COCO CHANEL

"I'm for style - fashions change too often".

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Great finds in the heart of Miami

So today I decided to visit some of my favorite furniture stores in Wynwood. Obviously in the heart of the Art District, I always find some great treasures that are just begging for a home! First come first serve.. One of our favorite stores is Las Tias, they do such a great job finding classic and original pieces of furniture that it is great for designers who understand the value of originality versus a knock off! Also, they are great at supporting local artists, that refurbish great pieces of furniture and are the store of choice for celebrity designers who showcase some of their secret pieces! Wish I could say more but I'm afraid I've already said to much...
Original Pastil chair designed in 1968 by Eero Aarino $900 (above)

Refurbished chair in  flocked fabric $795

 Refurbish daybed $1200
LK studio sofa $ 3,900

12'x 4' bubble mirrors with antique white border LK studio $1,000

 Mid Century White Murano Glass with Ostrich shade $ 2,100

Louis XV Rock Crystal Chandelier (SOLD) $10,000
With this rock crystal detail I leave you! My Fave !!
Happy Thursday : )

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

It's all about GREEN !

Green is a secondary color created by two primaries Yellow and Blue (cyan). The word green is related to the Old English verb: growan, “to grow”, it is associated with regeneration, rebirth  and fertility for its connections to nature. This color can also, be associated with health, tranquility and Good Luck!! Green has a calming effect and makes us relax and release stress. Below are some images of green spaces to get you green motivated also some funny green facts:
A transparent green sheet  over reading material increases reading speed and comprehension.
Today, some folks believe M&M's send a sexual message.
Because it is associated with fertility, in the 15th Century it was the color of choice for wedding gowns.
Guest's in TV shows wait in a "green room" to relax and calm down.
 Really Green & Really close to nature! Fresh, live plants...
* GREEN in French: VERT *

Monday, November 15, 2010

Roche-Bobois: Luxury, style, expression

Roche- Bobois is the story of two French families that met and began a business venture in 1950. They purchased an ancient theatre: Alexandre Dumas near Lyon and began the fabricating and distribution of the best of contemporary French furniture at the time. With inspirations from Bauhaus designers they sold their furniture to Paris stores under the name "Au Beau Bois"-Beautiful Wood, which later would become Bobois.

Many diferent color combinations available, low, easy and relaxed!

More traditional options..
 Their latest project along renowed designer Jean Paul Gaultier..(below)


We <3 primary colors!
For more info visit them at http://www.rochebobois.com/ 

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Romantique Blue Elegance

Of course design from it's roots, Traditional and Classic. Nowdays, with modern paints, fabrics and materials it is more refined but the esscence is the point...

Friday, November 12, 2010

Color of the Day : + BLUE

Blue is a calming color. It can be dark and solid or light and friendly. The majority of the population will choose blue as their favorite color. Blue is also associated with dependability, wisdom and loyalty. A Bedroom with a light shade of blue will be a calm and restful space. Contrarily, a gymnasium with an intense blue hue will get your blood flowing and your heart racing. Blue could also convey trust and truthfulness. Here are some blue rooms to get you inspired into the fall months:







Listen to the blues and make your whole house blue ; )


Thursday, November 11, 2010

For the LoVe of Coca-Cola

Nothing more refreshing than a cold iced Coca-Cola on a warm summer day! Well  we are getting closer to winter and still quite refreshing on any given season... Coca-Cola has done such a great job in their advertising, that althought their recipe has been altered through time it's more about a delicious refreshing idea that you want to buy! From Pin-up girls to polar bears to clever animals and raging hot air balloons, it's all about one thing: Happiness
The newest exhibit of Coca-Cola memorabilia is currently on display in the Pop-Culture Gallery. For the first time in the U.S it will remain until May 2011. It displays Artwork from artist such as: Ben Vautier, ErrĂ³, Jeff Schaller, and Rolf Knie. This is a small part of a private collection which belongs to a man called: Jean-Louis Foucqueteau of Lausanne, Switzerland.

Check out these links for some hilarious Coke commericals:

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

L.A studio by Cantoni

Cantoni created this: Young Hollywood Studio in L.A where celebrities feel at ease with the ambience that the Cantoni crew created. The idea was to create a cool space where celebrities could come and hang out, be interview and open up with out being pressured..
Some of the celebs that have kicked it at the set are:
The Kardashians, Regie Miller and Nicolas Cage!

Ultra chic, Ultra modern, Ultra Cool!

Friday, November 5, 2010

A little food for thought!

