This picture captured the best of an inviting home for me. It is perfect for entertaining and living. You get plenty of comfortable sitting spread around the table. I imagine the kitchen to be in front of the purple sofa (but I am not clues). Luckily for me, I should it to my husband and he loves it. I bookmarked it for our next home.

Louis Poulsen Fixtures

The PH5 and PH50 designed by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen are not only superb pendant lamps, they produced a beautiful glare free illumination. The cones and the legs were carefully studied to produce a warm tone of light. The visible reflectors direct light both vertically and horizontally.

Remark that the fact there is 3 pendants over the dining table assures that they are no shadow on the table surface. I never tried it, but I feel that taking pictures in a dining room with PH5 fixtures will create better results than if you have a chandelier over your dining table.

Another element to consider when you are buying light fixtures for your dining room is the tone of light produced by the lamp. In any room where you entertain, favoring a warm tone of light ensures that people look better on photos. Plus, a warm tone creates a more inviting and intimate ambiance.

Paul Henningsen also designed PH Snowball pendant for Louis Poulsen, which is another stunning light that produces gare free and even illumination. You can see it in the beautiful modern interior of Müzede Changa, a restaurant in Istanbul, Turkey.

I wish to thank the excellent kitchen designer Susan Serra for sharing on Facebook the cool cozy luxury open space dining and lounging room.

SOURCING:
+ H5 Pendant Light $698 USD
+ PH Snowball Pendant $2200 USD
+ PH5 and PH50 designed by Poul Henningsen, manufactured by Louis Poulsen
+ photo: RUM Magazine december 2009
+ photos: Müzede Changa restaurant

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I succumbed to the charms of these photos. It is a fact that the team of stylists at Martha Stewart often make us dream. Here why these photos are my favorite ideas of the moment.

+ Eating s’mores around a campfire is a treat. In case you were not aware of this tradition, the basic campfire s’mores recipe has been popularized by the Girl Scouts. It called for two pieces of chocolate bars sandwiched between two graham crackers. You toast the marshmallows and place it on the chocolate in order for the chocolate to melt. I find that it is simpler to spread Nutella and its adds the hazelnut taste. Martha found a way to make the process more stylish by making Star-topped s’more sticks.

+ I like the simplicity of the wild flower centerpieces. Plus learn how to make these Message-in-a-Bottle Place Cards. Go for flat surface bottles since they safer than using round glass bottles. Square bottles are not too hard to find.

+ How to illuminate your outdoor table can be challenge. The LED lights do not always works and they require batteries. Instead, you can built on the look of a chandelier by hanging a dozen heat resistant glass jars and votive holders from your umbrella. Be careful to position them so that your guests will not hit them with their head. Create a sense of movement by alternating the heights of each do-it-yourself lanterns. You will need chains and S hooks to create this project.

+ The Origami Picnic Basket is a space saver. Through a clever folding technique you will transform a five-foot square of oilcloth into a basket strong enough to carry your food and drinks from the car to the picnic spot. Make sure to use an oilcloth, not a regular fabric.

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Inspired by the fabulous work of LA-based event design Flite, I examined how to best use silk lanterns in a garden party to get a stunning effect. It starts with the superb Vietnamese silk lanterns, which are a lot more sophisticated than Chinese paper lanterns.

When you are hanging lanterns, mix the shapes and alternate colors. Pumpkin, diamond, teardrop, balloon, cocoon shapes work well together. I encourage you to mix solids and patterns within a hue family. A two-color palette is more elegant. For the garden wedding in violets, you can broaden the scheme by adding a few pink lanterns. I think this installation was really successful.

Since you will need a large number of lanterns to make a statement, it is often best to rent them. Plus, they will do the installation for you, including doing the wiring if your party continues after dark. An event design studio with a remarkable portfolio is Flite located in Los Angeles, California. Looking at their portfolio is a treat.

If you wish to do it yourself, you can find sources online. Vi Gallery sells 4 shapes of Hoi An Silk Lanterns in two sizes (medium $20 USD large $30 USD) in an array of colors. For a larger selection, check Asia2you, a retailer based in Wisconsin that ships everywhere. This is where I found these beautiful parasol lanterns.

