Chic Spaces: What makes them

I've been studying Interior Design, on my own and school, for years.  On my own I love to try to understand the spaces I'm interested in and talk about most of them in this blog.  As Joni from Cote De Texas once mentioned, design style is pretty much adjusted by region or state.  I'm not sure if that has anything to do with weather because actually New York and New Jersey are one cotton ball throw away from each other, yet they could not be further apart in this department. A chic space for me is a space where things juxtapose with tension and friction,  where according to conventional thoughts, things are not supposed to work but they do.  A Luis XVI chair upholstered in black liquid leather and placed next to a Jacques Adnet side table would create that ambiance.  Add an abstract painting on top and the whole feeling will get stretched out a bit more.  It's like having a tension cord about to pop.  A classic architectural home with modern art and edgy small furniture pieces would also create a very chic outlook.  New York, in my opinion is the City that best codifies chic spaces.  Maybe it's because of New York's own diversity and dynamism comes seeping into its interiors?  Of course, chic spaces are all around us.   Below are images that speak by themselves.

The use of a modern sculpture suspending from the traditional ceiling in this library is simply outrageous.  By Robert Couturier.

 Nate Berkus

 Robert Stilin

 A London apartment via Elle Decor

 via Elle Decor

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Thoughts and Prayers with Japan

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. ~Mark Twain

Let our prayers and thoughts be with Japan and its people. I hope your weekend is full of love and peace.

Images via Robert Couturier

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Beautiful Vignettes

From fresh flowers reflecting on a burst mirror..... to skinny sculptural horses on a side table..... to African mask and textiles in a bathroom...The options to decorate small spaces are infinite, yet make such a difference.

Estefania Carrero

Robert Couturier

Unknown

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The comfort zone

I believe that the planning of a space cannot only rely on practicality while ignoring style, nor can it be vise versa. Comfort and beauty should harmoniously coexist. Like William Morris once said "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." I am truly convinced that our surroundings influence our beings and if we put in our homes only what we love based on comfort and functionality beauty will reveal itself. After all, having a warm, comfortably functional and beautiful home to come back to at the end of a long and hectic day, is what we all covet. Don't take me wrong, if I could afford a Claude Lalanne chair I'll maybe purchase one but I'll first make sure I have enough space to enjoy it more like a displayed chic piece of furniture rather than an everyday-use one. These spaces below are chic without sacrificing comfort.

Vogue Living

This room designed by Miles Redd has lots of pillows for the owners and guests to rest their back and upholstered furniture to provide comfort as well, the lacquered walls and orange coffee table bring in that chic factor.

Robert Couturier used a very comfortable couch and a very chic cocktail table as contrast in Frederic Fekkai and wife's living room.

I just feel like cuddling in Michael Smith's yellow couch.

Living room designed by Ames Ignham

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