Wallpaper Obsession (25 Beautiful Objects, No. 23)

I'm officially obsessed with this wallpaper. 

It's by Cole & Son and it's called Fontainebleau. I love the colors & delicate-ness of it! The exotic birds and those blues. It might be too dramatic for a large wall, but I think it looks lovely in a small space or done as a panel (like in the 2nd image).

There's a cool story behind how this pattern was designed. The designers from Cole & Son found a vintage French document pattern that was in fragments. They filled in the gaps with their imagination and created this beautiful bird & floral pattern, naming it after the lovely gardens outside the Palace of the Fontainebleau. There's a picture of the original fragment at the very bottom.

I think it's great how a piece from the past can inspire present design. You never know where you're going to get inspiration from!

No. 23 on our list of 25 Beautiful Objects

23. Cole & Son's Fontainebleau Wallpaper

                        Original document pattern

A delicious French face mask for spring!

"In truth, our so-called effortless charm is nothing more than intentional calculations based on one holy principle - enhance your natural beauty."
                                                - Julie Levoyer, Beauty Director of Stylist Magazine France

That's such a great beauty principle to live by: enhance your natural beauty!  I admire that about our French sisters: the ability to be super comfortable in their own skin. Literally.

Audrey Hepburn, who was known for her natural beauty routines. 

I found this super simple & luxurious French face mask, a prized beauty secret, in The Paris Bath & Beauty Book, that I thought was worth sharing with you here. 

It's a Smoothing & Brightening Grape Face Mask. An indulgent treat for the skin & perfect, as we go into spring! Grapes have all the good stuff in them - anti-oxidants and essential oils that are supposed to be super hydrating.

For me, it's important to find beauty routines that are simple, otherwise I may never get around to them :) This one's super simple. 3 ingredients, 5 minutes to make.

I tried it out last week and it made my face look really smooth & fresh. The cooling effect lasted all day.    

3 ingredients:
8-10 red or black grapes
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons gram flour 

3 steps:
1. Mash the grapes in a bowl (you can use a potato masher or a hand blender, but keep the setting on low so it's more pulpy & less watery)
2. Add the olive oil & gram flour to the grapes, mix everything into a nice thick paste.
3. Apply it on your face (preferably leaning over the sink :)) and leave it on for a good 15 minutes. Wash it off with warm water.

Voila! You're face will look and feel rejuvenated.

How often should you apply this mask? It's a good idea to include a face mask in your weekly beauty routine. 1-2 times a week. 

Club the mask with a feel-good movie (because, why not?) and take your relaxation to the next level :) I recommend Leap Year or episodes of The Paradise (they never get old!). 

Let me know if you found this helpful. And if you have a favorite beauty ritual of your own, share it with me in the comments below.

Crystals & canary yellow (25 Beautiful Objects, No. 24)

When we visited the Smithsonian in D.C. a few years ago, I liked the section that took you through First Lady fashions & finery.

There were a number of things in there that were pretty wow, including Mary Lincoln's beautiful bracelet-watch  and Jackie Kennedy's state dinner dress. But this canary yellow gown, worn by Pat Nixon on inauguration day, was for me, the star of the show. 

It's embroidered in gold & silver, and encrusted with Austrian crystals. Designed by Karen Stark for Harvey Berin (known for designing clothes for the very feminine woman). It's got just the right amount of sparkle to it, don't you think? 

And that's why it's #24 on our list of 25 Beautiful Objects 

24.  Pat Nixon's Inaugural Gown

Picture taken by yours truly :)

Whose personal style inspires you? Tell me about it.

25 Beautiful Objects

I love this quote by Milton Glaser (who designed one of the most recognizable logos in the world - "I (heart) NY")

"There are three responses to a piece of design – yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for."

I thought it'd be fun and insightful to start, by sharing with you, 25 beautiful objects to which my response has been WOW.   A treasure trove of beautiful things that left a lasting impression on me & that have a story to tell.

I'll share one each week!  Here goes... starting with  No. 25

25. The Boutis

In the little apartment we lived in, in Provence, there was a lovely vintage boutis stored in one of the armoires.   It was absolutely gorgeous.  When I ran my hands over it, it felt almost sculptural. 

Boutis is a French art form that combines embroidery & quilting. Thousands of hours go into making ONE piece.

The effect it creates when seen against the light is magnificent! 

I love this marriage boutis (pictured above) made by the Rideau de Paris, with it's palmetto leaves & scalloped edges.  It would make an absolutely gorgeous wedding gift, don't you think? One for keeps.

Is there something that's WOW-ed you? Something you fell in love with at first sight? 

