Category: Interior Design

While flipping through House & Garden magazine I was delighted to come across Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay.  I had seen snippets of her sophisticated interiors here and there but did not notice the Interior Designer behind them.  “Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay has always worked in a creative field, she started in New York City as a fashion stylist for some of the top department stores and magazines such as ELLE and then graduated into art direction, managing photo shoots and layouts for renowned stores like Bergdorf Goodman, Brooks Brothers and Bloomingdales. This set her up for her next move to the United Kingdom and interior design.” H.F.L

With such a background, exposure to top creative fields and exquisite environment, it’s no wonder that Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay’s interiors are enveloped in an aura of culture and refinement.   Her finely detailed rooms exude a sense of coziness and elegance juxtaposed with modern touches that make them mature and elegant but still cozy and inviting.

henri fitzwilliam-lay living room

This stunning living room, upholstered in blue and green, was the one responsible for introducing me to Fitzwilliam’s work.  I admire very much how harmoniously she uses color in a room. 

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We finally bought our home here in Dublin and the exciting stage is about to start soon.  Boy, I can’t  wait… The house as it is now is a complete disaster, which makes me somehow weirdly happy.  Every single surface, space and room needs to be redone, replaced or updated from floor to ceiling and windows… you name it.  So it’s safe to say that we won’t be moving anytime soon.  And you may be asking yourself what do all this have to do with two tone kitchens… Well if you know America’s obsession with white kitchens… I thought it would be a good idea to try to do something different while still beautiful.  And also because I just realized how much I’ve loved two tone kitchens for like ever…

I also realized that I favor kitchens that don’t necessarily look too much like traditional kitchens, if you know what I mean… absence of upper cabinets, furniture like islands and a more lounging atmosphere in general, etc….

Now don’t you fret… by two tone kitchens I mean a contrasting color on either lower cabinets, upper cabinets or island and it usually works out very well.

two tone kitchens green and white

Not for everyone but contrasting colors in this kitchen are surely rewarding and unique.  Green and white…

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irving place audrey's ottoman

This week’s special deals are a bit more glamorous than usual… A functional banquette for those who don’t what to compromise on anything permanent, a chic brass metal ottoman, a sculptural piece that can be used as a side table or a rack to hold books and a very pretty pillow…. Hover over the images for the prices

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Glamour may not be the word many families are looking for when it comes to decorating their home.  However when you are a Real Housewives of New York star who is not afraid to shine, a glamorous duplex sounds like the perfect antidote for a home.  Carole Radziwill’s Glamorous New York City Duplex is located in downtown SoHo where she relocated after her husband Anthony Radziwill died.

Carole Radziwill's Glamorous New York City Duplex via belle vivir_Port_034

See the rest of Carole Radziwill’s Glamorous New York City duplex after the jump.

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If you have not seen at least one of the refined rooms designed by Rose Uniacke then you’ve been living under a rock. Her perfect balance between the raw and the refined has fashioned her a very acclaimed interior designer.  Uniacke studied philosophy and worked for a furniture-restoration workshop where she learned about antiques. The latter experience and the influence of her mother, an antiques dealer as well, honed her style and knowledge of antiques and she became an antiques dealer herself.  Good antiques, the right clients and her great sense of style, light and proportions marked the path for her renowned Interior Design firm. I posted about her kitchen a few years ago. The kitchen with high ceilings, the right amount of light and absence of upper cabinets was already beautifully understated but as many other designers do, Uniacke also keeps updating and changing things around her house. In February of this year Vogue magazine showed her London home in which the kitchen has a completely different look. I can’t think of a better place to experiment than our own homes… Rose actually renovated her entire house and converted the basement into a swimming pool, and a hamam… The house also has one of the most beautiful conservatories I’ve seen. The glass-roofed conservatory is the first room you see upon entering the house…marking the serenity found throughout the house…

rose uniacke kitchen before belle vivir
In the previous kitchen there was an island, a more industrial stove and different overhead lighting.  In the latest version, the island was removed, the lighting was replaced and the stove is more modern.  Other details like the shelving and paintings were also changed…

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belle vivir special deals of the week

This week’s deal is a perfect assembly of very Frenchy everything… From a Louis XVI looking entry table, to a blue and white terracotta bowl set.  Since a modern touch is always right, we present the candle holders.  The very affordable and chic pineapple patterned plate and mug speak to the usually whimsical aspect of French decor.  All representing a very chic French life.

Set of 3 Striped Terracotta Bowl from $59.99 to $29.99

Fiamma Mirror from $499 to $399

Blossom Rose Candle holder from $65 to $52

Pineapple-patterned Plate from $9.99 to $5.99

A Matching mug from $9.99 to $5.99

Eloquence Contessa Entry Table from $ 2,464 to $1,970

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