RESET

Dear readers and subscribers,

 It's been over a year since I have posted a single thing on my page and for that I apologise. I, like most people went ahead and got a job in an architecture firm and forgot that I had a life outside work... oops... I forgot all about why I loved writing and all the things that make me smile about art and design. Very often as artists or creative minds, we are stuck in the ruts of life. All the while knowing that we are not meant to fit neatly in a box, or be a perfect cog among other cogs. And at this particular moment in time, I feel like a cog in a machine and I want to reset. Or rather I need to reset. I refuse to cry over spilt milk and instead push myself to remember just why I do what I do and why I love it. I choose to be positive, patient and persistent in the pursuit of great design. So, this serves as a reminder to those creative minds out there, who love what they do but sometimes get lost in the machine that is life. It's time to press RESET. Start over, not for the spirit of 'New Year' where most resolutions are made; but sincerely for yourself. 

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13

Maya Angelou quote

Finally, a quote from my heroine Dr. Maya Angelou that I shall never forget, and that you should remember: "You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated."  


Sincerely,

Christina.

NEW MOOD.BOARD RETRO

RETRO 

I did the post on RETRO decor a while back and realized that I hadn't done a mood.board for it. So, here it is finally. Enjoy.

xx christina xx

Air of Romance

With each new year we all make resolutions that we swear to see through. There's always that thing we want to do or that thing we want to get or something we want to change. We make promises to eat healthier, sign up for that gym membership, quit smoking, get our lives organised...the list is endless. This year I realized that life needs, well, more life! More laughter, inspiration, spontaneity, purity, sensuality and last but not least more romance. 

Romance I fear has been somewhat lost to our generation, only to be found in books that hardly anyone reads. Furthermore, romance has become associated to many teenagers' delight with fictional characters in Vampire movies and series. Anyway, that's besides the point. Whatever your idea of romance is, pursue it... Consequently, In my pursuit, I have compiled some images of inspiration of the 'air of romance'.

romantic style bedroom in soft cream

The key to a romantic setting is light. Soft light seeping through light and sheer curtains that billow in the slight breeze.

gold gilded dining room

The second key to romance is in the details and embellishments. Hand-carved, hand-painted, hand-stitched and hand-drawn artifacts give the impression of time and care put into them. Additionally, they imply that each one of them is unique to its owner, its time and place. 

embellished bedroom

Sometimes romance is simplistic.

white and silver bedroom

Other times elaborate. 

fairy tale inspired cradle by Giusti Portos

Romantic bathroom designed by Servio Firmino

Other times mysterious.

romantic canopy bed

Sometimes innocent and playful.

countryside romance

softly draped yellow curtains

There's so much more to romance than we can possibly imagine or put together. Our idea of it varies from one person to the other. I hope however that we all seek it... after all, what harm could come of it? Thus with these few words I bid you all good wishes for the new year and a year full of romance.

Disclaimer: I do not own these images and I have not referenced some because I collected them a while back. I have referenced those I could. 

At the seaside...coastal decor

coastal hallway decor

Sunny days, cool breezes, soothing waves and light fabrics floating softly in the air... memories of summer by the coast. Is there truly anything more relaxing or romantic than the sea side? As winter fast approaches we can't help but remember the wonderful days spent on the beach daydreaming in the romantic wisps of the summer breeze. It is only natural to want this memory as part of our daily lives. Coastal decor could not only provide you with the impression of sunny days but bring the cool and carefree romance of the seaside into your home...

nautical rope decor and rope decor detail

The use of white and blue give an air of lightness and tranquility. The use of wood and rope gives the impression of nature and sailing. These are best for details and accessories. Stripes are very nautical and  accents of red make it more so. Some flowers of pastel shades would add more romance to your decor.

I stumbled upon these amazing images of nautical style on stylecarrot.com. Click here to see more of their images. 

Some amazing detail work with strategically placed oars and rope. (below)

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For a nautical/coastal look try a combination of the pieces in the mood board  below. Stick to the simple color pallet and the woven texture and it will be plain sailing.

You will find that this is a very strong look for one's home and therefore not for the fainthearted or the seasick. Begin with light airy colors and be inspired by the romance and adventure of the seaside. 

Happy sailing,

xx christina xx

TREND: ACID...dare to be Bright

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Alas the sunny days of summer are gone and a nippy autumn creeps in to take its place. Skies once clear and bright are now dull and grey, and our sunnies have been stored away. But fret not boys and girls because we're bringing in the brights! And not just brights but really bright brights!!! So get your sunnies back on because its about to get ACID bright!

As you may have noticed by now the key word today is bright. Bright colors are now bang on trend for home decor. For those that love color in abundance, this is definitely for you. For those that don't I say...come on, live a little. There are so many ways of infusing color into a room. Through paint, furniture, wallpaper, lighting, accessories...the list is endless.

Bright yellow and purple wallpaper by Kimberly Lewis

Use bright little accessories to brighten up your space. Try different combinations of color to really achieve a bold effect.

sofa

acid bright wall and furniture, source unknown

Gold and green damask patterned wallpaper with Lime green chaise

I absolutely love everything in the setting above. The wallpaper is as exquisite as the color of the chaise. And those tasty little cakes on their stand are a lovely feast for the eye.

Green glass chandelier

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Bright purple wall paper by Kimberly Lewis

Contrast. Contrast. Contrast. That is the one way of ensuring that color pops. As you can see, the purple brightens the yellow of the lemons. 

Z purple table lamp

This delightful lamp in purple would suit a yellow or orange background and brighten up your space. Speaking of bright colored lamps, this season there are some great lamps available in a variety colors at BHS. So don't hesitate to check them out.

