a sublime palette

Transfixed by the radiant beauty and sublime palette of this Delacroix painting, I was inspired to pull together a diverse collection of images that, for me, express a similar tonality to this masterpiece…with each image, I tried to reference the earthy terra-cotta hue of his shawl…sometimes it’s paired with a luminous golden ochre, in other cases, with a more vibrant red or a humble green…

Michaelangelo in his Studio by Eugene Delacroix, 1849-1850

Martyn Lawrence Bullard

via like a field mouse

Woman Weighing Gold by Jan van Hemessen

Christian Louboutin photographed by Ivan Terestchenko for Elle Decor

via the gifts of life

Curiously Wrought Red Sandstone Arches by Edwin Lord Weeks, 1885

Axel Vervoordt

Rashidi Saleh

Andrew Abrahamson

Dean McCartney

Michaelangelo by Jean-Leon Gerome

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a bohemian spirit

Included in the Wall Street Journal photo shoot were three photos of Christian Louboutin’s Paris apartment ~ the bathroom, kitchen and bedroom…for me, each room is a masterpiece! Somehow he is able to fuse the timeless beauty of Paris with his colorful zest for life bohemian spirit…simply brilliant!

the bathroom

the kitchen

the bedroom

photography by Alexandre Bailhache for the Wall Street Journal

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follow the grain

On the heels of Thursday’s post (no pun intended!), I thought you might enjoy an intimate look at Christian Louboutin’s home in the French countryside, Chateau de Champgillon…the 13th-century manor is surrounded by lush gardens providing Louboutin with endless organic inspiration for his designs…also on the grand property is an oak barn filled with 8,000 pairs of his magnificent heeled creations…the shelving in the archive is decorated with pressed flowers from his garden…what a thoughtful nod to mother nature! Enjoy!

“My father, who was a cabinetmaker, told me, ‘Wood has a grain and if you go into the grain, you have beauty. If you go against it, you have splinters-it breaks,’ and I took that as my view of life. You have to follow the grain-to be sensitive to the direction of life. I never had the dream to be a great designer. My focus was just to do beautiful things.” ~ Christian Louboutin

“The garden allowed me to see colors, blends of colors and materials, juxtapositions of gloss and matte surfaces-it was highly instructive…still today, if I close my eyes, I don’t see satin combined with velvet; I see the thickness of a pansy, which is deep purple bordered with white, set against the texture of another plant, and this combination gives me my colors.” ~ Christian Louboutin

below ~ the oak barn housing the archive

photography by Alexandre Bailhache for The Wall Street Journal

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a desert oasis

Waxed terra-cotta floors welcome barefoot living…Moroccan rugs and Bedouin cushions adorn the open-air courtyard, perfect for yoga practice or for relaxing by the warmth of a roaring fire…the artful homeowner of this desert oasis? French shoe designer Christian Louboutin! What a sensitive contrast to his fast paced city life! He must be in love with the warm golden light…just looking at the first image slows my pulse and puts my mind at ease…I hope this post offers you some peace and beauty this afternoon

photography by Ivan Terestchenko for Elle Decor

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