Valentina Expressions

Summer is winding down. Days are getting shorter. For some reason, my work always seems to get heavier in the summertime. It has been said that Summer is the season that gives us permission to be lazy, not in my case. Clients who want to remodel a home or part of it always start the job in the Summer. They aim to complete the job before the end of the season and before the Fall holidays begin.

I was thinking of all i created during my last trip in the Spring. I made new friends, visited new cities and organized new speaking engagements in Europe, making the trip so much fun. I travel off-season, and I really love being on vacation when the rest of the world is at work. The lines to visit Museums are not long, restaurants are not full and life flows as it should. I get all the attention from service people just as I give attention to my clients in the Summer. While I was engaging in my occupational activities, I found time to paint a striped wall in my living room. The wall is long and tall. It has a high roof pitch on one side. It required the use of a tall ladder. I painted it all freehand while hanging on a ladder most of the time.

The stripes are burgundy and metallic gold. In the photo, staring at the wall, I look as if I am questioning myself: “What have I done?” Although I had never done anything so bold, I was more curious than scared. Paint is paint, easy to redo if the result is not quite the desired one. After I returned the paintings to the wall and the furniture against it, I was pleased more than ever. The gold stripes brought rhythm and light to the wall, and the room now has posh vibes.

After that experience, I moved to paint a boring brown coffee table and changed it into a leopard print. It has a gold metallic base as well. The purple sofa where this coffee table sits looks lively. Metallic gold is a recurrent feature in my home.

Did I stop here? Absolutely not. After a long time, I am painting again. So far, I have completed six canvases. The theme is fantasy flowers painted from my photographs taken in various places. The plan is to paint a series of six landscapes next.

In the meantime, the work in my garden is completed. I made a great improvement to an area between fruit trees that was no longer satisfying me. My gardener, who is not a landscape designer, followed my ideas to the letter. The project brought him satisfaction as it was evolving in front of his eyes. At the end of the work, he told me something surprising. He said he had learned a lot from me over the years. Often, he doubted his skills to build gardens the way I wanted. Still, he did it. I am happy to pass the torch of my knowledge. It pleases me to help a young person who didn’t have the chance to study. Now, he can offer those design ideas to other clients and not just planting or cutting weeds. The bistrot patio is the name I gave to this new area.

I thought by now I knew everything about colors. Then, the opportunity came to study a few courses with a Brazilian color master. I took the chance and I certified as a color therapist and color analyst.
In September, I will be in new courses.

I lived this Summer with intention, energy, and creative flow rather than drifting passively through long, idle days. I will have time to spend languid Summers when I pass to another dimension. Now, I only have time for exploration, vitality and purposeful joy. Ciao.
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com

Copyright © 2025 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion consultant. She is also a color therapist, color analyst and author of 6 published books. Additionally, she is a longtime blogger and a storyteller. Her books offer non-fictional, practical ideas. These ideas can be applied in the home, fashion, cooking, and travel.
Get a copy of her books here: Amazon and Barnes&Noble.