I don’t know about you but, I can’t decide what I love more about Summer: the easiness of its clothes or the absence of heavy ones, which in either case pretty much results in the same feeling of comfort. As time passes I find myself more interested in wearing sneakers for my daily errands. I can not for the love of God even think about picking up my son, Lucas at school in heels or wearing them to the Super Market for that matter. Lucky for me and all the ladies who favor fashion sneakers had never been this hot or coveted. There is this Athleisure style which is more than a trend and it’s here to stay. Now, Athleisure is is not to be confused with the use of sweat pants with decorated letters on the derriere. No, no this consists of wearing active wear that are more fashionable than the usual and sneakers are a bit more fancy with exotic skins and accessories. Whatever the fashion world decides to call it, it all comes down to the fact that comfort always beats fancy.
It should not take you by surprise the fact that Americans love to collect, thus their love for big kitchens with lots of cabinets. European kitchens, on the other hand, tend to be smaller for the reason that Europeans tend to buy only and mostly for current consumption, instead of purchasing and freezing food for weeks. Americans love functionality and comfort, Europeans love the simplicity and no hustle. Kitchens in America usually have big room pantries where they stack up on all kinds of food. On the aesthetic side, Europeans gravitate towards no upper cabinets perhaps as a reflection of their more simple lifestyle.
American Kitchen vs European Kitchen
European Kitchens
A kitchen designed Studio Razavi
I think Country interiors are underrated and overlooked while more polished decor take center stage. One reason could be because country or rustic interiors look and feel better in person and pictures don’t do them justice. Elements such as honed finish stones, matte finish woods creates a cozy environment that invites to stay and even walk barefoot. And, when it comes to beautiful country decor no other place does it better than a European country side. Case in point, his country home designed by Isabel Lopez Quesada located in Zegovia, Spain. I posted about this kitchen designed by her a while ago and was trilled when recently found more images of the rest of the house and who can’t forget that popular shot of Isabel’s home library?
The old French technique of wall mural paint, where the final effect is a monochromatic tone in different shades of grey, dark and light, is as old as it gets. Reinvented or discovered during the Renaissance as a form of a more affordable painting technique, perhaps also due to limited color options that were available for painting, it’s been reinvented in forms of wallpaper, posters and panel screens. Its monochromatic tone makes it a perfect background for all kinds of decor style, from modern to traditional. I love it with a dash of color furniture for a more contrasting and modern effect and when enhanced with a touch of brass it is simply harmoniously gorgeous.
A Paris apartment by Studio Razavi Architecture
What is design if it’s not a reflection of our own life, travels, and taste. This Brooklyn apartment owned by Apparatus Studio founders, Gabriel Hendifar and partner Jeremy Anderson speaks about just that. Most likely you have seen their amazing lighting creations in numerous cases and may have even caused you to gasp. Born from playful experimentation with vintage lighting components apparatus is a new york based design studio. The couple launched the Brooklyn-based studio in 2012, quickly becoming recognizable and coveted worldwide. Their lighting fixtures can be seen in hot spots from New York City to London. The apartment decor is modernist, sculptural and an incubation of all mighty geometry.
The Kensington Hotel in London, appears to be more a Parisian apartment than a hotel itself. Beautiful paneled rooms with parquet floors are found throughout. Each room and suite is individually designed inside the beautiful regency style building, which is composed of four stucco white-painted facade townhouses The interiors display a mixture of deep upholstery, sumptuous fabrics, contemporary art, classic furniture and stunning fireplace mantels. All inside walls with stunning cornices, wall paneling and zigzag parquet floors.
