BELLE VIVIR

The magic world of Hermes

2009-11-06T07:47:00.004-05:00

Once in a while I love to go into Hermes website to get carried away by its one of a kind magical world.

A house full of personality

2009-11-03T08:34:00.002-05:00

My favorite rooms in this house are the bathroom and breakfast area, although I wouldn't mind living in all of the others as well.

images from Nuevo Estilo.

Happy weekend

2009-10-30T09:12:00.004-04:00

I hope you can find sometime set-aside for yourself this weekend.

Fireplace in the bathroom

2009-10-28T08:47:00.006-04:00

I'm a follower of bathrooms with a fireplace. If my bathroom were big enough I would definitely install a fireplace to look at the soothing fire while soaking in my tub at the end of a busy day enjoying a glass of wine. I can't think of a better way to unwind after a hectic day.

top image is from Home & Garden, second from Peter Dunham.

Furniture in the bedroom

2009-10-26T08:10:00.001-04:00

images from top Alberto Pinto, Kelly Wearstler and Barry Dixon.

The origin of the Decorator

2009-10-23T08:16:00.013-04:00

Did you know that, according to Interior design & decoration 6th ed., in Renaissance France (c.1500-1610) the profession of the Decorator was created due to the need of a constant or frequent knowledgeable supervisor capable to use the talent of each artist to the best advantage, to arrange every piece of furniture and position them to best effect. The decorator or ornemaniste was also an engraver who was able to facilitate his client with a vision of a final result through the medium of engraving. The Ornameniste Abbe Jaubert once wrote "To excel in this art, which has been born before our eyes, it is necessary to have a good eye, to have a good knowledge of design, to understand perfectly the merits of each piece of furniture, to show them in their true light, and to create an ensemble that will give pleasing impression".
No wonder France is been always the Center of the arts.

image from cartoon stock

Le Palais rhoul

2009-10-20T09:38:00.004-04:00

Dreaming of being in Hotel Le Palais rhoul in Marrakesh.

An unconventional beach house

2009-10-19T10:04:00.006-04:00

Kelly Wearstler did it again. This time in a non-predictable beach house she designed for her family. "Ain't no boats sailing in this house" Every item and piece is a sculpture of its own. Many of them custom designed by Wearstler. I know this is not a house that it would be appealing to many people. Maybe because of being afraid of it's new and surprising design. That's exactly the reason I like it. I love it when designers proof that not everything is done and not everything is made equal in design.

I absolutely love the inter lacking design of this sculptural staircase. Clever, the way Wearstler made of an often useless space into something stunning. Would you guess this is bleached-walnut?

Have a warm weekend

2009-10-15T09:35:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posts. I've been busy planning another project. I'll share the details with you later. I love the calmness and the soothing colors in this room and the wall with corals above the bed is so clever. Don't you think?

A beautiful weekend

2009-10-09T08:14:00.002-04:00

I believe that what we look at on a day to day basis can affect our mood and health. Let's look at beautiful stuff.

Julia Yenicag Paulino

I just loooove this room by Scott Laslie.

Happy birthday Cutiepie

2009-10-06T08:53:00.004-04:00

It feels like yesterday when our little one was born. I can't believe we are already celebrating his birthday. It's been such a pleasure and happiness to have you in our lives. We love you Lucas very much and wish you all the happiness and health in your life. God bless you.

Image from vi.sualize.us

A whimsical dining room

2009-10-05T07:52:00.004-04:00

I would kill for a wall covering like this for the entrance of my home. Not too busy so your eyes have space to rest but with enough personality to be a very beautiful statement. This gorgeous dining room was designed by Joe Nahem. Image through House Beautiful.

My most recent project

2009-10-02T08:03:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share with you a few images of my most recent project. I finished it last week and had it professionally photographed by Robert Levin for my up-coming website. My sweet client and myself are very pleased with the result. Ms. Whiton moved into this small pre-war rental apartment a few months ago and she wanted to make it feel hers as much as possible. Similar to many other pre-war apartments this one was lacking light so we decided to keep it as open, airy and clean as possible. This also served well for the extensive art collection to shine on its own. When I came to this apartment a few months ago there was only an old sofa and plenty of art resting on the walls. The sofa has been under Ms. Whiton's possession for quit a while now but it was in need of a complete re-do. I chose a neutral tone of damask fabric and added a few pillows in different textures to add some character. The curtains were done in gorgeous stripes that bring out the colors in the pillows and in the sofa. The two chairs are from ABC Carpet in New York. To make the light in the room multiply I painted the mahogany fireplace in white and added a layer of mirror around the inside. The dining room opens up from the living room but we wanted to make it look separate so we wallpapered the walls in Acapulco Sand. I had an inlay console custom made in a long but narrow shape in order for the space to be functional but not crowded. The magnificent sconces are from Lerebours Antiques. Once I saw them I knew they would be perfect for the sophisticated tropical ambiance we wanted for the dining room. Hence the beautiful Louis XVI-style caned chairs. The cowhide rugs used in both rooms are also from ABC Carpet. (you can click on the pictures to see them better)

Lisa Fine, Wednesdays originality

2009-09-30T11:30:00.002-04:00

I have said how much I admire Lisa Fine before. Her Paris pad was featured in Elle Decor a while ago becoming one of my all time favorites. Every Wednesday I will feature one unique home that inspires me to not be afraid of using what I like and love in my house. After all, our homes should be nothing if not filled with things that make us happy regardless what magazines try to talk us into.

