Modern Apartment in Spain

Good Monday morning to all my precious readers. Hope you had a sunny weekend. I like modern apartments when they are not extremely modern. Some classic lines mixed with modern furniture and lots of colourful accents in every room make this functional apartment in Spain both happy and inviting. Come and see if you like it.


















Nothig wrong about being a shoe lover but I think I'd fill those shelves with books instead!

Photography: Luis Visconti
All images from Casa Diez.

Paint Colors: In Photos vs 'Real Life'

I've gotten lots of emails asking for paint colors used in various rooms/ specific projects.  And I've been so terrible about answering them.  (I'm sorry!!)  My first excuse is that when I don't remember them off of the top of my head, I put off going down to where our paint is stored or opening a client's file and finding the name of color.  It ends up being one of those things that just gets pushed to the end of the list of things I mean to do... 

{Justin's nursery}

One of the rooms I never mentioned a paint color for was Justin's nursery.  I didn't do this on purpose (and never purposely withhold paint colors or sources) but the truth is that we used every last drop of the paint on the walls, ditched the empty gallon, and I don't remember the name of color!!!!  It was a crazy time for us and that's really all I can say.  If I got out the deck & went & matched it, I could figure it out, but my #2 reason/excuse for not being so dilligent about supplying paint colors (and the reason it gets pushed very low on the list of things 'to do') is because paint color look different in different spaces.  Light changes everything and although it will probably look close, it might not match exactly so the "perfect navy blue" in my house might be very different from the perfect navy in your house.  

I learned this lesson first-hand when I used this color as inspiration for my family room: 

{Design by Ruthie Sommers, photo by Don Freeman for House Beautiful}

When I got out the paint chip (Blue Seafoam by Benjamin Moore) it was so much more intense than it looked in the photos and I knew that it would look way darker on my walls than it did in the Ruthie Sommers house.  Here's a sample:

It was not what I wanted and I was shocked at how dark the swatch was.  I went a couple of shades lighter with a tad more yellow (in another brand- Freshaire Choice Color: "Midwest Springs") and got a very similar-looking color for my walls & exactly what I wanted:

{Our family room}

And here's the Ruthie Sommers room again for reference:

The paint swatches look very different when compared next to one another in person, but the wall colors in the photos of the rooms look really similar.  Photography, lighting, time of day, etc. all come into play when selecting a paint color and that's one of the reasons exact paint colors aren't very important to me when trying to duplicate the look of a room.  Knowing paint colors is useful for points of reference, but in the end, the color chosen on a wall needs to be specifically chosen for that room.    (I.e., knowing a paint color will get you close/ in the ballpark, but in the end go with what works best in your space.)  I can take a photo in a room of my house- morning, noon and night - and the color will look different in each photo.

I never mind getting questions about colors so of course keep them coming but if I don't answer you, please know that I've put it on my list of colors to check!!  Hope you had a great weekend & yay for summer!!!



Update-  Just to clarify:  I should mention that I don't do "trial & error" painting & you can train yourself to properly visualize the colors before they go up on the walls.  (Clearly trial and error would not work for clients, and it's years of experience and knowing how colors will look once they are actually painted on a wall as opposed to how they look on a sample that will get you the right color choices...  Because I knew how the Blue Seafoam sample would look if actually painted on my wall, I knew right away it wasn't the color for me.  What was shocking to me was how it translated in the photo...  As a much lighter color. :)  Hope that makes sense!     Check out Colour Me Happy for expert color advice & prefessional training!

Restored House in Mallorca

I get so excited when I find lovely houses to show you. I actually clap my hands and say "yes!". Maybe I should go to a shrink? Naww, it's just the blogging thrill. Those who blog are nodding their heads and thinking " I know".

This gem of a house in Mallorca used to be three separate buildings of a farmhouse: a small main house, the oven house and a barn. For a whole century nobody lived here. Walls were taken down to connect the buildings and every room was restored giving it a new life but taking care to preserve its essence. Interior designer María José Calonje and Luisa Montes are the authors of this transformation. What used to be the main house is now the living area; the oven house is the kitchen and the barn is a bedroom.
Come with me and take the tour!



