Through the French eye of design

11.18.2011

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.

11.17.2011

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.

11.16.2011

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.

11.15.2011

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.

11.14.2011

THE MOROCCAN TRIP : THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN TANGIER

VOYAGE AU MAROC: PRES DE LA MAISON A TANGER

One of the gates into the Kasbah; there are 3 but this is the closest to the house and also the most tunnel-like.

The little place; l'Africain, the wonderful little restaurant of jewelry designer Marie-Hélène de Taillac's sister has closed it's pretty blue doors, sadly.

The water fountain where the neighborhood gets its water. A lot of them have no running water.

The neighbor's charming little peach house. I love that the planters were squeezed into the window sill safety bars.

The diminutive front door. Notice the little tiled overhang above the door does not touch the left wall. That wall belongs to the neighbor,s house and he demanded that nothing touch his wall. I guess there is one "unhappy" neighbor in every area all over the world...

The newly bought aluminum tray table. The wood base will be painted gray to match all the house's ironwork.

au revoir.

11.11.2011

THE MOROCCO TRIP: 3 THINGS I LIKE IN ASILAH

LE MAROC: 3 CHOSES QUE J'AIME A ASILAH

THE PAINTED WALLS

Every year a host of very talented painters comes to Asilah and covers the white walls of willing house owners with it's breathtaking art. I would be willing to lend my living room wall to a number of them...

THE RUG SHOP

If you are in the market for one-of-a-kind works of art in the form of delightfully bright rugs, Asilah, 1 1/2 hours west of Tangier, is the place to go.

THE PRETTY DOORS

The all white old town is the perfect canvas for the multitude of striking doors, some old, some newly painted, all very photogenic!

au revoir.

11.10.2011

THE MOROCCAN TRIP: THE MARRAKESH ADDRESSES

LE MAROC: LES BONNES ADRESSES DE MARRAKESH

When we are travelling the best part of the day is often the moments when we sit and relax and have a great meal. We did take the time to do just that this time again and we were not disappointed; each breakfast, lunch and dinner was exquisite: great place, great food, great time.

Breakfast with a view at Riad Awa

See and be seen at Le Café de la Poste

Roof top couscous at la Maison de la Photographie

Dinner by candlelight at Le Foundouk

If you go to Marrakesh anytime soon, do consider any of these perfect places; you won't be sorry.

au revoir.

11.09.2011

THE MOROCCAN TRIP : CARVED PLASTER:

MARRAKESH:LE PLATRE CISELE

We stay at the Riad Awa when we go to Marrakesh (I posted about it here). This time around I really noticed the fabulous lighting fixtures designed by the architect of the Riad, Ludovic Petit. The lights are made of carved plaster, a traditional technique of Morocco but in this case translated into something thoroughly moderne.

(This contemporary approach is also visible in Tangier in the spectacular Maison de l'Elephant Blanc, as seen below)

To add an even more modern twist to this classic craft, Ludovic Petit had the fireplace of the Riad carved in cement instead of plaster. The gray hue, mixed with the browns and olives of the surrounding art and furnishings, is stunning!

This is everything I love: an old traditional art, seen through new eyes.

au revoir.

11.08.2011

THE MOROCCAN TRIP: CASABLANCA

CASABLANCA

We stayed at the Meridien Hotel in Casablanca. We needed something central, convenient, all business. And that's what we got. Large rooms, comfortable beds, great bathrooms. What you expect from a Meridien.

What was fun was breakfast (I always comment on breakfast, don't I?)

This particular time, it was the huge glass dome above our heads that caught my attention; and the flower arrangements.

The tables settings were simple, modern, graphic.

In the hall, bunches of tall roses were tied together, just leaning on the top edge of tall vases. Spectacular.

This part of the trip was mainly work, work, work, with a short foray into the bazaar-like neighborhood of Derb Omar where we bought fringed hammam towels and large plastic weave baskets.

From there we went on to Marrakesh. I'll report on that tomorrow.

au revoir.

11.07.2011

PARIS ANY WHICH WAY

PARIS AUTREMENT

Paris was gray on Friday, my favorite color.... but not for the sky.

This great restaurant matched the weather with the most perfect shades of it: dark and muddy for the exterior, clean and pale for the exquisite chairs, metallic for the aluminum table base. Striking black and white accents (the cute waiter was shyly happy to oblige) with metal and wood and warm brass and just that delightful touch of beige-y salmon on the table top made me stop and admire.

We were going to a wonderful Italian place a few steps beyond, but this menu seemed VERY appealing.

All this, at the corner of rue de Varennes and rue du Bac.

La prochaine fois...sigh.

au revoir.