Spring 2017 Decor Updates - Chateau C'est La Vie

It's been awhile since I shared a Decor related update, but wanted to share a  few simple changes I made to our humble abode for Spring 2017.

A few fresh flowers, a couple carefully curated accessories and lots of crisp, clean white...

Our Maison (aka as Chateau C'est La Vie) was in need of this refresher.

Hope you enjoyed.

Stay tuned for upcoming portrait sessions and more.

xoxo,

Lyra 

Recent Decor and DIY updates for Chateau C'est La Vie

Hi friends! It has been almost a year since I last shared a decor related post and thought it would be fun to share some pictures of  a few recent changes I have made to some of the rooms in our humble abode - chateau c'est la vie - as well as some creative table-scape ideas I put together using affordable items I already had and inexpensive supermarket florals.

 The result is elegant and chic but as always,  affordable and budget-friendly. Enjoy!


Since Fall 2016 is most definitely in the air and my in-laws were coming over for dinner, decided to put together a Fall inspired tablescape with bold colors, some items I already had in storage and super-market flowers.  I love the way it turned out and so did they!  This was the perfect setting to serve my wine and mushroom gravy pot roast over garlic Parmesan mashed potatoes and my pear and cranberry salad. Got rave reviews all around!

These leaf motif napkin holders were originally a dark forest green when I  purchased them from a  Micheal's clearance bin.  They were a good quality metal, I just painted them white with craft paint and for only $4 for four of them, (bit of a tongue twister there) they turned out to be a deal I couldn't beat. The white chargers I also purchased for sale during the winter time at the off season clearance section. Always great to check out clearance sections during the off season for great deals!

Had some left-over flowers from the bundle I purchased at the super-market, so I added them to other areas of my kitchen to add a little Fall color pop to those areas as well.  Like my DIY chalkboard? I used an old outdated glass and frame and some chalkboard paint to create this. I love how I can change up the wording depending on my mood. .Bon Appetit Mon Amis!

Date night at home is some of our favorite moments. For this special night with the hubby, I decorated the table with an intimate setting for two. Plates on clearance from Marshalls Home Goods, DIY fabric napkins, bird motif on clearance from a Micheals bin, Costco roses, and used a good bottle of wine as part of the centerpiece. Dinner was a shrimp scampi over linguine, the hubs was a happy man!

The best way to brighten, soften and romanticize a room, is to add beautiful fresh flowers as I did here in our living room, I used the bottom of a lovely glass apothecary jar gifted to me by my sister, as the vase. Adore the combination of these lovely flowers with the stack of vintage books and my little ceramic bird I painted white (was originally brown.)  A Vignette like this in the middle of a cold winter day, is the perfect pick me up.

And finally, in  our extra bedroom which serves as a multi-purpose room (man cave, office, guest room) we swapped out the ol' futon there that  had received quite a bit of love over the years, for a functional but stylish sectional sleeper with extra storage. It works perfectly in here with the cooler toned color scheme of blues,grays and that pop of yellow.  Went to pick it up at our local IKEA, we were glad we had waited till this year,as there was a $100 less price difference from last year.  For those interested, here is the link to purchase this great sectional - FRIHETEN Sectional Sleeper.

And those are all the decor updates for now. (Please note all these pictures were taken by my phone camera, so excuse the quality.)

I will be sharing more decor and DIY updates soon. I have many upcoming projects I want to tackle for 2017 so please stay tuned!


xoxo,

Ly

My Design Picks - Falabella Argentina

This post has been a long time in the making. While on Holiday this past August in Argentina, I had a serendipitous encounter with a fabulous home decor department store in Buenos Aires called Falabella.
 I excitedly convinced the hubs to accompany me on a little exploration through their design department properly called Decohogar.  I found so many covet-able accessories at amazingly discounted prices that had it not been for the need to have to wear clothing through the remainder of our trip, I would of dumped out said clothes and stuffed my luggage with these gorgeous and whimsical finds that I will share below.

First a little history on Falabella via Wikipedia, for anyone interested:

"Falabella department stores can be found in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru.  Falabella Department stores sell a wide variety of merchandise including apparel, home furnishings, electronics and sporting goods.
The company was founded by Salvatore Falabella, an Italian Chilean immigrant, in 1889. In its original form, it was a tailor shop but today has become one of the largest retailers in South America."

