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...

C'est La Vie Art is finally on Etsy!

Happy Day! This is one project that I can finally mark off my "to-do" list.
Ces't La Vie Art Shop is finally open on ETSY !!! The official shop link is cestlavieart.etsy.com, please bookmark!

There are currently 10 listings for sale which means I still have plenty of images to add from my more than seven Fine Art Photography Galleries that will still be available for sale in my original shop HERE, but it's a good start!:)

Please stop by and browse either shop, you might find the perfect print to decorate that spot on your wall that has remained bare far too long:)

Also, be on the lookout for the release of the newest fine art photography gallery - Far East -.


Merci Mon Amis...

**UPDATE on 8/22: There are now currently almost 30 prints listed for purchase, click on the picture button on the top of the right-hand column for a direct link to my ETSY shop. Happy Shopping!!!**

A Simple Summer Soiree

A few weeks ago I planned and hosted a fun summer soiree.  Two factors were determined to be mandatory:  it was to be outdoors and on a strict budget.

Here are the details of the event with their descriptions below:

The Invites



The invites were completely DIY and turned out to be a grand total of only 15 cents each when I calculated the costs. I had to really think out of the box for these (due to budget), and after wandering around a local craft-store for a bit I managed to find a back corner of the store that sold scrap pieces of cardstock for only $3 a bag. Score!  Next I found some colorful spools of ribbon that were on a 3 for $1 sale, double score!  I had the colors and theme I wanted to go with, but I initially had no specific idea of what I would do with  my "supplies".  After a bit of brainstorming  however, I decided I would start out by taking my scissors and (free hand) cutting out a few iconic shapes that reflected summer-time outdoors: sunhats, kites and sailboats. These I cut out of scraps of cardstock and then glued to another piece of  larger cardstock in contrasting but coordinating patterns so that nothing was too matchy matchy.  I then added a little bit of colorful ribbon to deliniate the sunhats, kites and sailboats while adding a bit of texture.

The information was hand-written on the back.  I liked how they're not "perfect" and boast that "handmade" look. The whole project was so much fun and very reminiscent of 5th grade art-class.  Ha! I think they turned out ideal for the casual, fun and summery theme I was aiming for, and fortunately were a hit with the guests!

Centerpieces and Tablescape

For the outdoor table-scape, I kept it simple, colorful and very budget friendly. For centerpieces I  found these super cute white and yellow striped "planting pots" on another great 2 for 1 super sale ( in the same craft store above) and loved how these coordinated with the invites.  To add a pretty, fresh and organic pop of color, I added bright orange gerbera daisies that I bought at my local grocery store (also on sale.)  In case you didn't know this orange/turquoise combo is one of my favorites because of it's seasonal versatility! I also had a seperate larger-scale centerpiece using a summery pale yellow watering can  boasting  a gorgeous, tropical bird of paradise arrangement.   All these were set a top the table covers that were actually flat " bed sheets" that I found on super sale at a discount home store. The turquoise color provided a great contrast to the yellow and white pots and the bright flowers, it also coordinated quite lovely with the green outdoors. The "dinnerware" was re-usable outdoor plates in a similar bright blue, and these were also purchased on the cheapo:) The "napkins" were actually dish-rags I picked out from the dollar store from a 99 cent bin, I made sure to choose the yellow and white ones to coordinate with my summery "theme." I then tied them with a bit of rustic string and added a pretty pop of orange daisy and voila!

The event was a great success, albeit I unfortunately forgot to capture shots of the food and desserts that were served (yummy red-velvet cupcakes), but I did manage to take this picture...

The grilled steak and cheese sandwhiches that were being gobbled up by those of the male gender...go figure;)

Looking to throw a summer soiree on a strict budget of your own? Look no further than C'est La Vie, I can make the simplest of concepts become spectacular events. Please email me to cestlavie.events@gmail.com with any and all questions or fill out my C'est La Vie Application Form and Style Questionnaire to begin!:)

Stay tuned for many more projects, updates, and galleries to come!

A Sophisticated and Spicy Dining Space

Design Plan for: Dining Room
Client: Elizabeth (Beth)

(click to enlarge)

Beth and her fiance Mark, have recently purchased a Condo and will be moving in right after their August nuptials. Both are extremely busy with their careers and finishing the last minute details of their wedding and felt overwhelmed with the prospect of having to figure out what to do with their new home. They hired me to help them take off some of the load  by designing one of the rooms they consider most important  - since they are self-professed foodies and love to entertain - their dining room. As with most new homes, the rooms are currently boasting a boring "builder's beige" and they plan to transform each space, room by room.  After taking my Design and Style Evaluation, I determined their style was a mix of bohemian chic, and modern glamour with a touch of funk. They are also not afraid of bold statement pieces and colors. I eagerly went to work on a design plan that would embrace their fabulous personalities and provide them with the ideal dining space that would spice up their newlywed lives.

