How lovely is this? Event styling inspired by FFS, Food+Flower+Style suspending white ranunculus up in the air with candles on clear nylon wires or using crimped thin Inox holding each transparent tube.
Have a wonderful Wednesday!
XOXO,
Arni
Images via Food+Flower+Style
I'm channeling my own wish list and compiling them into a gift guide for the home. Here are some shopping ideas ideal for entertaining this festive season.
1. A Year of Cookie Cutters Crate and Barrel / 2. Metrokane Rabbit Set 4 pcs @Home / 3. Raclette Simply Invents by Tefal / 4. Marquis et Mandarins Chinoiserie Tea Set by Raynaud Limoges / 5. French Oven Cast Iron Cookware by Le Creuset / 6. Aurelia Tray (41cm dia) by Zara Home / 7. Sheylla Coasters by Zara Home / 8. Glass Drink Dispenser by Pottery Barn
Sonya's Garden is a popular wedding destination on the hills of Tagaytay, in the main island of the Philippines, two hours away from Manila. I have always wanted to visit this garden tucked away from the bustling main road. Tagaytay was also the venue of my wedding, because it was the first place my husband and I went to when we were still dating.
Photo Credit: Christine Ignacio |
I'm so thrilled to see the outcome today of a makeover project for a friend's apartment. Here's a sneak peek of her gallery wall at the dining area. She works in the airline industry as a cabin manager. Travel photos in black and white were framed into a collage of photographs. We bought a gallon of Clark+Kensington paint at Ace Hardware and painted the existing beige wall to grey. We're still missing two more chairs for this extendable dining table. I so look forward to visit her place upon my return to Dubai.
Happy Thursday!
XOXO,
Arni
A short stop in this beautiful orchid farm was refreshing after a long drive. After a morning hike at Eden Nature Park,we were greeted by these lovelies when we got to Yuhico Orchid Garden.
We threw a Parisian themed baby shower for a dear friend, Shela last weekend. The party preparations started several weeks prior to the event. The mother-to-be has a gift for graphic design, so imagine her enthusiasm when she went hands-on in designing water bottle labels, onesie banners, blog site, gift box logos, save the dates and invites for the party. She has an eye for small details. I, on the other hand, had a great time getting all the stuff together, buying decorations and transforming a 2-bedroom apartment into a baby shower suite for the weekend with the help of friends and family.
Wishing you all a happy Monday!
XOXO,
Arni
I've been missing in action for several days and my apologies for not being able to visit all of your blogs back during this period. I've been swamped with activities this week-- an on-the-spot apartment make over which is still underway and the Parisian theme baby shower yesterday.
Photo Credit: Lito Flestado |
I'm excited to feature this fun baby shower on a post this week. With all the baking and the decorations, lack of sleep, it turned out to be a creative fest of food, color and games. Mini Eiffel Towers popped in the apartment and check out dragées for the party favors. We even created a blog site for the party, where we will post all party photos that the guests can visit and check later.
Living in the gulf means being more attuned to Arabic designs. I would like to post some snapshots of this beautiful internationally awarded hotel in the middle of the desert. Al Maha Hotel Luxury Collection Desert Resort and Spa. This was how it looked like when it was opened to the public.
Photo: Arni |
co-hosted by Helen of Eat.Enjoy.Live.
It is a virtual coffee date with friends from a thousand miles away,
It is a virtual coffee date with friends from a thousand miles away,
over drinks, laughter and discussions on life.
The theme for this month's Couch Talk Series is "being financially chic".
Vanisha: "I thought that this would be an interesting topic, especially for women young, but would still be relevant to everyone. I found that with blogging and the internet and access to goods and services, it's so easy to get into debt. To keep buying and trying to keep up that we can lose sight of being financially secure and stable."
Arni: Being financially chic is a broad subject. I'd like to expand on self control and that important pause before purchase.
I learned a whole lot about managing money from my husband and his family, which I never learned from my own. He got all his training from his parents. On the contrary, I was raised in a household struggling to make ends meet and was always suffering in debt. I usually let the hubs manage our finances, because I'm impatient with numbers. I'm still learning though.
