Tag: Interior Design

20Jun

Modern While Still Warm Interiors by Ways of Julie Hillman Design

I posted about Interior Designer Julie Hillman‘s modern warm interiors a few years ago and while visiting her site lately I realized how avant-garde her work is.  She is capable of creating modern but still warm interiors by juxtaposing classic furnishings of clean iconic lines with modern abstract work.  Exactly what I believe dreams are made of.  A home that is far from common and boring, a home that interprets its homeowner’s lifestyle, travels and tastes but manages to be collected, sophisticated and mostly comfortable and livable.  And, if the home decor happens to meet half way between traditional and modern a.k.a transitional Interior Design, sign me up because that right there is what Chic Comfortable Interiors are to me.

julie hillman design living kithchen via belle vivir blog

Julie Hillman spent 10 years as a fashion designer before moving to Interior Design and she also went to Parsons, I’d like to think that we share a lot of things in common, the same awesome name, pardon my lack of modesty, we went to the same school and we have a love for 1940’s French furniture.   Julie describes her style as Modern Eclectic. A mixture of collected antique and modern masterworks, balanced with sumptuous fabrics and comfortable furnishings, tailored to each client’s individual needs.  I love how Julie can keep the color palette to neutral, of course always warm neutrals, and still make her interiors look exciting and warm perhaps that is due to her abundant use of quality art.

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15Jun

These 9 Stylish Laundry Rooms Will Make You Want To Do Laundry

There has not been a better time for the design industry than now.  The access to good design and good living has never been more available.  Everyone wants to live and do work in a beautiful environment, accordingly laundry rooms had to rise to the occasion.  Who could’ve ever imagined that stylish and laundry would share a sentence… These stylish laundry rooms are not the typical rooms you never want to be in, on the contrary, you would even find yourself making excuses to go into one.

Dina Bandman design de Gournay wall paper via belle vivir

How about a laundry room so exquisite that will make you want to come back every time.  This laundry room above has a de Gournay wallpaper, graphic floors and a pet shower.  Design by Dina Bandman for The San Francisco Show house.

Draza Stamenich laundry room via belle vivir

Draza Stamenich chose a hand painted wallpaper by Gracie for this sophisticated laundry room.  Love the chicken wire on the closet door.
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13Jun

Lessons From The Pros: Daniel Romualdez’s Sophisticated Interiors

The Architect Daniel Romualdez is among the most celebrated Interior Designers due to his extraordinary talent of creating consistent stunning interiors.  After studying economics at Yale University, Romualdez decided to follow his heart and pursued a career in Interior Design.

Daniel Romualdez library via belle vivir blog

After completing a master in Architecture from Columbia’s School of Architecture, he worked for two internationally recognized Architectural Firm, Thierry Despont and Robert A.M.  Recently, Romualdez was in charge of designing the interiors and the 46 units of 70 Vestry in Tribeca, a luxury waterfront condominium by architect Robert A.M. Stern.  Romualdez’s ability to conceive sophisticated interiors in multitudinous of styles, from traditional to modern has granted him an A-list of clients such as Daphne Ghinnes, Ina Garten, Tory Burch, Aerin Lauder and many others.

tory burch home daniel romualdez via belle vivir blog

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01Jun

Seeing Through Steel: Steel Casement Windows and Doors

steel casement windows, steel windows

Alfredo Paredes Manhattan home with stunning arched steel casement doors which make this space so spectacular.

I get so smitten every time I see a room with steel casement windows or doors, gladly they are getting more and more popular as we can see their beautiful presence in almost every design magazine issue lately.  I like to see them in all their different uses from windows to doors to kitchen cabinets to shower enclosure although, I have to say that they reign more when used as French patio doors.   After all, there are wood French patio doors and there are steel casement French patio doors with the last one being within its simplicity, extremely elegant and restrained.  Steel doors and windows look their best when used against clean concrete walls in more industrial or country settings but they can also look pretty seamless when used against stone walls.

Steel windows and doors are somewhat a kind of a design import from France where it has been used abundantly from Paris to the country side.

steel casement window, black-white-bathroom-with-shower-steel-enclosure

Steel shower enclosure brakes with the all white theme in this bathroom.

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31May

A Sophisticated Ranch by Ernest de la Torre

A Sophisticated Ranch designed by Ernest de la Torre, Ranch interior design entryway via Belle vivir blog

Usually Ranch and sophisticated are two words we don’t find in the same sentence.  However Interior Design well planned and executed can do wonders as it’s proved in this Upstate New York ranch designed by Ernest de la Torre.  The home the designer renovated
from top to bottom for his family is full of designers furniture an element more associated with urban dwellers and a collection of art that is more than inspiring.  Ernest de la Torre shares the Hudson River ranch with his husband, Kris Haberman, and their son, Parker.  The couple lived eight years in the house before undertaking the renovation.  The combination of rusticity and modern elements make this ranch a perfect home for any self-proclaimed urbanite.
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24May

Pierre Yovanovitch Chateau in Provence

Pierre Yovanovitch Chateau in Provence Living room Belle Vivir Blog

Pierre Yovanovitch is an exceptional Interior Designer I have posted about, many times before.  In one of the posts was a sneak peek of his Chateau Fabrègues in Provence, where
his austere and minimalist, modernistic aesthetics are set inside a 17th-century old property.  Recently The WSJ Magazine featured the entire Chateau giving us a complete view of the property.  The eight year restoration project which started in 2009 when Yovanovitch purchased the estate, included the restoration of a handful of buildings on the deteriorated 990 acre property.  One of the buildings was the guesthouse La Ferme, a three floor building that was completely redone inside, taking three years to complete.  The landscape was designed by Louis Benech whose Gardens are appreciated in six continents.