Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that’s why it is so complicated. Paul Rand.
Via Dress Design Decor.
We interrupt this transmission to inform you that Rudolph has been temporary suspended due to clear weather. Now you can expect Santa riding on one of these gracious and elegant creatures. 
via Classiq 
Country Living
via Classiq
via La Maison Fou
A pair of Belgian horses making a delivery to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. via here.
Country Living
A friend of mine recently told me she hasn’t seen a Christmas decoration in orange. I immediately reminded her of this image I posted last Christmas by the glamorous Mary Mcdonald. Once I got home, I started browsing through my old issues of Veranda magazine when I came across these images that were published December 2005. This stunning 16th-c home located in France’s Loire Valley region belongs to San Francisco designer Stephen Shubel. The house is filled with antiques, vintage and new furniture pieces and decorated with crystal, silver candelabrum, mercury glass accessories from Mis En Demeure in Paris and old decorative papers wrap gifts. There are more images of this home in Stephen Shubel’s website.
“A living nativity scene is created by costume townsfolk in the ancient town square outside the home’s front door. Sights and sounds of the season, complete with the caroling of bells from a church on the square, transform this otherwise quiet place” How magical should this be. Sometimes we forget the real meaning of Christmas and just reading this makes my heart fill up with awe.
Photos scanned by/for Bellevivir by Thibault Jeanson via Veranda.
It’s 20 degrees outside and there still a thin layer of snow on the streets from last night, so I feel like I could use a little bit of green inside.
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Pinterest
I love everything in this room, the wood paneling, the chandelier, the white floors, the simply made bed, the comfortable seating, the built-in bookcases and the global chic rug.
Recently my husband went for a regular check up and the doctor advised him to take an hour for himself, just for himself, doing something completely different from what he usually does. The doctor then went on and explained him how a wine class he used to take at the world trade center took him to become good friend with the chef, to a trip to Italy where he met wonderful people and finally how after 9/11, to organized a fund raising event to raise money for the families of the workers who used to work at the restaurant. The chef is doing fine, in case you’re asking yourself the same question I asked my husband. It’s fascinating how sometimes our events in life are so clearly connected and how something that’s just a hobby can take us to do things we wouldn’t otherwise think of. I do believe in a higher purpose and usually the harder the accomplishment the greater the result.
In my case I don’t know how realistic it will be to take an hour for myself and not do or think about things to do. I would love to be able to attend events I am invited to, but for family or work responsibilities it’s impossible for me to attend. People have already stopped inviting me, seriously because I just don’t have the time and effort to socialize or network as much as I would like to. How about you? Are you able to set aside an hour for yourself?
images via Canadian House and Home and my files.