When I was still single and with a taste of freedom earning my first paycheck, being surrounded by all these "sales" and now the internet, I can imagine, it could be too tempting! The ''free shipping" doesn't help either. Comes the credit card of course and all the various freebies we get in obtaining one. I think my greatest breakthrough was when I finally cut them all in pieces and that felt really good! What I learned through the years was taking that pause every time I find something I want to buy. It's not easy especially, during those occasional splurge moods where I would end up buying three pairs of shoes in one go.
I think it is important to set a personal objective. Mine is "To purchase quality with a good deal." With that, I take a brief moment of silence as I internally bombard myself with questions, like: Do I need it? Do I need it now? Tomorrow? Next week? If next week , can I buy it next week? Maybe there's something better looking or better priced than this? Have I read the reviews? Should I have a look at the other stores/ sites first? Can I buy it next time? Are there upcoming sales in this shop or in this site? Then this allows me to investigate and find out further. The important trait I learned from my husband was canvassing. Checking out various shops, comparing prices, weighing pros and cons. I wasn't born with this gene, or I rather grew up complacent and impatient in exploring various options. Later, working in sales, I learned the world of profit margins and etc. and took a course on negotiating skills and thought, "Yeah, this is something we could learn and apply in real life."
As I target myself with these questions, I'm able to counteract my impulses to pick up the item and pay for it at the counter. Arriving at a conclusion whether I really need it or it's just plain wanting. It just happened to me recently. I went inside a trendy fashion store and was trying on a dress that I particularly liked. I paused and started these barrage of questions. It turns out- I didn't need the dress immediately after all. The event is a month away, so I still have time to find a better one, or at least I could hold on to that amount of money that I have, which might be needed for something else. I walked out of the store feeling okay for not buying the dress. I'm glad I didn't, because I realized, I had an unworn dress hiding behind my closet that I have completely forgotten about.
I'm a strong believer that it's okay to treat ourselves every now and then.
We work hard and we ought to enjoy the fruits of our labor.
Learning to balance need and want, being aware of our choices
and our motive behind a purchase is my philosophy.
Small things lead to big things.
XOXO,
Arni
Little Luxuries recently launched The Bella Cottage offering one of a kind vintage, Shabby Chic, French-style furniture.
Source |
We'll have a Parisian baby shower theme and
I'll write a blog post about it after the event.
Have a lovely week!
XOXO,
Arni
Source |
Re-painting the piano to a colorful hue to match the shelves is a great idea to boost the bohemian spirit in this apartment featured in Contemporist designed by Incorporated Architecture and Design in New York.
Source |
Calling all bloggers who might be interested to guest post.
Source |
I just found out that I need to hop on a plane in a few weeks
to attend my sister's wedding with an extended
Christmas holiday back home at the same time.
Theme of the blog post is:
"What Makes You Happy?"
I'll be featuring your blog posts on both
during my absence.
Deadline is on the 12th November 2012
For those interested, please email me at :
arniderivera@gmail.com
Thank you so much!
XOXO,
Arni
How is your weekend going? Friday is our Saturday. Waking up at 5AM to watch the sunrise and the hubby play with his new toy - a paramotoring engine (I'll write a Travel Gourmande post about Para-motoring tomorrow). Watching him, happy flying in the sky, taking photos of him and reading The Mortal Instruments City of Glass in the car whenever he's out of sight ,was how we spent our Friday.
Who loves shoes? The largest shoe store in the world that opened in Dubai yesterday. Level Shoe District is a 96,000 square feet of specially designed retail space showcasing 250 brands of shoes and everything to pamper the feet - private male and female VIP Lounges, a foot spa and an in-house high-end cobbler. It is located at Dubai Mall.
Mixing various styles to create home. These images from Marie Claire Maison jumped right at me. I'm intrigued by how well the owner of this apartment combined both modern and traditional accessories. Using glass partitions to optimize the space, invited a lot of light in at the entrance.