Look at the figurines of two children sitting on the wall and looking at the sky. Sweet, aren't they?



Canes offer an interesting shade to these porches. The wicker and iron chairs and tables were restored by the owner.




White and soft greens in the living area.


Open floor plan for the living room, dining room and kitchen. A mahogany desk and Spanish rug help define the areas.






An 18th C. mirror reflects twin seats from the 50's.


The original staircase was kept.


Family keepsakes are displayed on an old console table: antique silver salt and pepper cellars, a crystal Baccarat jar, and an antique portrait.


Kitchen and dining area put together. Country pinewood table and antique chairs on a seagrass rug.


Jacarandá wood Isabel I chairs. Plenty of light and a lovely view from the long window.


Creil et Montereau porcelain dining set and 19th C. silver cutlery.


Detail of antique tray and jug.


Well worn Antique Persian rug in the hall that leads to the master bedroom.




Notice the small window. A feature preserved from the old building.





Yet another feature preserved: a small window at floor level.

Hope you are having a sunny weekend my friends! See you tomorrow.

All images from Nuevo Estilo.

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Congratulations Class of 2010

This past week, Fairfax County's seniors, the Class of 2010, graduated.  My husband, David, teaches English at our local high school, and was voted by the seniors to give the Commencement speech at the graduation ceremony.  He was introduced at graduation as "hard & crunchy on the outside but soft & chewy in the middle."  The student speaker joked about how Dave used to make fun of a student because of his long hair, but they thought it was only becase he was jealous because he doesn' have any hair.  The student introducing him also told a story relayed to him by a teacher: "I mentioned to David that I was hungry in school one day & had forgotton my lunch.  When I got back from teaching my next class, there was a happy meal waiting on my desk for me."

{Dave with the boys}

I loved his speech and wanted to share it with you.  (I'm not including the ad-lib funny parts, because you had to be there for those ;)  I know it meant a lot to the kids & parents there...

{The Graduation at the Patriot Center}

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Colleagues and Guests, Principal Bates and of course Class of Two Thousand and Ten, it is a great honor to be here before you speaking today.

Eleven years ago I sat where you are now, looking up at some old, bald guy telling me that he once sat where I was sitting... But I all I could think about was when is his speech going to end so I can get to beach week at where else? The Jersey Shore.

The moral of this story is that by the age of twenty-one this attitude had me bald with a terrible GPA and nothing but a couple of Beer-Pong Trophies to show for it. I made a lot of bad choices in my youth and I've spent the past seven years working harder than I’d ever thought possible to remedy them. Immanual Kant says ‘the only thing that can bring you morals are the starry sky above and the moral law within” and Saba (a student) has fallen asleep. Just like class.

Fine, I get it, no Kant. But seriously listen… you are the result of the choices you make. How about a Batman Quote?  It’s not who you are inside but your actions that define you. Better? It’s not who you are inside but your actions that define you. The scary thing about this is that half the time you don’t even realize the choices you’re making because you’re just doing what you always do- what you’ve always done. When you’re in a situation for the first time- that’s when you think about what you’re going to do and why. The first time you get too much change back at McDonald’s: Are you thinking, “Sweet, I’m sure I’ve overpaid before,” or are you thinking about that worker’s register coming up short at the end of his shift and that money coming out of his paycheck? Say you take the money, no biggie, fine- but the next time you’re given too much change, that money just goes right into your pocket; you don’t need to think about it. You’ve already had this conversation with yourself, why have it again?  You’re on auto-pilot. How about the first time someone calls you a bad name in elementary school?  You have to think about how you will react- you can:

A) call them one back – even though mom said not to call names

B) punch them in the face – they do have it coming

or

C) walk away – everyone’s going to make fun of you

You choose your action.  But no need to think about it next time. Next time you’re just going to react. Get it?   Re- Action- Repeat your Action. Eventually we all are faced with enough situations that we stop thinking about why we are doing something and just do what we’ve always done in that situation. This is now who we are. Sometimes people will observe our behaviors and label us. What a “Pyscho!” What an “Idiot!” She is such a “blank.” He such an “blank.”  (My speech got edited ;)   But you know what kind of labels are out there. And more importantly, what kind of behavior gets you those labels. The sad part is, when you got that label you probably didn’t even think about what you were doing, you were just reacting, doing what you always do in that situation. That’s why those initial choices are so important.

