Equestrian Decor: Year of the Horse

Happy Chinese New Year! It's officially the year of the horse. I was born during the year of the horse, so this one is especially fun for me. The past couple of years, I've seen equestrian decor popping up more and more, and I predict that now that it is now officially the year of the horse, it's going to become a major trend. It's always been a dream of mine to go horse back riding - although I'm a little bit intimidated by horses, there is no denying the sheer power and regalness of these gorgeous creatures!

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Take a look at some of my inspiration pics for horse-related decor:

Designed by Kelly Wearstler via O at Home Magazine

via Atmosphere Interior Design Inc.

via Apartment Therapy

via Design Darling

via House Beautiful

 Do you have any equestrian decor in your home? What do you think about this trend? Comment below!
xox

Cupboard love

 

I have to admit that I do have a weakness for antique cupboards. This type of furniture can be placed in several rooms of the house and can be used for different purposes. They can be functional or they can be used as a decorative piece of furniture.

In a dining room they can be used as display cabinets, in a kitchen they can be used as storage. You even can use them as curiosity cabinets in your study room.

 

A beautiful antique cupboard in a house in France.

Photo credit James Balston   Image source here

 

Beautiful cupboard in the dining room of Brigitte Garnier.

         Photo credit Miguel Flores-Vianna   Image source Veranda Magazine March 2011  

                             

   This cupboard Brigitte Garnier placed in her kitchen, has a functional use but even looks very decorative.  

Image source Vivere Country Magazine 2011   Photo credit Claude Smekens

 

Another beautiful antique cupboard at Garnier Antiques. French oak cabinet with painted interior.

 

French 18th century painted cupboard I placed in my sister’s home.

Lefèvre Interiors

 

A cupboard used as a ‘cabinet de curiosité’ in the study room of Belgian fashion designer Edouard Vermeulen.

Photo credit Claude Smekens

 

I wish you all a wonderful weekend!

xx

Greet

Unexpected new look for an authentic paneling

 

The currently Paris based Belgian designer Ramy Fischler of the firm RF Studio, was asked to renovate and to breathe new life into a duplex apartment in a listed Art Deco building in Paris.

He wanted to get a lot of daylight into the paneled rooms and brightened up the rooms by painting the top of the French 18th century paneling with the same brilliant white as the ceiling.

The paint fades out, leaving the natural-finished oak visible.

 

Living room    Image source here – Photography by Paul Graves

 

By taking tradition and craftsmanship as a starting point to create contemporary design, Ramy Fischler shows respect for authentic elements.

Although the paneling is given a modern twist, the rooms retain their authentic look but lighter and fluffier for the eyes.

 

The making of the woodwork in the living room. Image source here - Photo RF Studio

 

Dining room   Image source here – Photography by Paul Graves

 

Image source here - Photography by Eric Laignel

 

Image source here - Photography by Eric Laignel

 

Image source here – Photography by Paul Graves

 

Image source here – Photography by Paul Graves

 

Image source here - Photography by Eric Laignel

 

Ramy Fischler founded his design firm in 2010. He is a graduate of the Ecole Nationale de Création Industrielle, ENSCI-Les Ateliers and was the exclusive partner of Patrick Jouin for nearly nine years.

To see more of Ramy Fischler’s work, please visit his website RF Studio.

 

I just love Ramy Fischler’s design approach.  Really brilliant!

What are your thoughts about it ?

xx

Greet

IDS 2014: Some Highlights

Like every other Toronto design blogger/enthusiast, I spent a good chunk of my weekend exploring and being inspired at IDS2014. I get very overwhelmed by the sheer size of events like this, and inevitably, my intentions to take a million pretty pictures get thrown out the window while I touch and experience everything. I did, however, make sure to document some things that really caught my eye.

First up is the IKEA booth. IKEA is always a showstopper at this event and this year was no exception!

I was literally drooling over that gold tile!

I also really liked the fun and quirky displays illustrating colorways at the Urban Barn Display:

Obviously this wall treatment isn't the most practical, but it is pretty and romantic isn't it?

A line by Aerin Lauder is coming to Cocoon Furnishings! I just loved this etagere vignette:

I also had fun seeing the new products on the market, especially those designed and constructed locally here by talented designers in Toronto.
I found these 'Innit' chairs to be so fun and surprisingly comfortable:

 Last but not least, I had the privilege of hearing the design talks by Linda Reeves, Kelvin Brown, Suzanne Dimma and Sarah Richardson, which was very inspiring and motivating. Sarah's booth featuring her new Kravet fabric line was amazing too, but much too crowded for me to take a decent picture!  Here is a peak off of Sarah's Instagram account:

via Sarah Richardson on Instagram

Next year, I will try to take more photos! At least this year I didn't knock over any sculptures...
Big thanks to M. for sticking it out with me all day! He is a keeper.