Photo by: Vincent Thibert / Source |
I started this Food + Dreamy Kitchens a while back where I post images of a beautiful kitchen for design inspiration and write a corresponding food that I would love to cook and eat in that particular kitchen. The food I am noting here would be the first food that could be perceived by my taste buds at the site of this space. You can play this game with me and tell me what your dish would be.
Designed by Urrutia Design |
Food in this kitchen:
Linguine with pesto
I love the layout of this kitchen- dining. Lovely for entertaining and cooking with a view.
The custom designed framed mirror accentuates the grey wall while
enlarging the space. The clear glass pendants balance the space well,
allowing illumination without looking too bulky.
Catching up with things we love to do this weekend in the middle of errands is just the right amount of dose of love we need, giving ourselves a pat on the back after a tiring week. Books + Coffee + Dark Chocolate porridge.
Getting Lost in a Good Book - To those living in the UAE (Sharjah, Ajman, Dubai), I've recently discovered Readers Paradise, a book rental club that delivers book of your choice to your door step. In this way, you can save money by renting up to 8 books which is equivalent to a price of 1 book. There are also books that you can purchase from them, signed by the authors. I can't wait to try.
I wish you all a happy weekend!
XOXO,
Arni
If there is a place you can just magically go to with an access to a portal, where would that be? My choice to spend an afternoon in would be here. The recently opened Department of Islamic Art at the Louvre Museum. In contrast to I.M. Pei's Glass Pyramid keeping in mind that the design should be of classical form but should not obstruct the existing historical structure , I think the undulated canopy made of glass and metal at the center is just brilliant!
Photo by Rafaele Cipolleta, Courtesy of Mario Bellini Architects |
I'd like to play with various textures. Creativity is enhanced and inspired by tranquil colors.
Despite the warm autumn earth tones, I'd like to submerge myself in cool hues this season.
(1) Creating an artwork out of carpet poms in gradient colors is pretty innovative don't you think.
(2) Textured geometric wall covering
(3) Bamboo motif - fabric designed by Emma Von Brommsen
(4) Dark grey walls against aqua toned accessories
XOXO,
Arni
I like the idea of bath tubs situated at the center of the room. I remember my first year in an Interior Design course one summer. We were designing a master bath and I placed my bathtub at the corner. My architect teacher stared down at my work and said, "Stop designing like an architect! Forget the plumbing. Design like an interior designer." She's right. Since then, my world opened up to being more flamboyant and more experimental. Every time I see a bath tub at the center of the room, I think about my teacher. (Is that weird?)
Whether it's traditional or contemporary, it allows great circulation around the tub set next to an open shower area or a dry space.
Cookies. I wanted to do something nice, and at the same time be in the flow. I would like to get lost in an activity. I have decided to bake chocolate chip cookies that my husband could bring to his colleagues this morning. That's it. I remember, it always cheers me up when someone comes to my desk in the office, offering chocolates, especially when a hot freshly brewed coffee is sitting peacefully beside the computer. Yesterday afternoon filled the kitchen with aroma of chocolate and cookie dough.
Before:
Artist Feature is a segment in Design Gourmande to celebrate creativity by engaging in a conversation with an artist about their work, source of inspiration and what fascinates them.
I was flabbergasted when I first saw my talented and creative cousin, Makee de Rivera's miniature art of a french bakery-la boulangerie. Since then I have been following her weekend project posts and I'm delighted to see them every time. I thought of sharing her works with you.
I was flabbergasted when I first saw my talented and creative cousin, Makee de Rivera's miniature art of a french bakery-la boulangerie. Since then I have been following her weekend project posts and I'm delighted to see them every time. I thought of sharing her works with you.
