Crazy about Kelly's Citrine

I have to admit that I am obsessed with Kelly Wearstler's Imperial Trellis in Citrine. I love the repeat on the pattern but the contrast of the citrine against the ivory is simple classy and gorgeous.



I know that Kelly calls this color citrine, others citron or chartreuse. You can call it whatever you want as long as you put it in a lot of places in my house...

A closet, a bedspread, curtains, small water closets...my imagination is still going!

My board

This week I decided to organize my office. One of the items on the "to do list" was to create a board where I could tag everything I needed... My husband and I worked really hard and created our own little piece of art... you'd be the judge.

Personally I love it! I keep on pocking my head into my office just to take a peak. This board represents everything that I love. It is me.

2CV

Recently my friend Helen who is British but lives in my hometown of Paris, came to visit. As we were strolling through Maine on a warm afternoon, our discussion led us to old cars. I mentioned the fact that if ever were to own a farmhouse it would have to have in the driveway an old Chevy truck to help me transport everything I would be looking for.

Helen on the other hand told me of her love of the 2CV the ultimate french car. I had not thought of these in a long time but truth be told since our conversation the 2CV has been on my mind. My Mom and Dad had one lovingly called "the tin can" as the top opened like a can of sardines.

It was the hip car in the TV series called " The Saints" with Roger Moore.

2CVs (also known as deux chevaux to describe the engine power) were available in a range of colors such as yellow or green.

But the most popular was the one without any color at all or at least it seemed that way. Today the 2CV is back in fashion and owning one is very cool. Even Hermes last year joined for the anniversary by outfitting a few cars that only the rich could afford.

So now that I have reconnected with this icon, I do hope Helen gets her dream and finds her dream 2CV...hers is fire engine red! I would love to zoom trough Paris in one of those babies!

Barclay

I was reading one of my favorite publication this week, Elle Decor, as I finally took a week off http://www.elledecor.com/. I have to say that this one magazine I really wait for as I did with Domino which I hope they will bring back soon.


This month I fell in love with Badgley and Michka house in Kentucky.




This house is simple and classic yet it has a hint of modern. I blends perfectly with the environment and looks inviting.

The room that made me stop is this one:

It looks just like my loving room, one of the any rooms I need to finish and furnish before the end of the year if my husband will let me spend the money....Looking at the resource section the sofas are from restoration hardware (www.restorationhardware.com). The sofas are called the "Barclays" and to findthem on the site you will have to type the name in...but when you get there the surprise is that the line is on sale!

Actually all leather and upholstery are on sale at this time. So maby I can even start looking at this gorgeous pair of leather wing back chairs to carry on the look!

Mothology

Some people have little black books with restaurants and more around their town or wherever they travel. My little black book is an Internet address book. Everything that has to do with home decoration is in it. I can be at the dentist waiting for my appointment and as I read magazines you will often find me feverishly a web address after seeing something I like. If I like what I see when I get back and log in then the web address makes it to my "little black book".

One of my favorite discoveries has been mothology. http://www.mothology.com/

From mercury lights

to accessories for the home

to furniture like this fabulous metal desk


this is a site that keeps on bringing new and original styles to everyday people. How you display all of these great products is up to you.

If I had to go camping

If I had to go camping the answer would be NO!!!!!It would be loud , asserted and would leave no room for any misunderstanding.

The idea of sleeping under a tent in the middle of the forest, while the wild life surrounds me, where everything is dark and scary and I have to sleep on the floor, just does not fit my idea of a good time.

Now if camping was sleeping in a bed and under a beautiful tent in a protected area where design still abounds, food is fabulous and does not need to be killed first then I might reconsider. Such q place does not exist right? Wrong!!!! Try this for camping the way I think it should be http://www.campinglesormes.com/. It has a pool, a beach, a beautiful location, great food after all this is in the Perigor and and the accommodations you ask? You be the judge!

Now that is camping and I am packing!

Creative spaces

Creative spaces it is all a matter of preference. Some like it very organized, others very messy...I guess I like my organized mess.

Recently I was going through old magazines before tearing pages out to place them in my binders. Once of them was an issue of Martha Stewart Living (Yes I will admit I have been a Martha fan and follower for years). She did have an article on organization and how everyone' style is different.

Fritz Karch for example is very messy but I love the messy creative environment. It speaks of too many ideas than time can allow him to get it done.

Gayle Towey's office, speaks of high level organization where only pretty things make it. I could so see myself in there ...but then where would the glitter and glue go? and where are the supplies?

OK Darcy Miller's office is more me, big board with tons of pictures, ideas and schedule. Anything and everything that makes me happy go to the board.

As scary as it may seem this is organized to me... but then again I am the one who needs to make sense of all of this.

Cleansing...

I woke up this morning with the idea that I was going to go to Todd's Farm , staple of flea markets if you live on the North Shore. Bill, Hurricane Bill that is gave us rain and I decided to clean up house instead. Yes I can shop in the rain, I have done many in dirt and mudd but today just was not it. I guess in my heart I knew that before I bring anything in new (or not) I need to make room. For me right now the basement is where I need to clean up. There is no room to move or fininsh my new creative space. I can dream, I can draw it as many times as I want it will never happen until I do somethign about it.

By 2:00PM I was dusty and dark grey. Two Huge Construction bags are full but I am not done yet...It will take many rainy Sundays I guess. In the meantime I my drawings are still changing. If you have a great creative room please send me pictures

Cote Ouest

When I tell people that I come from France people always ask me if I am from Paris. The answer is yes, I am a born and raised Parisienne. This is by far my favorite city in the world. The mix of old an new the constant movement and changes, the different cultures that blend together so well I can go on and on...Yes I have always been in love with my city and that will never change.
But every person who lives in Paris knows that you need to get out once in a while to rest your senses by giving them a treat.

