Inspiration from Foreigners

My (lucky) parents just got back from a trip to the south of France, drinking fabulous wine, seeing the Caves of Lascaux (swoon), and bringing us girls presents from afar! My favorite gift (aside from knowing that my parents had a much deserved amazing time abroad) was a design magazine, Maison & Travaux my mother picked up for me at a tabac! Even if this isn't a great magazine in France (I have no idea, really), it is GOLD to me right now. I love to see what the other part of the world is doing and much of this was crazy interesting to see! Take a look.

Lyon? Don't mind if I do. There was a whole spread on old stone houses like this one many of them dilapidated. AMAZING.

They had a whole faux bois section too which was VERY cool. After that...things got weird.
See below:

This spread was a home with lots of modern, cool architecture and amazing rooms but...there was this very sinister paint dripping from different corners of each room.

Here is the kitchen...

And a paint murder/accident in the bedroom.

More dripping paint in the bedroom. I think the idea is cool and VERY original but in some cases it looked like the painter forgot to cover up a mistake or something very horrible happened on the floor above and it was seeping down.

What do you guys think? There was LOTS more amazing French design wisdom, but this spread realllly stuck out for me as you can imagine. I'd actually love to see more of this. I think paint drip wall paper might be really incredible, no? Oui? Mais oui! Check out more from this really cool magazine Maison & Travaux HERE.

Alicia B.

Go Blue?

Ultra modern tub found at Trendir.

If you haven't heard yet, being "green" is out and being "blue" is in. Blue is the new green. Being BLUE is about water conservation. Apparently along with the world having bad air, we're losing water. HERE is the article. While you're busy feeling bad about the world, I have collected some pics of BLUE bathrooms to perk up the mood! What better place to have a lot of blue but the bathroom? A room that is centered around water and cleanliness and recharging yourself (take a bath) might as well be blue.

Kenneth Albert designed this amazing over the top blue tiled bathroom complete with mosaics of a fish and people! All that blue tile gives off the feeling of water.

One more reason to love Katie Ridder. This bathroom. And that light fixture. And the bouquet of contrasting orange flowers.

Drake Designs proves that you don't always have to use tiles for the blue. Jamie Drake chose dark blue Madagascar cloth on the walls which is so beautiful; picks up so much light and accentuates shadows too.

Another pic of the Drake Designs bathroom.

Patrick Gallagher designed this blue beauty (yeah I said it). I love the tiles that he chose and that they continue up into the shower.

This is pretty with simple blue accents; blue Moravian star and blue hand towel. I especially love the glass jug in the back.

Frank Roop designed this incredible little bathroom. He even used CAD to custom design this tiled mat below the tub. Impressive! The soft blue on the walls is called Borrowed Light by Farrow and Ball.

This tub looks uncomfortable but there is something about those unfinished wide planked floorboards that is so appealing. The pretty blue wall is gingham blue by Pratt & Lambert. I love the ladder as a towel rack too--so rustic.

I love how the blue frames out the rest of the space. The star lantern picks up some blue as well! I do not care for that rug however. From Domino.

I know this isn't all blue but I thought this shower curtain was so adorable/delicate/perfect that I couldn't resist. From Country Living.

Also from Country Living, isn't that a fabulous vintage claw foot tub? This whole bathroom is a tad bit forced vintage though. Sorry.

I think designing a bathroom would be so fun. It can be such a small space and you can really have some fun with it as it isn't a main space and wouldn't have too much effect on the whole of the house.

Alicia B.

Bookcase Painting

Amazing Katie Ridder designed this fun living room. 

I have some rather boring dark mahogany finish bookcases and really wanted to do something to punch them up a bit. Painting the back of them makes the objects in front pop more, adds interest to an otherwise boring bookcase, and can be a fun weekend project.

See below for some fun examples, including putting fabric on the back!

Living room by Jason Bell in House Beautiful. I pretty much love this entire living room. Everything.

Some fun fabric options for a blah bookcase! I like the one on the left the best. Pretty fabric.

Sunny Yellow color from Domino Mag

Hopefully this bookcase distracts from that leopard sofa.

http://www.dominomag.com/howtos/diy/2007/04/howto_paint_bookshelves DIY project from Domino Mag.

Alicia B.