After showing Beth and Mark my inspiration source and starting off point as indicated here, I drew up the proposed color palette and materials guide:

Beth and Mark fell in love with the concept gave me the go-ahead. Working with their budget allowed me to mix high and lower end pieces into a fabulous, cohesive space full of sculptural furniture pieces, bold statment making art pieces, (like the two prints from my Far East Art Gallery that were captured by me in Thailand, more on how to purchase prints from this gallery in a future post), as well as a touch of Glam factor with materials such as the glass table and chandelier as well as the laquered panton chairs. The gorgeous settee was actually a fortunate find from craig's list that will be re-upholstered in a beatiful bold red fabric that is also functional enough to work in a dining area.  The wall color will be a subtle, barely-there silver satin from Benjamin Moore that in most light actually looks white. I chose these gorgeous espresso wood as the ideal flooring choice to ground this stunning space.

Here is the Testimonial in Beth's own words:

"What an INCREDIBLE design! We are completely blown away!!! This is divine, simply divine!!!! It is amazing how you took our personalities and incorporated them into this gorgeous dining room!!!!! Mark and I cannot thank you enough, your work is spectacular! Our Master Bedroom is next!!!"

In need of transforming your own space on a budget? Please fill out my Design and Style Evaluation here or email me @ cestlavie.events@gmail.com.

Are you feeling spicy?

While on Holiday in Thailand, I ran across these vibrant beauties sold all over open markets...

They are Thailandese Red Chilis and beleive me when I tell you the intensity of their red color matches the intensity of the heat that is produced in your mouth when biting into these babies!

One of my recent clients asked me to transform her boring and beige dining room into something that will make her salivate. These chilis are my inspiration. Stay tuned for a spicy dining room design coming soon.

Also, be on the lookout for a new Fine Art Gallery entitled "Far East",  that will be brimming with beautiful Eastern inspired art prints captured by me in the beautiful land that is Thailand...

A Glorious and Gorgeous Office

Design Plan for: Office
Client: Evelyn

(click to enlarge)

Evelyn, a stay at home wife with a succesful catering business she runs from home, was in dire need of a space to call her own. An office where she could quietly work on invoices, correspondence with clients and everything else needed to run a business. Until now she had been doing all of her "office" work on the kitchen table sharing the space with all of her cooking utensils. Not ideal. The space she asked me to design was a blank slate, a small empty room Evelyn and her husband had currently been using as a storage room in their city apartment. A lover of the arts, she asked that I design a room around one of her favorite Paul Gauguin inspired prints, that I make it feminine with contemporary touches and that I inspire her to create even more amazing recipes. i was completely inspired myself, as I explained in this post, Gauguin is one of my favorite Impressionist Artist and so wiith this fresh, colorful, elegant and completely beautiful space, that is exactly what I set out to do!

Taking the gorgeous bright tones of saturated color from Gaugin's Tahitian landscape as accents, I decided to make the artwork the main focal point of the room by surrounding it against crisp white walls.  To give it the proper elegance it deserves however, I made sure to select a beautiful, traditional styled frame and matting that will be customized to the right dimensions. I then selected functional but stylish (and affordable) furniture pieces in the same crisp white but pulled the turquoise blues, violets, bright orange reds and muted yellows as the accessories in the space. I also managed to incorporate a few uber feminine furniture pieces, namely the ornate French styled throne - er I mean chair - for the queen herself.  In terms of textiles I chose a modern moorish pattern for the rug, and bright modern roman shades for the two small windows in the space. I was even able to incorporate her super feminine and cute rose colored Sony Vaio LapTop into the design.

Here is Evelyn's Testimonial in her own words:

At first glance my jaw dropped!!!!!!! Absolutely stunning!!!!!! As if it were more possible to fall in love with my Gauguin print, I am. I cannot wait to transform this space. You, like Gauguin are an artist! Incredible job!  Thank you a million times over!!!!!!!!!



In need of transforming your own space on a budget? Please fill out my Design and Style Evaluation here or email me @ cestlavie.events@gmail.com.

Cool Artwork for every color scheme...

Have you had a looky-loo over to the right-hand side bar of this blog lately? If you take a quick visual walk over there you'll see there are quite a few cool looking Fine Art Gallery Prints Displayed, they all happen to be from my C'est La Vie Art Shop, pictures taken by me, all over the Globe. I wanted to take this moment to share just how cool these prints can look in different settings, wall colors and frames.

Check it out....

Antiquity Gallery
Sample 1- Two of our Antiquity Art Prints displayed in bright red frames with white mats on a white wall. The look is modern with a vintage twist and completely unexpected.

