trick or treat

these spooky girls look like they’re up to no good…

…but really, they dressed up for the treats!

wishing you and yours a safe and happy halloween!

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calla lily

photos by me, 10/28/11

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valentino

For as long as I can remember, I have loved fashion photography…this recent ad campaign for Valentino is one of my fall favorites…the first photo is so beautiful ~ what an incredible combination of color and texture…and the lighting is perfection!

If you have a minute, check out the Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011-12 runway show…click here to be blown away

photos from Valentino

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gray

It seems everywhere I look, the design world is embracing color…vibrant hues in wild combinations…I, on the other hand, can’t seem to shake my passion for gray…rich charcoals, feather weight pale blue grays, I’m drawn to them all…may you find beauty in these expressive interiors…

photos from Diana Kelly, Bobby McAlpine, Dransfield and Ross, Ruby Beets, Haynes and Roberts, Edouard Vermeulen, Frette

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frette ~ casa mollino

Today’s post features six new designs from the Frette 2011-2012 fall/winter collection…photographed in the 18th century Italian apartment of famed architect Carlo Mollino, it is a brilliant study in juxtaposition…the fanciful colored bedding seems right at home with the ornate gilt moldings, Japanese inspired lighting and mid century furniture…what a wonderful fantasy…

photos and resources from Lonny, Frette, decoblog

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a log cabin for the 21st century

masculine and romantic, this log cabin is thoughtfully re-imagined for today’s lifestyle…located on a hillside in Norway, it’s a little Ralph Lauren meets a Norwegian lumberjack…I can only imagine how beautiful it must be on a snowy day with the fire blazing…

photos from skona hem

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michelangelo buonarroti

Michelangelo Buonarroti…arguably one of the greatest artists of all time, he created works of sublime beauty that express the full breadth of the human condition…when I experience his art or read his words, I find his spirit to be quite alive…a timeless soul with a timeless message…

Poem by Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564)

Ravished by all that to the eyes is fair,

Yet hungry for the joys that truly bless, 

My soul can find no stair

To mount to heaven, save the earth’s loveliness.

For from the stars above

Descends a glorious light

That lifts our longing to their highest height

And bears the name of love.

Nor is there aught can move

A gentle heart, or purge or make it wise, 

But beauty and the starlight of her eyes.

Translated into English by George Santayana (1863-1952)

from top ~ Standing Male Nude Seen From Behind 1501-04, Pieta around 1530-36, The Risen Christ 1532, Study of a Seated Young Man and Two Studies of the Right Arm 1511, Studies for the Libyan Sibyl 1511/12, Madonna and Child 1520-25

photos from Albertina, Vienna

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william frawley

Today’s post features a Manhattan apartment from the October 2011 issue of Elle Decor…I was immediately attracted to the warm earthy palette and walls of framed art…in fact, the homeowner/designer likens the frame to frame compositions to wallpaper…from baseboard to ceiling, the frames fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle…collected over three decades, each piece carries with it a memory and a story…put them together, and they transcend their own individual beauty…hanging art takes a skilled eye and a tremendous amount of patience…for me, this is one of the finest displays of frame to frame art I have ever seen…you might be thinking to yourself, the homeowner must be a museum curator or own an art gallery, but the brilliant mind behind this artful home is William Frawley, accessories designer and sought after fashion consultant…what an incredible talent…I can just imagine his eye for detail when designing a shoe or a bag…amazing…

To read the entire article, click here

photos and resources from Elle Decor

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a colorful life

If you have a minute, I highly recommend a visit to Muriel Brandolini‘s gorgeous website…there is a wonderful travel section featuring her favorite places to visit along with links to hotels, restaurants, shopping, etc…what a colorful life!

“I believe that most colors go together…my color sense is inspired by Vietnam…by the kitsch of the 19th-century temples, the colorful food, and the beautiful lotus flower. It is my eccentricity that is Venezuelan…” ~ Muriel Brandolini, from an interview with Annie Kelly for 1st dibs Style Compass

photos from Muriel Brandolini

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the world of muriel brandolini

“My source of inspiration comes from everywhere. I have always let my mind run free.” ~ Muriel Brandolini

Published on October 1st 2011, The World of Muriel Brandolini: Interiors showcases this fearless designers colorful and unexpected style…half Vietnamese, half French-Venezuelan, her global influences are an integral part of her creative process…today’s photos are just the tip of the iceberg, a sneak peek at some of the extraordinary interiors featured in her new book…to see a wonderful video interview with Muriel Brandolini on vogue.it, click here…there is an intimacy to this interview that I think you will really enjoy…her voice, her beauty, and the visual world that surrounds her…it’s a beautiful look at her life and inspirations

photos from Muriel Brandolini

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