A Winter Escape - Islamorada Key

Enough of snow, sleet, cold, and a state of overwork exhaustion. I just needed a quick break to recharge the emotional and physical batteries.

My husband and I decided to visit his brother in Palm Beach. Breathtakingly beautiful, pristine with an almost too perfect quality,  Palm Beach is a true respite from busy cold New York. However as my branding phrase...I love perfect imperfection... I needed a more exotic, real venue to let go of worries and fatigue.

On to Tablethotels.com (my favorite hotel search engine) and a last minute booking at Casa Morada on Islamorada Key that, apparently, just had a cancelation. After a drive and walk through the Everglades... (I had to see a gator!) we arrived at the well hidden Casa Morada. I suddenly felt light, free of worries and happy as a  young child. This was everything I had hoped for, a secluded week end in a most informal yet perfectly designed boutique hotel, on the water.

I will let my pics speak for themselves but in 2 days I enjoyed myself more than I have in quite a long time... I swam in the ocean, freshened up in the pool, snorkeled, went biking, suntanned, ate exquisitely prepared fish two nights in a row at Pierre's restaurant (part of the Morada Bay Cafe complex).

If you are in need of a little "TLC" go and check out this little spot on the Floridian Gulf Coast. You won't be disappointed.

Pierre's restaurant: cocktail first

On to the brilliant fish dinner

As you watch the sunset from the Veranda

While snorkeling, I leave the world behind

He tried to escape my camera, but I got him!

AMAZING TENT SALE AND OPENING COCKTAIL ON OUR ROOFTOP

YOU WILL FIND THE FACEBOOK EVENT HERE !!!

INTERIEURS CONTEST! ART DE VIVRE IN YOUR HOME!

Does a room in your apartment or home need a little Art de Vivre?

I am always busy designing houses from the ground up, down to the last details, lofts, apartment, houses, lobbies... with fairly large budgets. I decided to have a little fun and bring Interieurs lifestyle to you. I never design one area, but this is an exclusive offer to my blog readers only.

I would love to put a smile on someone's face... so for one time only, offered exclusively to my blog's readers, I will design a room of your choice.

Here it goes!

Take a picture of your space and send all the images with your information (email, telephone, full name and address), a short story about why you need Interieurs assistance and spread the word!

Contest Rules:

(1) All participants must be followers of my blog. If you're not a follower, sign up!
(2) One (1) Entry per follower.
(3) To enter the drawing, email Ania at ania@interieurs.com with a picture of the room you want me to design.
(4) Only the first 100 entries will be entered into the drawing. The winning room, will be drawn randomly from the qualifying entries.


Deadline to enter: midnight New York Time, April 30, 2011.


The winner will be announced May 1, 2011.

I will offer concept, creative input and furniture plan. Any purchases required to implement the plan will be at the winning entrants expense. If the winning entrant elects to purchase any Interieurs product to implement the design plan, he or she will receive additional 35% discount from the item(s) purchased. All entry images are a property of Interieurs, and will be posted on our social media pages.

Other limitations: no construction or remodeling of the space. No kitchens or bathrooms.

So please, spread the word, join us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on the contest.

The greater plan...

Image news.com.au

I was in Indonesia during the 2004 Tsunami with my husband and sons, sheltered in the rainforest of Borneo. During the night, I knew something terrible had happened but with lack of telephone, TV, electricity, we felt completely isolated. Texts popped up on our phones... are you ok? ... earthquake.... We made our way back to Bali and were struck by the look on peoples faces...fear... dismay...sadness. I felt an incredible fear as at that point, a second earthquake was expected, and we were near a volcano. Then I knew... it was time to surrender, surrender to the fate that only God controls. After such a dramatic event, I felt pulled by the peaceful teachings of Buddhas, the philosophy of life led by His followers.


Life went on, until more natural disasters occurred, the terrible floods of New Orleans, the horror of the Haitian earthquake, the floods of Australia, followed by New Zealand and now Japan...


One has to stop and reflect...Is there a greater plan? In such crises, some of us demonstrate heroic actions , selflessness compassion, others close their eyes and tell themselves that all these people suffering are far, far away and choose to go on trying to avoid fear and reality. Tomorrow morning, I will go to church and pray, pray to accept without anger all the suffering brought to our beautiful planet, pray for the souls of the the struck ones and thank God for every moment of this life.


For any who may wish to contribute to relief efforts in Japan, Connie of  Sogui e Sorrisi has a list of organizations with funds already up and running.  

Ronda Carman.....most gracious hostess

At some point, last night, I just could not bear to be tied down to my desk anymore, and feel gloomy about the incessant rain, business, life. I just shut down my computer and dragged Estera my design project manager and Ania, Interieurs marketing director to a cocktail party in Soho at Ducduc, my favorite children furniture maker. We were welcomed by Ronda Carman of the famous "All the Best" blog and marketing venue, who was the hostess of the evening cocktail party.

Sometimes we have to push ourselves to go out and mingle with the world. I know I feel at times that I have to carry all the stress, struggle and pressure on my shoulders and just keep going and going without breathing any fresh air. I call it being in a rut... Do you feel that way sometimes? My new medicine, instead of feeling sorry for myself, I kick myself and go out to mingle with others.

Two nights ago, I had the most wonderful dinner with a designer/client and after a three hours dinner, I feel that we have struck a real friendship. I met his wife and she and I could have spent the night talking about AIDS research and her work with AIDS devastated nations. Then last night, at the cocktail party, I bumped into a client and our conversation cheered me up. I will say that I do have a sense of humor, and both she and I laughed our stress and frustrations away... a couple of cocktails helped us along.

So thank you Ronda and the Traditionalist/ DucDuc team...

For you, music enthusiasts, listen to ronda being welcomed by traditional Scottish bagpiper

Interieurs via... Interior Connector

I spend hours every week sourcing products for clients. I feel that, as a designer, I must be aware of new products, materials, lighting, shops, websites...  As a furniture designer and manufacturer as well as owner of the Interieurs Showroom and website, I am also constantly looking for new platforms to present the Interieurs Collections...we are currently on 1st Dibs.com, AD.com, Decorati, Home Portfolio and of course, Interieurs.com. Outside of our website, I had no other venue to present the Interieurs Collection as a powerful brand until I met... Beth Neuhaus.

I met Beth a couple of months ago in our showroom and it was... sold at first sight... Beth is brilliant, energetic and left the legal world for the creative field of design. She is investing all her talent and energy into a new medium that will transform the way we source products and ideas.

Below, our Interieurs page on Interior Connector

Beth's website Interior Connector is an online platform showcasing luxury home furnishings offered by the independent showrooms, boutique or designer/architects with their own line. The stories behind each trend setter and tastemakers give an insight into the collections and people behind them.

Are you slightly curious to find out more about yours truly... just click on a short recent interview

Whether I am working on a new collection, or a client project, I need to be inspired, feel the space or the collection and when I start the creative process, I need to know who is behind each piece of furniture, is it an artist? which period was it built? what materials was/were used? ... no single website could completely satisfy such an inquiry until Beth introduced Interior Connector.

Interior Connector is making its debut and I cannot wait to see how far it is going to take us... I remember when Michael Bruno started his website from Paris years ago... I think that Beth has all it takes to build a strong platform where great design can be accessed effortlessly.

To sign up click on the link

http://www.interiorconnector.com/

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