My Spread in Romantic Homes Magazine

My Mother, Shirley, and I were blessed to be featured in the

Romantic Homes Mother's Day issue in 2009 as

'"Mother - Daughter Decorating Styles".

It was such a treat because we both had our homes in the magazine

at the same time and we got the perfect opportunity to dedicate

it to my dear and precious

Grandmother, Nadine, that is in heaven.

She would have been tickled pink to know

her girls that were mostly self-taught like herself

got recognized for the talents she passed down to us.

You see, my Grandmother had six children and was married to a minister.

She made their clothing and cooked all their food. She didn't have any extra money.

So, when she did later in life she began to acquire the finer things in life she could afford. Waterford, silver, crystal, china, glassware became her passion. And, many of these things are displayed in my home as homage to her and reminds me of patience.

My Mother still to this day can create the most magical tablescapes. I am still in awe of her talent. She still shows up on holidays at my home with the perfect topper for my table. She has it and has a way of making everything magical.

I was blessed to have Janet Solomon of the blog Frenchblue as the author of my article. I couldn't have been mesmerized any more from the way she spins the written word.

So, I thought today would be the perfect day to share this special part of my life with you.

Dream big. Create a life full of magic. Leave a legacy.

What are your thoughts?

xo,

Christina

Calm

Calm... the definition is not showing or feeling nervousness, anger or any emotions.

I don't know about you, but a room like this does bring up the feeling of sighing in relief. Kicking off my shoes and wanting to get cozy for a while.

What does calm mean to you?

How do you achieve calmness?

xo,

Christina

Fashion Designer at Home with Ann Wiberg of Trash-Couture

Oh yes... the power of black, grey and white.

I found these beauties over at the blog Scandinavian Chic of fashion designer Ann Wiberg's personal pad. FABULOUS!! You can see my previous post this week on her designs if you missed it.

I love a sneak peak into any fashion designers home because it usually is just as creative and bold as the fashion designs they create.

What do you think?

Who is your favorite designer's pad?

xo,

Christina

Photos from Blogger Scandinavian Chic from Elle Interiors Norway Magazine

Hearst Castle in San Simeon on the California Coast

Behold our European style castle on the coast of California created by magazine Mogul, William Randolph Hearst,

named Hearst Castle.

The castle is 90,080 square feet with 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 41 fireplaces and 19 sitting rooms.



The magnificent Neptune pool is 104 x 38 feet is breathtaking
while holding 345,000 gallons of water.

"In 1865, George Hearst, a wealthy miner, purchased 40,000-acres of ranchland that included the Mexican Ranchos of Piedras Blancas, San Simeon and Santa Rosa. In 1919, his only son, William Randolph Hearst, inherited the land from his mother, Phoebe Apperson Hearst. By then the ranch had grown to encompass 250,000 acres.

Originally known as "Camp Hill," its wilderness offered a place for family members and friends to "rough it" on camping trips. Despite elaborate arrangements with separate sleeping and dining tents, Hearst envisioned more comfortable accommodations. His simple instructions to famed San Francisco architect Julia Morgan in 1919: "Miss Morgan, we are tired of camping out in the open at the ranch in San Simeon and I would like to build a little something".

Hearst and Morgan's collaboration was destined to become one of the world's greatest showplaces. As they were planning and constructing his dream home, Hearst renamed the rocky perch from which it rose "La Cuesta Encantada" - The Enchanted Hill. By 1947, Hearst and Morgan had created an estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways.

The estate's magnificent main house, "Casa Grande," and three guest houses are of Mediterranean Revival style, while the imposing towers of Casa Grande were inspired by a Spanish cathedral. The blending of the architectural style with the surrounding land, and Hearst's superb European and Mediterranean art collection, was so seamless that world-renowned architectural historian, Lord John Julius Norwich, was moved to say that "Hearst Castle is a palace in every sense of the word"."

What a place to visit and it reminds us that we can dream BIG. A man with a unique vision created this masterpiece and we are lucky to be able to enjoy it still today. I can't take my young son to Europe yet, so this is the closest thing I can do to expand his mind today.

What do you think of Hearst Castle?

xo,

Christina

Photo and text credit: Hearst Castle Website

Behold Restoration Hardware's Fall 2010 Collection

Grand and more is more in subtle earth tones hit the mark

this Fall. As I flipped through my new catalog it feels like a touch of European and Provence meets Industrial design. They really have stepped up their design and their website is a dream to use and purchase these items. I just had to share.

~~

What do you think? How would you describe it? Inspiring?

xo,

Christina

All photos from the Restoration Hardware website.

Blue Creek Home To Make Your House A Home

My favorite Etsy store of the day is Blue Creek Home. This gal has quite an eye for things unique and actually creates her own custom pillows for a remarkable price.

To find the complete line of true vintage finds at

Blue Springs Home Etsy Shop Here.

Any finds you might not be able to live without?

Love and light,

Christina

Small in Size, But Packing A Big Punch~ Designer Nicole Gibbon's Apartment

Small in size, but packing a big punch, this

classy and sassy 650 square foot apartment in Harlem created and lived in by interior designer and fellow blogger, Nicole Gibbons.

I found this gem of a home at Apartment Therapy.

I adore the mixture of textures, finishes and subtle colors

that open up the small space. Also, I am loving the fact

that she didn't overwhelm the space

with too many accessories.

You will notice that every piece of furniture is used as storage and is the perfect scale while adding additional surfaces for displaying collections. Nicole mixes antiques from travels with modern pieces in a fresh way to convey her unique personality.

What designer doesn't have a ton of design books. This table is genius for storing her favorites right next to her special reading place in the living room. And, her Asian treasures and flower seem to fit just perfectly on the table while using a modern light for reading.

Nicole did invest in the best mattress possible, since she says we all spend one-third of our lives in bed. Monogrammed linens really set the tone for this luxurious bed, while the padded headboard calls to you to jump on in and read a book in comfort. The large side tables provide a grand space for treasures and great storage as well.


Here is the 650 square foot floor plan. Nicole created a special home that has a grand feel while being comfortable, classic and modern. Check out her haute blog that is appropriately called So Haute for more design tips and all things lovely.

What do you like best about her home or

what tricks do you have for opening up a space?

Love and light,
Christina


Photos and article found at Apartment Therapy