Building and designing a new beach house on a tiny island is not the easiest of jobs. This was a personal project and I was working with several people who all have different tastes. I wanted to incorporate everyone’s ideas yet make sure the space was cohesive. This is a cottage so nothing too fancy … Continue reading The Cottage, Meads Bay Beach, Anguilla BWI – Reveal
I noticed this large abandoned palazzo when I first moved to Rome. I wondered what the history of the building was and why it was falling apart. I found out that it was a city owned property built in 1929. It used to be the headquarters for the Health Administration. Once those offices moved, the … Continue reading Palazzo Merulana, Rome
Yes, it’s true that Venice has many tourist trap restaurants. Tourist traps don’t care about the quality of their food (and love to over charge people) as it’s a volume business, especially from the mega cruise ships. They will never see those tourists again and locals would never eat there. Do not let the bad … Continue reading The Design Files – Ristorante Local, Venice
My friend Erica invited me to join her on a press trip for the preview of the 16th Architecture Biennale. I haven’t been to any of the Biennale. I follow the art, cinema, and architecture ones on social media but it’s not the same. My first (and last) trip to Venice was twelve years ago, … Continue reading La Biennale Venice – 2018
The other week, my friend Michelle and I decided to meet in Chiusi for lunch and then take the train to Montepulciano, a hill town in southern Tuscany near Siena. Michelle lives in Florence and Chiusi was the prefect half-way point. However, once we were in Chiusi we saw the sporadic train schedule and noticed … Continue reading Montepulciano – Under A Tuscan Sun
The Royal Palace of Naples is a must on my list of things to do in Naples. I wasn’t able to visit until my third trip and now I want to return just so I could spend more time there. The audio tour is interesting and informative. Palazzo Reale is one of four royal palaces … Continue reading Design Inspiration – Palazzo Reale, Naples, Italy
This is a phrase coined in the mid-1800s during the reign of the Bourbons. At the time Naples was the third most populous city in Europe after London and Paris. It was also one of the wealthiest. I prefer to agree with the original meaning of the phrase and not the “if you go … Continue reading “See Naples and Die.”
This museum is not in the Historic Center but located in the dynamic and funky Ostiense neighborhood. It has been on my list for years and I finally visited it recently with my friend, Marta. We loved it. I saw a spread in American Vogue that had used the museum as a backdrop, so I … Continue reading Life in Rome – Centrale Montemartini Museum, an Ancient and Modern Mix
My apologies for the radio silence. Work has been bonkers. One of my clients moved back to the States. She was a high-ranking diplomat and her term was up. We needed to organize a major international move for someone who had lived in Rome for quite some time. My trip to La Bandita was the … Continue reading Design Inspiration – La Bandita Countryhouse
I have lived in Parioli for a year now and love it. When I told people I was moving from the Historic Center to Parioli, everyone had an opinion (mostly negative). “It’s so boring,” was one of the main criticisms I heard regarding Parioli. Granted, it’s not as exciting as living around the corner from … Continue reading Life in Rome – Ercoli 1928 Parioli
Arlene Gibbs Décor 