Valentina

Magnetic Aura

24 Jul 2026 2 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: Aura Colors, Calming Aura, Colorful Aura, Magnetic Aura, Personal Aura, Power of Aura, spirituality

Are humans more than a physical body? Do we have natural electricity and what does it mean to emanate a natural light?
No scientific studies show that humans emanate a colorful aura, yet many cultures believe humans possess an energy field that appears whenever one feels anger, happiness, love, disappointment, compassion, health, vitality, personal wellbeing, creativity, wisdom, or inner peace.

In Chinese tradition, Chi is the vital energy that flows through the body. Indian philosophy believes Prana is the vital force. In Christian artwork, saints’ spirituality is depicted with a golden halo around the head. All these expressions from various cultures show that humans are connected to nature and the universe’s power influences them.

It is believed that each of the feelings I mentioned is associated with a color. I read that the blues I wear often, reveal peace, communication, and truth. The colors of our aura affect our interactions with others. In fact, I have noticed that when I wear my blues and one of the accents is yellow or gold, for example, strangers say hi to me in the parking lot, start a conversation with me in elevators, and give me compliments for my outfit or the colors I wear. These are all signs that my colors vibrate at a particular calming frequency, thus people feel comfortable and relaxed around me. They come close to me because they trust my aura, whether they see or feel it.

A charismatic, magnetic and electric aura could be caused by heart and brain activity generating tiny electrical fields, or nerves and muscles generating electromagnetic activities, and all gets translated through the colors people see or feel around a person.

Our aura doesn’t always have a positive impact on others. It can also transmit anxieties, fear, and worries to others. Black color has that effect on me; it inspires fear and has a sinister feel, perhaps because I associate it with societal uproar and obscure events. Some humans can see the aura of others and know in advance whether to keep going with a person or to stay away; I wish I could, but I rely on my instinct instead.

Your aura is not something you wear. It is something you radiate. From this perspective, ask yourself if you feel good. If not, describe how you want to feel and which color supports that intention or quality. By doing this small process, you will shift from just selecting fashion colors to a mindful practice.
With this thought, I leave you to find your dimension in your aura. Ciao,
Valentina

Valentina Cirasola is a certified interior-fashion consultant, certified color analyst/therapist, author of 6 published books, a storyteller, and a longtime blogger. 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

Hay Moon Aesthetic

07 Jul 2026 4 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: Decorating With Hay Moon Colors, Hay Moon, Hay Moon Aesthetic, Hay Moon Colors, Home-Decor, July Hay Moon

“Aesthetic” broadly relates to beauty, artistic appeal, or the appreciation of what is visually pleasing.

The word aesthetics derives from the Greek aisthetikos, meaning “perceptive of the senses”. Philosophy explores the nature of art, beauty, and taste, asking questions about what makes something beautiful and how we experience it emotionally and intellectually. Beauty is very subjective, and it doesn’t mean the same thing to everybody.

This month of July, the Hay Moon, also called Buck Moon, will govern over us, reaching its peak on July 29. In Europe, the Hay Moon coincides with the season when farmers traditionally cut, dry, and gather their hay, giving thanks for a good harvest. In America, it refers to the time when male deer shed their old antlers and grow new, beautiful sets to flaunt proudly on top of their heads.

The aesthetic of Hay Moon translates beautifully into interiors because it blends abundance, moonlight, and natural elegance. By imagining a moonlight evening, what elements would I see that would make a nice home interior? I asked myself.
I envisioned the main color being silver, but if we look at the moon, sometimes it reveals a light golden color as well. Let’s start with that. I see white, light grey, soft charcoal, antique gold and pewter.

As textures, I see washed-out linen, bluish velvet, aged wood and antique silver.
For the décor, I envisioned pearl accents, white agate bowls, candles, vintage mirrors, and delicate lunar artwork.
Flowers would be bluish irises, dried grasses, and meadow’s wildflowers.
I would choose iris, incense, soft woods, and a hint of amber as house scents.

I have plenty of light grey airplants that need absolutely nothing to grow, plenty of oyster shells I bring home from happy hour gatherings, plenty of white candles, soft wood scents and plenty of pearls. I can orchestrate this aesthetic to feel aligned and on the same wavelength as the universe. A table setting designed with this theme and colors can be a beautiful sophistication.

I think it is much more beneficial to row with the universe rather than to row against it. For this month, I will even wear a bit of light grey color and light it up with white pearls and light blue accessories.