Giant Glass Chandelier by Andromeda

Wicker Bird Nest by Dedon : )

Washbasin by Artisam

Furniture by Bruehl

Here are a couple of images to get you inspired and full of creativity!
 Happy Friday Everybody !

Thursday, November 4, 2010

The Glass Pavilion.. Architecture at it's Prime!

This house is a clear and excellent example of what modernism stands for, right now.  With influences from great architects such as Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion and Philip Johnson's Glass House. This house built by Steve Hermann, is modernism at its prime! This structure took 6 years to build and no expense was spared, the best products were sourced from around the world to make this a flawless design. The foundations of the house are made of massive steel beams which support the structure making it seem weightless. Most of the glass panels are made from Star Fire Glass, a type of glass usually reserved for jewelry displays. It is 14,000 square feet and sits on a 3.5 acre lot in Montecito. The house also holds an Art gallery, were the owner stores his personal collection of vintage cars, a maximum of 32.




I wanna eat the sofa...


Wednesday, November 3, 2010

HOME STAGING- Setting up your home to Sell or Rent FAST !!

I would like to start by explaining what is home staging. Many times, investors have empty houses or apartments for sale or rent. These homes sit on the market for a while and don’t move because they are empty and vast and most clients don’t envision anything. HOME STAGING in this case will require some basic furnishings such as a bedroom setting, some tables, some chairs, a sofa, some art and some color to tie it all together and trick the client into seeing a complete and functional space. This can be done by yourself or by professional home staggers that know cost and specifics on making this environment seem whole at a minimum cost, also the knowledge of stores that rent furniture and so forth. On the other hand, home staging is also necessary if you live in the space you are trying to sell or rent.
Here are a couple of quick tricks and simple tools to make your home more inviting and appealing for those discriminating buyers:


  1. First impressions matter: Make sure the lawn, the exterior looks the best! Pick up debris. Plant some flowers and make it attractive and well kept.

  1. Get rid of all those piles of clutter. Your home needs to be livable but not look like a storage room. Throw it away, hide it in the closet or in the garage, neatly! Remember clients will be looking at everything!

  1. Clean your home! Make sure everything looks as clean as possible! It should look the cleanest ever…

  1. Maintain you home organized: Realtors and clients have to make their schedules meet, this means at any time you could be called to show your place. It will be a pity for your home to not be shown because you didn’t make your bed! Plan ahead! YOU are the most interested in this selling!

  1. Be positive! It will sell! Don’t focus on the faults or little issues; even the big ones can be fixed. Think of all the good features it has, all the reasons that you love it, all the good memories, keep you attitude positive, secure and happy!

  1. Remove most personal belongings: When clients walk into your home, the idea is that they focus on their lives taking place in this space. Ideally children’s artwork, personal notes, and your little secrets should be hidden so the buyer keeps his eye on the space!

  1. Add some color! Make it interesting and fun! Make it inviting, this doesn’t mean make your walls red. If you are on the subtle, light color side, that’s ok just put some art, light a candle make it complete!

  1. Tickle their nose! Not literately: they might now like it! Walking into a place that smells warm and nice or fresh and clean gets us happy and our blood flow going! Baking cookies is a great trick, lighting candles with a subtle scent will work well also. Avoid harsh smells.  

  1. Open the curtains: Allow all the natural light to come in! In some cases this might seem like too much because of the glare and the sun, but it doesn’t matter: Let it shine! You or the realtor can always put the blinds down subtlety, but the light is part of the room!

  1. Evenings showings: Be ready for it all. Remember turn all the lights ON, this includes table lamps, floor lamps, candles. Again:YOU are the most interested in this selling!

Home staging can be done by yourself or by a prffessional home stagger, which ever way you decide to do this remember it is a good investment from which you will profit.




A little color, furnishings to a minimum, accessories = inviting space!

It is a fact that homes that are staged, sell faster than those that are not! Just imagine if you walked into the coolest space, full of gadgets and color and everything looking like all you need to do is kick everyone out  and smile " you're home!". Than walking into a empty hollow space that needs everything to be done..., for those creative types that's great but still a lot of work ahead. A lot simpler when you are shown the perfect space - : )

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

...WE LOVE PATTERN...





Pattern is a perceptual structure. It is a decorative and artistic work, that by definition it is a model worthy of imitation. When hue is added in the right amount to this repetition we can create the most inviting and inspirational spaces. With different textures and materials, we can create an ocean of movement and what if we tried to stick to one color...