July | 2012 | Valentina Expressions

Garden Inspiration | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

30 Jul 2012 18 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #BackyardDesigns, #CurbAppeal, #GardenDesign, #StrawberryRocks, #ValentinaCirasolaOnPinterest, #VerticalGarden, #VerticalOrchard

In this part of the world, California, we are having a mild summer, very pleasant and conducive for work in the office, or work in the garden and a day at the beach is never scorching.
For a couple of months, we can still make improvements to the garden, before we need to prepare it for the coming winter. The garden should follow the architectural style of the house, at least at the front street side, the curb appeal should reflect it. The interior part of the garden, or otherwise called backyard, might be extravagant, whimsical, dreamy, or it might be kept in the same style of the house.

If I am designing the interior colors, I keep them communicating with the exterior and the garden colors. This will avoid the choppy or disconnected feeling and will keep everything in harmony. A Mediterranean style home with a Japanese style garden is out-of-place. The best way to design an interesting garden, large or small, is to divide the ground in many vignettes and create a certain rhythm that will invite you in. My Pinterest board has been an inspiration; so many good ideas and tips are showing up and I am taking full advantage of all of them. Here there are some solutions I find very intriguing:

Strawberry rocks – No longer need to worry about birds eating your baby strawberries. Place these rocks around the strawberry patch, the birds will bite on the rocks thinking they are biting on the strawberries and will soon learn never to come closer to your patch.

(Click on each photo to view it larger).

(Photo above: Spaaz.de)

Broken clay pot – Do not discard, use them to create a view in your fantasy.

Create islands – Place an island here and there, with loose bricks and rocks, the pot in the center will carry the plants arrangements of your liking and will become the centerpiece.

(PHOTO BY MARK LOHMAN – This Old House)

Simple fountains – Very inexpensive to do, made of simple rocks or leftover construction material, a small lining to collect the recirculating water and a pump; place them anywhere between plants.

(Photo above: http://ahigo.net/4442-garden-water-fountains/water-fountains-with-small-pond)

Pathways – I love to see pathways not designed in the same style. Pathways should change according to the vignette design. Keep them interesting.

(Photo above: http://www.woohome.com/ideas/25-lovely-diy-garden-pathway-ideas)

(Photo above: Tom Mitchell’s display in Plantasia Garden Show)

Playing games – Don’t you love this checkered game area with tall chess pieces?

(Photo above: DIY Network)

Vertical orchard – This is possible to create even if you don’t have a garden, on a balcony or on a terrace. If you can, plant food, it will be better than food sold in stores, guaranteed!

(Photo above found on: http://www.finecraftguild.com/5-vertical-vegetable-garden-ideas)

Paint a color door – Allow only one door leading in the garden to be of a different color, I painted red my garage door leading to the garden. A bit of splash of color among the greenery is intriguing.

(Photo above found on: http://loveliegreenie.tumblr.com/post/6354519618)

Do you like vintage? – Look what is possible to do with old china sets, or with an old musical instrument. One becomes bird’s bath with a few modifications and the other one becomes a flower display bed. Actually, a speaker hidden inside the flower display, would a stylish solution, from which the music of a violin diffuses in the air. I often hide speakers under resin rocks. How sweet!

(Photo above – http://www.architectureartdesigns.com/40-ideas-of-how-to-reuse-tea-cup-artistically)

A relaxation area – Unused trampoline can change into a cozy daytime bed where to nap on a Sunday afternoon, or anytime rest is needed.

Many different ideas, funky, whimsical, elegant and original will be available. If in doubt call the expert, I love to design gardens that speak of you.
I do offer design consultations on-line through Skype line. Visit my Pinterest boards, when you have some free time: http://pinterest.com/vcvalentina/. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.Valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola has been in business as a designer since 1990.  She has helped a variegated group of fun people realizing their dreams with homes, offices, interiors and exteriors.
She designs landscape concepts as a complement to the residential design concept as a unity. Check out her books on

Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0

Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

The Sails Sofa | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

26 Jul 2012 11 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #ChairDesign, #DecoratingTips, #ItalianFurniture, #ItalianSofa, #LeVeleSofa, #LivingRoomFurniture, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns

Yesterday, this video came across my desk, I thought it portrays the modern Italian living to the letter.

Italians have lived and enjoyed antiquities for centuries. One can find there almost every style of architecture ever invented. The county is small, but concentrated with arts from the past in every expression from the Roman Empire era all the way to today’s contemporary arts and everything in between.
Yet, Italian homes are not decorated with antiques or traditional furniture, except in sporadic cases. All those antiquities we have been accustomed to for centuries stay out there in the streets. We ignore the treasure that surrounds our daily life as if they are nonexistent. They are our landscape.