In season bright lamps from BHS

When playing with bold color, try everything. you might be surprised by the results. Mix and match color and textures to achieve the best and brightest effects. For more modern looks try white walls and have only furniture and accessories in color. For more classic/quirky looks try bright vintage wallpaper and vintage accessories (as below). 

Acid bright mood board by yours truly

Try different color combinations to make things pop. Try yellows with purples, greens with reds, blues with oranges... Embrace this season of color and dare to be bright. Happy coloring!

xx christina xx

Retro

retro style chair sky blue and cream upholstery and solid oak legs

Listening to the Ronettes, the Beatles and the Beegees gets me thinking about a chilled out and groovy era that we call 'retro'. The era that brought us rock and roll, funk and soul; that is the 50s to the 70s was the era of contemporary and modern interiors.

In the 50s, people loved bold patterns for wallpapers and fabrics, but went for elegant, modern furniture that floated magically above the floor on slender legs. The 60s produced a diverse range of styles, from country cottage pine to blow-up chairs. The classic retro look is typified by long, low, teak sideboards and coffee tables. In the 70s the love affair with teak continued, but the new look was pine. 70s furniture also had a chunkier feel to that from the 60s.

Angular design in lilac and graphite upholstery and solid afrormosia legs

What I love most about retro decor is the bold prints and pops of color. I love the eclectic nature of its time as well. For those that love vintage, rock n roll, eclectic and bold styles this definitely the style for you.

solid beech frame with feather cushions upholstered in sky blue linen

When doing retro, one cannot afford to be shy. One needs to embrace color, form and print fully. Experimenting with color and pattern could bring quirky and stylish outcomes. Adding a few vintage accessories here and there in pop colors could really tie in the space. 

retro style chair with lime and grey upholstery and solid oak legs

Teak table with retro tea/table accessories, retro print chair and print plates on teak side table, low teak table and cabinet with vintage accessories.

   

  a great accessory for a retro style

retro accessories

 Retro decor living room

This is by far one of my favorite retro looks. The low hanging pendant light is ultra modern and the floor light adds extra oomph. Tho colors are perfect. The throw pillows are all different and yet still work within the retro scheme. Everything seems in its place, sleek and fresh.

star-bust mirror focal point

I absolutely fall in love with the dog-tooth print on the throw pillows and the barely there blue of the lampshades in this space. Also, the star-burst mirrors are 'oh so retro'.

retro living room

There's something so tasty about pops of color complementing each other in a space. The teal and yellow above and the aqua and red below work well together to bring a retro vibe to the space. Accessorizing with colorful objects gives a great contrast to the spaces.

retro aqua kitchen

With that said, my advice comes in three words. Color. Pattern. Vintage. Keep it quirky and colorful and you can't go wrong. 

P.s, I thought it's only fit to complete the retro look with a classic hit by The Ronettes 'Be my baby'. 

Be my baby- The Ronettes

Enjoy.

xx christina xx

THE ULTIMATE BACHELOR PAD...bedroom

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You bring your date home, head up to your bedroom in a steamy affair and as soon as the lights go on the needle screeches of the record... not what she expected. The mood is lost as you shove all your clothes off your bed and onto the piles of muck on your floor. She makes an excuse to leave, trips over your laptop cables and concludes your night of 'passion'. Not what you expected right? If you have been in a similar situation as a bachelor I urge you to read on for your own good.

Heaps of clothing strewn about the floor, pizza boxes from last weekend and electrical cables do not qualify for sexy bedroom decor. It's a complete turn-off for a woman to find your bedroom looking like it has been hit by a tornado. Boys, it's time to put order to chaos, to bring sophistication and character to your room and in the words of Justin Timberlake, it's time to 'bring sexy back'.

First things first, you need a comfortable and attractive bed. Have a matching set of clean sheets, duvet and pillows. Four pillows are better than one. Trust me, the extra three pillows will come in handy when having a guest over. Make sure to change the bedding every 2 weeks, (no exceptions) so have 2 or more sets of bedding. It is essential to have a bedside table to place you alarm clock, watch, table lamp etc. Invest in one that has a drawer for storage and in the same style and finish as your bed. 

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Next, tidy up your space. Invest in storage, shelving and laundry baskets. Clear your room of clutter, magazines and cables. Let everything have its place. The floor should be visible and spotless. Also, try to keep your laundry basket in a separate space when having a guest and try to do the laundry as often as you can.

Reflect your personality with your choice of art. There's a thin line between tasteful and trashy. So refrain from putting up posters of naked/practically naked women. This is not to say that there cant be any nude/nude-ish imagery. The key is to be tasteful. If in doubt, go for abstract art. And FYI, pictures of your mom belong in the living room and ex-girlfriend snaps belong in an album tucked far far away from reach.

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As for lighting, the same applies for your whole bachelor pad. The rule of thumb is having more than one light source. Bedside lamps, table lamps and floor lamps are essential in creating a seductive ambiance. Additionally, a dimmer switch or candles would add the extra oomph.

 mood board by yours truly

For those who like color and don't know how to use it, try softer muted shades of grey, cream, blue or brown. Add pops of color with plants, art and  pillows. Tie in strong colors like black, navy blue and silver for a more masculine feel.

It is important to have extras. Throws, plants, curtains etc., introduce a softness to your room and reduce the harsh and neutral feel of the space.

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Now you have everything you need to make your bachelor bedroom 'Man-room' comfortable and seductive. Think intimate, sophisticated and inviting, and it will be hard for any girl to leave. Go on boys, bring sexy back!

xx christina xx