I am all over how modern and fresh this festive decor is! And it did not take more than a few rolls of neon non-adhesive tape and ribbon, neon gouache for the wreath, newspaper for wrapping, and some great ideas.

Who’s with me on my neon craze? I guess I did not binge enough the first time around in the ’80′s. :o)

xoxo

v.

How frustrating will this gift be to open… but how cute is it to decorate under the tree!

source: Anthology Mag

I don’t know if it is because I have 3 little munchkins running around my humble abode, but children room design always get me! (OK, I also get misty watching How to Train Your Dragon… but that’s another story!)

There is something quite whimsical about a child’s room. They do not see their decor as we do. Their comfortable bed with matching bedding is for them either a castle or a drifting raft where hungry sharks swim below. Their little colouring desk becomes, in a flash, an English Tea Room where dolls and stuffed animals attend with great ceremony.

As I look at the glossy pages of magazines and the beautifully curated rooms they present, I marvel at how far chilren room design has come. Long gone are the days or Winnie the Pooh (no offence Winnie, your books and movies rock!) wallpaper and marching bedding.

Colour schemes are vivacious and adult like, the textures are soft and curly but also sophisticated and rich. Themes have been left aside to leave the whole floor for ambiances with streamlined or moody decors. I could not be happier!!

And when all is said and done, and we, as parents, have gotten our design fix, I can only marvel once more at the fact that my children still think their eclectic, bohemian vintage inspired bedroom, still makes for a great space ship or camping tent! Let them keep that child heart as long as possible for spying on their “pretend games” is one of my most profound source of happiness!!

sources: 1. Two Ellie 2. Nuevo Estilo 3. Ikea Family Live 4. Krispix 5. Me Oh My! photograph by Ashlee Raubach 6. The Style Files 7. Scrubs & Pearls

Il y a des moments où les mots sont superflus… quelques images valant bien plus que 1000 d’entre eux!

Les vacances ont cognées à ma porte d’un petit coup discret vendredi dernier et on dirait que c’est seulement ce matin, alors que je serais habituellement en route pour le bureau, que je me rend compte de ma liberté nouvellement acquise.

Un petit morceau d’ironie repose dans le fait que les vacances n’en sont que parce qu’il existe des moments de travail en comparaison pour mieux les apprécier. Oh… comme je les apprécie!

Et quel meilleur endroit pour vraiment décrocher que cette résidence de Tanger au Maroc. Toute de chaux blanche vêtue, faisant ressortir les riches textures de lin, de coton, et de bois, cette maison est un plaisir pour les yeux.

Je ne vous ai jamais dit... mais j'ai un faible pour les carpettes Flokatis grecques (surtout lorsqu'elles sont vintage)

Si je vous promet d’être assidue à vous écrire à toutes les semaines, malgré les vacances estivales, serez-vosu au rendez-vous pour me lire?

Tourlou!

v.

photos: Jordi Canosa Style: Daniela Cavestany 

I always feel bad when I compare my souvenirs and trinkets filled home to the ones I see in the glossy pages of magazines. Since I work in the design industry, it is as if I bore the pressure of owning one of these tastefully curated abodes. Well… I don’t! I have 3 kids, a crazy work schedule and the immense desire of enjoying whatever free time I have to, well, enjoy it… not edit, curate, and organize.

With that being said, it seems that chic and stylish “daily life” can be somewhat of a contradiction, or to the least… a challenge. How do collections of books, trinkets brought back from vacation, or random family pictures become elegant?

Well it seems that “normal” is the new IT! Or if we like this sort of comparisons: grey is the new beige, 40 the new 30, 3 the new 2 (when we think of kids), and smouldering bed hair the new ultra trendy do! Yé!!

How decadent is it to intrude on what would otherwise be a picture perfect vignette or thought-to-the-T room by adding a laptop, a bin of toys, or a sombrero won in a wild evening’s challenge (no there is no innuendo to a personal experience here!)?

To me these are life’s small pleasures!! Using crystal tumblers to pour a morning orange juice on a week day, or wiping off my lipstick in an immaculate white linen restaurant napkin… are purely delectable!

And you, have you found great ways to incorporate your life’s treasures into your decors and manage a somewhat polished anyways? I’d love to read them.

Until next time,

xoxo.

V.

Sources: Design*Sponge, Couture Forever, Tumblr, Period Living