Gone are the times when Italian people lived in large homes. The film “Under The Tuscan Sun” portrayed a way of living that does not exist any more. People who still own those dilapidated homes (we call farmhouses), such as the one in the film, have understood there is money to be made and that foreigners want to experience that kind of living. The next step was to remodel and turn those farmhouses into B&B, Spas, or making them available as vacation homes for hire by the week or by the month.

Italian people live in condos, one on top of the other, space is very limited, therefore furniture must be beautiful and contain stuff. Our homes are decorated with colors, bright lights (which I truly despise), linear furniture and very simple shapes; furniture must be stylish, but functionality and space saver are the only two notes Italians want to hear.

Le Vele Sofa – In this video you will see how a cleverly designed sofa can be utilized in many different solutions, indoor and outdoor.

I am here to help you implementing these ideas and finding that special piece you are looking for.

Like what you read? Sharing is caring. Pass it along to someone who’d benefit. Ciao,
Valentina
www.Valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola has been a lifetime designer in fashion and interiors. Her extensive knowledge of colors and materials led her in both directions successfully. She is well-known for designing custom furniture. She cares to make spacious and functional pieces, but she doesn’t forget to introduce the element of surprise, sinuous lines, attractive shapes and color in the style fit for each of her special clients. Check out her books on

Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Image of Life: Colors | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

21 Jul 2012 17 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #Designing_With_Colors, #Life_Weekly_Images, #RED_A_Voyage_Into_Colors, #Sisterhood_Of_The_World_Blogger’s_Award, #Weekly_Photo_Challenge_Colors, Colors

First, I want to publicly acknowledge Amy at:
http://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/its-an-age-of-vast-promise/
for the Sisterhood Of The World Blogger’s Award I received from her last week. Amy your cover photo with colorful hanging lights is really illuminating.

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – Saint Augustine, this is Amy’s beginning quote on the home page. Amy writes about interesting travel experiences and books.
I am very thrilled Amy, you nominated me for the award and I am open to receive it, thank you.

After a week, that’s how often my design workload permits me to write, I am going to participate in the Weekly Image Of Life: Colors, by:
http://thismansjourney.net/2012/07/18/weekly-image-of-life-colors/
Amy says: “Color adds excitement” – “Color brings smiles”. “Kids and colors make a wonderful world”. I will add:

“Colors contain the ingredients, which give out taste. Choosing and combining colors in food is as important as selecting ingredients to make delicious morsels.
We can characterize food in a color wheel and make that the palette for our daily nutrition. Nature has created the beautiful seven colors rainbow as an optical and meteorological phenomenon, to which we refer when we talk about color selection. We can refer to the same rainbow colors when we select food, except that eating food in colors is not an optical illusion, is a real solution to a healthy life. Nature has provided us with all the necessary ingredients to enjoy what we eat and to give us the formula for a good life”.
Excerpt from my book on the subject of colors:
©RED – A Voyage Into Colors. It will be out on Amazon soon in hardcover format and audio version.

Teach kids to appreciate healthy food since a young age and teach them how to grow food. Kids are our future. My grandmother once said: “Those who will have seeds and will know how to make bread will survive”. To your health, enjoy the picture of the food I grow with my own hands in my home orchard. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and thoughts. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.Valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior Designer and former Fashion Designer, working in the USA and Europe since 1990. She blends well fashion with interior and colors the world of her clients. She has been described as “the colorist” and loves to create the unusual. Author of three books available on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Musical Chairs | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

12 Jul 2012 8 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #ChairDesign, #CustomDesignedFurniture, #DecoratingTips, #DesigningWithColors, #ErgonomicChairs, #HistoryOfChairs, #RedVoyageIntoColors

I was in a deep sleep; nothing was going to disturb that peaceful phase of my rest. Suddenly I heard a sweet melody coming from far away, it was getting closer and closer, finally stopped right in front of my eyes with a curious display of chairs dancing on a music scale, as if the chairs were notes out of a music sheet. I followed the music, smiled and continued dreaming.

That was many moons ago, I was a student in the interior design university. The day after that dream, my class was scheduled to have a test on History of Furniture, which included the study of chair styles in each period of history and each period with its subcategories of every possible ruler or short-lived kings and queens and their short-lived customs. It was a load of information I had to retain and the pressure of doing well was high, at least it was for me, as up to that moment, I had received a few high honors already. At the time, my desire was to become the best home designer known and be empowered with knowledge that would help people improve their life with better spaces, colors, furniture, and lifestyle.

Chair Composition ©Valentina Cirasola

(Above Musical Notes in my furniture board: Free Clip Art by x7Vector).

I saw dancing in front of me Greek and Roman style, Savonarola chair, Chippendale, Queen Ann, cabriolet legs, Louis XV-XVI and all the Louis, freezes and linenfold, Empire style, Liberty Style, Modernism, and postmodern style, Asian style, Italian and Venetian style, French Bergères, fauteuils, Recamier, fainting chairs, gossip chairs and slipper chairs, Art Déco and Belle époque style…..blimey, I am out of breath just thinking about it.
That tune I heard in my dream was “Tea For Two”. I found two versions Nat King Cole played in his days of fame.

