interior glass doors: 2007-11-04

Let Your Imagination Set You Free

While I was at the movies to see The Darjeeling Limited recently, I saw the most intriguing movie preview. It was for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, the English title of the French movie Le Scaphandre et le Papillon. The visuals were stunning and the story seemed so interesting. Even more interesting was the director, artist Julian Schnabel. I had to learn more and what I found out is nothing short of amazing.

First, I was shocked to learn that the movie is based on the memoir, Le Scaphandre et le Papillon, by Jean-Dominique Bauby, the editor-in-chief of French Elle who suffered a rare stroke to the brain stem. Only his brain and his left eye were left undamaged. Yet Bauby didn’t let a small thing like paralysis stop him from blinking his memoir into existence. His memories included a combination of how he remembered life and how he imagined life would have been had he not been paralyzed at the age of 43. His extravagant and larger than life interpretation of a world he never knew is inspirational and heartwarming. You can read chapter one here.

"My diving bell becomes less oppressive, and my mind takes flight like a butterfly. There is so much to do. You can wander off in space or in time, set out for Tierra del Fuego or for King Midas's court.

You can visit the woman you love, slide down beside her and stroke her still-sleeping face. You can build castles in Spain, steal the Golden Fleece, discover Atlantis, realize your childhood dreams and adult ambitions.

Enough rambling. My main task now is to compose the first of these bedridden travel notes so that I shall be ready when my publisher's emissary arrives to take my dictation, letter by letter. In my head I churn over every sentence ten times, delete a word, add an adjective, and learn my text by heart, paragraph by paragraph. "

Sadly, Bauby died two days after the book was published in France but now his story continues to live on in the movie version that opens in select theaters on November 30th. I know a lot of people are put off by reading subtitles but I hope that doesn't prevent most from seeing this beautiful film. Julian Schnabel won the prize for Best Director at the Festival de Cannes in 2007 and resisted pressure by the production company to make it in English, believing that the rich language of the book wouldn't work as well in English, going so far as to learn French to do the film. There is an interesting interview with him on Parisvoice that is also worth checking out.

I tend to stay away from depressing books and films since I am a sucker for a happy ending but I've heard from many people that this movie actually has a sense of humor, in addition to being very moving and inspiring. It makes you remember that life is short and that each day should be lived to the fullest. If nothing else, I hope The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, puts things in perspective for those of us who worry too much sometimes about how many pairs of shoes we own or that our house isn't perfect.

La puerta de las flores

En cuanto vi este modelo que Pascale ofrece en su blog Journal d´un Atelier me puse a buscar el material. Es un bloque de un bonito quilt que está haciendo . Encontraréis los patrones y también su web con instrucciones por si queréis animaros.Creo que a muchas os parecerá Au bout des doigts bastante interesante.

Me gustó para regalárselo a mi hermana por su cumple que es justo mañana.
Quería un marco en blanco pero fue imposible encontrarlo de esas medidas ( 20cmx 25cm ) y ya no me daba tiempo a encargar un enmarcado. En mi caso añadí una cartulina recortada con tijeras de corte especial y el nombre de mi hermana y lo metí dentro del sobre que también va festoneado.

La puerta de las flores

La tela es un lino que traje de la feria de Creativa del año pasado y que todavía tenía sin estrenar.La puerta está hecha con un retal que compré en la tienda de retales de mi localidad. LLeva un festón alrededor e hice también unos pespuntes sobre ella.

Estas flores están hechas con cintas. Pascale explica con imágenes cómo hacerlas auque ellas utiliza otras. Yo usé las que tenia a mano pero hubieran quedado mejor bordadas con cinta de seda. Lástima no tener uno de los rojos de Vikki Clayton.

La puerta de las flores detalle

Coloqué una regadera para darle un aire más campestre. El tronco está bordado con seda tintada se SNC

A la izquierda bordé estas flores en festón y con nudo francés en el centro. Debajo pegué otras en fieltro que ya vienen hechas.

Por último otro detalle que incorporé ,unas flores y hojas para alegrar algo el marco. Por cierto el rabillo de las rosas tuve que pintarlo en verde porque venía en blanco y quedaba fatal.
Sobre el montaje os aclararé que me dio un montón de guerra. El lino está pegado con spray del que se utiliza para patchwork a dos capas de muletón. Fue difícil enderezar la rayas y conseguir que quedara estirado.
La puerta de las flores detalle del marco

La puerta de las flores detalle del marco

No me pregunto si le gustará, porque ya lo sé. Siempre ve como las cosas que hago se van a otras manos y esta vez ..... se irán a las suyas.

