Category: Home Decor

Caroline Sieber’s London home is a colorful oasis that aims to bring the happy touch to the often grey days of London. The house that she shares with her husband Fritz von Wetenholz and their daughter is located in the leafy Notting Hill neighborhood and the result of the design is a combination of the couples respective childhood homes aesthetics. The colorful house was designed by the couple in an eclectic way “something more contemporary, younger… feminine but not ditzy.” Caroline who is a fashion stylist and Chanel brand ambassador, says. The living room which runs the entire depth of the house is covered in a custom tropical wallpaper by Zuber, with is a mixture of furniture from different styles such as a gilded Victorian-looking sofa, a marble cocktail table designed by the couple and other furniture pieces from the nineteenth century.  Caroline Sieber’s home was published in the November issue of Vogue 2015.  A couple of years ago I posted about her impeccable style which as chic as her house, you can see it here.

Caroline Sieber's London home living room, Caroline Sieber's home via belle vivir blog

The living room Of Caroline Sieber’s London home with its custom tropical wallpaper by Zuber makes such a focal point, no need for wall art.

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Poppy Delevingne’s luxurious bathroom is like a gift that keeps on giving.  It’s also a girl’s dream with marble covering counter tops, shower and floors and accents of polished brass fixtures. Delevingne’s bathroom is right up my alley.  The walls are covered in a De Gournay green wallpaper, but don’t fret, the luxurious wallpaper seems to be protected from water and moisture, thanks to the glass enclosed marble-covered shower, as you can spot in this video she did for Jo Malone.

Poppy Delevingne's luxurious bathroom, with de gournay wallpaper

Poppy Delevingne taking a selfie in her fabulous bathroom from her Instagram acct.

The beautiful bathroom also shows some functional features, as a closet for storage and a glass and brass metal three tier side table next to the free-standing bathtub for easy access to toiletries.

poppy delevingne'd luxurious bathroom, via abelle vivir

Poppy Delevingne's luxurious bathroom, bathtub and brass faucet

Make it your own

Framed chinoiserie wall mural would add a great touch.  Brass deck mount exposed faucet, brass sink faucet, a more modern version freestanding bathtub, three tier side table in brass and acrylic.

Second picture by Bjorn Looss, scanned by me from Porter Magazine

 

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It’s always inspirational to see home renovations resulting in unique stylish spaces, as is the case of Emma Jane Pilkington’s home in Greenwich, Connecticut which Emma shares with her family.  After living in Paris and New York, Emma, eager for more space, moved to Greenwich, Ct. with her family.  The house had major flaws that needed serious work.  Small rooms, low ceilings, and tiny windows were among those.  The massive undertaking took three years and the help of architect Joel Barkley, who also did an addition that serves as living and dining area.  The interior decor is composed of great antiques, cozy upholstered furniture and 17th and 18th-century marble fireplaces.  Some of the furniture pieces came for Emma’s previous apartment in New York, which I previously posted here.  The result of this new dream home is the right balance of European meet American style, worth enough to leave the City for.  Below, Emma Jane Pilkington Greenwich home.
Emma Jane Pilkington Greenwich home, Emma Jane Pilkington's home, living room with two blue sofasCustom sofas covered in mohair in the living room

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A very uncompromising way to bring pattern and personality into your home decor is by painting your hardwood floors in a graphic pattern.  I believe that painted floors are perhaps the easiest way to change and enhance the interior design of your home.  There is a plethora of design pattern to choose from, being checkered floor the most popular, and it’s for sure a much more economical way to change your flooring as well as it avoids the hassle of replacing old floors or installing parquet floors.  From simple geometric patterns such as Chevron, more intricate parquet patterns painted of wood floors to more elaborate antique-inspired tiles painted on concrete floors, these images of patterned floors below will for sure inspire you to bring the allure under your feet.  If you don’t mind getting dirty and embark on a DIY project, Apartment Therapy has a guide on how to paint your floors, you can find it here.

painted floors , patterned floors, Ideas, wood floor painted in grey and white maze pattern

In this dining room, the wood floor was painted in geometric grey and white maze pattern.  The decor in this home shows a perfect juxtaposition in a modern interpretation of neoclassical style.  Love the amazing detail of the upholstered door.

For this client in New York City, We painted the floor in a grey and white checkeredboard, diamond patter.

painted floors , patterned floors, Ideas, beach bedroom painted in hexagon pattern on wood floors

In the tropical bedroom of Bunny Mellon in Antigua, the wood floor was painted in different shades of blue.

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Provencal Gardens design ideas with terracotta pots with boxwood and stone walls and shutters

Francois Catroux courtyard in Laurmarine, France.  The Provencal garden has ancient fortified stone walls with shutters on the windows, the floor is in gravel and the green throughout is planted in terracotta pots.

Characteristics of Provencal Gardens

European Country or Provencal gardens are informal with a more laid-back atmosphere.  When more European formal gardens are meticulously planned and focused on symmetry, many countryside gardens share a common thread that reflects their slower pace of life and unpretentious approach to design.  As in many of their choices in life, Europeans first priority when it comes to designing their garden is about creating the space to celebrate the pleasures of life among friends and family.  What an inspiring way of living, taking what you have and working with it, instead of falsely inventing what’s not there.  Of course, not all of us
have the perfect surroundings of the South of France but there is something to be learned from this realistic low maintenance approach to design.  Europeans have an innate sense of style and even though their country gardens are casual they sure are stunning and charming settings where we can linger and never get tired of them.  One main element I constantly see in these gardens is gravel, typically used in patios and pathways as well as partitions between boxwood.  These countryside gardens in Europe may be full of harmony, but make no mistake, these lush outdoor spaces are full of varieties.  Usually lots of container
plantings for easy caring, lavender for the beauty as well as for the aroma, vegetable and herb farming for an organic living and ancient old trees.  Since food and wine is an integral part of good living (in my and many others opinion),  iron garden tables and simple chairs are a must for outdoor eating.
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As everyone knows, the first impression is essential.  In many cases, definitive.  Accordingly, a gracious foyer or entryway decor speaks volume of what lies ahead.  Whether you are lucky enough to have in your home a full room for a foyer or a small entryway, there are endless ways to decorate it in a welcoming way.  Here are 10 great ways to decorate your foyer or entryway.

Contemporary Entryway

foyer, 10 great ways to decorate your foyer, home foyer decorating ideas ways to decorate your entryway
In this entryway, two identical eagle-base consoles with two respecting round mirrors bring
balance and symmetry to the entrance of this home.  The shimmery wallpaper decor adds a touch of glam to the space.
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