Month: February 2017

European Design is very different from American Design.  It’s simpler yet stylized, restrained and unpretentious.  European interiors is more about how the furniture complements the already elaborate Interior Architecture.  And when the interior background is modern enough, they find ways to enhance them in unassuming ways.  One simple but powerful way to add architecture to a modern room is by adding a different color paint to half of the walls in a room, haf painted wall.  This half and half painting interior design detail can be done by painting the room walls in light color and then adding a dark color on the half bottom side of the walls in a straigh line.  As the images here show, the dividing line can be added at any height you wish.  This is a perfect way to slowly bring dark hue inside our homes when we are too afraid of putting it in the entire room.  It’s also a smart way to add a focal point to any room.

7 Half Painted Wall Ideas

The simple version of the trench coat that was popular in the 70’s has gone through major upgrades.  New and versatile versions range from suede, leather and even transparent material in many number of shapes and lengths.  It’s difficult to argue about the many ways it can be worn and all the different seasons that it can be used.  Now that Global Warming is more real than ever, even though some people prefer to call it a Hoax, we can’t deny the crazy warm days we are experiencing during this winter and how soon we are from wearing a trench coat even in winter.

If you are a regular at Instagram then without a doubt you’ve seen the Pink monochromatic restaurant, The Gallery at Sketch, designed by India Mahdavi with artwork from British artist Turner Prize nominee David Shrigley.  Shrigley’s recognizable drawings are also present in Sketch’s original ceramic tableware which can be purchased via the restaurant’s website.  The Restaurant which also functions as a gallery, hence its name, has velvet pink banquets and Mahdavi’s emblematic curvaceous chairs that seem to float over chevron multi-colored tiles.  Reminiscent of the all-time Hollywood glam era, the pink room is accentuated with touches of rose gold throughout.  The mixture of the artwork and the exquisite design makes it a perfect place for Art and Design enthusiasts.

The Gallery at Sketch by India Mahdavi via Belle vivir blog
Architect and Designer India Mahdavi’s work is as popular as it gets.  Named by Architectural Digest  as “the reigning queen of color” for her use of bold colors in her projects.  She attributes her boldness to her international upbringing.  She was born in Tehran and raised in America, Germany, and France.  Hotel Thoumieux in Paris is also presenting one of her creations. Read More…
Kevin Knight and co. home via belle vivir blog
We lived abroad for the past five years.  It’s amazing how time flies.  Three years in Sao Paulo, Brazil and two years in Munich, Germany.  Now we are back in the USA relocated in Columbus, Ohio.  The city of Columbus is a very nice city which has been greatly gentrified with the Downtown, Arena District and Short North area looking more modern and hip by the minute.  The city also has an ornate, German Village with beautiful brick, single family homes, unfortunately the schools aren’t that great.  However the schools in Dublin and its vicinity have great school systems.  My son, who is eight years old, has already started taking algebra based math problems here in Dublin.  As parents, neighborhoods with good schools is one of our main requirements.  As a family, we go back and for about what to do: buy a fixer upper and remodel, build our home from the ground up or buy a home that requires little updates.  Of course the designer in me says build from scratch or go with a fixer
upper, but the neighborhoods in Dublin are mainly new developments where there are not many fixer uppers.  The homes are also fairly cookie cutter and the layouts are really
embarrassing, and lastly I don’t want to go through the long process of building a new home with our home-base in the East coast where I hope we end up not too far in our future.  There are two things I won’t compromise on when it comes to choosing a home.  First one is
trees, where I want a home on an old school setting therefore I would like to stay away from new developments.  Second I want a bit of distance between mine and my neighbors homes although this last one seems a bit tight.  While perusing homes for sale on
Zillow and Trulia I came across a very classic builder called Kevin Knight and Company.  They are located in Powell, Ohio and their homes are breath taking.  This is what it says in their site.  “We pull inspiration from the land, including the raw elements that are painstakingly extracted from it.  We marvel in nature’s fragile balancing act, respecting her constant ebb and flow, which often influences our decisions about architectural placement and form.  Natural materials, from slate and stone to hardwoods and flora, are intentionally employed to bring the outside in, while we incorporate new ways to integrate indoor luxuries to open air environments.”  Sounds like the real deal to me.

I came across the women fashion line Loeil via Instagram.  The Los Angeles born fashion line prides itself for using superb quality and creative craftsmanship in an understated minimalist style.  Loeil’s clean and comfortable-looking pieces remind me of Celine but with a more modern touch.  What I love most about the line’s minimalist and underplayed pieces is how they all seem to have something trendy in them while staying feminine.  I own a pair of cool shoes with fur heels and I can’t wait to keep buying from them because I find their prices pretty phenomenal.