Living Small- Home Office Update

Remember that really cool home office I wrote about a couple weeks back? Well, Erica Islas was nice enough to send me a picture showing the awesome (and needed) wine cooler that is installed in the room. I think a wine cooler trumps an espresso machine any day. Don’t you think so?...Happy Decorating Everyone!

Sitting in the Kitchen

The cook would always have company in these kitchens with such great bar stools.  A glass of wine or a delicious coffee .... you'd be comfortable chatting for hours!

Love .... Potted Spring Bulbs

The Style Files: Grant K. Gibson

Grant K. Gibson is both a prolific young designer and a successful blogger. Earlier this year, he was named one of “Five Designers to Watch” by Elle Décor, which is quite an extraordinary achievement for someone as young as Grant. I don’t think his being on such a list came as a surprise to anyone who knows Grant. He is extraordinarily talented, creating rooms that are rooted in classic design, but speak to modern tastes. His designs are the type that we will look back on in ten, twenty, thirty years and they will still look fresh because he understands how to mix antiques and vintage items with more modern ones so incredibly well. Grant’s talent isn’t the only thing that has resonated with readers. He is also one of the nicest, most genuine people in blogland.

Name: Grant K. Gibson

Occupation: Interior designer/decorator

Hometown: Los Angeles/New York

Current City: San Francisco

 

LDV: What inspired you to begin your career in interior design?

GKG: I have always been loved design my whole life. I always was changing things around in my childhood bedroom and would walk into a space and have ideas. I woke up one day and thought- why not turn my passion and love of design into a reality.

LDV: What do you love most about what you do?

GKG: I love working with clients and making their dreams come true. People hire me to take a blank canvas and work my magic. I love it when a client tells me that they don’t want to leave their house. That makes me so happy. I don’t design spaces for me- I design spaces for other people.

LDV: What is the most challenging aspect of your career?

GKG: I like to give people what they like. Regardless of their design style. I am happy with helping people that like color or not much color- traditional or more modern.

 

LDV: Where do you find inspiration?

GKG: I would say that travel is where I find the most inspiration for my work. I love traveling and taking photos or details. I am always learning something new everyday and just love the finding new ideas and ways to do things.

{Dining Room by John Saladino, Photo by Lucca Trovato}

LDV: Who are some of your personal style icons?

GKG: Picking one is like picking a favorite child! - but I love Albert Hadley, John Saladino, David Hicks.

LDV: How would you describe your own style?

GKG: I would say that my style is classic, timeless and comfortable.

I work in all styles- so it is important for me to give the client what they want and make them happy. Some designers only do a certain “look”- but I love all styles and am happy to work on projects with any style.

LDV: What is the trait you most admire in a person?

GKG: Honestly, loyalty and great humor!

LDV: What is your principal weakness?

GKG: I have to say that I am messy. I wish that I wasn’t. I am organized- but there is always a pile of things on my desk and projects that I am working on. I wish that it could look perfect all of the time- but that is all make believe and we don’t all live like that!

{The Incomparable Rosalind Russell as Auntie Mame}

LDV: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

GKG: Aunite Mame said to: “LIVE! LIVE! LIVE!” and I do it every day!

LDV: What do you consider your greatest achievement?

GKG: I was shocked and honored and amazed to be named as one of the 5 Designers to Watch this year by Elle Décor. It was like a dream come true!

LDV: What is your idea of living “la dolce vita”?

GKG: I think that I actually live “la dolce vita”- I love my life of design, love, travel. I wake up each day and am excited to learn something news.

 

 

Bloom: White French tulips, peonies, and white roses

Food: Carbs! I have such a weakness for pasta, bread and potatoes!

Drink: A non fat latte in the morning, lots of iced tea during the day and white wine for the end of the day.

Thing to Wear: I actually don’t like to shop for clothes- so I keep it simple and only wear black and white.

Destination: I love Paris- I would hop on a plane in a second.

Season: I love fall- the colors- the food.

Meal: I cook all of the time- so I would have to say it would be something that I would make at home.

Musician: I love music- too hard to pick!

 

Artist: Again too hard to pick.

Film: Any thing Hitchcock or with Cary Grant

Television Show: I love Mad Men!

Book: A home at the end of the world- Michael Cunningham

Magazines: Elle Décor, House Beautiful, AD, World of Interiors

Blogs: La Dolce Vita (naturally!), The Sartorialist, Habitually Chic, Slow Love Life, Style Court, The Peak of Chic, The Style Saloniste, The Bedlam of Beefy, An Aesthete's Lament, Domicidal Maniac, NICK OLSEN

Texture: Cashmere anything!

Fabric or Pattern: I love linen. Roger and Goffigan anything!

Color: Black and white

Scent: Hermes orange verte

Extravagance: Candles- Love them!

Quote: Too much of a good thing can be wonderful- Mae West

Pops of Color !

Who says you can't use color in small spaces !!!!

Double Glazing Local ~ Improve your Home

LINK

Candy, Cakes and Desserts of Marie Antoinette the Movie

 

Many of you have seen posts on Marie Antoinette the movie by Sophia

 Coppola. I only had a chance to see it tonight which inspired me to look up

a synopsis of her life story to see how accurate the portrayal of her life was. 

The movie isn't exact but it comes close (she had 4 children and not 2 among

other points.)  It skips over the latter portion of her life where she became

more involved with politics and tried to help her husband.  

I think Marie Antoinette is one of the most misrepresented people in history.  

She was literally the scapegoat of France in those times.  Despite the odds, 

she managed to survive in a politically hostile environment with a mother who

sought only to use her solely as a political pawn.  Unfortunately, she actually

had very little political influence in France.  Not to mention a husband who was 

so insecure that the marriage wasn't consummated until 7 years after they

were married (and even then - intervention was required to get to the bottom

of the mystery...)  Granted they were married at 14, but 7 years is a long time

not to consummate a marriage. 

I now appreciate what an amazing woman she was and have come to see 

the enormous amount of pressure she was under.  Like many of us gals 

today, when she was depressed or down - she liked to party and have retail

therapy.  As for her spending, it was no more frivolous than what a queen 

would have spent in those days.  I can't imagine being sent away from home 

at 14 to a foreign land to be married.  Being Austrian (not friendly with the 

French), she was a convenient scapegoat.  

What I liked about the film is that it did not feel like any of the usual period 

films.  The film is from theperspective of Marie Antoinette and it makes feel 

as if you are personally witnessing all the events.  I also think the romantic
scenes were wonderfully filmed - romantic and classy (no need for graphic
detail.)  Enough of my babbling and onto the eye candy... literally!

Laduree provided all of the candy, desserts 

and sweets that were shown in the movie.

 

In fact everything in the movie looked like candy and cake.

 Absolutely gorgeous.

Strawberries galore.

 

Candied almonds adorn this plate with a 

piece of chocolate as the centerpiece.

Isn't the orange color a feast for the eyes?

 

 

Pink and Red go so well together for candy and desserts.

A personal cake inspired by Marie Antoinette (not my cake.)

Marie Antoinette The Journey

If any of you are interested in Marie Antoinette's story, Sophia Coppola based 

her movie script on a book she read on Marie Antoinette's life called:  Marie

Antoinette The Journey.

Photos are from Google and movie stills from Sony