Arbitrage is a suspense thriller directed by Nicholas Jarecki, about a billionaire and hedge fund tycoon, Robert Miller played by Richard Gere who tries to sell a large portion of his firm to cover crooked accounting, as a result of bad deals. The movie is narrated through Robert Miller's point of view as he struggles with a shaky merger relying heavily on the reputation of his family run business with implications on his wife, Ellen (Susan Sarandon) and daughter, Brooke (Brit Marling) as his chief financial officer. Miller's sheer confidence, calm and collected persona conceals the desperation underneath, as he arrogantly gains control over unforeseen events that would explode into a catastrophic loss of everything he has extremely worked hard to build. The story challenges one's moral grounds and how love, loyalty and family are outweighed by one's priorities.
There are several decisions to be made when planning the dining space. Should it be private or open to the living area? How many seating is required? What happens when more guests arrive beyond the seating capacity? Should it be incorporated within a kitchen? Or should it be held separately on its own adjacent to it?
I happen to have a lot of time in my hands the past few days so I have been stalking Contemporist and found this innovative design of an expansion and remodeling of an old rail house in Sanpoort-Noord, Netherlands by Zecc Architects .
My heart beat stopped when I saw these organizers for the home office wall from
Pottery Barn . This system and a gigantic inspiration board are on my priority list. Daily System- Espresso Stain, daily modular system mounted on a stainless-steel rod that slides. One can easily move or add each piece, from cork boards, office organizers, letter bins to mobile phone holders. What do you think?
For an architectural tour of a medieval town, please feel free to check my Murat Post on Travel Gourmande
For an architectural tour of a medieval town, please feel free to check my Murat Post on Travel Gourmande
Have a great Saturday!
XOXO,
Arni
This is the scene in my mind of a perfect Friday evening. Quiet. Romantic. Reflective. The sound of crickets as one breathes in the scent of pine trees from the cool Autumn breeze. Watching the sunset, dining al fresco with a loved one, a friend or family. Or even on my own.
In reality, I'm now back in the warm sandy air of the Middle East. I will continue to dream about trees, the lake, infinity pool and the outdoor furniture from Kettal Park Life collection designed by Jasper Morrison. While we wait for the cooler season to come in a few weeks, a quiet, romantic and reflective evening is always within reach.
I wish you all a relaxing Friday.
XOXO,
Arni
Image Source: Kettal
THE One recently launched THE One Junior , their brand new children's furniture concept. Small -scale versions of adult furniture and accessories for little ones aged 3-16. Sophisticated junior sized upholstered beds, mini dining tables and chairs perfectly proportioned to little princes and princesses with a hint of old soul.
Last July, I mentioned here that I was finishing the design and execution of an Office Renovation. The project has now been completed and a formal launch will be held soon. Here's a current image of the sitting area at reception. The chartreuse arm chair is a recent addition to liven up the monochromatic grey and white colors of the interior. The blue suede poufs were customized. You'll definitely be the first to witness the project images here once the photo shoots are done.
XOXO,
Arni
Photo Credits: Cristine Joy
I finally got around to organizing the clutter of makeup on my bathroom counter. Using Godmorgon Box from IKEA, USD $18, it helped solve my problem immediately. Ideally, I should have a drawer to keep this acrylic organizer in, but that's probably my next project.
A creperie, a brasserie or a restaurant with the blackboard menu always capture a gourmande's attention. If you find yourself stopping to check the dish of the day, then you are a certified gourmand(e) . A sneak peak of a medieval town in the Auvergne region of France.
What are your plans this coming weekend? This week had been an accumulation of a lot of ''firsts''. Hence, I have been absent from the blogging world.
It was my first time to try La Tarte Aux Myrtilles or blueberry tart. I know and love blueberry cheesecake but the ones I've been familiar with came from a jar. These blueberries were harvested from the Auvergne mountains where we spent one full week in a french style family summer vacation on the highlands.
My husbands's family was keen about having me try it because it was the cake they got my husband on his first birthday. At the same time, I was enjoying picking blueberries in the mountains while hiking.
Happy Saturday!
XOXO,
Arni
Bonjour & Welcome
Designers' Journal, Material Library and Works in Progress.
About Author
Arni Nauleau. Interior Architect. Artist. Coffee Addict.
You can also find me on the Hive Blog https://hive.blog/@discoveringarni
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