In the living room we can see the traditional herringbone wood floors continuing into the tented parlor. Light pink walls serve as background for the eclectic art wall.

Here in her bedroom we see a more modern approach. Antique prints are equally framed behind two iron chairs and a mirrored cocktail table. Below, the wall behind the headboard is covered in silk, becoming the focal point. The headboard, one of Lisa's gorgeous creations, was hand-embroidery in India. A sofa at the end of the bed is upholstered in ikat and the Gio Ponti mirrors on the wall add the final details to this gorgeous bedroom.

Other side of the big living room. The leather screen is hand painted. Love the proportion of the velvet sofa.

In the very Parisian dining room Fine chose to mirror the walls around the room reflecting the beautiful Chinoiserie mirrored paintings. The black frames of the paintings blend with the black on the chairs and table. The crystal chandelier should be even more gorgeous when lit at night, sending light all across the room. This space perfectly mixes color with various influences to construct a beautiful room.

Simply beautiful

2009-09-29T09:41:00.003-04:00

When I have a beach house I definitely one a bed like this in the porch. I can imagine myself playing with my kids and my hubby in this space.

image from Coastal Living

It's just a pair of leather pants

2009-09-28T08:51:00.002-04:00

Every winter I dream of getting myself a pair of leather pants. But once again I can't find the courage to even try one on. Don't you love how they look on some people?

Gracious Entrance-partie deux

2009-09-25T09:14:00.002-04:00

"Luck is the residue of design". Branch Rickey

Some entrances can tell a lot of their occupants. For instance; their age, their likes and their hobbies. Have a wonderful, lucky weekend!!

A cozy bathroom

2009-09-24T08:02:00.000-04:00

I love how the custom curtains wrap around the wood cabinet sink giving this bathroom a very warm and cozy feeling. The pretty vanity mirror reigns solely on a silvery tone background.

Sneak peek

2009-09-23T08:39:00.004-04:00

Apologies for the lack of post. I've been very busy adding the final touches to this project and I'll be soon sharing more pictures with you. Here is a sneak peek of the project for eye candy.

Have a fantastic weekend

2009-09-18T08:40:00.003-04:00

"Gazing on beautiful things acts on my soul"
Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475- 1564)

last two images from DTI.

Gracious entrance

2009-09-17T08:39:00.001-04:00

The foyer is perhaps the most important part of the house when it comes to decorating. Our guests will have a good or bad 'first impression' of our style based on our foyer. Below are a few inspirations. Either your space is a hallway, a room or a single wall, I hope these images give you ideas on how to display a gracious entrance to welcome your guests.

Albert Hadley

Living Etc

A charming home

2009-09-16T08:28:00.002-04:00

Although I prefer to mix vintage pieces with new or custom furniture, I couldn't help but fall for this charming home when I came across it some time ago. This house is furnished completely with vintage furniture, but because of the use of color throughout looks fresh and unpretentious. This would make a perfect weekend cottage. Don't you think?

Pink and gray wedding

2009-09-15T09:21:00.002-04:00

Many people would not consider gray as a first choice when it comes to wedding decor. However there is that correct shade of gray able of bringing that soothing romantic touch and warmth to any wedding. Suitable for a relaxed countryside wedding, when combined with pink, or a sophisticated indoor one, when combined with lavender and/or white.

Botanical prints in a room

2009-09-14T08:52:00.000-04:00

Botanical prints can add freshness and life to a room. They go well with almost every decor style, adding a timeless touch. Although botanical prints are not too expensive the antique kinds can be pricier. I found this great website with incredible vintage prints with great resolution that you can download for free and print in any size you like. Enjoy

Below are some of the many selection.

A Pantry Make Over

2009-09-11T12:30:00.000-04:00

I should say, this is not a Butler's Pantry. This is a small food pantry we have in the kitchen that was in desperate need of a make-over to make it more functional and organized. I decided that the pantry should not lack aesthetics even if it is too small. But of course the main purpose of it was for the space to offer better accessibility. Nothing that a quick trip to The Container Store could not have solved. I started by covering the shelves in natural cork liner. The cork naturally resists mold and mildew and at the same time can serve as a board to display notes reminding us of the food we are running out of. Then I installed two sliding drawers for the bottom shelves for easy access. I'm a coffee lover but sometimes when I want to feel good about myself I enjoy a cup of tea. Thinking outside the box would give us a good number of options. For instance, to organize all the piled-up boxes of tea, I got a lined eco-friendly crochet box with lid that is intended to store clothes or books. For the spices that can be displayed, I got a cute Lucite 3-drawer jewelry box. I hid all the ugly coffee bags in William Sonoma's ceramic canisters. For the rice and pasta I got clear glass and plastic containers that will make it easy to see the content. I cut out the nutrition facts stickers on the boxes and inserted them inside the containers for future reference. I have to tell you that I'm more than happy with my pantry make over. It makes everything so much easier and simpler.

Below, a before shot.