you can check "my inspiration boards", so maybe you can start there. But there are millions of inspirations out there. Once you are done with getting all the inspirations my first advice is: put away all the accessories from the room that you want change; and then start accessorizing the room again (maybe with some fall elements). Second: re-arrange the furniture if it is possible. Third, perhaps, buy a new piece of furniture. Last, donate everything that you got tired or that you never like it.

Is that Mother-Earth?!?

OK... Let’s start the work! Shake the dust!

BUT.... First, let's make some yummy soup… while the soup is cooking on the stove go back to Pinterest and search for inspirations. Then, get your stomach happy and your body full of energy.

Pumpkin Chowder - Via Country Living Magazine

Ingredients:
3 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil 2 leeks, trimmed of tough green tops and chopped 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 medium bell peppers, chopped 2 1/4pound(s) pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2- by 1-inch-think pieces 1 1/2teaspoon(s) chopped fresh majoram 1/4 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper 2 bay leaves 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt 1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground black pepper 1 1/4cup(s) frozen corn 6 cup(s) vegetable broth.

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until very soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in green peppers, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until peppers soften, about 8 more minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until pumpkin is tender, about 30 minutes.

Inspired by the colors of the season...

Some of my choices... I think a new chair would add that final touch to the room...

If you want get more information on these pieces visit my board at Pinterest "Seating I Love".

Ohhhh! I found the "ONE"!

...And please look at the color of this hair! Hum.... this might give me some

ideas for my "color day hair" (which is today)!

If you decide to do your "Fall in Love Again" project, please send me pictures of "Before and After". 

I would love to see them!



FINDS IN BRAZIL

In August I went to Brazil to visit my family.  I was supposed to stay there for about a month, but I had to extend my stay… I had some documentation issues to resolve and some health problems in the family that contribute to extent my time there.  I felt anxious in the beginning when I find out that I would have to cancel my fight back home and push my time. I needed to come back to US and take care of my life, work to do, etc.  But when you find out that there was nothing that you could do, except to wait for things to resolve, so then you just have one decision to make...  I decided that I would take advantage of the time and really have a great time with my family, friends and enjoy the city that is blooming and expanding.  So one of my activities there it was to take walks every morning and sometimes in the afternoons, exploring the area where my mom lives, where I was staying.  One day during one of my long walks I found this fantastic space (Deposito Rustico - Moveis e Decoracoes) filled with amazing pieces of furniture and all kinds of decorative objects… things very regional mixed with very international classic pieces.  The space is huge and full of small and big treasures.  You walk around and at every single corner you can find a different kind of object: lucid, or sexy, textured, smooth, strong, or delicate, colorful, woody, urban, or country…  What a fun place to shop!  Ah! Another thing that intrigued me it was the fact that the “deposit” is located in a residential area, kind of in the middle of nowhere. It’s hard to explain, but the huge store/kind of a barn is totally out of place.  For me it was definitely a “find” in the town.  How great is to find places like that while you are waiting for the next airplane!

A really like the mix of materials on the store facade.

They also manufacture your own designs and dimensions.

Here are just a few ideas of what they can do.

Isn't massive and solid this bench? Beautiful...

Love this bench!

Furniture made of bike pieces.

How cute are these ludic objects!

A conceptual Brazilian flag.

GET THE LOOK SERIES: If I had a house in the country…

I always that this love for stone houses… I dream that one day I will live in a stone house. To keep my dream alive I look for stone houses all the time and fantasized living there. I imagine how I would decorate them… how I would create the interior complementing the exterior. Here I would like to share one of my favorite stone houses (but believe me_I have a lot of favorites). If you link to my Pinterest page you would see that I have been building a board with all of the “stone beauties” that help me keeping my dream alive. By the way, for those who don’t know what is Pinterest… it’s my new “obsession”; and as I know an obsession of many other ones. So, BE CAREFUL!
Anyway, if you are curious: check it out!

Going back to my dream house… and how I would decorate it… The photo below is one of my favorite as I said before. A house designed by Stan Dixon Architects.
As lovely as it is I am creating a warm and welcome entrance interior, follow by the first living room.

FOYER

SOURCES:

TABLE LAMP

LIGHTING PENDENT
RUNNER

WOOD BENCH
DARK PILLOW

LIGHT PILLOW

MIRROR

CONSOLE

WHITE STOOL

ART WORK

 LIVING ROOM

SOURCES:

 DRAPERY

RUG
COFFEE TABLE

CONSOLE LAMP
CERAMIC PIECE

SOFA

WING CHAIR
SIDE TABLE

FRENCH CHAIR

FOLDING STOOL

CONSOLE

LIGHTING PENDANT

REMEMBER: RG Art & Design can help you to create collections of furniture according to your taste and space dimensions.  If you want to learn more about it check our website at E-decorating.