It's finally turned cold in New York so yesterday I broke out the boot and tights which I paired with my new Catherine Malandrino Rib Knit Dress. This dress garnered much attention and praise from the girls in the office so I thought why not share it with everyone. It really is the most perfect dress for winter to throw on and run out the door. I added my faux Van Cleef and Arpels necklace that I bought on the street and had the perfect day to evening outfit. I already warned my friends that I would probably be wearing this dress once a week from now until February so they should get used to seeing it!

Operación: un hogar más agradable

Ayer me fue imposible sacar unas fotos en condiciones. En esta caso merecía la pena hacerlas a la luz del día. Ahora veréis por qué.
La ventana del baño llevaba un tiempo sin cortina. Se había estropeado la anterior y por eso , en vez de comprar una , las hice con cierto aire shabby chic , de esas que van sujetas con lacitos. Desde luego quería aprovechar la barra que ya tenía, una de esas de IKEA.
Cortina baño

Elegí dos telas con fondo blanco de la colección Mary Rose. En la parte de arriba la coloqué doble para que hicera contraste al pasar la luz. Por eso quería la foto de día. Esas rosas tan románticas me encantan.

Cortina baño telas

En la parte superior, con otro modelo de la misma colección , hice los lazos.

Cortina baño/ lazos

Y en la inferior cosí unos madroños en un suave azul pastel que es el tono del zócalo de azulejos.
Cortina baño madroños

Creo que han quedado monas ¿ no?
Y tú ¿ has hecho algo esta semana para hacer tu hogar más agradable ?

I have made it a point to try to always be positive on my blog but this week I'm having a hard time, especially after the news about House and Garden. While I would never negatively critique someone else's decorating style, I feel that in light of this week's discussion about shelter magazines in the comments section of my Say It Isn't So post, I am finally going to address my hatred of Architectural Digest.

Let me clarify that I only hate the American version. My firm has been featured in the German, French, and Spanish versions and they are all fantastic. So full of life and interesting interiors while the American version remains soulless and limpid. And what better place to illustrate this point than with the apartment of jeweler Nicholas Varney, Carleton Varney's son, that was featured in the December 2006 issue.

I've actually been inside this apartment for a party given by Nicholas' girlfriend at the time, who worked for gallery owner Larry Gagosian. My friend and I remember being very impressed with the color scheme and of course the art. It looks like it has changed a little since that night but what struck me about the Architectural Digest feature was how boring and flat they managed to make the place look. What's really weird is that I remember the main wall color in the photo below being bright green like the pole and not beige. They could have repainted it but I also wonder if they toned it down for the magazine.

I know it's very hard to shoot homes with so many windows due to lighting issues and the apartment does have amazing views of the Hudson River but it's almost like they focused on the view a little too much. There is so many wonderful works of art and interesting pieces in the apartment, it's such a shame that they didn't focus in on any of them or shoot any vignettes. Nicholas Varney is an amazing jewelry designer. Why is there not one shot of his designs anywhere? How about a few beaded necklaces in a pretty bowl? A ring on the nightstand? Anything, that would have added a lovely personal touch to the feature would have been a nice!

I know each shelter magazine has their own look and feel but I don't hear about anyone running out to the newsstand to look for the newest issue of Architectural Digest like they do with Domino, Elle Decor and the late House and Garden. There is nothing exciting about it. It doesn't teach you anything. They shoot homes the second they are finished being decorated and sometimes, right before the "for sale" sign goes up. Any sense of warmth or personality is wiped clean. We get a subscription delivered to the office but I've never seen anyone read it. The magazine goes straight to the bookshelf to die.

There have been rumors for a while that they were going to replace the editor-in-chief, Paige Rense, but so far no luck. Then it occurred to me today that not only does Architectural Digest desperately need a make over but I know exactly who they should hire to do it! Dominique Browning! She's available and if anyone has the ability to turn AD into an interesting and inspiring magazine, she does! Does anyone else second that idea???

Broadway in Soho is quickly becoming the new shopping destination for home design. CB2 opens today at 451 Broadway and is only the third store in the US for the lesser priced modern design off-shoot of Crate and Barrel.

While on November 16th, Muji finally opens it's first US store at 455 Broadway at exactly 12 noon with over 3,200 square feet of retail space and more than 2,000 products for sale including housewares, fabric, furniture, appliances, apparel and more. I can already envision a line out the door to buy their minimalist designed products.