The Hay Moon invites us to gather the beauty we have cultivated, honor our abundance, and rest in the gentle glow of gratitude. Ciao,
Valentina

Sofia’s Cure of Life

20 Jun 2026 9 Comments

by Valentina in The Good Life Tags: Inspiration, Life Italian Philosophy, Life Lesson, Luciano perfume1950, Perfume Aura, Perfumes

A few people would argue that social sites are not a good thing, and it is a waste of a lot of our time. It might be true for those who have no goals in life or need approval from their followers, feeling a boost of self-esteem when the numbers go up.

I am on social sites to learn about subjects I wouldn’t have access to otherwise and to meet people who inspire me. I became particularly fond of a man from Naples, Italy, who makes bespoke perfumes in his family-owned business. His name is Luciano, his handle on Instagram is perfums1950. He interweaves perfume sensations with pearls of life’s sage advice.

In one of his daily episodes, he talks about Sofia Loren’s cure of life. Sofia once said that strength shows up strong, especially when life tries to bend us. Her philosophy is about getting dressed nicely, putting on makeup, adding perfume, and getting out, not to hide the pain or difficulty life might have brought us, but to remind us who we really are.
Life is not always gentle, but dignity is an invisible choice perceivable, just like a perfume.

Screenshot from Instagram – credit given to the owner of parfums1950

Luciano continues telling the story of an impeccably well-dressed woman who once walked into his store with watery eyes and asked to try a perfume because she needed it on that day. He understood she wasn’t asking to feed her vanity with a perfume. She needed a scent to remind herself she still had the strength to keep on going despite her life’s adversities.
When you spray a fragrance that feels airy, radiant and glowing, it will change the air around you. Suddenly, the trail you leave as you move will make people notice you. Perhaps that woman in Luciano’s perfume shop only needed a spray of perfume to feel alive again and less invisible.
What trail do you want to leave behind today? With this question, he concluded his episode.

I wear perfumes every day. I must agree with Luciano, the most enjoyable moment of getting dressed is when the spray of a nice scent pervades the room and my soul. Ciao,
Valentina

Train Ride

02 May 2026 4 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #ErgonomicChairs, #Physical Allignment, #TrainTravel, #Travel, #Wellness

Travelling by train through mountains, valleys, forests and rivers is an exciting opportunity to enjoy the panorama of foreign countries and to meet new people. Some travellers get the computer out of their bag and stare at a screen for hours until the arrival, not me. I try to make eye contact with people, and if they seem friendly, I strike up a conversation. Sometimes it is just small talk and nothing else. I love it when I meet someone who will tell me the story of his/her life in just thirty minutes and suddenly becomes a new friend. Usually, women are more talkative and inclined to do that.

A few days ago, during my long train ride from Vienna to Verona, a friendly woman was sitting near me. We started to talk about the fable-like views of small alpine towns. The views were incredibly evocative and the snow was still there in some high areas.
Soon, I noticed she was not sitting in a relaxed way, as someone enjoying a train ride would be. She changed position in her seat often as if she was sitting on needles. Her sciatic nerve had flared up a few days before, she told me, just when she started her trip. That burning, pulling and needle sensation was too familiar to me.

Photo: Nir-Himi-unsplash

After a few decades spent perched on the drawing table, drawing houses and interiors, and after countless hours spent on computer work, I have suffered from lumbar fascia irritation myself, so I understand how painful and crippling it can be. I have studied this matter for so long and deeply, I have tried many solutions and resourceful remedies, so today I can give sage advice, but without the presumption of being a doctor.

I talked about identifying the sciatica type: is it disc-related, is it muscle compression, or is it spinal narrowing? I talked about how to reduce inflammation with the right supplements. Bottom line, no vitamin cures sciatic inflammation and the ageing cells, or so-called “zombie cells” as the lady called them. The most helpful approach usually combines:
Physical therapy/movement;
Anti-inflammatory supplements to regenerate the nerve;
Proper diagnosis of the underlying cause.

Since I developed this problem five years ago, I never took medications; I have been able to keep the lumbar fascia that causes sciatic pain in control. Chiropractic care three to four times a year, a lot of movement, walking, gentle stretches and learning about postures are all the things I do to keep the fascia in check.