The western part of France is it for me. From the bottom part of Normandy, the Loire Valley to Brittany I marvel at the sheer beauty of the region.
Yet leaving in the States I do not have the opportunity to go and spend time through the backstreets and back roads. But I really need my fix of beautiful things , so I cope by reading the magazine CoteOuest.
In the Juin- Juillet edition this house completely captivated by imagination.. This house belongs to a Dutch couple and all I can say is "Superbe".

I will keep on checking the mail...maybe I will get an invitation to visit!

Hudson...Boston that is

So we all know that New York has fabulous shops to decorate your from small to big , from modern to vintage you can find just about everything. One of my favorites you ask? abchome (http://www.abchome.com/) ranks right up there. But here is the problem, I do not live in New York...nope I leave north of Boston where choices are not, let's face it as varied and plentiful. There are plenty of shops don't get me wrong, actually one of my favorites is right there Hudson Boston http://www.hudsonboston.com/.

A mix of vintage and modern, real antique pieces and yes new ones, one of a kind artwork, soaps, candles, napkins and tablecloth. Just fabulous...and if you find yourself n Boston in the next 2 weeks this is there semi annual sale. Don't miss it! You will find me there.

Rainy day

Today is a rainy day and a cold one to boot. I guess it fits with the overall mood - cold and gray.
Strange thing is that gray is often associated with "cold" where for me gray is actually one of the warmest colors and one of my favorites. Truth be told I am a green person first, gray second.

My house in the past used to have lots of wall colors and dark furniture to balance. What it meant is that I changed the color of the walls every 2 to 3 years as I grew tired of my choices and/or my taste evolved. I was never satisfied if for just a couple of months at the beginning , then I would go through the questioning phase, moving things around phase, new artwork phase, don't like phase, hate it phase and finally re-paint phase...

Then 5 years ago I was introduced to the C2paint Company and a color known as Vex Number C427 ). http://www.c2paint.com/. It totally changed my way of thinking. Not only I have not repainted that first room in 5 years but now all of the rooms are Vex. Int he dead of winter when snow is piled up outside this color is calm and warm and embraces you like a blanket, in the spring the new greens bounce off and look bright and vivid, the high sun creates magical hues during the summer and when the leafs turn in the fall it provides the most beautiful background to the gold outside and the fire roaring inside. I guess you can say I am in love...and I am not alone. Many people come through my house and some of them have become groupies just like me. You might just want to give it a try and after that you will never refer to gray as cold.

Learning to Cope

For anyone who has ever had to say goodbye to a beloved pet you will,I am sure, understand what I mean when I say that I am struggling to cope. My house is empty, there are no noises, no panting, no snorring (yes my Zoe snored like no one else). Everytime Zoe moved her collar made noise and jingled, whenever I moved she followed. I used to call her my shadow...She always carried her green mitten in her mouth patiently putting it at my feet waiting for me to throw it in the house. She used her paws like hands and always shuffled her brown nose in my hand to tell me she was there. Her eyes were the deepest brown I have ever seen and for us nothing but love came through.
We had to put her down because of her aggressive behavior with others. We coudl not open the door without her showing teeth and trying to attack our visitors. We lived around her for 7 years but as she grew older the risk became greater. Zoe was handicapped always, she could hardly see, had no sense of smell, and was hearring impaired. So anyone taht came through, every noise, everthing was always a surprise to her. That is why she was agressive. She always regretted it but she could not control her reactions. Recently she started releiving herself in the house whether we were there or not. This became too much for us and our girls and we had to make the hard decision to say goodbye. It was probably the logical decision but my heart aches. I miss my best friend, and I feel that I betrayed her by letting her go. All she did was the best she could and we decided it was not enough. I hate myself for having gone through with it. I hate being home. I cannot forgive myself.

to Zoe

Zoe

Tonight was the end of the road for you. We said goodbye and held you tight until your last breath. You were never supposed to survive at the beginning and were left with so many issues as a result. For seven years we loved you regardless and you loved us back with everything you had. You barked at people, tried to bite, chased other dogs but loved our cats. You never knew whether you did fit in or not, sat on your hips, snored louder than anyone in the house, ate like a slob, begged, kissed, hugs your toys and yet shredded them to pieces and so much more. I loved your wrinkled brown nose, the white on your fur as you grew older, the warm welcome as to say I thought I would never see you again when I returned from travels and those big brown eyes that expressed more love than most people will ever feel in a life time.
So thank you my Zoe for loving us, I love you too. I miss you more than you can imagine.

An afternoon in Maine

Recently very dear friends came to visit from Europe. He, is my husband's best friend since they were young teen, she, is a great gal who the more I know her, the more I like her. They came along with their 3 fabulous kids. I know it might seem strange to hear any one talk about someone else's kids as fabulous but trust me these kids really are. So on a sunny day we decided to head off to Maine. Southern Maine, Ogunquit to be exact. Although during the summer this is a very busy place, we never have problems finding parking or some spot on the beach that fits people of all ages. But let's be honest after 2 hours on the beach I am is dire need to go antiquing. In southern Maine it is quite easy...follow route 1 from Kittery to Kennebunk and you will fine just about everything. Don't be fooled by the fakes there are so many beautiful spots to visit. My favorites? Wells Union Antiques. 9 shops make this spot a must visit, from the glass and metal antique shop (I could buy everything if I could afford it) to the master Zinc artist that will create to your specifications I cannot go to Maine without going to get inspired. This place is fabulous!
Other like Antiques on Nine is Kennebunk are a must stop to visit spot.
So you if you ever find yourself in southern Maine, go and visit some of those shops and have fun!