{hotel azucar}

It's beautiful and balmy here, reminding me of tropical places like the Hotel Azucar in Veracruz, Mexico, a beach eco-resort and Veracruz's first environmentally-friendly hotel.

Named for the sugar cane grown in Veracruz, the Azucar was dreamed up by hotelier Carlos Couturier, founder of some of Mexico’s hippest resorts. For the Acuzar he decided on an almost anti-design back-to-basics theme: “I wanted to recuperate a lifestyle gone by…and give guests the pleasures of simple things."

Azucar is comprised of twenty bungalows with a white-on-white colour scheme and thatched roofs, and includes private terraces with organically produced hammocks that overlook the Gulf of Mexico. The decor is an intriguing mix of bohemian-chic and seaside appeal with individually selected driftwood and 1930's furnishings from Couturier's grandparents' farm. The public spaces are mainly open-air, including a library with wicker seating and a thatched ceiling, as well as a spa area with a yoga space and a full range of spa services. Also included is a pool area with brightly colored beanbag loungers with silky-pillows and a swim-up bar.

Thirty miles to the north of the hotel are the ninth-century ruins of El Tajín.

For more information, go to www.hotelazucar.com

{michael mchale chandeliers}

The difference between the chandeliers by Michael McHale Designs and other chandeliers is the materials. While the dripping crystals on a McHale may be Swarovki's best, the base holding everything together is composed of distressed brass pipes and fittings, worn from years of use and reclaimed from building sites. The company has also been acquiring fittings from Katrina building sites in Mississippi and Lousianna, as well as from local sites in New York.

{deborah bowness - new work}

Deborah Bowness' gorgeous new wallpaper, Picture Wall, is printed with images of vintage art and takes all the guesswork out of hanging arrangements and leaves no holes in your walls.

{beautiful bathrooms}

Positively swamped with work this week, so I'll keep this short and leave you with some images of very lovely bathrooms and fixtures.

Above: original French double ended copper bath with large roll; polished and lacquered interior and exterior, Circa 1880.

Reproduction of an early 20th century American large double ended bath tub. Each bath is manufactured from recycled brake discs; polished and lacquered iron exterior--also available with patinated or painted exterior.



The Paris bath is a faithful reproduction of an early twentieth century French fireclay bath made from Vitrite™, a stone and mineral composite that is as close to the look and feeling of the original, without the weight.

Bathtub made from white Exmar.



Original French marble top with skirts on its legs, complete with an under mounted bowl.


Teak bath handmade using traditional methods in the Highlands of Scotland by a boat builder. Each bath is individually made. Standard sizes are 5’6” (165cm) to 6’ (183cm) long.

The 'Carrara' basin is carved from a solid block of Italian marble; countertop mounted (shown) or self supported. 600x400mm

{other images: agape}

{flea market finds & classic designs}

If you were expecting the south London home of Liza Giles, senior stylist for Tricia Guild of Designers Guild, to be creative and romantic and colourful and perfect, then you'd be right. Featured in Elle Decoration, I fell pretty hard for the white walls and brilliant splashes of colour, the boho-chic flavour, the expertly mixed colours and fabrics . . . but my favourites are the little vignettes of flea market finds--pretty objects and picture groupings alongside classic designs.

{all images from Elle Decoration, UK Edition October 2007 (NO 182), photography by James Merrell}

{links to this post:}
decor8
a beautiful living

{plumo}

Just discovered a great new store, plumo, a showcase of what can happen when good products are in the hands of good stylists. There's a wonderful, old-world glamour about their things . . .

And they're British.

{luisa beccaria spring 2008 rtw}

I know many of you from the US follow New York Fashion Week, and although London was a bit of a disappointment, Milan had some wonderful pieces, but by far the best was Luisa Beccaria's Spring 2008 collection.