At twenty-one years old, I realized I didn’t like who I was. I met this girl who kept telling me “that’s not ok,” when I would do something morally wrong, and the funny thing was, deep down I knew she was right: How I was acting didn’t reflect who I was inside. I had to figure out why. I started thinking about why I was doing the things I was doing (like punching people in the face) and then I had to change how I handled those situations... (Actually she stills tells me when I’m not doing the right thing, but it's way less often now.)

I want to do the same favor for you. Class of 2010, you’ve made many achievements and accomplishments in your four years here at Herndon and I have truly enjoyed teaching you.... but… not all of you have been the model of good behavior. Secretly, I think that’s why you picked me to make this speech. You knew you would get honesty.... So some of those choices you’ve made these past four years: “That’s not ok.” So think about how you came to those decisions.

All of you are going to be faced with many new situations in college and in the “real world” and you are going to be in some familiar situations. When someone asks you to go out drinking what are you going to say? What about Sex? or Drugs? What happens if you say ‘yes’ to the first one, do you answers to the second two change? How about Cheating? Plagiarizing? Speeding? I’m just saying… think about where you stand on these things and why.   I’m telling you this because nobody told me this.  College is the chance to start over. You can change that label - You can change your answers to those questions, or if you like them, keep them the same. Just take this opportunity, Class of 2010, and think about who you've been the past four years. Do you want to be the same person? You are the only one who can answer this and you know deep down there is something you want to change.
Do it.
Make it happen.
Be BOLD.
Be who you want to be, not who you’re friends want you to be.
Let your actions define you proudly.

...And oh yeah- Congratulations! "


I'm so proud of him and won't go on about my feelings to save you from my cheesiness.  But Congratulations to all of you moms with graduating seniors and YAY FOR SUMMER VACATION!!!

Scandinavian Style Home

Sweet Friday to you my friends. Ready for another house tour? This time it is a renovated 3,000 square feet house influenced by Scandinavian design: blonde woods, ambient light, a white palette, and the use of natural materials both as exterior elements and indoor backdrops. Antiques and flea-market finds were used but with a spare hand. Enjoy!

A view of the living room: bright white walls, maple flooring, simple fabrics, classic furniture forms, and just a few select furnishings and art.

Bluestone on the patio outside the dining room continues into this sun-washed space. Salvaged factory glass is used as an interior window that connects to the study. Wicker seating and an antique washstand add texture and warmth to the space.

An antique dresser in the living room with a row of vintage finials and hanging black-and-white photographs by local artist Dan Murtagh. An open niche to the kitchen holds china; simple, small-scale pendants help define the separation without blocking the view.

The view from the entry of the split-level house; a maple door to the upstairs bath, and a Swedish clock.

The upstairs hallway overlooks the kitchen, and more interior windows made from salvaged factory glass bring light into a spare room.

A corner of the living room with old objects: a small cupola and a collection of loom spools.

The serene master bedroom features board-and-batten walls, maple floors and a monochromatic rug. Lush linens and the rounded shapes of the bedside demilune table, mirror, basket, and sconces add softness to the room. An antique bench at the foot of the bed.

The luxurious soaking tub in the master bath is surrounded by Carrara marble.

An enclosure at one end of the tub provides room for display as well as practical storage.

Twin square marble basins rest atop a vanity.

The kitchen island is bookended with brick columns. To create more storage space and dress up existing support posts that couldn’t be moved, they were bricked in and painted.

The location of the main sink under the open niche allows for a free flow of converssation and views between the kitchen and living room.

Stainless-steel appliances blend easily with faucet fixtures, drawer pulls, and yards of Carrara marble to give the kitchen a streamlined look.

All images and information from here.

I have linked this post over at Melissa's The Inspired Room. As always, thanks for the linky party!