And now for the goodies and some of my personal design picks.
(excuse the poor quality of the pictures, all were taken with my Blackberry.)

These vintage, Parisian inspired dress forms had me at "hello." So many incredible possibilities for these in master bedroom  (the organic color is is gender-neutral), a shabby-chic inspired living or dining room or even a large bathroom. Divine. Simply Divine.

I then found these patterned dress forms that are admittedly very feminine and soft, and would make the perfect accessory for a girl's room, or a soft and soothing bachelorete pad.

and as if you I wasn't already in-love with the above dress-forms and trying to conceive ideas on how to stuff them into my carry-on-size luggage, I found color-coded groupings of even more delicious mini-forms and other whimsical accessories at amazingly low prices ($15 U.S. and below.)

More Yuminess, in soft nuetral whites and grays....

and vintage blues and browns (my enthusiasm is palatable at this point by this blurry pic, I was walking around in awe just snapping away without much thought:)

next up,  I found some lovely dinnerware and table accessories that I very vocally drooled about. This cake stand is divine and could be used far beyond the Dining room or kitchen.

loved these dainty French-Country inspired dinnerware sets....

as well as these art-deco inspired cups and saucers in a lovely pale green and gold trimmed combo...

And for the more contemporary, avant-garde tastes there was a plethora of colorful artwork and accessories as well.

This is just a sampling of all of the adorable items found in this department store, that was a fusion of Pier One Imports, Home Goods at Ikea Prices. They are located in Argentina, Chile and Colombia, if any of you happen to be traveling there anytime soon, but I recently found out they also deliver internationally. Go check their website out, if nothing but to oogle eye-candy:)

Hope you enjoyed this version of my Design Picks,  I will be back with plenty of more blog content very soon.

P.S. Looking for beautiful, one-of-a-kind original art-work?  Then Please stop by my Fine Art ETSY shop and browse the more than 40 listings, you might find the perfect print for that empty wall or as the ideal unique  present for a loved-one.  Click here, or select theBlog tab labeled - Shop with us C'est La Vie Art.

Merci Mon Amis...

Rocking Rococo

Rococo Design -  also commonly known as Late Baroque or Louis XV's - is overly ornate, uber luxurious and iconic for it's elaborate curves and elegant excess. Rococo decor style and furniture pieces were inspired from an era of great luxury and indulgence. It's hard not to appreciate the intricate details, rich fabrics and artistic curves. Glamour at it's finest.

Here are some fine examples:

[Via Here]

[via Le Garde-Mueble]

[Via Here]

[Via Here]

A current design trend, and one of my personal favorites, is to pair one or two Rococo inspired furniture pieces with cleaner, more modern components in a contemporary setting. This brings instant visual interest and depth, and these intricate furniture pieces become beautiful focal points...

Stunning is an understatment, don't you agree?

Please stay tuned for upcoming posts on many new decor, event planning and photography projects coming soon!

Parsons, the perfect chair.

In my opinion, the Parsons Chair might be one of the most versatile pieces of furniture out there. It's classic, simple, clean-lined design can work flawlessly with almost any decor aethetic and transitions easily from contemporary to traditional with the quick addition of a pattern or skirted slip-cover.

Here are a few examples of the Parson's chair in an array of materials, colors and fabrics:

In leather...

A bold patterned fabric...

In bright poppy colors...

With wooden legs....

Or skirted for a more traditional look. I own four of these glorious chairs, the IKEA HENRIKSDAL

They look so incredibly fresh and crisp in white when paired with a darker wood table, the contrast is lovely...



But can also look absolutely fabulous when painted or patterned. The white slip-covers provide the creative and artistic types with a blank canvas in which to create some incredible masterpieces. Check out the fabulous DIY paint-job that was done on these Parson Chairs by It's Great to be Home. Amazing.

And this lovely French Country inspired paint treatment done by a Pop of Pretty on her chairs. Genius.

Inspired by these crafty ladies and with thoughts of what I can DIY to my own Parson chairs in the near future, I found this picture via Carrington Court Direct a skirted Parsons with a fabulous nail-head trim on the back.

