Images courtesy of Paramount Vantage

Soon The Duchess will premiere and I can’t wait to see it - especially the set since details about its location and costume has been heavily dished in the industry. With Michael Carlin as the production designer and Michael O’Connor as the costume designer, I’m sure this will be a visual movie to inspire.

Based on the incredible historical biography by Amanda Foreman, the movie is about Georgiana Spencer who, in 1774 at the age of 17, becomes Duchess of Devonshire. The set is both lavish from the fabrics to architecture with lots of information and sneak peaks on the films official web site.

For the past fifteen minutes or so I’ve been pursuing the “Discover” and “Costumes” area of the site and have developed a craving for a three foot wig ans several gowns with fabulous underpinnings. However, that all comes at a cost and Georgiana, despite having wealth, celebrity and a title, was extraordinarily in debt. The current Duke and Duchess of Devonshire (who live in the home Chastworth where parts of the movie were filmed) still have many of the letters from creditors seeking to collect.

Georgiana was probably first celebrity in the way that we perceive celebrity today. When she appeared in the papers they sold out, she was followed around by cartoonists (the equivalent of the paparazzi). She was a fashion icon and she captured people’s imagination. And that took money.

Keira Knightly who plays Georgiana has said of her character’s debt, “When she died she had been terrified of disclosing to her husband the amount of she owed, because she was convinced he was going to divorce her or send her away and actually when she died he found out how much she was in debt and said is that all. There’s something incredibly sad about her, I think that she’s a victim of herself, of her own innocence. She’s a victim of people using her for their own gain, but what is rather wonderful about this story is she finds a way to live with this. She finds a way to triumph over something and to regain some power in a time when women really had very little.”

That doesn’t sound like only a 1774 problem, does it? The other way in which this movie sometimes parallels the present is the way in which Georgiana’s life resembles that of her great-great-great-great niece, Princess Diana Spencer. Both she and Georgiana were intelligent, powerful women who were almost ripped to shreds by the press and then fought to remake themselves to finally be the women they wanted to be. One of the aspects of Georgiana’s life that makes it so relevant today is that she had to live under the intense glare of public scrutiny. And although I often have a hard time with Keira Knightly, I think the scrutiny in which she’s lived under will perhaps help her with this movie, too.

What also helps the actors in this movie is that director Saul Dibb demanded that all scenes be shot on location. This lead to the incredible task of finding current places to represent real life past homes that were no longer in existence, such as the main residence of the Duke and Duchess, the Devonshire House.

Read the rest of this entry »

I can sometimes love a movie just for its decor though with Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day I confess I fell in love everything!

Maybe it’s because I’ve been spending a lot of time with my BFF, Jessica, who is one of the most glamourous yet down to earth girls I know, but my style (both home and clothing) has been changing. And after seeing this movie, all I want is more hats, under pinnings, dresses and chandeliers!

Amy Adams fashion in the movie is amazing though I have to say the item I fell most in-love with was the pink bow she used in the bathtub scene in her hair. Although I do want to get more silk gowns and robes like the ones in the movie and in this Frou Four Fashionista blog post. Just for washing dishes, you know.

There seems to be a pattern of my favourite sets involving wall paper. This was the case in Antonement and now in the bedroom scenes in this movie. Did you see the doors were even wall papered? I’ve got to find a reason to buy some wall paper.

And as much as I loved the set, I loved the sound track. Just a good bit of inspiration all around for someone who’s trying to get a little more polished and have a lot of fun in the process.

One of my first flats “grown up” flats (in which I signed a lease and bought furniture) had the option of having any and every wall pained in any colour I wanted. And, being in Seattle WA at the time, I chose some bright but dark, cosy colours to offset the dark, cold outside. So I chose a bold mix from Ralph Lauren paint:

The gray was in my office, the khaki in the living room, the red in the bedroom and the orange in the music/creative room. And, for the area and the time, these colours really worked - especially since I really didn’t own anything and needed colour.

However, when I moved to Santa Monica, colour didn’t really seem appropriate for the beach side town. And my flat was so structurally charming that I felt it didn’t need anything - I was lighter, too, and didn’t feel as thought I needed something heavy on the walls to feel cosy. I wanted light and breezy so I just kept the white and ended up loving it.