That pleasant and sweet dream remained in my memory. Later in the years, I learned one simple thing about chairs: their hidden meaning is POWER. A chair puts in focus leadership, the desire of emerging, acquiring or abusing power. The chair was invented to distinguish humans from animals, but mainly to distinguish the higher strata of society from the plebs and had a resemblance to thrones than chairs. The rest of the people and servants either sat on their knees (as we still see in Oriental cultures), on stones, or on stools and benches without the back.

The word chair in Greek (the base of all Romantic languages) translates in Kathedra. In Latin, the word chair translates in Cathedra as the bishop chair in the cathedral and the word Cattedra in Italian translates in desk from which to teach, thus requiring a chair to sit down and turn the setting into a place of authority.

The expression he/she has arrived often refers to someone who occupies a chair of importance in society, in a political career, as a President of a company, the chair of a University Dean, or the throne of a modern King and Queen, just to name a few. The Pope sits on a beautiful gilded chair.

To dream of being sited on a chair like a throne means the inner self is looking for an exasperated search for power while losing the grip on reality. To dream of being sited in an enveloping chair means to be surrounded by a suffocating female figure, or suffocating family. Interesting? Practically every piece of furniture in dreams has a particular meaning, which always refers to our inner self, searching for something, or emphasizing certain aspects of the dreamer’s character.

(Photo above found on http://naturalresultschiropractic.com/good-posture)

Humans first crawled, then learned to walk, soon after felt the need to sit down and invented the chair. The concept of comfort was not always present in the mind of the chair’s inventors and builders, their concern was to produce chairs fit for power. Today, with the long hours all of us spend at the computer we need to think in terms of ergonomics postures and sit on chairs that are going to protect our spine and knees. Comfort is of the utmost importance, style matters, price doesn’t. Your back supports your life, nourish it as you nourish your brain.
Like what you read? Sharing is caring. Pass it along to someone who’d benefit. Ciao,
Valentina

http://www.Valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola, is the principal designer and owner of Valentina Interiors & Designs. She is a trained designer and has been in business since 1990. She works on consultation and produces design concepts for remodeling, upgrading, new homes, décor restyling and home fashion. “Vogue” magazine and many prominent publications in California featured Valentina’s work. She also has made four appearances on T.V. Comcast Channel 15. Her new book on Colors is almost ready to be published. Stay tuned for ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors.
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Happy Birthday America | Valentina Author and Designer

04 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

by Valentina in The Good Life Tags: #4thOfJuly, #AmericanFood, #AmericanHolidays, #ApricotSalsa, #PatriotticAmericanFood, #PatriotticSangria

Every year celebrating this historic birthday event is my way of showing my gratitude to this country, which adopted me so kindly a few moons ago. I came as tourist and ended up staying for work, leaving behind family, friends and my roots. I must admit it hasn’t always been easy, but I worked hard and took all the opportunities offered to me. One of my business coaches once said that when people walk on gold, it becomes pavement and they don’t see it anymore. He referred to the local people who often don’t see the beauty, the generosity, the abundance and the open doors this country offers, because they have been used to have it all and at their convenience, whereas emigrants coming from hardship and difficult lives somewhere else in the world, do see opportunities in this country with a different eyes and embrace them with open heart. They do what it takes to succeed and I am one of them. I have a beautiful design business, very nice clients and my books soon to be three on the market are doing well.

Today, I deserve to celebrate my hard work with good food and good friends. I made roasted zucchini, simply sliced and flavored with a mixture of olive oil, mint, garlic, a very small amount of sharp cheese and breadcrumbs. Salt & pepper to taste and in the oven for about 20 minutes. This simple dish can be prepared in advance and served at room temperature. I don’t ever serve food cold, unless is an ice cream, a cake that needs to be refrigerated or a chilled wine. Food kept in the refrigerator for a long time change the molecular structure and the taste suffers a little.

My pièce de resistance is the apricot salsa with grilled salmon. I have three apricot threes overloaded with fruit I can’t even eat. Every year, I make a large amount of apricot marmalade, pies and tartlets to store for the winter, I eat apricots even when I sleep, give a lot away, the wild birds visiting my garden eat them too and still have so much left falling on the ground. This time I tried my apricot salsa version to pair with grilled salmon caught wild around the coast of Alaska. I must say I well succeeded.

Apricot Salsa

All the measurements are to your liking, but if you like one ingredient to come forward, use more of it.

Apricots diced small
Jalapeño pepper diced
Garlic and ginger minced
A hand full of basil leaves
Spring onions
Lemon juice
Extra-virgin olive oil
Add salt to taste and a small pinch of sugar.

