storage with style

I'm loving this image from the kitchen of Safia Bendali, as captured by Marie-Pierre Morel for the Oct. 2009 issue of Elle Decoration. Her collection of beautiful china (i spy wedgwood jasperware!) is elegantly housed alongside of cookbooks in a practical but beautiful storage application. If I could only have shelves like that! The table from Astier de Villatte is unusual and I'm not sure what I feel about it -what do you think? Too bulky or just right? I can't help but think it looks like a flat topped pool table!

Learn your Louis.....

Do you know your Louis? If not, this wall at the Louvre's Musee des Arts Decoratifs might help. Talk about reference library! The colors against the dark backdrop take my breath away.

Click the photo to get a closer view.

Beachhouse blues

This frigid weather has me thinking of warmer climates and the beach: What about you? In the October 2009 edition of Elle Decoration is a beautiful house on the water in Normandy.

Look at that view from the terrace! Would love to have a glass of iced tea on this terrace and soak up the sun.

The interiors focus on the magnificent views as well, thanks to the gracious color scheme which does not compete for attention. I think this lends a very relaxed atmosphere. It's not fussy but you know a lot of care and planning went into this decoration.

I especially liked the white washed wood walls found throughout the house. The seagrass carpets help make some of the more formal antiques feel casual. The simple treatment of the interiors throughout adds to the vacation 'aire' of the house.

The living room has ample seating for a large group of friends. I can imagine sitting around the fireplace on chilly nights with a few bottles of wine. Even the artwork fits into the color scheme which generally I find a little forced, but works in a beach house such as this for me.

The kitchen continues the gray and mirrored surfaces. The space looks small and efficient with some interesting storage ideas. I love the all glass cabinets which seperate the cooking area from the breakfast room. Check out the interesting glass ventilation hood.

The house seems to have a great flow to it. Very few doors and lots of big windows.

The small den looks like a great place to curl up with a book on a rainy day. I think the high placement of the sconces is unusual, but helps to bring the high ceilings down a bit for a less formal feeling.

The master bedroom is an ocean of white and blue which is so inviting!

Even the master bathroom has a cozy nook to curl up onto with the built in bench. A lot of thought was obviously put into how this house is used daily. Quiet private areas as well as more gracious entertaining zones coexist in a grand but informal style without sacrificing the flow of spaces.

I hope this house reminds everyone of warmer days to come!

House of Sophie Seguela as photographed by Nicolas Tosi.