SOURCING:
+ Silk Lanterns by Flite - Photo credits for my first collage: top left photo by Cat Gwynn and Ben Hoffman, top right photo by Louis Felix, second row photos by Mark Carolin
+ Orange pattern prosperity lantern on sale at $33.95 USD
+ Solid Orange prosperity lantern on sale at $31.15 USD

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The few items of the latest collection of Jonathan Alder caught my attention. Let’s start with lighting. Contrary to lots of designers, I restrain the recessed lights to the bare minimum in my decors. I prefer to display gorgeous lamps for their decorative and functional input. The latest lighting collection by Jonathan Alder allows you to do it at a really reasonable price.

If you are looking for an industrial lamp with a feminine side, look no further than Havana. When I look at the single light Havana, I almost see a hanging dress. I love it! It is a uniquely shaped task fixture. Available with one or three lights, the Havana pendant is designed for an art and craft studio, to lit the kitchen island or to hang low over the dining table. A table lamp and a floor lamp complete the series.

Capri is an entire lighting collection with two lamps and two pendants. Each Capri light is made of colored glass with polished nickel accents. The hardest thing is to decide which one you like the best between the Capri Teardrop lamp, the Capri genie or the Bottle Pendant or lamp. You do not have too since you could very well mixed the three models in a same room. They are available in blue, green, orange, white and gray.

SOURCING:
+ Havana Pendant with three lights $450 USD
+ Havana Pendant $195 USD
+ Capri Teardrop Lamp $275 USD
+ Capri Genie Pendant $195 USD
+ Capri Bottle Pendant $195 USD
+ Capri Bottle Lamp $275 USD

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+ Pendant lights were amazing in several kiosks. These two fixtures caught my eyes.

+ The purple lamp, available in two tones, is available at ma-zone in Toronto. Sadly, their Web site is not up to date and does not describe their products.

+ The 3-armed Kristaller is an affordable chandelier by IKEA. They appear to be gold (I think they were) but I only find a silver chandelier on the IKEA Web site. I prefer the design of the 3 arms to the design of the 7 arms. 3-armed $59.99, 7-armed $99.99 CAD

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Gone is the design that Philippe Starck did at the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood, California.

The hotel needed to update its Alice in Wonderland concept for some time now. The mastermind behind the new design at the Mondrian Hotel is Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz.

The party to launch the $40-million redesigned Mondrian is scheduled for September 4th, 2008. But I bring you a speak preview, thanks to Los Angeles Times.

What’s New?

The fanciful mirror works as a TV screen. You will see pieces from many superstar designers in the remodeled Mondrian next to affordable pieces like the installation of inexpensive hooks in the bathroom or the La Murrina and nickel lanterns made by Roost on the lobby.

I like the black and white polyethylene table on the guest room terraces designed by modern Dutch designers Marcel Wanders next to the Nest chairs by Tord Boontje.

The ABYU Lighting feather lampshades at the concierge’s desk are supposed to be something. I do not know if it is a different design than the one made for Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz and Steven Wine Private Residence.

The feather lampshades are becoming a signature since Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz used them in many projects since 2006.

SOURCING:
+ Mondrian Hotel
+ Nest chairs by Tord Boontie at Unica – price: $687 USD, in 8 colors
+ Roost Jumbo Nickel Lanterns at Velocity – price: $96 USD for medium, $120 for large
+ ABYU New York Custom Lighting
+ Images photographed by Mel Melcon for the Los Angeles Times
+ Bottom right image featured in Metropolitan Home in October 2006

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From her Amsterdam design studio, Nicolette Brunklaus created an even more amazing 2008 collection than her previous ones. Her products are conversation pieces.

Nicolette Brunklaus played with a housewares theme this time. The House of Anne photos, shown in the middle, bring a homey feeling.

The City of Life line is diverse as you can see. The old world pewter jars and mugs are available in 6 colors.

Where to Buy?

The line is available across Scandinavia. Mekavi has already confirmed that it carries many items from the City of Life collection.

I have no words if the Boston retailer Lekker will carry the new collection by Nicolette Brunklaus. They are still carrying the Shady Tree Collection.

