Villa Romance


Sitting on a pretty peace of real estate, on a hillside in St Tropez, is a wonderful villa that is surrounded by beautiful views of the Pampellonne Bay. This luxury rental is decorated impeccably, with classic Furniture and modern touches. The spectacular views are visual bliss. Lush green hillsides, lavender fields, and warm sandy beaches, you can enjoy while sitting poolside.
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The excellent choices in decor are inviting and comforting. Soft velvet sofas you can sink into and enjoy hours of reading. A master bedroom with a 4 poster bed and doors that open to manicured gardens. There are total of 5 bedrooms, all wiith ensuites.
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It's amazing an office exists in a home like this. What person could resist the endless temptation to avoid work? Nonetheless, the recent rennovation took careful consideration into the needs of it's multiple guests. From families with young children, to friends escaping city life, this heavenly retreat will surely be unforgettable.
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All images from Luxury Retreats.
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Behind the Blog: Charlie's Design Diary


Not long ago, I was looking to the internet for some design inspiration and I stumbled across this amazing blog.. It was beautiful; rich in culture, interior design, architecture, fashion and art, all from Helsinki, Finland. I found exactly what I needed. It was Charlie’s Design Diary that inspired me to start a blog of my own, and I am forever grateful for the gift she has given me..
Since then, I have wondered, who is Charlie and why has she devoted her life to my reading enjoyment? I had the opportunity to get to know her. As I suspected, she is absolutely wonderful and continues to be a source of strength and inspiration.
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How did a NYC girl end up in Helsinki Finland?
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In 1994, I was living in Seattle and working for a Finnish company. Early that year I was offered a position in Helsinki, it was just too good to turn down in May of 1994 I made Finland my home.
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What inspired you to create Charlie’s Design Diary?
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I have always been a bit obsessed with design so finding a niche was not difficult. Claudia from The Paris Apartment and Felicity from the late All Things Bright and Beautiful were a great source of inspiration. I started corresponding with them early 2008, and was surprised to learn that they did not know of any Finnish design blogs written in English. With their encouragement I launched Charlie’s Design Diary.
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Summer Cottage in Porvoo
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What takes up your time when you aren’t blogging?
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During the week when I am away from the computer, I am in meetings and catching up on all the little things that need to be done for the blog. For fun, I love meeting up with friends and visiting the museums, art galleries and the latest cafes or restaurants and I also love to window shop.
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How do you define your personal style?
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I would describe my personal style as classic, contemporary, chic. Coco Chanel meets Ralph Lauren with a dash of Balmain to keep it fun. I love the classics and have things in my wardrobe from the 80’s. That’s the beauty of classic pieces, they aren’t defined by trends you make it what you want by adding your own personal touch.
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What item in your closet can you not live without?
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Wow, that is a hard one but I’d say my black knee high Jimmy Choo boots and my Burberry Trench. You can wear anything with those two items and you will look put together.
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Elina Brotherus
©All photos property of Elina Brotherus.
What is your favorite room in your home and why?
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My favorite room in the house is the family room because that’s the room we all gather in. I love being able to sit in the family room and talk to someone in the kitchen. Especially when the kids come and visit it’s where we spend most of our time.
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Who are your style/design icons?
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My style icons are Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, Inès de la Fressange. My design icons are Alvar Aalto, Vicente Wolfe, Eero Arnio,and Frank Gehry.
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How do you define happiness?
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My happiest moments tend to be a very simple affair, gathering the family under one roof for a few days and knowing that everyone is well. Or sitting around the table with my husband and the children all present enjoying great food, great wine, chatting and laughing about mundane things. That is pure bliss for me. Especially now that they are grown and a couple living in other countries I cherish those moments the most.
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Your three most memorable posts of recent & why?.
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Photos ©All photos property of Itella
Laura Laine
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When I first met Laura, we hit it off right away. She is an amazing young woman and I love her work. The commission and release of these stamps are such an amazing accomplishment for someone so young and I am extremely proud of her. When I received permission to post them I was on cloud nine..
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I have been a huge fan of Mr. Ratia’s work for many years. In the last year we have collaborated on a few things and I‘ve learned so much from him. Last fall he asked me to help him go through the thousands of images he had for an upcoming book. We worked together for several days and I just remember being in an awe of this man and his keen eye for the slightest detail. The way he edited the photos for the book really inspired me and led me to start looking at CDD in a completely different way. When I first started blogging the advice I received was the more pictures the better but after working with Mr. Ratia I realized that perhaps that is not always the case. Keep the best and let go of the rest.
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©All photos property of Miina Savolainen and The Loveliest Girl In The World
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The Empowering photography program founded by photographer Miina Savolainen.started out as an art project for her Master’s Thesis. However once she had completed the work with the ten girls had who had grown up in a children’s home, Ms. Savolainen was unable to walk away. Miina Savolainen’s dedication to these ten girls and the Empowering Photography program, that came later, is admirable. The girls and their stories touched me deeply.
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Finlandia Hall in Helsinki is the leading congress, event and entertainment venue in Finland. Created by one of Charlies' Favorite architects, Alvar Aalto. You can find out more here at, Finlandia Hall

