french and beachy bedroom details

A little Monday afternoon inspiration....

I fell in love with the romantic feel 
of  this beach house 
bedroom. 

It's filled with lovely French country details 
and the subdued 

color palette reflects the colors 
of the ocean perfectly.

 I also love that the two bedside tables are 

mismatched and feature different lamp styles too.

Coral, sea shells, mercury glass and  vintage books 

make for  a pretty  vignette on a nearby bookcase.

 There's a consistent use of colors 
used inside and out,

as seen in this charming side gate 
with seashell wreath.

I love this patinaed blue 
against the natural sand-colored 
stone.

via The Newport Harbor Home Tour

ciao! fabiana

living room - monterey colonial style

 With its beautifully rustic Monterey Colonial style, 

this living room is cozy, elegant and chic. 

It's the perfect room to curl up in during a chilly night, or to
 relax in during the summer with french doors fully opened 

letting in the cool California evening breeze.

Designer/homeowner Michael Streit 
wanted to encompass the

style of homes you would find in 
Santa Barbara or Monetecito.

In this scheme, he wanted to include 
rustic qualities,

but with a contemporary edge, 
and was slightly influenced  by

the look of Ralph Lauren's Colorado ranch home.

a humorous antique sign is the focal point of the mantel

Both Michael and partner John enjoy collecting art and unique finds.

The antler chandelier was stained darker to bring out the richness in its form, 

and the two large horse paintings add movement and soul to the room.

Comfortable seating was a must in this kick-up your-feet room!

Beautiful doors open up to the private front 

courtyard and create a flawless indoor outdoor space.

Visit Michael at his Laguna Niguel showroom, 

California Style Home Collections.  

You may have already visited this

home in May, as it was featured 

on the Newport Harbor Home Tour.  

ciao! fabiana

photo credit:  Doyle Terry

Carole Radziwill's guide to animal print

Carole is one of my favorite housewives
from the Bravo franchise.

Some of us are obsessed with 
Carole's overall sense of style,

and now she's unveiled 
her newly renovated apartment.

The iconic tiger sofa 
is still the centerpiece of her decor,

 thankfully!

Whether it's fashion or decor,

Carole rocks it every time! 

Back to her new decor...

a few hints of leopard on this cozy curved couch

 under the floating stairs are perfect.

Details of the ovoid side table and well-worn sofa

upholstered in Scalamandre Le Tigre fabric. 

The view from across the room, 
and a peek at the butterfly table.

  Carole showing of another newly acquired vintage table.

Kristin, Heather and Carole 
shmoozing over Carole's new book,

The Widow's Guide to Sex and Dating.

Talk of the new decor and books soon turns to
   

talk of Aviva, the cray-cray.

We'll discuss Aviva later, 
after the first reunion show!

meanwhile, 
the elegant fabrics play off nicely 

with the quirky vintage accessories.

The famous tiger sofa was 

a hand-me-down from her mother-in-law, 

Lee Radziwill.  

Here's a vintage photo of Lee's apartment. 

You know, of course, 
that Lee is Jackie Kennedy's sister 

and a huge fashionista 
and style icon in her own right.

Here they are with Aviva during more peaceful times.

That sofa just looks good with everything.

a lesson from Carole....

animal print is a classic!

ciao! fabiana

dining alfresco

A magical party in Laguna Beach created by the French Basketeer.

With Summer now in full swing, 

alfresco dining and entertaining is always a fun option 

for you and your guests. 

A beautiful table, great conversation, yummy food 

and a pretty setting is all you need to capture 

the essence of alfresco dining.  

 

Here are a few suggestions for your next outdoor gathering:

*A tablecloth, flowers, and candles are the perfect combination for setting an outdoor table. Bring out some interesting ”themed” accessories from indoors to add ambiance.

*Have fun with your seating, your chairs do not all need to be the same. 

*Decide whether you want your dinner to have a rustic feel or a very elegant feel as you plan your gathering.

*Go with a fabulous color scheme or bring in a collection of bright and happy colors for summer table setting…  

*Or keep it simple and focus on the beautiful surroundings around you. 

*Save yourself lots of return trips to the kitchen by staging a pretty table near your dinner table with the things you might need during your meal, such as extra water and wine, linens, and condiments.

*Cold food is often an easier choice than hot food, unless you have a barbecue or warming pad near to the table. Salads, sliced vegetables/fruit, pasta, and cheeses work well for alfresco dining.

ciao! fabiana

back from Maui

We just got back from a week in beautiful Maui.

The Westin Resort and Spa was amazing 

and perfect for all ages.  

Water slide, pool, beach for the kids

and luxurious spa options for me!

ciao! fabiana

knock, knock {a front door makeover }

The door knockers from England finally arrived!  

They were the last accessory 

to put the finishing touch on our front doors.  

Lucky for my, my husband is pretty handy, 

so he was able to install the door knockers and brass kick plates yesterday and the doors are finished!  

We started with raw wood double doors, 

and decided to paint them black 

and then use the traditional look 

of brass hardware as a contrast.  

Here's the inspiration photo.

I love the look of "London doors".  

We reused our original door handles 

because we really liked 
the curved lines in them.  

They were polished up
 using a lot of elbow grease and these 

Cape Cod Metal Polishing Cloths.  

They really worked pretty well 

as you can see below.

After searching ebay for a few weeks, 

I finally found a pair of matching lion

 door knockers that we liked 
and that fit the door.

Including shipping, 
the set was only about $30!  

Here's how they look on the center panel.

And, I must mention, 
my husband and boys 
are fabulous painters!

We love our little lions.

ciao! fabiana

vintage bamboo bar cart makeover

A quick little project....

I just painted Nana's vintage 
1940's bamboo bar cart.

A couple of coats of glossy white paint and... 

We’re all set for our next party!

ciao! fabiana

a coastal farmhouse

Here's a fun look into another one of the fabulous homes featured in this year's Newport Harbor Home and Garden Tour. It's located on a unique walking-only street on the Balboa Peninsula and is filled with the homeowner's creative art pieces.

The color palette is perfect for a beach house, and the rooftop deck is another fun space for this young family. For more on the unique artwork, check out M Street Artwork. 

There's a sneak peek below of Shannon's studio and fun projects throughout her home. 

This great fish is the centerpiece of the kitchen.

Lots of pretty open shelving in the kitchen...

and an open floor plan.

I love the rustic accents 
that make this home feel cozy...

and comfortable.

The boys' super cute bunk room.

A chunky glass shade
on a sconce in the hall.

There's a family room upstairs.

The rooftop deck has bright green turf

and fabulous views of the peninsula. 

Here's Shannon's studio.

And a piece of her art dresses up a 
bright stairway wall.

  I love the eating nook and starfish flag.

 More fun art in the bathroom.

And another beachy vignette.

Let's go jellyfishing in the kitchen.

ciao! fabiana