Work In Progress - Country House - Tuscany, Italy
I was recently hired by the very talented architect Domenico Minchilli to work on the interiors for a home in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy.Words cannot adequately express how excited I am about this project.
We have a mid/late Spring deadline.
Early on, I started to pull images for an inspiration board on Pinterest. Some of the images came from books in my library, photos from my travels, or from my favorite websites. Originally, I had over sixty-five images. It was a great visual tool and helped me see the big picture. I kept that version of the board private so I could show Domenico what I was thinking.Once I had a clearer idea of what the client wanted/needed for their home, I put together a mood board in Photoshop for each room. There has to be a separate post about Photoshop... DRAMA.
I had written a much longer post but deleted it. It was way too sappy.However, I will say I'm thrilled to be working with such an incredible group of people and that 2013 is off to a great start.
What Is The Purpose Of A Blog Now?
I was at a Rome Bloggers meet up a few months ago and one of my fellow bloggers told me she missed my old blog.My former blog was more personal and a bit all over the place. One day I would write about politics , or my friend's big Italian wedding, and the next day about some silly pop-culture thing like the horrific "Kwanzaa Cake" made by Sandra Lee.The blogging world has changed a great deal since 2005. It's become a big business and very niche.When I first started this blog I felt a lot of pressure to keep it extremely focused. I understood the advice from my social media savvy friends. They would ask me questions like,"What's the point of your blog? What are your goals for the blog? What IS your blog, personal, design, lifestyle, expat?"Something clicked when I read my friend Felicia's recent post.I should worry less about labeling my blog or trying to shoe-horn it into a very narrow space.Design blogs are more than pretty pictures. The popular ones have a POV or narrative that's engaging. They have to be, thanks in part to the explosive success of Pinterest.Interior design is influenced by many things... art, fashion, music, film, travel, the list goes on. I like to write about those subjects as well and I will.It's a new year and time to loosen the strings a little.
Work In Progress - Prati Apartment - Rome, Italy
Last week I was hired to decorate an apartment in Rome.This is my first project in Italy. I'm excited but also a little terrified. Now I must speak and work in Italian. While many vendors speak English, there are quite a few people I'm working with on this apartment, like the contractor, who do not.I need get over my fear of communicating in Italian and just do it.The décor is going to be understated Hollywood Regency based on our consultation and the pieces my client already owns. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but it just means that some of the over the top elements of the style will be toned down. Sometimes, one can have too many mirrored surfaces!The bones of this large apartment are absolutely stunning, as is the terrace. The layout is more formal than the other projects I'm working on.I tend to use strong colors as accents, not on the walls, so some of the rooms will push me out of my comfort zone which is a good thing. After all, it's not my apartment, it's the client's. I want my client to have a home that they love and that reflects their personality.Due the nature of my client's work, I won't be able to publish photos of their apartment.However, I have started an inspiration board, which is HERE.
Work In Progress - Beach House - Anguilla, British West Indies
"Soon Come."This Caribbean expression is very similar to the Italian word, domani. Technically, domani means tomorrow, but in Italy it could mean months or years from now. The concept of time is very different.Soon come is the same thing."When is your tio (uncle) visiting from the States?""Soon come."When I was a child, I assumed this meant that the gentleman would be on the next flight. No, he may arrive tomorrow, or December 2013. Yesterday, I met with my clients and their builder. The house is moving along."When will the exterior be finished?""Soon come".It's not easy to build on a tiny island thanks to the elements (hurricane season is no joke), sourcing of materials, and high labor costs.Depending on a variety of factors out of my client's hands, the house could be done in eight months or ???.We'll see. Soon come.