Purely Simple

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Architectural Digest, October 2005

Built from the ground up, this incredible home on the shoreline of Nantucket Island is an elegant family retreat Designed by Victoria Hagan, its a perfect example of timeless style. Victoria's gift for balance and symmetry is impressive. Featured in Architectural Digest, October 2005, this home was designed true to the spirit of Nantucket. The white backdrop is a beautiful canvas for the sea and sky. Soft gray and blues are delicately arranged in the family room, a palette, inspired by a painting. The open kitchen is perfect for relaxed meals, and good conversation. With rich food furnishings contrasting crisp white linens, it's purely simple with a hint of sophistication.
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All photos and information from Architectural Digest, October 2005

Fields of Gold






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Tobi Fairley did a blog post recently on her love of art. It was there that I first came across a painting from fine artist Andy Reed. Inspired by the regions of Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas, these wonderful paintings capture perfectly the serene beauty of the country. Through colour & scale, life is projected to what is often deemed dull. Working from memory, his paintings are very much like enhanced colour photographs. The opaque effect over the sky and fields is tranquil, and the subtle details of the trees are alluring.
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"You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we walk in fields of gold"
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You can see more works at Tobi Fairley Gallery, along with a collection of other artists from Arkansas and the Southern Regions of the US.

Casarecce

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Photo Credits: Veranda Magazine
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I launched a new Blog this week. It's called Casarecce, which in Italian means "home-made". When I first started Verdigris Vie, I thought that it would encompass all the things that inspire me. But since then, it's taken a life of it's own, and I realize there is room for only one Boss here.... Design !
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Casarecce will be a place for me to share my love for all things home made. My favorite Mediterranean inspired dishes, Entertaining and Tablescapes, Flowers and Gardens, Beautiful hand made knits, and anything else that is made with my heart & hands. I hope you'll stop in for a visit.



Historic Journey


In a building that dates back to 1720, an apartment in Rome gets restored with a touch of Paris. This home featured in Marie Claire Italia, is rich in old details and some classic French Furnishings. My Italian needs some brushing up, but from what I gathered, the owner of this home went to great lengths to find information detailing the original plans of the building.
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Located in Campo dei Fiori, the home was built by architects and engineers who worked at Saint Peter's. They left an incredible account of the homes structure. As a result, partitions were removed to uncover a series of rooms, original brick walls, wood beam ceiling's, 5 fireplaces, and doors in Windows made from the wood of pear trees. The wood was carefully stripped to it's original condition. The homeowners embarked on incredible historic journey in the process of restoring what they now call home.
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The design choices in the restored home are superb. White marble flooring, creamy white walls and linen slipcovers make for a very bright and refreshing home. Classical pieces of furniture standout against the light backdrop, including a beautiful antique iron day bed, and a an updated Louis XVI chandelier and console. Of course, one would expect nothing less than a completely modernize.d kitchen from Italians, it's the one place there is no room for anything old. Some old wood furnishings were used to warm up the contemporary cooking space.
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Marie Claire Maison Italia
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What a wonderful place to call home, surrounded by history and all the comforts of home.
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Thanks to Federica at Sweet as Candy for first posting on this incredible home.
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Upscale Condo

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Isn't it everyones dream to own a house in the country and a condo in the city? Why do we even have to choose? Condo Living is a lifestyle that is easy to get accustomed to, especially if you have the right space. This space is designed by Toronto's Brian Gluckstein in his signature style, upscale, sophisticated and modern. City life is hectic, there is barely enough time to sleep or eat, let alone fuss about a house. Walking into this place instantly calms the senses. It's clean and composed, the contrast of dark wood and creamy walls is dramatic but inviting. And the wonderful cognac colour used in the chairs, console, rug and artistic glass add warmth. Entertaing? No problem. Granted this space is 3 times the size of most city condos, it s still equipped to entertain a fairly large crowd. An open layout, plenty of chairs to lounge on, a full service bar and of course a generous dining table. This place is like an upscale hotel that seduces you into never leaving.

All photos taken by Ted Yarwood, Photographer

Find more information about Brian Gluckstein, here.