The part most people overlook is the workplace setup, where we spend most of our day and where wellness needs to meet aesthetics. Being in the design world, I think of workspace as a designed ecosystem where posture, movement, and visual harmony all guide us into better habits. The goal isn’t ergonomic perfection—it’s effortless alignment.

The first element is the Chair as a foundation of elegance and support (not too plush). The chair for the lumbar fascia issues must slightly tilt the pelvis forward, keeping the hips just a touch higher than the knees and must not be bulky. A foot rest to shift leg position. Use linen, wool, and cotton in the workplace décor. Think European salon meets modern atelier, not office supply store.
The body responds to what it touches and unconsciously releases the tension.

The second important element is a Desk that encourages natural posture. A sit-stand desk is ideal, as the elbow needs to be at 90º when typing.

The third element is the Light, the invisible healer.
Warm, indirect lighting reduces muscle tension. The overhead harsh light is never a good idea in any room. A table lamp with a soft glow creates a more relaxed nervous system, which directly affects pain perception.

Give yourself a posture cue: place a Mirror thoughtfully to bring awareness. Mirrors always speak the truth.

Design movement into the working space, instead of forcing exercise. Create an “Anti-Sciatica Flow Zone” corner, meaning add a soft rug large enough for 2-3 stretches, candles and botanical scents to make it inviting and to calm the nervous system. This is creating a refined, restorative work area, or studio, where sitting doesn’t feel like a bed of needles, the body is supported and movement feels natural.

Verona on the River Adige

We reached the destination: Verona, Italy. We had a long talk, lunched together, and we got to know each other on various levels. We went in different directions. Verona is promising and I have many places to see. Who knows if our paths will cross again? If it will, we were meant to remain friends. Ciao.
Valentina

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion consultant, certified color analyst-therapist, author of 6 published books, a storyteller, and a longtime blogger. 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

Rise of Individuality with Fire Horse Energy

01 Apr 2026 7 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: 2026Colors, 2026VividColors, ColorEnergy, Fashion, FireHorseEnergy, spirituality, Style

Are you feeling the Fire Horse energy in 2026? According to Feng Shui, the rampant fiery horse dominates this year. We are going to witness many strong events in the Universe around us and in our personal lives. This fiery energy is so strong that will also allow any personal transformation within ourselves. Changes, acceleration and reinventions are favored this year. We can complete anything we plan to do this year. We just need to put our mind and action to it and the Universe’s energy will do the rest.

Feng Shui suggests using soft colors to counteract this strong energy and feel in harmony. We can surround ourselves with all soft colors or wear them. These include light blues, beige, white, light green, dusty rose and all the neutrals.

Still, in the Western world, our beliefs differ, and Feng Shui’s laws are not always applicable. Neutral and soft colors don’t always suit us well in terms of skin. They don’t always complement texture, hair, and eye colors either. As a certified color analyst, I must be cautious with my color assignments. Assigning calming colors to someone who needs energy and vitality will lead to disaster. It will defeat the purpose of the color analysis.

We have a plethora of colors to choose from. This year’s strong energy, in my opinion, allows us to dare a little by using bold colors. Vivid colors, besides enhancing your personality, are suitable for those who usually hide behind dark colors.

Colors are not just splashes of pigments. Colors are energy. They vibrate with our human energy and together with the Universe. Colors don’t fix any situation. They don’t produce the life we desire. They don’t cure any ailments. But by using the vibrations of the right colors, we will be in tune with the Universe. If we are aligned with it, things happen in our favor. We choose the right colors to feel good about ourselves. People perceive us in a new way. With the right colors, we open doors to new possibilities and things do happen. Ultimately, we will “assure ourselves a place in the sun”, where everything goes our way.

Use all the bold, vivid colors that you have never used before and note what happens. 2026 Fire Energy is the art of being seen bold, radiant, and unapologetically alive. It is a shift from minimalism to expressive maximalism. The world is asking for originality; it does not want a clone of everybody else. Be yourself, stay different and be an original. Ciao,
Valentina

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion consultant, color therapist, author of 6 published books, a storyteller, and a longtime blogger. She was recently certified as a “Color Analyst.” 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

Cloud Dancer

03 Jan 2026 6 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #2026ColorOfTheYear, #Chabot, #CloudDancer, #Cravat, #Fashion, #Style

The color Cloud Dancer is officially the color of 2026. It has been described as a balanced color that carries subtle warmth. It also gives a feeling of airiness. It’s a color that evokes clarity and calm.