When I purchased my home in Austin Texas, it had painted walls in dark beiges and bright, annoying yellows. I kept most of the colours since I knew it wouldn’t be a long term thing and worth the effort but that yellow in the office and bedroom had to go - it was too much. And so I chose a really soothing blue gray which worked really well in my office:

But then I moved back to Santa Monica, in the same building but just a bigger flat. And again the bright place with charming walls just did not call for colour. And by this time I was truly a smitten kitten for white. So I kept every wall bare and it worked with my furniture and accessories which tended to be on the more colourful side.

But lately, the pendulum has been swinging a back. It’s mostly due to Domino Magazine’s August 2008 issue featuring Katie Ukrop’s home. All her walls are all very light pale ice-cream colour shades. It’s almost too girly for me but a few of the Benjamin Moore colours she uses really caught my eye: Read the rest of this entry »

The feel of the photo is definitely more French than Chinese yet those images, and where they’re located in my room is strategically placed in my “Creative Area” because of my belief in Feng Shui. However, when you’re in my home, you’d probably never guess it because you wouldn’t see things traditionally associated with this practice like crystals, Asian decor, fountains, wind chimes, etc..

Feng Shui is a practice of arranging objects to help people achieve their goals. I use it as a way to be conscious of my entire life, make sure all my areas are balanced and most importantly, to help me decorate! Although it’s not really used for decorating purposes, that’s how I came to use it when, around 2000, I innocently picked up a book called, “Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life : How to Use Feng Shui to Get Love, Money, Respect and Happiness”. At the time I had just immigrated to America and, with very little money, took on my first American flat and decorated it with everything Ikea - wood, wood and some more wood. I knew I had a problem because when people would come visit the first thing they’d say is, “Oh, I got that at Ikea, too!” My home had zero personality, I had no idea how to make it my own, I owned things I didn’t know what to do with and personally I was overwhelmed at all the personal transitions I was going through (new country, new legal steps, new job, new man, new home). So this book seemed like the right read and it turned out to actually really change my life.

Although there’s much cheek to the book, it’s a very informative, easy read that really breaks down the areas of life (reputation, creativity, family, prosperity, helpful people/travel/health, career, knowledge) and helps you become conscious of them by really thinking about their placement in your home and the things you then put into each of these areas. It talks easily about materials that are good and colours that are bad. There’s a flow to it that just really spoke to me at the time (someone with no money, no decorating sense, and in need of some major uplifting!).

With help from the book, I sketched out my flat and placed the bagua (the “map” of the different life areas) on top of my drawing and then made notes about the good and bad things for each area. I then began to take away the bad and replace them with good things. If I couldn’t add things, I just thought about them until I could. Now, whether or not adding red to my reputation area helped me actually get a great reputation (which is what happened to me at the time with my company, Girl at Play), I can’t say. But what it did do was make me really think about this area. When I entered a room, an object would trigger a thought about creating positive cash flow. Or the colours blended from one room to the next instead of being a crazy, uncomfortable mishmash from before.

So although my style is very French/minimal/Shabby Chic/Boho modern, I practice Feng Shui and use it for every flat I move into (and have actually said no to a few when I saw the “Prosperity” area was in the washroom. I can’t afford to have money going down the drain!) Feng Shui has also just really helped me to connect with the energy and layout of a home, to keep colour working for me instead of against me, and from keeping impulse buying at bay. No use in buying that beautiful wooden table if wood is a bad object to have in a particular area, right? Well, perhaps I don’t go that far (I’d probably cover it up with a table cloth in the right colours just to be safe!) and that’s not to say I live 100% by it, but it’s just another useful tool, for me, in keeping my home feeling good and me from going crazy with decorating.

Another great example of using feng shui in this way is the book Feng Shui Your Life by Jayme Barrettt. Her book shows beautiful examples of feng shui homes that use a lot of the decor/colour schemes I love.

And here’s my new flat’s bagua: Read the rest of this entry »

One of my favourite things to do on my travels is to visit a bookstore for there’s something about British published books that are just spectacular. I’m not sure why there’s such a design difference since there are many fabulous designers and writers in America. Yet it seems to me as though the European counterpart is almost better looking in terms of design, style and imagery. Especially when it comes to home books.

The above books have caught my attention in more ways than one. The Gentle Art of by Jane Brocket was a very large, beautifully covered book with charming stories and ideas inside - mainly geared to those who knit, I think. It reminded me so much of my friend Alicia, that style in look and content. Jane also has a web site called Yarnstorm.

