100% BESPOKE 200% COLOR

100% SUR MESURE, 200% COULEUR

The Squint Company, based in London, describe their work as exuberant!

Well, let's see: they are obviously not afraid of color, not at all terrified of mixing patterns and absolutely not shy about shouting we are SQUINT! 

images squintlimited.com

We should all be daring enough to put that much pizzazz in our decor!

au revoir.

VELVET CURTAINS

LES RIDEAUX DE VELOURS

When winter approaches and evenings start to feel a little chilly, we all feel like staying inside in a cozy house with lush curtains covering our windows like a warm winter coat. What I really want right now are curtains made of rich velvet in all kinds of saturated colors; Deep reds, brilliant greens, vivid blues, and my favorite of all, the color of Ina Garten's stunning living room drapes: an intense, vibrant burnt orange. I can tell these are in my future...

images via decorpad, desire to inspire, pinterest, broco-deco

Doesn't it feel just toasty already just thinking of velvet.

au revoir.

A PARIS FIND

UNE TROUVAILLE A PARIS

I have had this bust of Hermes, the God of Speed for quite a while. I purchased it at an antique show a few years ago when I lived in Boston and I have deliberately left its silver plating go unpolished for added patina. 

To my surprise, I spied the exact same piece in the window of an antique dealer on rue Jacob in Paris this summer. This dealer was a little more "confident" of the value of his item, even accounting for inflation...

"If you like something, buy it" they say at flea markets; the same goes for antique shows apparently.

au revoir.

AND THE DAY AFTER...

ET LE LENDEMAIN...

image l. richarz via flickr

In a number of houses, one big question will be asked: what about the leftovers? 

A tall sandwich is a perfect idea. Toast a nice slice of bread or two, cover with plenty of crumbled turkey meat, a little stuffing, add a dollop of cranberry sauce. 
Done.

bon weekend.

HAVE A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

BONNE FETE DE THANKSGIVING!

image via flickr

Be safe on the road, have fun around the table and look back and be truly thankful for it all, however much it is or little it seems to be.

au revoir.

THE THANKSGIVING TABLE

LA TABLE DE THANKSGIVING

Keep it simple. Keep it fun.

Less is (so much) more.

au revoir.

WHAT IF THANKSGIVING WERE FRENCH

ET SI THANKSGIVING C'ETAIT FRANÇAIS?

Well, let's see...

If the pilgrims had come from the reverse direction and the currents are more favorable from there, they might have arrived in less time. Makes sort of sense.

France would be perfectly fluent in English. umm, not so sure...

New England would be Old England and vice-versa?

ANYWAY

Thanksgiving Dinner would go something like this:

We would start with a silky Soupe aux Poireaux -leak soup- at room temperature

The main dish would certainly be a crisp-crusted Gigot d'Agneau with a lot of rosemary- a Leg of Lamb 

Served with des petites pommes de terres rissolees aux girolles -Sauteed Potatoes with Girolle Mushrooms and surely des petits pois with mange-tout beans

Then a jolie laitue- a fluffy Boston lettuce

Then the absolute must: a bon petit fromage -a great cheese (in a country with a million types of cheeses, unavoidable!)

and don't forget, a great Bordeaux to accompany it

Dessert would be a Baba à la Liqueur d'Orange - an Orange Liqueur Cake

To wrap things up a nice hot café noir in a small tasse served with some scrumptious Truffes au Chocolat 

and the Grand Finale! home made Raspberry Liqueur.

What do you think of my analysis? 

Oh, and I forgot: le pont- the 4 day weekend! That would be a hit in FRANCE!

In any case, it's all academic; they landed in Plymouth Rock and the rest is history. And it's just as well. Just think: no golden Turkey, no delicious stuffing, no Pumpkin Pie, no Vanilla Ice Cream! 

One thing would be the same:

The TRAFFIC!!!!!

Au revoir

PARIS ANY WHICH WAY

PARIS AUTREMENT

images sylvie pellet

This also is Paris. 

As I wandered around along the streets of the north eastern 13th. arrondissement during my last trip -both my daughters work near there- I encountered a very different Paris from the one I usually stick to; a Paris of diverse tastes, sensibilities and ethnic affiliations. A Paris that much richer for it... the price to pay there appearing to be a very creative disrespect for public property. 

A Paris for all.

A Paris where some doors and meters do better with a little color.

au revoir.

THE GLAMOUR OF BLACK GLOSS

LE NOIR "GLAMOUR"

Why not consider adding a little drama in your space. High gloss black paint - à la David Hicks circa 1960's will do it every time. The high gloss screams flourish while the black shouts mystery. Of course the walls need to be PER.FECT! not a bump, not a dent, not a scratch, and the result is much more successful if you choose a room that is on the dark side of the house to start with. But other than that, what an easy fix.

images pinterest, decorpad,  ralph lauren




au revoir.

WHAT'S ON THE MENU?

IL Y A  QUOI AU MENU?

 Do you find that looking at the menu is part of the appeal of going to a restaurant? I mean really looking at the menu, not just reading through a list of various concoctions in optimistic search of the one dish (or dishes) that will stay in your palate's memory for a long time? I mean taking stock of the creative effort put into its conception, formulation and design. As in all commercial venture, the target audience has a lot to do with the restaurateur's choices in that area.

The very Parisian and reassuringly ubiquitous ardoise

In the menu for dummies category....the menu as culinary dictionary

In the let's-download-the-translation-APP category, the menu as modern day hieroglyphics

Vintage menu: back when the airlines still could afford to treat travelers decently even in the sarcastically named economy class

The fun rolled menu at the Foundouk in Marrakesh. Very stylé but just try to keep it flat long enough to peruse the many mouth watering types of tajine and couscous on offer

au revoir.

FRENCH EYE VIEW

 COUP D'OEIL

Just something that caught my eye.

thomas o'brien

Simple but ultra refined, majestic but super cozy, neutral but softly striking.

That kind of leaves-you-speechless fabulous-ness rarely seen.

au revoir.

TODAY: WHITE WITH A CHANCE OF BLACK

AUJOURD'HUI: BLANC AVEC QUELQUES TOUCHES DE NOIR.

I love to dress in black and white, I love black and white movies, I love B and W photos, and I love black and white interiors. Well, I design with more color than that and I always reach for a can of gray paint first , but in theory I do love the perfect, clean, simple contrast of it all.

images thomas o'brien, decodir, architectsforlife, white room, bellechasse

au revoir.