It doesn’t surprise me that, for the first time, the Pantone Colour Institute has chosen an off-white as the Colour of the Year. Since the millennium turned, I have observed only subdued colors. Besides a few bright color choices from past years, dark and neutral colors have dominated. Black, grey, beige, greige, dark blue, and dark green have been prominent. All the neutrals in between have also dictated the first quarter of this millennium. Neutral colours are considered dormant; they create no reactions, emotions, or feelings. In other words, they put the brain to sleep.
It seems to me, the game is to keep people sedated and emotionless. Not even hospitals have white walls anymore, as patients recover faster when cheerful colors surround them.

White is certainly a good color for brunettes, but a lot less for blondes. I am not a lover of dormant colors, but I want to stay positive. I will show that white can be incorporated into my wardrobe. I will use it in small quantities, even if it doesn’t go with my complexion.

First of all, my white will have sparkles for day or evening wear. Then, I will use a in B & W or color cravat, together with pearls.

My second choice will be a colorful chabot with a huge brooch (below). Men wore the chabot on their shirts in the 1800s and it is now part of women’s wardrobe.

The industry can dictate all it wants; ultimately, the choice is ours. 2026 is a strong year; it sums up to the number 1. That means the universe cycle starts all over and strong. I will forget the dormant colors that will put my brain to sleep. I will add some rhythm into my life with colors that shake someone’s foundation. Occasionally, I will be cloud dancing, not because I want to feel calm, but because I want to dream of the impossible things I can still do.

I hope you had an amusing passage into the new year. Happy 2026. Ciao,
Valentina

Mirror Energy

20 Dec 2025 5 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #HomeInteriors, #LifeStyle, #MirrorDecor, #MirrorEnergy, #MirrorPlacement

December is the month to decorate for the holidays and to prepare our homes for guests visiting during the holidays. Most of the furniture stores I used to visit to get pieces for my clients have closed. This is the case at least in my area. The few that have survived are not even worth visiting. I often see people in charity shops, looking for bargains or unique items.

I like things of the past. They have a style and flair that modern items don’t have. I became a frequent visitor to second-hand stores, where I often find unusual items. Mirrors have caught my attention. Their reflection, if strategically placed, can be interesting and change the perspective on things. But, used mirrors and used clothes still carry the former owner’s good or bad energy.

A good cleansing at the dry cleaner and your used clothes will have a fresh energy. As for the second-hand mirrors, burn a white sage near them. Move the sage around the mirrors to clean them.

The first mercury mirror was invented in 16th-century Venice, Italy. This innovation provided a true, clear reflection as we see it today.

Before the invention of a modern mirror, it was a common belief that mirrors were the door to the underworld. It was the way to talk to the Gods, read the future and communicate with the dead. Oxidian was a black stone that, after it was polished, became highly reflective. The people of the Anatolia plateau, in what is now modern Turkey, used it not to see their reflection. Instead, they talked to the dead through it.

The Egyptians polished copper to create a reflective surface, but the reflection was distorted and never true to reality.

The reflection of a mirror is important to the well-being of the home and to your personal well-being. You want to show beautiful corners that will double the beauty when reflected in the mirror. Never show the untidiness and the uncleanliness. There are many rules about the position of mirrors that I observe religiously. For instance, never place a mirror across the bed. If you are sick in bed, your reflection of being sick will double. This will prolong your perception of being sick and will retard the healing process.

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion consultant. She recently certified as a colour analyst/therapist. She is also an author of 6 published books, a storyteller and a longtime blogger. 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

High On The Heel

07 Dec 2025 7 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: BrocadeShoes, Fashion, FrenchShoes, HighHeels, ItalianShoes, KingSun, lifestyle, Shoes, ShoesRedHeel, Style

I am addicted to shoes! There, I said it!
I wonder why I keep finding so many women with the same problem. Feet have the difficult task of supporting the whole body’s weight like sturdy platforms, but they are not the prettiest part of the human body. I think, because of that, women want to beautify their feet with attractive shoes. They also care for them with massages and spa treatments. In fact, in Italy, we say “happy feet, clear mind”. If you often have a headache, most likely, your feet are tired and sore, or constricted in the wrong shoes.