Falling Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros literally caught my eye - the spine on this is gorgeous. It’s the same size and style of her Apples and Jam book and beautifully done inside. This seems to be better liked than the Apples and Jam (and if you’re in the US, you should note that Anthropologie put Apples and Jam on sale for something like $12!). I couldn’t eat a lot of the recipes so it isn’t a usable book for me but just having that sitting on the shelf would be enough reason for me to buy it.

Emily Chalmers, how I adore her work. I only discovered her last year when I bought the Danish version of Cheap Chic called, “Nyt og Brugt”. Her book, Table Inspirations, was beautifully laid out with wonderful photos and great ideas. I like that it’s a square paperback which makes for easier reading in bed late at night.

And lastly, Nigella. She’s everywhere in America and for the most part, her books are the same on both sides of the water. However I really liked the simplicity of the UK version of How to Eat and the fact it was also softcover. This felt less intimidating to me so I actually ended up doing a quick read through the book.

Why there’s such a difference I’ll never know but what I do know is that my suitcase becomes very heavy on the return trip home.

My first few flats were decorated in nothing but Ikea since I, like most people starting out, couldn’t afford anything else. I also had zero style and liked the pre-bought simplicity they offered. But having to put it all together, not having it withstand (all my) moves, plus seeing every piece I owned in every friend’s house turned me off for a while.

However, taking on a vacation rental for a couple of months left me without the built-in bookcases of my regular home and I needed something simple, white, and cheap to fill the space. Step in Ikea Expedit Shelving Unit.

This unit is everywhere from boutique shops to mansions and for good reason; the clean, sleek lines showcase whatever you put in it so friends will ask about your contents instead of “is that Ikea?”

It’s perfect in my living room for my very large coffee table books (and maybe a flat screen TV on top?) but I can see it being in a child’s room with the coordinated boxes for toys. The larger version would be the perfect room divider. And with multiple hacks for this unit (horizontal, vertical, stacked, black, white, with storage cubes or without) there are more options than most generic bookshelves from higher priced stores.

My adoration of this unit won’t be making Ikea and I BFF anytime soon but since the disassembled unit can fit into my car, installation is rather easy and cost isn’t an issue, I might just have reason to get a second unit for the office.

Carmel by the Sea, California was one of America’s first artist colonies and gathered momentum after the 1906 earthquake had many of San Francisco’s artists fleeing to the beauty and inspiration of Carmel. But it wasn’t until 1924 when Hugh Comstock built the above 280 square foot cottage for his wife’s doll collection did the town take on the fairytale feel that it’s known for today.

It’s interesting to note that Comstock had no previous building/architectural experience and used no regular tools while he hand built the cottage. He simply had vision combined with will and away he went. The results were charming and extraordinary which made the other local artists crave the romance and whimsy he had created. Afterall, artists don’t want to live in boxes - especially not in a sea side forest town. So locals began to ask Comstock to build their houses and he obliged; building dozens of charming homes around Carmel which helped create a feeling of magic that people from around the world now come to see.

Land was originally sold extremely cheaply and homes were built without great expense. Now these homes are worth millions (the average home sale here being about $4 million U.S.) but they began with simple intentions by people who wanted to live somewhere beautiful, have their home reflect their dreams and create a unique way to live and work. A lot of thought when into the design of not only the homes, but the community that lived here, the streets, the shops and the future of the town. Urban planning 1920’s style.

Cottage Living Magazine has a wonderful article on the Comstock cottages - the physical issue has a map so you can talking a walking tour which I highly recommend doing. It might just get you rethinking home design - that character, whimsy and beauty isn’t just for those with A-List architects or bazillions. People once did it with little and it can be done again (for of course a little more!). It just takes an idea, some creativity, and work. But the results? Pretty spectacular I think.

Image by Jonathan Player

For about 15 years I’ve been in and out of the movie business and have had the honour of working on some amazing films in both production and set design. Because of this and living in Los Angeles, I go to a lot of screenings where I’m able to meet the directors and cinematographers, often pounding theme with questions from “how did you decide to set up that shot” to “where did your team get those fabrics?”

These are often the people that make me swoon for when the two come together in that amazing way I often find myself so lost in their visual story telling that I forget to pay attention to the plot - which may or may not be a good thing depending on the film! But recently I saw Atonement and - even through grim scenes - was just mesmerized by how visually stunning it was (and the use of green. If you’ve been reading this blog you know I’m a smitten kitten for that colour).