This gorgeous skirted Parsons is retailing at approx $200 (including S&H.)

Hmmm. For about $20 in supplies, I am thinking I can DIY a very similar look. Please stay tuned for updates...

What about you? What type of furniture piece is your favorite and why? Leave a comment, I'd love to hear about it.

Merci Mon Amis.

My Design Picks - Restoration Hardware.

I recently had the opportunity to visit  one of Restoration Hardware's Outlet stores. I was quite literally a  kid in a candy store. As soon as I walked in salivating, drooling and coveting - oh so much coveting - ensued.

I absolutely adore their artisan quality craftmanship, global influence and sophisticated yet simple approach to their furniture and textiles. They sell authentic statement-making pieces that complete a room. Furniture that is made to last and is both functional and super stylish.

Here are a few of the items I wanted to take home with me:
(excuse the poor quality of the pictures, all were taken with my Blackberry.)

These 19th-century inspired wing chairs have been updated  with textural, cleaner fabrics, a nail head trim and an elongated shape. A modern approach to a classic design. I can see two of these used as accent chairs in a living room or dining room accessorized with a soft and supple throw or some modern and punchy throw pillows. Divine Seating.

This stunning oil-rub bronzed antique-inspired chandelier. The picture may not reveal the true size, but this baby is grandiose. Perfect as the centerpiece to a grand foyer or dining room. Its rustic appeal would look beautiful juxtaposed in a more contemporary setting or as the perfect complimentary lighting piece for a rustic, cottage-esque decor aesthetic. The price tag was also none to shabby.

Speaking of "Shabby." This farmhouse dining table had me at hello. Beautiful craftsmanship, solid and simple. Would look stunning paired with uber modern acrylic ghost chairs for a gorgeous contrast, or with a more traditional styled bench and two larger scaled head chairs. Also priced quite fairly.

My personal favorite however, was this one. The white wash on the wood, those pedestal legs, comfortable seating for eight. Ugh!  What's not to love? If and when we move to a space where I can have a formal dining room, this is the dining room table I want to marry. So beautiful!

Do any of you own pieces from Restoration Hardware? If so, how have you styled them, I'd love to see? They are truly statement-making on their own...

Speaking of statement-making pieces, I'll be back soon to share insight on why I think the "Parson's Chair" is one of the most versatile dining or accent chairs and why. 

Also, please don't forget, only a few day's left for my End of Summer sale in my Fine Art Photography Shop on ETSY.  25% off entire order!  All the details in this post, don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity!

Merci Mon Amis...

Spring Picks - Contemporary, Bold and Modern.

Just a few drool-worthy items that have caught my designer eye. Colorful, creative, and seasonally inspired.  Perfect for Spring.

Vapor Chairs, better known as "Ghost Chairs". Light, airy, ethereal, barely-there elegance to sit your tush on. What’s not to love?

Image from CB2

Big, beautiful, bold colored blooms -  art displayed on a pillow. These had me at "hello."

Somehow this "Dodo Bird" design is not so dodo-looking in this whimsical and colorful design. And this graphic floral pattern just screams Spring. Lovely, no?

Loving the sense of humor on this punchy pillow. I'm sure these smiling faces would feel right at home against the perfect neutral colored sofa or chair. And this rainbow striped inspired pillow would be the perfect pop of color in a neutral room.

Heading in another direction, classic black and white becomes bold, modern and graphic with this lovely piece...

And this one. What a chic and femininely sweet print juxtaposed in a modern way...

Let's talk art. Funky, fabulous and global inspired. Any of these pieces would sing on a bare wall...

Vases. Gotta love a vase that is called "The Genie."

(all items from CB2 and Crate&Barrel)

                                                                                                                                                        Thinking many of these accesssories would work flawlessly with an one of the prints from my Urban Fine Art Photography Gallery. Please take a look, browse the collection, you might find the ideal print to accent your space and add just the right colorful touch:)

I'll have plenty more drool-worthiness to share in a future post. Stay Tuned....:)

Oh, and as a reminder - only 3 days left for our amazing first-year anniversary sale, where you will receive 25% off any of our services. Please take advantage now!