Mountain Style

View from my bedroom

I truly apologize for my lack of blogging and missing out on our last"By invitation only" posting. Having a free moment this morning, I will try and catch up on my fellow bloggers' post

 I was snowbound in the French Pyrennees where my parents spend the winters. Hurling winds and record snow made skiing very challenging, but I loved it all the same.

Waking up this morning to a windy, sub zero snowy day, I feel this is a perfect opportunity to write my  yearly "Mountain Style" post.

I have a very deep love for the mountains. I embrace the challenge of the weather , love trekking up the mountains, love extreme high altitudes and most of all love the snow.

However, I am a designer after all and my surroundings and interiors are also very important to my sense of well being. 

Enjoy!

My village and ski resort in the French Pyrenees:Saint -Lary

 

 

 

 

 

 

A guest retreat, part of a ski house I designed in Utah

A spa retreat

 

A place to forget about the world...

A Bientot,

Francine

Please visit my new website: www.interieursdesignstudio.com

Staying ZEN….

I have entered a period of great change and restlessness … so much so that even my two wonderful rescue dogs are picking up on my moods. 

I wish that after the numerous trips I've taken to Asia, I would have spent more time listening and absorbing the teaching of Buddhism. My heart and soul gravitates to the Zen philosophy.

Change is scary … in such times, ones needs to find their own peace and reality. My surroundings deeply affect my moods and I find refuge in nature and my home. I am able to capture moments of great but simple beauty, be it a sun ray of pure morning light casting shadows of tree leaves on my walls, the sound of morning dove, the thought of a friend.

All the emotions and feelings are part of the personal journey reflected in my design work.

Share with me a few moments of Bliss, Zen and Beauty ….

These images are from my various Interior Design projects.

Soon InterieursDesign Studio by Francine Gardner is too launch.

Join us on October 14th at Interieurs, 228 East 58th Street for an intimate gathering celebrating our design work and our new website.

Dreaming of a Zen refuge…email me: fgardner@interieurs.com

AD INTERIEURS 2014 AT MUSEE DES ARTS DECORATIFS

September in Paris is always a treat. The weather was gorgeous, dinner with Jose Esteves and Monique Duveau- Cote Sud- an amazing culinary experience at their favorite bistro Paul Bert…not to be missed next time you are in Paris.

I cut my visit  to Maisons et Objets down to one day, just enough time to meet with my vendors and be on the look out for new interesting ideas, pieces. The inspirations from Elizabeth Leriche were brilliant…a post to follow.

The highlight of my whirlwind trip to Paris was the AD INTERIEURS 2014 show at the Arts Decoratifs. For the 5th year, AD magazine invited 16 top french designers to create a room based on a piece from The Arts Decoratifs Museum. This show objective is to elevate "l'art De Vivre" to its highest level, reaching out to the most skills artisans and talented architects designers. This is the best representation of French Design.

 The dressing room "Dandy" by Christian Auer is based on Michel Boyer monumental chandelier, 1972

The Reading Room by Architects  Bismut et Bismut was designed around Jacques Adnet's desk and chair, 1950

The Piano Bar by studio Alberto Pinto was inspired by the Museum piece"Gueridon" by Philippe Hiquily, 1960's

Amazing texture and color of the piano

Vincent Darre imagined a living room within a crate, based on Armand Sculpture#1

Noe Duchaufour Lawrence's design room, a twist on the original piece by George de Feure vitrine, 1900

Beautiful details of the fabric draping 

Gilles and Boissier duo desk inspired by an 1860 vitrine "Fleuves"

Jean Francois Graff's inspiration cam from an exquisite Ming Dynastie 14th century vase.

My favorite room by Chahan Minassian, a presidential desk from Cesar,1966

 

Luis Laplace imagined a latin lover refuge, inspired by a Clement Mere desk, 1923

Isabelle Stanislas room is simply amazing, juxtaposing dorian, marble, glass…modern luxury in its pure form. Her inspiration, a 16th century venetian trunk is housed under glass.

Pierre  Yovanovitch living room is inspired by a Biaritz garden chair from Pierre Dariel, 1926

 

The amazing Bathroom by Charles Zana incorporates an Ettore Scottsass chandelier, 1957

Hope you are inspired...

A Bientot,

Francine