There are two interesting articles on the film’s design. The first is the story of the actual Tallis Home, Stokesay Court; how a woman inherited it and was drowning in its debt until Joe Wright wanted to use it for this film. The second comes from Focus Features site on how they created all the scenes based on historical photos and evidence.

Both articles were fascinating to me and made me wish this was one film I’d worked on because then perhaps I would have paid more attention to the plot…

All the homes of my childhood had white walls which wasn’t because we were too lazy to paint or couldn’t agree on a colour; white walls are a common, wanted thing in Scandinavia like coffee at 10PM. White reflects light and makes everything seem brighter which is a plus for the long, dark days that winter brings. It also shows off artwork and food the best - and Danes area always about design and presentation.

I was in-love with white walls until my mid-teens when I began to experiment with wall colour. Both my mum and I went through some strange phase where she painted the dining room a two-toned jewel colour that scared everyone but us and my room had a dramatic burgundy shade with border. Then, later on, I was all about floral wall paper because when I lived in England the home had this all over with matching curtains and chaise. It was incredible (if you see the movie Atonement, you’ll understand exactly).

Being a vagabond and drifting from place to place I gave up on caring about white walls or painted, wallpaper or plain. I wasn’t living for decor, I was just living out of a suitcase! When I immigrated to America a few years ago, Seattle caught me off guard with it’s very cold, uncosy type days. I began to really think about home because I ended up spending so much time inside (and even more once I began to work for myself). So paint came out and every room received colour (a striking red, a cosy orange, a calming grey, a rich green).

However, when I moved to the beach town of Santa Monica California - home of Rachel Ashwell and her first Shabby Chic store - the rich, dark colours of the Pacific Northwest didn’t seem appropriate with the cool, easy going town. So I kept the white walls, got more white furniture, and loved the bright, breezy rooms I was creating.

It wasn’t until my current flat when my mum came to visit did she remark how Scandinavian it was. I was thinking it was very French Country meets Shabby Chic meets LA. But then I saw the white walls, the artwork and books and realised I’d come full circle.

I’m taking on a cottage in a seaside town for January and am in-love with the space and the view. What I’m not in-love with is the colour of the walls - that “safe” taupey beige everyone tells you to paint a home for it to be the most appealing.

It doesn’t appeal to me and in fact, makes some of the rooms seem darker than they are instead of the light, ocean cottage style in which they sit.

So yes, I am going to paint my walls white. This would have seemed ridiculous to me awhile ago but now I just can’t imagine not having white walls (and when I look at Holly’s White Collection on Flickr, I want them even more).

But what white? I know it has to be eco-friendly paint (low VOC) but the colour, flat, glossy, that I don’t know.

If you do, I’d love some help!

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Leonardo da Vinci

Go into any Danes home and you will more than likely see a lot of things but almost never see clutter. There will be artwork all over the walls and against the floors, furniture passed down and bits of history on shelves. Closets will be full. But somehow, it’s always a visual treat instead of overload. My mother has this perfected.

I don’t. I am the French girl who loves simplicity. Who favours great architecture that is enhanced with fabric and a few key pieces. I like white walls and calm shades. I like obvious simplicity but completely appreciate a fuller place. In fact, I’m often in awe of it.

Being simple has served me well since I tend to move so much and I have a dislike of shopping. But the trick for me is how to keep simple cosy instead of cold. How do I seem like I live in a place instead of just in it temporarily? I’m slowly finding the answers in spending money on good, large pieces (couch, tables and art), fabric (I love over sized swooping curtains) and not being so hesitant in bringing out little touches (like my childhood piggy bank made from a Danish Post Box).

But still, I often find the need to purge - once in the spring and once during winter. A good clean out of clothes, books, kitchen bits and anything else that just needs to go. I’ll sell things on eBay, have friends pick out things, and donate everything else to the Goodwill (they even take unusable clothes as they sell it for material - recycling!). I’m going through one of these moments now and being ruthless in what I’m getting rid of.

It’s easy for a home to collect so many unused and unwanted things thanks to impulse buys, sales, gifts and hand me downs. But how much of these things do we actually use, need or love?

I perhaps take simple living to an extreme and really do like exploring the mass of things my mother owns but I think everyone no matter what their style can do with a good pairing down now and then. Keep the cosy but remove the clutter. Get rid of things with negative associations, things that don’t work, duplicates, broken items, useless things so that you can enjoy what you really have.