NY SOHO SHOWROOM TOUR – Part 1

I have been absent recently. Not just from my blogs, but in other parts of my life too. I know there are some periods of our lives that we get busy with things, or get in turmoil, or both. I have been in both lately. However, this is not what I want share today. I am moving on and I have started yesterday… I started having some fun, and at the same time educating myself about the options available in my field. It was a really nice afternoon, in the terms of weather: so, I headed to Soho, downtown New York City. I picked one street: Greene Street, and started “zigzagging” it, visiting all the furniture showrooms available on that street. Oh, Man! There were a lot! A lot of them I have visited already at another time, but some of them were new in the area, or new just for me. But, yesterdayt was a new day… even the ones that I had known already became a new experience for me. I saw many beautiful things… I met so many interesting people (who work there). It was fun! I would love to share with you the places that I passrd by, and the people who I met. You might want to have an afternoon like that too.

17 GREENE STREET 10013

NEW YORK

FOSCARINI INC.

Here I couldn't speak with the sales associate because she was busy on the phone. But the place was a mix of being in a galery and a lighting showroom. Super fun! The red tubes where playful.

21 GREENE STREET 10013

NEW YORK

JACQUES CARCANAGUES

Please, look for Yvonne Chin.  She is incredible, super nice and great to chat with.

She has been working there forever...! She knows everything! The place has an amazing quantity of all kinds of exotic pieces from Asia, with moderate prices. And, ask her to take you downstairs.

23-25 GREENE STREET 10013

NEW YORK

STUDIO ANISE

Ask for Paul Anis, if he is not busy.  He is the owner. He is so helpful. Really knows his products, and he is willing to explain everything about it. 

Please, don't forget to go downstairs to see more amazing kitchens and bathrooms.

31 GREEN STREET 10013

NEW YORK

BOFFI-Soho

Contact Saya Hara. Kitchens on the street level, and bathrooms on the ground level.

33 GREENE STREET 10013

NEW YORK

DE LA ESPADA

Though I did not met Unha Kim yesterday, I recommend that you speak with her. But you are free to ask for help from any of the girls that work there.  They are all nice, and the pieces are beautifully handcrafted. 

39 GREENE STREET 10013

NEW YORK

KARTELL US

Darinka Chase is a very nice lady who you could ask for help when visiting Kartell in Soho.  

52 GREENE STREET 10013

NEW YORK

GANDIA BLASCO USA

Look for McCary Smith. He is the manager. Even though I did not speak with him because he was not there,  I am sure he would be very helpful.

54 GREENE STREET 10013

NEW YORK

BOCA GRANDE

Hank Payne is one of the owners (I think).  He would be super helpful to you. Gives you tips and ideas...

They have a great SALE now for their floor samples.  Don't miss it!

59 GREENE STREET 10013

NEW YORK

RAUL CARRASCO

Vidal A. Chavez (my sales associate contact) told me that I could not take pictures inside the showroom... but he did not say that I couldn't take them outside! Anyway... one of my favorite showrooms in Soho.

MOLTENI & C

60 GREENE STREET 10013

NEW YORK

The same thing with Molteni & C... across the street of Raul Carrasco and Cyrus Company. NO pictures! 

 But if you pass by there ask for Priscilla Bissi, my half-Brazilian-half-American friend.

She is very pretty and has beautiful hair! 

57 GREENE STREET 10013

NEW YORK

CYRUS COMPANY

Every time I pass by Cyrus Company I can't resist going inside... Looks like the furniture that you maybe would see in heaven.  But talking with Andrew Griffin would not feel in heaven at all. He is an energetic sales person really willing to help you.

76 GREENE STREET 10013

NEW YORK

DEDON

Ah... Dedon.  Love their collection. Liz McEvily told me that they now have an island and 

they also sell "exotic outdoors trips".  If you are interested, speak with him.

121 GREENE STREET 10013

NEW YORK

ANDRIANNA SHAMARIS

Talk to Andrianna or Rosemarie.  They have hidden gems.

So really don't forget to ask one of them to help you, to find the gems.

138 GREENE STREET 10013

NEW YORK

B&B ITALIA

Ask for the sweet Carol Lindsey. She is on the ground level.

On the lower level you find the whimiscal pieces.

HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THE TOUR!

THINGS THAT I LOVE

Sometimes I have clients that come to me and ask me “what is my style”. I always say that my style is their style. I try to work with the client, and bring their personality and things that they like to their spaces, especially for residential projects. Of course, my job is to select the items that goes in the project, and guide the client. Sometimes the client wants to be involved in the process and want search for “the parts” of the project too. It’s fine, but it’s my work to coordinate the overall always thinking in pleasing the client. I always think in the client tastes and necessities. However, I do have my preferences… for sure! And I tell you that my style has changed quite a lot. I believe that everybody styles change because we change. Our lives move in different directions, sometime to different places with different weather conditions, and then our personal style moves together too. The style also can vary from a country house to the apartment in the city for the person. Style is quite questionable, and I do believe that all styles are beautiful. I believe there is “beauty” everywhere, in all styles.
But today I am going to post some of my favorite things. Again, the things here are very specific for one kind of lifestyle. It doesn’t mean that is the only style that lives inside me!

 

What are the things that you like?