A Romantic "Old San Juan" Engagement Photo Shoot

As I sit here editing away on my most recent photo shoot - a passionately romantic engagement session - shot on location in Old San Juan, I am swayed by the rhythmic melodies and cadence of the tambourines in Salsa Music. How fitting to be serenaded by Latin music greats such as Gilberto Santa Rosa and Marc Anthony while working on an epic shoot for a couple who is head-over-heels- in-love and meant for each other in every way possible.

My beloved friend Olga and her fiance Daniel asked me to commemorate their love with a photo shoot in the country of their origin -Puerto Rico- and I enthusiastically accepted!  Shooting an engagement session with a background like the gorgeous and historical Old San Juan area of Puerto Rico is a dream come true for a Photographer like me; so many incredible architectural marvels, bright colors and charming character to be inspired with..

I began thinking of a Stylized concept for this shoot, something a little different, reflective of these two unique love-birds. I thought it would be fitting to have them dress in traditionally-inspired clothing, (i.e. Guayaberas) something classic and timeless, indicative of the landscape surroundings and their rich heritage.  I pitched this idea to Olga and Dan and they were completely on board!

And so, after hopping a flight from frigid New York to Sunny San Juan, on a perfectly crisp and picturesque Saturday afternoon, we shot the "love story" of Olga and Dan, a session profound in character, culture and passionate love...

Be on the lookout for more of this couple, as I also have the honor to collaborate with another great wedding planner (her brother-in-law), in making their wedding day one they will never forget. Details and plenty of pictures to come...

Interested in setting up your own Portrait Session? Email me to cestlavie.events@gmail.com, or visit my Facebook Page for more information. I will be hosting a special Spring Portrait Sale beginning the first week of Spring  (March 21, 2013), stay tuned for details...

A Princess Pink Nursery

Design Plan for: Girl's Nursery

Clients: Sigris and Otniel

(click to enlarge)

My most recent client Design plan is for a lovely young couple from the Dominican Republic who were recently blessed with a healthy and gorgeous baby girl!  Sigris and Otniel asked me to help them transform their spare room into a soothing palace perfect for their little princess, and I gladly accepted.  As requested by the couple, I used the existing pink and green crib bedding that was gifted to them as a start-off point, I went to work creating a delicate, feminine, yet elegant space. (Or shall I say, two spaces, I will explain below.)

As an interior decorator who is deeply passionate about her work, I take extra care in determining exactly what my clients' needs, wants and preferences are. Specifically in cases like these, where the entire project is completed  via electronic correspondence  (i.e. internet, email, skype, etc), and I am not able to physically asses the space. Due to this factor, I make special note of the responses I get from my clients in their initial Cest La Vie Design and Style Application Form. I also send various correspondences with detailed questions to request as much additional information as possible. My goal is to acquire as accurate a picture as possible of their space and vision before I begin to work on my Design Concept.  All this back and forth can be a lot of work but absolutely necessary to provide an ideal outcome.  Interestingly enough, this does not always guarantee the  Design Concept I come up with will necessarily hit the nail on the head. There are times when my clients might love some of the aspects I have chosen, but are looking for a different feel, color scheme or style.

Case in point, after undergoing the process detailed above with my client Sigris, I came up with the following Design Plan - Take One: A nod to Vintage/Victorian elegance with a color scheme of barely-there green, rose and lilac. I chose delicate fabrics, sophisticated touches and a classic feel that I knew would easily transition this nursery into a little girl's room and even (in the future) a tween room by switching out the crib and some other minor details for more grown-up furniture. Here is the first Design Concept:

(click to enlarge)

My client loved this first Design, but was definitely looking for something more reflective of her aesthetic and that would read more "baby nursery." So back to the drawing board I went and created the design displayed in the beginning of this post.  The result? Success!!! This was exactly what she was looking for:  A space with pops of bright pink and green accents and little details that are un-mistakenly meant for a beautiful little baby girl to enjoy! A happy marriage of both Designer and Client, this is what interior decorating is all about and what I love about my work - creating spaces that reflect the personalities of the individuals that will be living and enjoying them! I aim to please my client, even if it takes one, two or three times to create the perfect room!


Here are the Before pics of her space:

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. 

**Be on the lookout for a Spring Special Discount on all Interior Decorating Projects in March! Details to follow!!!**

Scandinavian Chic and none-too-Shabby

Design Plan for: Living and Dining Rooms (Open Concept)
Clients:  Viv and Bernd

(click to enlarge)
Dining Room

Living Room

My most recent client Design plan is for a vivacious modern couple and their three growing boys. This family will soon be completely re-modeling their living and dining rooms with fresh new walls, floors and design aesthetic. They asked me to help them determine their decor preferences, select a new color palette, textiles and some furniture pieces to transform their home into a stylish, classic and cozy space.  Inspired by pictures of the idyllic natural settings of the city this family calls home -  Bergen, Noway - I went to work creating a design I call Scandinavian Chic.

Using feedback from Viv and her husband, I began with determining a color palette for these spaces.  I chose colors that were neutral but not boring, a cohesive combination of pale grays and whites, set off by royal and navy blues and charcoal as accents, which worked beautifully with some of their already-existing warm wood furniture pieces for an earthy contrast.  I wanted to combine their existing furniture pieces that are contemporary in nature, with some vintage-inspired pieces for an added layer of softness and visual interest. Finally, I chose textiles such as the curtains, rugs, and runner in interesting Herringbone and Chevron patterns with a modern color twist.

I built the design plan around the following fundamentals:

1) Three basic paint colors for the walls of these two rooms:  an overall pale gray to tie and unify the space and two gorgeous accent walls, one for the dining, one for the living that will set all the other elements beautifully;  Benjamin Moore's Titanium, Sherwin Wiliam's Loyal Blue and Valspar's Ocean Storm. 

2) Classic, Contemporary and Vintage inspired furniture pieces. That are both stylish and functional.

3) Textile and fabric patterns that bring interest, contrast and layered texture all while keeping with a neutral color palette.

4) Accessories that are light, functional, organic and vintage inspired. For artwork- I suggested framed family portraits which are always meaningful and personalized, or unique and original photography black&white or sepia toned prints found in my C'est La Vie Art Shop. 

Viv and her husband were incredibly pleased with the design concepts and cannot wait to begin the big re-model. I cannot wait to see pictures of the final result!!!

Here are some Before pics:

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.

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...

C'est La Vie Photography: Recent Wedding Shoot and Fall Discount Special!

Fall is definitely one of my most favorite seasons. There is a delicate sophistication in the air that is incomparable.  The Autumnal changes with the color of the leaves transitioning from green to vibrant reds and yellows, makes for a gorgeous natural backdrop for portraits...

This is why from October 1st through the November 10th, 2012,  I will be hosting a special discount on  all of my Photography Portrait sessions. 25% off the entire package for anyone who books a session by the 25th of October !!!!   Email me to cestlavie.events@gmail.com, or visit my Facebook Page for more information.

 I will leave you with some  recent captures I took of my special little sister J who became a stunning bride on September 8, 2012. You might remember J and M by their very unique 1940's inspired engagement session I took here, and the details of their beautiful poetic vintage wedding is here...Enjoy!

Please visit my Services and Pricing Page for more information. I will be back soon with plenty more design and photography projects.