Sample 2 - Two of our Antiquity Art Prints displayed in ornate black frames on a nuetral colored wall. Traditional, visually interesting and vintage.

Chic Gallery
Two of our Chic Art Prints displayed in elegant silver frames with white mats on a magenta colored wall. The contrast is uber trendy, elegant and chic;)

Fresh Gallery
Two of our Fresh Art prints in white frames with white mats on a gray background for a beautiful pop of organic color. The look is classic, modern and fresh...

Urban Gallery

Sample 1 - Two of our Urban Fine Art Prints in clean-lined Gold frames with white mats on a pale gray wall. The look is elegant, versatile and stately.

Sample 2 - Two of our Urban Fine Art Prints in simple wood toned frames with white and slate gray mats over a white wall. Perfect for a clean, modern, masculine look.

Wild Gallery

Sample 1 - Two of our Wild Art Prints in exotic espresso wood frames with white mats on a safari green background. The look is bold, modern and sophisticated.

And there you have it, quite a few of these are samples of how these prints were used in real-life scenarios by my clients.
 
Interested in purchasing a print or two of your own? The process is quite easy, simply click on any of the links above and it will take you directly to that specific Gallery where you can browse all of the art prints and select your favorites. Or you can click HERE to see all of the other galleries in our shop. You then only have to simply click on the "Buy" button on the upper right-hand corner of each picture where you can select from a variety of finishes (metallic is my personal favorite) and numerous sizes. Everything from 4x6, to 12x12 to even canvas size, all at extremely reasonable prices. Custom Artwork for less than what you would pay for a mass produced piece of art in one of the more popular retail stores.
 
If you have any questions or need any additional help with purchasing from my shop, just leave me a comment or email me to cestlavie.events@gmail.com! Happy Shopping.
 
Ill be back later with more featured galleries and more cool looking samples on how these art prints can look on your wall!

An "Ode to Spring" Wedding

The beginning of Spring ( March 21st to be exact), is reason enough to celebrate -  well with the burst of new life appearing everywhere and fresh, vibrant color replacing the dreary, muted tones of Winter - who wouldn't want to throw a party? Now how about we combine the exuberance of the coming of Spring with (hands down) one of the most memorable events in a gal's life - her wedding - and you have a marriage made in heaven.... (pun intended :)

The "gal" I am referring to just happens to be one of my closest and dearest friends, and when she called me up with the news that she had found her Prince Charming and their nuptials were set for March of 2012 (after much screaming and jumping up and down with excitement and joy for her),  I set out to design an event worthy of this queen and her king!  All she asked is that I incorporate her love of the color purple and keep to their strict budget. I enthusiastically went to work creating a design that was simple, but sublime and embraced - in both color and concept - the beauty of Spring..

(click to enlarge)

Here are the detailed components for this event:

• The grape purple and  apple green are the main color components I selected, combined with touches of platinum and white for a crisp modern twist, this palette evokes the vibrancy of Spring.
• The purple and green invitations will reflect this traditional side flourish with a modern font for an appealing contrast.
• The tablescape will be simple and fresh. Reminiscent of a garden party with purple linens, platinum table runners and simple folding chairs.
• The centerpieces will be glass vases filled with green apples and touches of wild flowers in alternating heights. They will provide an organic, fresh and "edible" pop of color to the tablescape and are an excellent budget-friendly option to flowers.
• For favors, the bride's talented brother in law is planning to make and assemble edible treats with personalized messages and poems that will be wrapped up into these cute and inexpensive platinum favor boxes.
• The cake will be a simple, traditional white cake with touches of fresh flowers and miniature apples for decor. To go with the apple theme, one of the layers may contain an apple jam filling :)
• For place cards, an aromatic miniature bundle of dried lavender sprigs will provide not only seating assignments but an added little souvenir for guests to take home.
• The bridal attire will also reflect the freshness of Spring with apple green bridesmaid dresses, beautiful purple stilettos for the Bride and a sharp looking striped green and purple tie for the Groom;)
• Finally, to satiate the palette, miniature bottles of Spring Water in Perrier bottles will be set out for all the guests to enjoy.

Here is the Bride's Reaction in her own words:
"Omg!! I Love it!!!!!! You went above and beyond with this design, everything is GORGEOUS, thank you sooo much, now I am even more excited than ever!"

Wedding season is around the corner, in need of creative, innovative budget-friendly event ideas for your special day? Need inspiration to throw that fabulous soiree? Don't know where to start with the planning of your important event? Want the look of a platinum party on a pauper's budget? You've come to the right place. Please fill out my What is your Design Style Questionnaire or email me @ cestlavie.events@gmail.com to begin!