Were any of you at IDS? What was your favourite thing?

An alternative use

 

A few days ago we visited a client's house where we installed a kitchen 2 years ago and to my surprise I noticed that the kitchen cabinet space that was meant to store the cutlery, was now used to place the wine bottles!

I actually think it is a splendid idea and a gorgeous alternative use.

I absolutely wanted to share the idea with you today.

LEFEVRE INTERIORS kitchen design   Photo by me

 

 

LEFEVRE INTERIORS kitchen design   Photo by me

 

Enjoy the weekend!

xx

Greet

If you would like us to design your kitchen, feel free to contact us at info@lefevre.be

For more Lefèvre Interiors realisations visit our website at www.lefevre.be

Light my Fire: Pretty Matches

How ugly/always-out-of-fluid-when-you-need-them/ gives-the-impression-that-you-are-a-smoker are regular plain old BIC lighters. I mean, don't we deserve something a little more lovely to light up our deliciously scented candles? I think so. Enter pretty matchboxes and matchbooks. There is something so classic about a match, no?

via

via Katie Armour

source unknown

via Live Creating Yourself

via Design Darling

Well, I know I said I was going to buy less in the New Year, but I've had a little slip up. Jackie from York Avenue posted a picture of these matches and the price was right and I just couldn't resist. Jackie! I thought we were in this together!

Now they are mine, all mine. Well, I had to pre-order them, so soon they will be mine.
Get 'em at Waiting on Martha!
xox

Watercolour Wednesday: Moody and Mirrored

Another watercolour from my rendering class last term, practicing again from "Interior Design Illustrated: Marker and Watercolor Techniques" by Christina M. Scalise. We were experimenting with using large, abstract brushwork. I love the dramatic aesthetic of this one!

Ps. Tomorrow I'm going to the media preview for Chapters/Indigo! Can't wait to see some of my fellow Toronto bloggers there!

In love with libraries

 

As I have a passion for books, in particular interior design books, I love spending hours in our library.  When I need inspiration to design a client’s library or complete interior design project, I close the door of our library, put on my favorite music and start consulting my collection of interior design books.

 

One of my favorite images is this library designed by Axel Vervoordt   Image source here

Can you imagine, sitting in a comfortable chair next to the fire place, curling up with a book? Definitely a treat for the soul!

 

Designing a library, you have to pay attention to details.

Notice the bookcase details here. Awesome!

Image source here

 

And I do love to bring in secret library doors, if possible.

Library design Axel Vervoordt   Image source AD July 2003 - Photo credit Durston Saylor

 

Image source Pinterest

 

What I love more in all these shown libraries, is the painted back of the bookcases.

Library design by Axel Vervoordt   Image source here - Photo credit Christian Sarramon

 

This is exactly what I did with the cabinetry in our own library.

Library design Lefèvre Interiors   Photo credit Thomas De Bruyne

 

I am still thankfull to my blog colleague Michelle Morelan for the rendering she made of our library a few years ago.

 

If you need inspiration to furnish or to decorate your library, I discovered an interesting feature on 1STDIBS with great addresses to find library furniture and accessories.

If you are feeling bookish, click here to discover the 1stdibs library collection.

 

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

xx

Greet

 

If you would like us to design your library, feel free to contact us at info@lefevre.be

For more Lefèvre Interiors realisations visit our website at www.lefevre.be

An Arrangement to Admire: A Desk Behind a Sofa

So, about once every 3 months I get the urge to leave my current living situation. I love the set up of my tiny bachelorette, but it means sharing a building and kitchen with 5 other girls...which can get much messier than I can handle. The reality is the price is right and my personal apartment portion (livingroom/bedroom/office area with large bathroom and walk-in closet) is lovely. I probably will not move until I graduate from Interior Design school, but right now, I've got the itch bad. Probably has something to do with the large pile of dishes in the sink that I'm waiting for the culprit to wash.

 When I start day dreaming about this new hypothetical apartment (where the kitchen is all mine), I know it will most likely have to be a one bedroom (or another studio style space) due to cost. Where am I going to put my necessary desk area? The answer I favour the most lately is putting it behind the couch.
For now I invite you all to day dream a bit about this set up with me:

Joe Nye via House Beautiful

^ Can be used as an additional serving surface when guests are over!

via Emily Henderson

Loeffler Randall via Domino

via Source42

Jess Lively via Pretty Fluffy

Could be dangerous though...the TV would be in direct eye line! Self discipline at it's finest.
Happy week my loves!
xox