MORE READING:
+ Nicolette Brunklaus
+ Bring natural harmony to your home
Via Bloesem and Copenhagen Collage

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Look at the previous post as the Splurge and this one as the Steal. If you are looking for a cheap and safe alternative to regular candles, President’s Choice can come to the rescue.

The glow does not seem as impressible and realistic as the flameless candles by Candles Impressions. But if you are in the rush, you can buy those while doing your grocery.

None of these two brands produce something as cool as the Oxo Candela rechargeable lights. But if you need to light many tables, you will not bust your budget with the President’s Choice Flameless candlelight options.

>>> Sourcing:
Learn more: PC Flameless Tealights – price: $1.99 CAD
Learn more: PC Flameless Votives – price: $3.99 CAD
Learn more: PC Flameless Wax Pillar Candle – price: $9.99 CAD

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This is old news but I dug it today. So I thought of sharing it with you in case you missed that announcement. When exploring the Oxo’s catalogue, I noticed the candela lights designed by Vessel marked as an Oxo product.

Curious, I investigated the matter until I discovered that Oxo acquired the intellectual property to the rechargeable lighting products from Vessel in 2007. I think that since that acquisition, the price of the candela packs may be slightly lower than they used to be.

There were production and battery problems when Vessel was producing it. As a housewares company used to deal with manufacturing issues, Oxo was better equipped to solve the problem efficiently. Vessel still collaborates with Oxo on future design.

How Do the Candela Lights Work?

If you are not familiar with the Candela series, it is a safe and rechargeable alternative to wax candle lighting. Candela produces a warm, ambient light. Two lights are often enough to lit a dinner table for 4. It comes with 4 or 8 portable and cordless lamps that rest on a tray to recharge the batteries.

They are designed to function indoor and outdoor. Candela can be left unattended and won’t blow out in the wind. They provide 8 hours of run time without fading. Each lamp has an on/off switch.

These versatile LED lights create ambiance on the dinner table, a pathway or a lounge area. They are wonderful for entertaining since the lamps can be placed anywhere you wish.

People found all sorts of usage for their Candela lights. In his product review, Stephen Aforismo said that he keeps two of them in the sidelight windows of his front door. It’s nice to make people think your home, even if your not, by having “candles” burning in the window.

The Flare, the Demi Glow and the Glow are the most practical shapes for entertaining. My favorite is the Flare. Have you ever tried the Candela lights or seen it at an event?

>>> Sourcing:
Learn more: Candela collection by Oxo
Buy online: Oxo Candela Glow, Set of 4 at Amazon.com – price:$69.99 USD
Buy online: Oxo Candela DemiGlow, Set of 8 at Amazon.com – price:$129.99 USD
Buy online: Oxo Candela Flare, Set of 4 – price: $69.99 USD

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Summer is here. The last two issues of Domino magazine featured amazing outdoor rooms and lighting.

Outdoor entertaining requires more than a cool outdoor kitchen. The new essential is an outdoor lounge. Here are a few ideas to create an incredible outdoor space.

Modern Bonfire

No one can deny how much fun it feels to sit outside around a bonfire. This modern version mixes with classical touches. You can see a more ornate version of the green glazed ceramic table I shown you in my Moroccan Dinner Party theme.

Three oil lamps with the same shape as the fire pit show an attention to details. This is a great example of the art of repetition.

Havana Outdoor Lamp

The look of tall modern lamps illuminating the backyard is second to none. Many models exist for the home interior. Now, upscale manufacturers produce outdoor version.

The Havana outdoor lamp can light ample spaces. It is very efficient for your backyard since it nicely defines paths, perspective planes and depth of field. The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) selected it for its permanent collection. I love it!

Safety Issues

The cutest lamps we can find for an event are sometimes indoor lamps. You can use indoor lamps for one night but make sure to hook them to the power supply with outdoor plugs. And use them if and if they forecast no rain.

These amazing amber and pink Moroccan Globe lanterns are available at Mosaik. These lanterns become more impressive once they are lit.

Outdoor Bedroom

Here is something that we do not see often done other than in magazines. This urban camping seems a great compromise if your partner is not ready to do camping in nature.