Photo taken from "A Home in Provence", photography by Christian Sarramon 

France Diaries - Part 1

I've wanted to go to France since the day my roommate back in college, handed me this delicious little book - A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle - and insisted that I read it.

I read it straight, in one night, and fell irrevocably in love. 

I imagined myself in this quaint village in the South of France.  Meeting the locals (like the eccentric butcher), going to it's cafes (Cafe Gaby, at the center of the village square, was my favorite!) and walking through its beautiful lavender fields. 

I decided right there and then, that I'd have to go here one day. For real. It went STRAIGHT to the top my bucket list!

Finally last year, in the summer of 2016 - it happened.. 

We decided our destination for the year was going to be France. We'd go to Paris, Provence & Nice. I was chief planner & scheduled a cool 5 day stay in Lourmarin...the French village of my dreams!

During our 13-day trip through France, I experienced so many different things, it's hard to put it all into words. It was like an art, design, nature.... LIFE awakening for me.  

From the style and charm of Paris to the quaint picturesque villages of Provence to the flirty little coastal city of Nice - I was blown away!

Paris and Provence left a HUGE impression on me. 

Paris was full of art & design inspiration. Provence set me free!
Paris filled me to the brim with an appreciation for Van Gogh & Monet. Provence took me to their source of inspiration - NATURE.
Paris left me stunned with the beautiful product packaging and window displays we saw there. Provence showed me THE. REAL. THING. - aromatic lavender and roses that literally melted my heart!

Paris had my heart. But with Provence I felt a soul-connect. 

This one trip taught me so much about nature, art, design, product packaging, gifting, fashion, presentation & great service. I took a ton of pictures & made lots of notes!

A few specific things left a huge impact on me. I thought I'd break it down and give you a fun, visual insight into them (with lots of pretty pictures!). 

In this post, I'll share with you,

1. beautiful window displays that had me do a double take!
2. some exquisite products & packaging

beautiful window displays

As we walked through the streets of Paris, we'd see one striking display after another. I noticed that my favorite ones were not the extravagant ones. But the ones that created a feeling of delight with simple elements.

#1  

Take a look at this display for Roger & Gallet's Rose perfume. It's a feminine, floral fantasy - the bottles perched amidst a field of pink rose pompons. It was gor-jus! and made me walk right into the store.

#2

Let's see if you can guess what  these are at first glance?

The display looked pretty from a distance... but what were they?

Meats & meat products! The red roses against the meat is GENIUS.

Imagine a bunch of boring meat stacked in there. You wouldn't give it a second glance! The roses do the trick. They had me do a double take. This was a delightful surprise in the heart of Le Marais, one of Paris' trendy/fashionable/artsy districts.

#3  

And finally, there was this dreamy display for Maille mustards!

Delicious looking mustard bottles against the backdrop of  a secret garden. The paper-cut garden has been inspired by Jardin's Secrets, a famous estate known for it's beautiful gardens.

Notice the "feel" this setup creates -  a fantasy garden you want to walk right into. Buy the mustard & you're there :)  Also the mustard bottles are adorable - those colors!

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exquisite packaging

I saw some lovely colors in a lot of the product packaging in France. They tended to be a combination of pastel & pop colors. 

#1

Case in point, Roger & Gallet scented lotions. Eye-catching from a mile away! A mix of mandarin yellow, leafy green, blush pink, peach & lavender.

#2

On the other hand, Kusmi Tea's packaging used striking colors - sea foam green, rani pink, deep water blue & bright yellow. It was a standout display and one I was instantly drawn to..

#3

 La Sablesienne's fresh, gourmet all-butter biscuits are packaged in a way that convey the brand's rich history. 

The biscuits had first been presented in The Royal Court of Louis by Marquise de Sablé in July 1670. And the recipe has been passed on from one generation of Sablé pastry chefs  to the next.

The round shaped tin box, with an elegant pink & gold Baroque design exudes old world luxury.

#4

One of THE most elegant packaging designs I came across, was this packaging of the Fragonard - Iris Perfume collection. I didn't have a good image so I pulled one off their site.

How gorgeous is this packaging!  We hung out in the Fragonard store for a good 30 minutes and kept coming back to THIS.  The scent is lovely, but it's the dreamy field of irises that take your breath away! 

Hopefully you got some inspiration & ideas from this post. Or even just enjoyed the visuals (I'm a sucker for beautiful visuals, and can spend hours looking at things, no jokes!)

Next week I'll take you to the land of my dreams - Provence. Stay tuned!

P.S. What do you enjoy about travelling? Is there something specific you've absolutely LOVED on a recent trip? Tell me about it!