When I first arrived in the US, I saw women filling up shopping carts with shoes. To me, that was absurd at least then. In Italy, we bought a couple of good pairs for winter and summer, and that was it. I was new in the country and every custom looked strange or awkward. Still, it didn’t take me long to learn and absorb the culture. Now, I lead the pack of women buying shoes with a shopping cart.
Lately, these colorful brocade ankle boots have sparked my fancy. They lace up in the front through antique hooks. They look like what the French Can Can dancers wore in the 1800th. I bought three pairs. The unfinished wood heels bothered me, the only detail that made these shoes look low-class. My artistic sense told me I needed to paint the heels black. So, I did, I painted them with an acrylic waterproof pen and a coat of varnish. I loved the result, and anyway, these are not shoes for a rainy day.

High heels were not born as the prerogative of vain women. They were mainly intended for men of power in positions of command. They were also made for warriors on horseback. The function was to keep the warriors’ feet firm in the stirrup of the saddle. In the 1600s, King Louis XIV of France, known as the “Sun King” (Le Roi Soleil), designed shoes with red heels. He created them specifically for himself. No one was allowed to wear heels higher than the King’s.

Soon, women fell under the spell of the high heels. The society’s mood of that period was very coquettish and feminine for both men and women. Psychologically, women felt more beautiful in high heels, more attractive, flirtatious, taller and slimmer. Their power was to seduce men to gain power and social status. They started with the feet. Shoe makers started to pay attention to women’s feet. They made very feminine, pointed silk slippers called sabots. These shoes featured small heels. To show the tips of the shoes, furtively peeping out of the long dresses, was sexy and flirtatious.

From then on, we know what happened to women’s shoes. Heels got bigger and chunkier. At times, they became slimmer and taller like a stiletto. Sometimes, heels have become uncomfortable. Still, we will wear them as long as they make us feel and look good. We will keep wearing them even when they hurt. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services/#fashion-services

Time For A Montgomery

07 Nov 2025 13 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #ItalianLifeStyle, Autumn Fashion, Fashion, Frog Coat Buttons, Montgomery Coat, Style

Montgomery is the state capital of Alabama. It is also the site of significant events in the American Civil Rights Movement. But a Montgomery is a piece of clothing. Most elementary school-aged children in Europe wore it to school during the last century. It was considered a garment for preppy school kids, especially in England. In my native Italy, adults and children are equally fashionable. My mom and her sisters were designers and tailors. They dressed us kids as though we were going to walk a fashion runway. We were so cute. Our Montgomery coats, red or blue, were paired with the iconic T-Bar leather shoes, red or navy blue, as well.

The Montgomery coat was seen long before I was born. At the end of the 1800s, the Royal Navy created the Montgomery coat for sailors as part of the uniform. It was made out of duffel cloth, a thick boiled wool, resistant to water. The garment was characterized by frog buttons made of horn, a hood and two large patch pockets in the front. A British general, Bernard Law Montgomery, wore it often in battles over the uniform, hence the name of the coat.

Since then, many actors, singers and writers have worn this coat. It goes in and out of fashion with the mood of the moment. This year is coming back again, and I bought myself a similar version. It only has one frog closure instead of the classic three frogs, and the sleeves are shorter. That’s OK here in California, it is cold only a couple of months out of the year. A thick and heavy Montgomery would be out of place.

Autumn has started and I am happy. Colours in nature are glorious, the weather is pleasant, food is earthy and comforting. For me, this is the best season. Ciao,
Valentina

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion consultant. She recently certified as a colour analyst/therapist. She is also an author of 6 published books, a storyteller, and a longtime blogger. 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

Robbie Cheadle Writes: The Plethora Of Art With Valentina Cirasola

05 Nov 2025 3 Comments

by Valentina in The Good Life Tags: #LifeStyle, Designer's Life, Robbie Cheadle, Valentina Cirasola Author, Valentina's Life

The blogosphere is a great place to meet interesting people that we wouldn’t otherwise meet. We get to learn about their lives, their arts, their likes and dislikes, and the world seems more familiar. Robbie is a prolific author, a professional baker and a great painter. If one examines her animal paintings, one will see that Robbie has captured the soul of the animal.
My interview focuses on my life as an immigrant in the United States and my colorful accomplishments as a designer. Head over Robbie’s blog to read it. Thanks again, Robbie. I am honoured. Ciao,
Valentina

https://roberta-writes.com/2025/11/05/roberta-writes-a-plethora-of-art-with-valentina-cirasola-of-valentina-designs-art-homeinteriors-books/