when worlds collide
good morning! it’s been a pretty busy few days around here with the maison et objet in town for the first time in miami beach. it was like having paris descend on our shores and throw a design party!
of course i was thrilled that we were hosting the world renowned home show and went as both journalist and buyer, not sure what would be so much different from the show in paris…
it was much smaller and more managable than the one in france which is about 10 times the size, but there was still a lot to process as far as the sheer amount of innovation, crossover and creativity.
there were companies from all over the world including ‘natural curisosites’ from la, and their name sort of summed up the show for me.
making my way through the aisles, booths, lectures and halls, it seemed that was the running theme.
i noticed a lot of organic and modern trends being able to mix seamlessly, giving the show a fresh modern feel while still keeping its traditional roots.
the baroque and rococo curls and swirls were co-mingling alongside natural booths, just as in the 1700s era when designers admired and brought in shells, ornament and spirals and created what’s now classic french louis xv design. it was a time when doors were thrown open and interiors and exteriors began to merge.
at the show there were green walls with fibonacci spirals
planter sacks for balconies
and the magnificent traditional importers, ‘authentic provence’, who are bringing it to us right here in west palm beach
we were invited to factories in the south of france where pots like these have been made for centuries
and discovered companies who are salvaging and restoring old french floors that are being discarded in paris and bringing them back to life right here in miami.
i loved seeing the beach and le mer come together
nature playfully mixed with convention
vibrant colors from turkey and istanbul brought up images of the south of france
cashmere, cottons, textures…
metals like these below were vibrant and organic, showing how a juxtaposition between modern and organic can happen seamlessly
when shaped into free organic fleurs
sea shapes and impressions were cast in porcelain as lights and vases
paper was manipulated as lights and objects of beauty
mixes of stone, feathers, metallics and pearls were everywhere
allowing design to flourish with nature as back splashes, additions to chandeliers, and on furniture.
i guess i’m a bit of a tech nerd at heart but the final frontier was the beautiful modern devices that truly sync our worlds…
as i was leaving i couldn’t resist shooting this twist on a classic…i think the design and ingenuity speaks for itself. hope you enjoyed le show!
one of those days
hey guys, happy sunday. how was your weekend? mine flew by and has been chock full every hour. yesterday was its own adventure that’s already dust in the wind. i figured i’d post a little right here right now before this day ends and becomes ether too! it was a great day of sunday shopping. this morning we went to the warehouse of a window display artist who’s been in the biz for decades. he’s in the process of emptying out after 30 years. it’s filled to the gills!
there was so much stuff there it was incomprehensible.
we couldn’t see half of it and we had flashlights!
i did make off with a couple things. now that i look thru the pics i want to go back…
here’s some of it~
anyway it’s supper time now, don’t want to miss that! have a great night!
my days with renee
bonjour everyone, how’s votre vie? lots of us are bracing for a big storm so i hope it’s just an excuse for a fun night in and there’s not too much drama!
it feels like forever since i’ve been here. i got caught up in a project i wasn’t expcting, but then, as they say, (wo)men plan, god laughs! i’ve been spending the past few days with renee finberg, a blogger bud turned friend in the flesh. you may know her from her blog, ‘renee finberg tells all’. she’s florida girl and has just taken the plunge, opening a showroom called ‘the trade’.
it’s going to be sort of a moderne salon where there’s lots of creative, custom design with clients, mostly as implied (or boldly stated), to the trade! she’s asked me to be a part of it and i’m of course thrilled.
except that i’m leaving for a month just as it’s ready to be filled. now the plan is to go to the maison objet and work with vendors and companies who will supply pieces that aren’t in the states yet.
the great news is our similar aesthetics and she is such a blast to hang out with. work is play!
i started bringing up some things…can you believe the places these chairs have been?! paris, ny, new orleans, miam and now boca.
it’s been a jolly good time playing with the fabrics, meeting with companies like holland and sherry and having access to all this gorgeous fabric at our fingertips. so of course this is the start of well, who knows what. but we know it will be fun, whatever it is. i’ll keep you posted on the progress. the big white chair from ‘that corner’ of my apartment is going in tomorrow.
the fabrics she has laying around are killing me! cut velvets, gold on linen, vintage patterns reworked. i could eat them! more soon on this nouvelle projet.
ah, now…as for the giveaway: the winner of the book is… drumroll…maybe it’s anticlimactic but it was actually number 1!
seemed weird but that’s random for you! number 1 is one of my first blog friends, amy of missamyscerra.blogspot.com. we met years ago when we were brand new to blogging and to tell the truth it’s been way too long since i’ve been to her fabulous blog. stopping by just now to choose a photo proved i’ve been missing a lot! check her out, there are great recipies, life lessons and photos. hey girl!
ok then, tout le monde, à demain!
the paris apartment 