It feels very out of Africa. Sleeping outside sounds divine on a hot day with a breeze.

For more inspirations, check out the outdoor rooms gallery and the outdoor lighting gallery available on the Domino’s Web site.

>>> Sourcing:
Buy online: Havana Outdoor Floor Lamp at YLighting – price: $672 USD
Buy online: Moroccan Globe Amber glass lantern at Mosaik – price: $79 USD for 10 inches, $99 for 12 inches
Buy online: Moroccan Globe Pink glass lantern at Mosaik – price: $79 USD for 10 inches, $99 for 12 inches
Bonfire, Havana and Moroccan Globe: photographed by David Tsay for June/July 2008 issue of Domino – rights reserved
Outdoor Bedroom: photographed by Paul Costello for March 2008 issue of Domino – right reserved

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Summer is almost here so it is time to complete your outdoor entertaining kits. A Sunday afternoon at the beach, the park or the cottage with friends and family feels like heaven.

If the weather allowed, why not plan an outdoor party for Mother’s Day? After all, a day at the beach or the cottage encompasses joy, laughs and sharing a meal together.

A few outdoor entertaining accessories will make the day feels more special. I gather some cool stuff from Macy’s and Pottery Barn that your mother can reuse all summer long.

Gift Ideas

The Garden Party Lanterns at the top come with a 5 oz. bag of famous key lime cooler cookies.

Another solution for lighting that you can put on a table and hang is the colored tapered glass Pressick Lantern. Do not forget to buy the lantern stake sold separately if you want to hang the Pressick Lanterns. If you do not like these styles, there are 7 more models of candlelight lanterns and 3 string light lanterns at Pottery Barn.

The retro look of Acrylic Drink Dispenser captivates the imagination. These clear, blue, orange and green vessels are so useful for serving iced teas, cucumber mint water, punches and more. It is a must.

The BBQ Chipwood Baskets carry on the old restaurant style. Instead of complex barbecue equipment, travel light with a few stainless steel bucket-shaped charcoal grills.

If Mother’s Day is not sunny do not worry, you will be ahead for Father’s Day. When you plan an outdoor event, implement a plan B and think about how you will inform your guests about it.

>>> Sourcing:
Buy online: Byrd Cookie Company Garden Party Lanterns with Cookies at Macy’s – on sale at $14.99 USD
Buy online: Pressick Lantern at Pottery Barn – price: $24-$34 USD
Buy online: Acrylic Drink Dispenser at Pottery Barn – price: $59 USD
Buy online: BBQ Chipwood Baskets at Pottery Barn – price: $12 USD
Buy online: Portable BBQ Grill at Pottery Barn – price: $39 USD

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My 3 picks of the week

Blue Orchid Designs for Style Spotlight: Terra Keramik

This post introduced a new line of environmentally friendly dinnerware. This dinnerware is über stylish dinnerware according to Liene of Blue Orchid Designs. I really like the vast selections of rich, saturated glazes. You can select eight exquisite colors. The platinum rims bring sophistication to sophistication to an otherwise simple design.

If you are interested, the online store of Terra Keramik operates from Connecticut. They currently deliver within the United States, Canada and Australia.

Blue Ant Studio for moree

Lounge Tisch is produced by Moree from Germany. The light of Lounge Indoor can be controlled by a dimmer. In the evening, Lounge Outdoor fashionably illuminates any terrace or garden. Use a colored bulb to manually update the Lounge table to a color that fits your style or a party event.

Design To Inspire for Carlu Seaver

Have a look at the impressive portfolio of Autralian stylish Carlu Seaver. On top of interiors, Carlu Seaver also styled food related shoots. Look at this one-of-a-kind lush carpet. What a view from a glamorous, mid-century Hollywood style living room. I love it!

I wish to live you on this quote by Virgina Wolf (posted by Liene):

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well.

Sourcing:
Buy online: Terra Kemarik Soup Bowls - price: $29 USD
Buy online: Terra Kerarik Dinner Plates – price: $38 USD
Buy online: Moree Lounge Tisch Outdoor at Einrichten Design – price: 495 ?

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