Please check out the other wonderful events I've had the pleasure to design and succesfully launch by clicking on the  Ces't La Vie Parties and Events  page. (click on link to be re-directed to this page, or look for it under "Pages" in the sidebar) and make sure to check back often for updates!

I'm no Picasso....

But I love to paint. Even if this "painting" refers to simple up and down (or small crisscrossed w's) strokes over a living room wall. Yep, we are definitely not talking cubism or post-impressionism folks, we are talking basic geometric blocks of color. However, even those can look quite dapper in the right setting:)

Case in point, as I had mentioned in this post the living room was due for some small upgrades for Spring. After a couple of weeks of painting and re-painting because, um, I changed my mind, which happens quite frequently  (this whole process will be explained in a future post:),  I finally got the living room in Chateau C'est La Vie to where it made me smile with satsifaction!  All but one wall that was begging for some new art work. Being a budget-decorator, I wanted to add some custom artwork spending the least bit of money possible. So that is when I remembered that I had found some old white painting canvases, still in their package  in a corner of our garage. Here they are ready to be tampered with:

I decided that I would make these into a custom-art work project using left-over paint from the living room for a cost-free art solution. It was very simple. Here is the processs with pictures:

Using painter's tape and a level, I sectioned off the areas I wanted to paint using alternating widths on the canvases. 

Then using the left-over paint from the painting projects in my living room, I painted the tape sections and then removed the painter's tape before it dried. The lines were not perfectly straight, but that is the effect I wanted to create. I wanted something to look more free-formed and blend into the canvas almost like a horizon. I went back in and corrected a few areas with my brush and then let them dry.

And here is the end result, I love the way it coordinates with the colors in this space and the fact that it is unique, custom artwork for free!

By the way, here is a sneak peak of my gorgeous new Chandelier, Lucy.

And since I'm in the mood for sneak peaks. Here are a few more, like my gorgeous new mirrored side table, Gwen, because she's Glamorous like that;)

Truly in -love, with both... And both Lucy and Gwen were purchased on sale, at an amazing discount price, love the look of luxury on a budget;)

Full reveal and many more updates of the changes I've made in our little Chateau coming very soon. I'll leave you with one more that I'm sure fellow shoe-lovers will like.  After being in hiding inside clear shoe boxes in a dark closet, I decided my pretties would feel so much better on display, as art themselves. Love the pop of beautiful color they provide to that side of our master:

 Many more projects in the work, including some exciting wedding event designs, master bedroom,  kitchen and dining room transformations  and much, much more. Stay tuned  Mon Amis...



A Dramatic, Elegant and Inviting Master Bedroom

Design Plan for: Master Bedroom
Client: Erica

(click to enlarge)

Erica, a busy wife and mother of three, was desperately looking to transform her bedroom into a romantic, inviting and elegant escape for her and her husband.  She and her hubby had already selected a new traditional style bed (pictured), and asked me to design the room around that piece of furniture while incorporating a visually stimulating color palette that would provide that "wow" factor upon entering. They also specified that I work in as many of their existing furniture pieces as possible, and keep the design to their 1k budget. Quite the interesting but exciting challenge!

I quickly went to work on a gorgeous color palette that I was sure would knock their socks off!   Here it is with all of the components and a brief caption on how they would be used in the room identified in each color swatch:

(click to enlarge)

As is identified by this color board, Benjamin Moore's Eggplant would play center stage as the dramatic accent wall in this space - the canvas from which I chose all of the other accent colors, like the Wasabi Green , the Gold and the Rust to play off of. The combination makes for a multi-layered, dimensional and super visually appealing space.

The style is a mix of traditional and contemporary elements creating the recipe for a beautiful transitional space. The design evokes a fresh and modern ambiance, jusxtaposed with elegant and  luxurious looking elements that tie everything together. The best part was that every single item selected for this design looks so much more expensive than its actual price-tag, I chose every item on sale or clearance!  As for the artwork, both of these amazing botanical prints will tie in perfectly into the scheme and can be found in my Fresh Fine Art Photography Shops. Despite some of the budget and space obstacles I had to encounter, I was so incredibly pleased with the end result of this design and even more importantly, so was Erica.

Here is Erica's  Testimonial in her own words:
"I am ABSOLUTELY IN-LOVE!!!!!!!! This is EXACTLY what I wanted, and so much more. Thank you so much for your patience, for sitting down and helping me determine what my style is and for coming up with a color palette that I love! You are AMAZING, next up my dining room and then hopefully the rest of the house!"

Here is the Before Picture:

For more information on the details  and components of this fantastic design plan, please reply to this post, or email me to cestlavie.events@gmail.com with your questions and comments.


Want to transform your own space on a budget? Please fill out my Decor Application Here or email me @ cestlavie.events@gmail.com.