Beachfront Retreat in Los Angeles

Today, dear readers, I have a most singular house to show you. Designer and antiques dealer Richard Shapiro built this Malibu beachfront retreat and decorated it in a rustic yet elegant style with unique period pieces. If you'd like to read the whole story just go right here.



Richard Shapiro, antiques dealer and head of Studiolo home furnishings, at the Malibu beach house he designed with architect Douglas Burdge. The Dutch wicker chair is from the 1960s.

Steel windows fabricated by Pierre Quinton open to a view of the Pacific Ocean.


The living room walls are sheathed in frescoed plaster; a 17th-century Italian gilt-wood mirror is displayed above an antique Cypriot fireplace. Shapiro designed the chairs, the wood stools are 19th-century Ghanaian, and the white-painted cast-bronze floor lamp, by Patricia Roach.

The open kitchen occupying one end of the living space is anchored by an island made of basalt. The same volcanic stone is used for the backsplash and counters; the cabinets are black lacquer. A vintage glass waterfall table by Pace is paired with a linen-covered sofa custom fitted to the alcove.

The dining area is centered beneath a pair of 18th-century inlaid Cosmatesque panels. Rattan chairs and a bench designed by Shapiro.

A sculptural staircase with a steel balustrade winds up to the master bedroom and bath. At its base is a 19th-century replica of an ancient Greek statue; the nail-studded walnut front door is 17th-century Italian.

In the living room, a painted-steel pedestal displays a fourth-century Roman torso.

The timber staircase leading to the beach was designed to resemble the weathered ramparts of a Moroccan fort.

The stone terrace is furnished with rattan and wicker chairs and an early-20th-century octagonal table painted deep red; the large ceramic jar is 16th-century Thai.

The front door is framed by a French 18th-century stone surround and lush greenery.

A daybed covered in mismatched stripes is tucked into a corner of the library; the table is 15th-century Italian, and the painting is by Shapiro.

The library walls feature tadelakt, a traditional Arabic polished plaster. An 18th-century French chair is paired with a Spanish desk of the same period; the ottoman and sofa are Shapiro designs.


A 19th-century Uzbek suzani covers Shapiro’s bed; the 17th-century Italian Savonarola chair stands alongside an antique Burgundian roof corbel.

Shapiro conceived the master bath so that the minimalist tub has views of the garden and the Malibu hills.

Photographed and produced by Miguel Flores-Vianna

All images and information from Architectural Digest.

Renovated French Country House

Today I'm taking you to have a look at this beautifully restored house, furnished in a casual French country style. This home is so inviting I feel I'm walking through the rooms as I go from one pic to the next. Come and see them with me!




Hexagonal and square terra cotta tiles in most of the rooms for a rustic look.


One of the doors in the entrance hall has been decorated with a stenciled design. It also appears on the walls leading upstairs.


One side of the living room. The original beams were preserved.


On the other side of the living room, a collection of framed old photographs are displayed on the wall.




A conservatory style addition allows lots of natural light into the kitchen.




For a softer look, wood herringbone floor was used in the bedrooms.


A very feminine master bedroom.

All images from here.

Photographer Brandon Barré

Today I'd like to introduce you to photographer Brandon Barré. Based in Toronto, Canada, he specializes in architectural interiors, still life, and portraits. His clients include
Elle Decor, Home Magazine, Canadian House and Home, Elle Décoration (Fr)among many others.

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These are just a few of his photographs. If you'd like to see many more just go to his portfolio right here.

Restored Mountain House

Hello, dears. Saturday morning takes us to the mountains to have a look at this fantastic restored house. Its noble materials such as the stone arches outside, limestone floors and massive beams have been preserved and restored. Decorated in a soothing style with rustic and French furniture with an overall soft, natural palette.























Have a great weekend, my friends. Hope to see you tomorrow!

All images from here.

House in Washington

Good Friday morning, dears. Today we are visiting Marcia Bond's house located in Spokane, Washington. Marcia worked for 22 years as an interior designer in California and Washington before “retiring” to run two restaurants and a bakery with her husband, William. She likes to combine comfort and a “little bit of theater” when she designs.

Let's take the tour!


The house stands on a hilltop and looks quite unpretentious from the outside.


Double doors salvaged from a French children’s clothing shop open to the foyer. Concrete steps just inside the door lead up to the main living area.


Marcia, happy with her home, poses in the living room.


No walls divide the kitchen, dining, and living areas. Concrete floors finished with a beeswax derivative, unites the large living area with bedrooms, a den, and a corridor-like pantry tucked behind the kitchen. A system of water pipes under the floor warms the house with hydronic radiant heat.


Another view of the Bonds’ large living area; north-facing French doors admit soft morning light.


Furniture groupings define the dining and sitting areas of the large room, while the kitchen is clearly designated by the impressive range hood. A food-themed mural on the sink wall introduces a hint of pattern.


An island with old wood legs shares space with modern stainless-steel cabinets and appliances. A table base—minus the top—that Marcia found chained to a tree at a yard sale was reinvented as the 96x39-inch island. “We needed to make it taller and longer so it wasn’t dwarfed,” Marcia says. The wood base was topped with a large slab of marble, plus a 36-inch stretch of butcher block.


An antique mirror stands against a bedroom wall. Marcia’s grandmother did the petit point on the fauteuil. An old galvanized metal barrel with a glass top serves as a side table.


The vanity top is salvaged marble; the base is made of acrylic poles and decorative lamp parts.


Two old tables slipcovered with khaki water-resistant fabric create an elegant dining surface on the loggia. Chairs came from area garage sales and secondhand shops. The loggia is on the front of the house, but is sheltered by a wisteria canopy and vine-covered courtyard walls.

All images from here.