10Apr

Library

A wall of white bookcases packed with books juxtaposed a gorgeous sawhorse black table. via Pinterest

I recently read that one of the latest amenities in the hot New York City real estate market is to provide buildings with common libraries. Many of the exclusive buildings offering this kind of convenience to their future buyers have in their shelves only Architecture and Design related books and usually from luxury Publishing houses as Assouline. I can understand why this would be a catch for buyers especially those looking for a luxury lifestyle living. A library feels old school and cozy and there’s always a welcoming feeling. I don’t think there is anything else other than a library, or simple bookcases with books, that can make a house instantly feel a home. Enjoy!

Haynes-Roberts Inc. OMG! the floor, the floor, checkered marble floors. Am I about to faint here?

05Mar

Sig Bergamin

You may remember Sig Bergamin’s beautiful work when his beach house was featured, not long ago, in Elle Decor. His beach home had a mélange of different textiles and patterns from many places around the world that he boldly mixed with blue and white Chinese ceramics, African artifacts and other curiosities he had collected during his travels. All put together with a very relaxed feel. I’ll be visiting Sao Paulo soon, and I’m seeing a lot of homes that have been featured in different magazine lately that make me curious to see what I’ll find while I’m there. I visited Sig Birgamin’s website and I was smitten. Below why. Enjoy!

22Feb

How To Make More Space In Your Closet Quick And Easy

I had our closets custom made a year ago to make our morning routine a lot easier and it makes a big difference. Before redoing them it used to take me forever to decide what to wear and I think it was because I couldn’t see all the pieces of clothes I had. Recently I paid a visit to TJ Max and came across these very thin velvet hangers called Closet Complete a lot more affordable than other similar ones and got a bunch to replace my original wooden ones. With the wooden hangers some lightweight blouses would slip off but now these velvet-covered ones hold them so well and the best part is that because they take a lot less space it gives me more room. You can see the difference in the two pictures of how much space is empty now that I switched the hangers; how to make more space in your closet. What girl doesn’t need that? A simple action as changing hangers can make big difference on how you start about your day. The only negative thing bout having more space in your closet is that you may want to buy more clothes

In our previous home a few of my clothes got molded and two of my bags with the leather all cracked up and peeled off. All consequences of closet-enemy-number-one, humidity. Not too nice. This whole unfortunate experience made me think that yes, walking closets are very convenient and beautiful but as is any area of interior design the most important part of a closet is the planning. Good insulation, proper ventilation, enough room between clothes and last but not least lighting! It is a good thing to think about if you are currently building or remodeling your home. Enjoy!

how to make more space in your closet via belle vivir blog

Photos by me

26Jan

Lucas’s Bathroom Reveal: Before and After

I almost forgot to take before pictures of our little one’s bathroom, but this is how it looked during midst of demolition, after removing the floor tiles some of the walls and the pedestal sink. At that point my light bulb went on and I finally took one picture. We gutted it down to its bone and re-configured the water pipes in order to install a pedestal tub. I wanted to create a more of a nautical/bohemian/young atmosphere with some traditional reference.

24Jan

Tabitha Simmons’s Manhattan Home

Tabitha Simmon's Manhattan living room with a rug with a butterfly designed by Annabelle Selldorf via belle vivir blog

I wish I had seen Tabitha Simmons’s Manhattan home last week. Her rooftop, designed by Landscape Designer Miranda Brooks, would’ve been a perfect fit for last weeks post about New York City amazing outdoor spaces. The Architect Annabelle Selldorf converted what was an 1850’s apartment building in Chelsea into a serene 5-story home for Tabitha, her husband and their two sons. to read more about visit Vogue.

Tabitha Simmon's Manhattan bedroom with a canopy bed designed by Annabelle Selldorf via belle vivir blog

Tabitha Simmon's Manhattan white kitchen designed by Annabelle Selldorf via belle vivir blog

Tabitha Simmon's children's room designed by Annabelle Selldorf via belle vivir blog

The back wall of the house was replaced by huge paned-glass doors and windows that make the space a lot bigger and taller.

Tabitha Simmon's Manhattan home designed by Annabelle Selldorf via belle vivir blog

Tabitha Simmon's Manhattan garden designed by MIranda Brooks

Tabitha simmons and her two sons via belle vivir

The in demand shoe designer with her two sons.

All images from Vogue.

23Jan

Unusual Color Combination in Interiors

Unusual color combination interiors Steven Gambrel living room via belle vivir

Peach with magenta or pink with mango are colors that not always come to mind when decorating. Leave it to Muriel Brandolini, Jeffrey Bilhuber and Steven Gambrel to teach us how. Muriel Brandolini does it in a very subtle way, everything kind of blends in. Her colors do not have much to do with nature as much with her own creations. Jeffrey Bilhuber on the other hand does it in a more contrasting way. Steven Gambrel selection of blues is not any kind of blue and the outcome is always uber-sophisticated. They are all master at doing it. I love their result.