Mix well and let it macerate until the salmon is ready.

So many good food and various ideas are showing up on my Pinterest boards. I will make a patriotic Sangria according to punchbowl.com recipe.

Sangria
Strawberries, sliced
Blueberries
Pineapple, cut into star shapes
2 bottles dry white wine
1 cup Triple Sec
1/2 Cup berry-flavored vodka
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup simple syrup

Combine the ingredients in a large pitcher and stir. Chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours. My way will be only with dry white wine, no other type of alcohol.

I don’t know what my friends are bringing, I am sure it will be a tasty surprise.
Celebrate beautiful America and have a very Happy 4^th of July. Thank you America for all you have made possible for me. Ciao,
Valentina
www.Valentinadesigns.com

Robert Taitano, a Valentina’s friend and business associate says: “Valentina – an International Professional Interior Designer is now giving you an opportunity to redesign your palate”.
Check out her books in this site on the Books page and on

Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0

Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Hidden Spaces | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

01 Jul 2012 10 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #FurnitureDesigns, #HiddenSpaces, #HomeImprovement, #HowToMakeUseOfHiddenSpaces, #RedVoyageIntoColors, #SmallSpacesSolutions

Consumerism has put a great need in our lives to accumulate things (useful or not).
We are seeing more boxy container furniture with dual functionality to make up for the lack of space, providing additional storage and serving other functions as well, such as seating arrangements. Many corners in the house are now utilized to the fullest of their potential with various creative solutions. Lot of them are showing up in up on my Pinterest board.
http://pinterest.com/vcvalentina/

This means that many people are thinking about this problem and finding solutions anywhere they can. I will point out some good solutions to emulate and others not as good to copy.

Wet Bar – It is a perfect idea to utilize a dead space under the stairs for a wet bar in an informal basement or family room. However, I would not like to see kitchen cabinets style, appliances and plumbing fixtures in an elegant space such as living room. With state of the art Italian technology, a faucet can be hidden behind moveable walls and doors. Take a look at this video, you will be surprised to see how beautiful technology can be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag-J9R8DtTU

I would disguise cabinets and appliances with panels made of the same wood style and colors of furniture present in the room. The wet bar will not look like a small kitchen cramped under the stairs.

(photo above: http://hamtana.com/basement-wet-bar-under-stairs-inspiration-decorating-3-2764-design.html)

Library on Landing – Great use of both spaces. Stair landing are usually treated as transition areas with little importance and often left undecorated. At times even lighting is not adequate to travel that route. In this digital era, it is sad to see the lack of books in homes. For me, adding books around windows, doorways and landing together with a comfortable seating area, show that anytime is a good time to stop and read, even when doing the laundry upstairs.

(Photos above and below: BH&G)

Craft and Hobby Room – Nice solution if everything needs to be in open view. A standard base cabinet is 24” deep, there is enough space to make a slide-out cabinet from the back. After accounting for backings and sliding mechanisms, the two base cabinets might be reduced to 8-10” each. Furthermore, keep in mind that a little bending down might be necessary to reach that back slide-out cabinet.

(BH&G)

First Step – That first step must hold the full weight of a person. To make parts moveable and operable for storage it is necessary to reinforce the tread (where foot rest) of the first step, otherwise it could cave in.

(Photo above found on: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-make-your-stairs-into-s-38329. They say these stairs with drawers are made by an Australian company, Unicraft Joinery).

Banquette – Filling a window area with something useful such as a banquette and storage underneath is always a good idea to use as seating and storage for extra china or linens.

(Source: HGTV)

Stairs Drawers – Of the two examples, I prefer the drawers, but both are good use of the under stairs space.

(Photo above: http://www.idesignarch.com/under-the-stairs-storage-ideas-to-maximize-functional-spaces)

Kitchen Cellar Stairs – I would have to say a big wow to this idea. Sure it is nice to go down below to get a bottle of wine while cooking, for me at least, but the building code requires the stairs tread (horizontal part) to be at a min. of 11” wide and at least 7” high for the riser (vertical part). Big pain! The idea is nice, but the stairs as they are built appear to be dangerous.

(Source: via thekitchn.com)

Implementing these small solutions can only improve the life of the people living in the house. The expense is only paid once, but the reward is immense, you get more space, a better-organized life and value added to the house.
Like what you read? Sharing is caring. Pass it along to someone who’d benefit. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola, is the principal designer and owner of Valentina Interiors & Designs. She is a trained designer and has been in business since 1990. She works on consultation and produces drawings for remodeling, upgrading, new home construction, décor restyling and home fashion. “Vogue Italy” magazine and many prominent publications in California featured Valentina’s work. She also has made four appearances on T.V. Comcast Channel 15.
©RED-A Voyage Into Colors, her new book on colors is about ready to be published.
Find her books on