There are moments in life, at least in mine, when I just feel like getting away. Not looking back, letting go of everything and leaving with barely a bag full of clothes and my family. The ties (not to call them chains) I have made for myself both profesionnally and in my personnal life are sometimes a lot to manage. A business in growth mode, a TV gig, a mortgage, a duplex with ongoing – or shall I say never ending- renovations… from time to time scare me away and make me wish for a simpler life. A life made of a lake front humble home with bare walls and comfortable beds, great views and the giggles and lovely squeals of my children finding bugs and frogs.

Don’t get me wrong, I am proud of all I have accomplished and continue to strive for everyday while I plow my way through the challenges of being a youg business woman in a niche industry. But if you send me an email today – and if I do not reply until next week – please have a smile rise to the corner of your mouth and rejoice in the fact that maybe… just maybe, I have been able even if for a fleeting moment, to get away.

Hugs and kisses lovelies,

xoxo

v.

Sources: Airows, Untitled, Miss Mustard Seeds

Hi, it’s Gabrielle from Savvy Home here again! You don’t need to splurge on all the fancy gadgets in the world when renovating a kitchen, but sometimes, a little luxury goes a long way.

This is the kitchen of Lauren Gelb Weisbarth, sister of Alison Pincus, co-founder of One Kings Lane. Sure it’s a nice large kitchen with marble countertops, but it also features a few money savers like vintage stools and a modest subway tile splashback.

In the end, it’s the little luxuries that make this space seem accessible and functional but yet polished. Here are a few tips to take away from this kitchen.

1. Add a spotlight over the important task areas such as the sink.

2. Lanterns are a great versatile lighting option in the kitchen. They’re the practical version of a chandelier.

3. Don’t be afraid to paint your island a different color. This one is Benjamin Moore’s Newburg Green.

4. Add a small table for the kids to play, help prep the food or eat breakfast.

5. Give your kitchen a more youthful look with vintage pieces like these diner stools. Very D&D.

6. Bamboo shades are ideal window coverings for the kitchen. Go for electric shades for extra luxury.

7. A second sink on the island is perfect for smaller tasks and cooking with two or more people.

8. Cover your range with millwork for a more seamless look.

9. A pot filler above the cooktop is one of those little luxuries that come in so handy! No need to carry heavy pots back and forth anymore.

10. Invest in hardware. They really are the jewellery of a room.

How have you added a little luxury to your kitchen?

See you next week!

Gabrielle | Savvy Home

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I am feeling blue this morning… navy blue that is! It started with this picture of Chinese urns and it got me thinking. Year after year I notice in my wardrobe a ton of navy, maybe it is time I let the colour into my home. What do you think?

Photo sources: See the album on Pinterest

I have been sailing for the past week. Between Sardinia and Corsica, I have been completely disconnected from my daily routine (professional that is).

Our days have been filled with island hopping, swimming, castle building (and destroying in my 15 months old son’s case) and a whole lot of family fun. It had been a very long time since the last time I had taken such time off to really stop and smell the “bougainvillier” (a flower plant indigenous to this region).

All this fun in the sun and sailing, made me rekindle with the nautical style of décor which has been associated with cottages and beach houses in the recent past.

Would it be possible to extend the feeling associated with vacations in a more urban environment? Could one possible pull off a nautical inspired décor without falling into the ropes and fishnets with plastic lobsters (yes, you too have for sure seen them before!)?

I believe it is possible in small doses. Nautical inspired suspension lights and fabrics, mixed with weathered wood pieces, on a background of white walls and sprinkled with a few finds from the French industrial era shall do the trick.

Subtlety is the keyword. Layer patterns for depth, textures for intrigue, and quality finishing touches for glamour and you have a recipe for extending your vacation into a yearlong affair.

But as my own vacation is not yet over, I will close my laptop, stop thinking of design, and go back to the sand castles my children and I are making… until some other inspiration comes quickly again.

Ciao a tutti!

Source photos: Thom Filicia