I don't think it's any coincidence that both of these stores are moving in right down the street from the original reasonably priced design mecca, Pearl River Mart. If you've never been to Pearl River Mart, you don't know what you are missing. I can't go there without buying something fun. It's a fabulous place to buy gifts. They carry a wide array of Asian tableware in a myriad of patterns and styles but also have a great selection of plain white tableware downstairs that are perfect for parties or just those who want simple dishes at a great price. If you are in need of a Buddha, some foo dogs, even chopsticks, this is the place to go.

As excited as I am for CB2 and especially Muji, I really hope they don't force out stores like Pearl River Mart. They are what make New York so unique and exciting!

So, as if my weekend wasn't bad enough, I just learned today from two different sources that House and Garden magazine is folding! Conde Nast is closing the magazine due to the departure of the editor and chief, Dominique Browning, and poor ad sales . I'm really sad. House and Garden has improved so much recently and is such a wonderful design resource and such a beautiful magazine. They always featured the best interiors and photography. If any magazine should close, it's the boring House Beautiful! House and Garden has closed before and been brought back to life so maybe if we all complain they might change their minds. If not, rest in peace House and Garden. Sniff, sniff.

Disfrutando del otoño

La ecología no sólo está de moda sino que hoy día se hace necesaria. Nunca había estado en una casa ecológica y debo decir que hemos disfrutado ,no sólo del soleado fin de semana que hemos tenido , sino de también de un ambiente donde la vida sana y el aire limpio son una gozada.
Tener amigos ecológicos que ponen en marcha su afán por conservar el mendio ambiente es un tesoro. No es que en casa no reciclemos , que lo hacemos , sino que no llegamos a tomar conciencia verdaderamente hacia donde va el mundo que dejaremos a nuestros hijos. Esto me ha hecho reflexionar .
La finca que hemos visitado es una de esas fincas ecológicas que presume de ofrecer productos libres de sustancias que los alteran. Fijaros qué paisaje. Daba gusto pasear entre esos olivos y con ese radiante sol .

... Las aceitunas las recogen de una en una y las colocan en pequeñas cajitas para ser transformadas en aceite ecológico. Desde luego esos racimos parecían uvas...

Los residuos orgánicos que no sirvieran para las gallinas, se reciclan en la compostadora

.... y la energia , tanto para el agua caliente como para la electricidad se obtiene de placas solares....

Por supuesto otras basuras se llevan a su contenedor específico. Quizá, separar la materia orgánica en su sitio , me resultara algo nuevo, pero pronto nos acordábamosde lo que le gusta a las gallinas, sabrosos restos de verdura y fruta ........

y si no mirad qué pinta tenía la yema del huevo frito que desayuné por la mañana , si es que ya no estamos acostumbrados a ese color ...

Sí, sí ya sé que alguna que lee este blog sabe lo que es disfrutar de buenas verduras y hortalizas .... y gustosos huevos de gallina que anda de aquí para allá al aire libre..... Pero la mayoría nos hemos acostumbrados a alimentos insípidos y por eso , al menos yo, disfruté tanto de una buena ensalada aliñada por ese aceite cuidado .........

El bosque estaba espectacular, con esos contrastes de otoño y el piar de alegres pájaros de fondo.

Con la cámara en mano disfruté de la mañana . Me gusta observar los pequeños detalles y apreciar lo que pasa delante de nuestros ojos como una muestra de la vida que nos rodea...

...como la cantidad de hojas de roble que contrastan con el verde de las pequeñas plantitas

...

..las bellotas aquí y allí con ese color tan oscuro ....

....los frutos del otoño con ese rojo que tanto me gusta...
Frutos

.....Y setas, porque indudablemente no pasaron desapercibidas...
setas en otoño

Algunas se dejaban ver tímidamente, como echando un vistazo , solitas , para contemplar el otoño a su alrededor.
setita

Para terminar os dejo dos estampas de campo, un lebrillo junto a unas dálias en flor y unas botas de trabajo que captaron mi atención.

Ah!! El lugar protagonista : Cuacos de Yuste , provincia de Cáceres.

After having what can only be described as the worst weekend of my entire life, for reasons better left unsaid, I'm not exactly in the mood to wax poetic about interior design. But, I didn't want to leave you without a Monday post so I thought I would feature the London apartment of Harriet Maxwell Macdonald. Don't you just love her Collette Dinnigan dress?! I think I might have to go shopping tomorrow.

Harriet is one of the co-owners Ochre, a fabulous little shop in New York that features her own line of furniture and lighting. So it's no surprise then that the apartment she shares with her husband, Andrew Corrie, is just as fabulous and beautiful. When I'm feeling better I will update the post with witty comments and product details. Until then, I'm going to go back to nursing my broken heart.