Quintessentially Nice

My time in Nice is coming to an end and I really think that it is going to be hard to leave this microclimate - sun everyday, warm weather and the mediterranean sea. It is a truly wonderful place to visit and spend a little time.  With this being said, it is time for a little personal plug.

Canoe Design has done some styling on a holiday rental apartment on the port and I wanted to share it all with you. It is a wonderfully located one bedroom available for short-term rentals via Riviera Pebbles. So, for all you in the UK, it is worth a weekend trip, and for all those in North America looking for their next holiday break, why not look at spending a little time on the French Riviera enjoying some croissants, markets and mediterranean sun.

Photos curtsey of Gregoire Gardette photographer

The Festival of Lights

With Hanukkah starting next week I thought I would have a post on this holiday of lights. The Menorah is at the centre of this holiday and there really are some amazing and innovative designs available.  The industrial design world have extended their reach and are really creating some inspiring and unique ideas for this holiday centrepiece.

Design Within Reach

Contemporary Jewish Museum

Design Milk

Etsy

Apartment Therapy

Williams Sonoma

Reddish Studio

Art & Design

Design Sponge

Wrap it Up

The holidays are a great time of year where everyone seems to be in a good mood, we spend time with friends and get excited about receiving some new goodies to play with! I love wrapping stations (see post here) and am totally inspired by wonderfully wrapped and presented gifts.  As we near the holidays I thought I would share some wrapping which really makes me smile. It doesn't need to be complicated, but for me the most important is that all these show some thought behind them - makes me feel that much more special to know that a little time was spent making the gift that much more special.

Some great ideas with craft paper below - a simple set of fabric strips wrapped around as bows, or adding an old photo to the front - give you an interesting, easy and trendy gift.

Pinterest & A Gift Wrapped Life 

Another very simple and inexpensive solution with some craft paper is this - by just adding some branches and string the end result is smart and interesting.  I love the stamped luggage tag as a label.

Design Sponge

I love the use of this sheet music as paper - simple, yet interesting - and with the addition of the bells the present will make it's own music while you unwrap it...brilliant!

Country Living

Another idea with craft paper is to create your own design by stamping images, letters or patterns onto the paper - I just love the white ink!

Geninne's Art Blog

I have always loved the idea of wrapping with fabric. Whether it is a piece you have left-over from a DIY project, or it is part of the overall gift, there is something so warm and tactile that makes it a truly lovely way to wrap.

 

Martha Stewart

Marbling is very "in" at the moment and there are some incredible papers out there - both old and new - that really look wonderful. It adds a little colour to the wrapping and makes for a very visually beautiful gift.

Merissa Cherie

Now that cars and phone are equipped with GPS systems road maps have become a little obsolete.  So in the spirit of re-using why not wrap your gifts in them this holiday season? Makes for interesting wrapping paper and I love the idea of being able to admire and examine the map at the same time.

Pinterest

And finally, so simple and so elegant - white paper with a custom ribbon!

Cox and Cox

A Little bit of Warmth

Monday's post on snow here, really got me thinking about what I love from this season. As I hate being cold for me one of the most important things is staying warm and cozy.  At my husband's parents house there is a wonderful fireplace and it seems that the first thing I do when we arrive for the holidays is light a fire.

Fireplaces used to be the centre of the home because they were the source for heat when it was cold.  Now, mainly acting as focal pieces in rooms, fireplaces come in all shapes, sizes, materials and fuel types - and with the addition of flueless fireplaces you no longer even need a chimney!  I still think that there is something beautiful about the light and warmth that comes from a fireplace, so in the spirit of winter and the holidays here are some inspiring images to keep us chic and warm!

Andrea Ferrari photographer

Mark Seelen Photographer

David Collins Studio

Eric Piaseki Photographer

Contemporist

Desire to Inspire

Studio KO

Antique Market Finds

Yesterday I decided to get up early and head down to the Antique Market on the Cours Saleya here in Nice (see previous post on the Cours here).  The Monday morning antique market attracts dealers and buyers from all over the region including Italy.  As with most markets you have to get there early to if you want to get anything good, and since I still have a few presents to get I thought this could be a great opportunity but mainly I just wanted to have a look at what great stuff was out there.  Although you had to look deep and pick through there were some beautiful pieces of furniture, silverware, china sets and vintage designer items such as Louis Vuitton handbags and Hermes scarves.

Loved this selection of old industrial farmware, including a vintage US MAIL mailbox!

There was an incredible stand with beautiful restored Christofle silverware. Each piece had bee been restored and cleaned and looked like new.  They had some amazing pieces, my favorite being a 1920s deco tea set in perfect condition. Beautiful!

I just loved these vintage trunks and gun cases.

One of the dealers had a set of four Thonet chairs with all the original cane work in pretty good condition. The wood needed some cleaning up and waxing but otherwise they were great, and really reasonably priced...if I only had space in my luggage back to New York...