Valentina

My First Experience As A TV Producer | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

18 Jul 2017 5 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #KMVT15TVShow, #KMVT15ValentinaShows, #ValentinaCirasolaTVHost, #ValentinaDesignUniverse, #ValentinaDesignUniverseShows

Valentina_Design_Universe_TV_Show

Wow, I finally made it. Check mark to another one of my dreams realized !!!
(Click on each photo to view it larger).
My first TV show production under the label of Valentina Design Universe was recorded live Friday July 14, 2017 at KMVT 15, Mountain View, CA.

I have been on TV as a guest many times before, but never as the host and a producer.
Being this the first show, I decided to appear on stage by myself to introduced the series and here I am, a few days later, with my own criticisms.

Stage_In-The_Making

A show of only 30 minutes without commercials seems a very short time, but once up there on stage, it becomes an infinity. I had prepared the topic and rehearsed it many times, as if I were reciting a script of a film.
However, I forgot to leave my notes beyond the stage and it looked as if I needed a backup security, just in case I would forget the sequence of lines to speak. So, I made the first error.

My_Wonderful-TV_Crew

Generally, in my everyday life, I wear mascara and lipstick, that’s it. My skin is very healthy and want to keep it that way. To go on stage, I needed to wear ton of makeup, so I did and felt very uncomfortable.
I thought, well…. 30 minutes will pass very fast. Jeez, I was so wrong! The hot spotlights pointed at me, melted the face make up in the first five minutes, making my face very shiny and reflective. Fortunately, the eye makeup stayed solid, however the face glossiness took all the attention and the eyes went unnoticed. The red lipstick, being blond with tanned skin color, usually looks good on me. Under the spotlights, the red lipstick became bright orange and picked up even the reflection of my bright yellow top. Not really the effect I wanted !

Afterwards, I was wondering how actors take all that make up caked on their faces for the duration of the performance, often a long performance…. I felt the pores of my skin were choking. Make up was not enough and the red lipstick was not the right hue. I made the second error.

My worst fear was a sudden sneeze, a cough, or a hiccup would appear for no reason at all. Nervousness can cause all kinds of unwanted reactions in a crucial situation and… good enough, a hiccup came. Nonchalantly, I said “excuse me” and kept on talking. I don’t know if the audience thought I made a mistake in my speech or heard the hiccup, either way the show went on. Speaking in public taught me to overcome minute issues.

Stage_Drawing_By_Valentina_Show_Gold_A_Treasure_Color

The topic was about GOLD – A Treasure Color. I chose it because I wanted to exude an aura of positivity, just like the golden light of the sun recharges our batteries. I explained why the golden light of the sun is important for both our emotions and physical being, then went on briefly explaining how to decorate with gold and how to incorporate it in our clothes.

The crew assisting me in the production of the show was marvelous. It was the first time producing and hosting my show and wanted to be perfect, but perfection is achieved with experience. I had thought of producing my TV show for a year. The time was right, I started it without fear and in total confidence. Perfection will come, I will learn as I go along producing the next shows. For now, the dream is coming true and that’s important. My motto has been always: “Just Do It.”

Staff_In_Production_Room

Working in TV and being behind the scenes is fascinating. The crew has a language and gestures of its own to communicate silently with the people on stage. The stage goes up and is taken down in matter of a few seconds, the speed of preparation is fast, timing is tight, people operating electronics, light, sound, microphones and cameras are synchronized to one command: “Quiet On Set” and “Talent Go!”.
Energy is high and at the end, when the curtain falls, it seems a train running a 1000 miles a minute, have come abruptly to a halt. What an exhilarating feeling!

My show under the label of Valentina Design Universe will run once a month every third Friday. I will invite guests with interesting topics in most shows and it will be fun. Stay tuned. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Designer Valentina Cirasola is a creative master in the art of living who makes little distinction between work and play. She expresses her creativity in the homes she designs or decorates, in the accessories and furniture she designs, in her books of colors, in her cookery books and in the way her energy influences people around her. She is now bringing her love for colors on TV in her own colorful shows she is producing under the label of Valentina Design Universe at KMVT 15, in Mountain View, CA.
Amazon: http://goo.gl/qNxXrB
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Women Who Make Things Happen | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

12 Jul 2017 2 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #AnYesvanRhijn, #BlogTalkRadioAnYesvanRhijn, #BlogTalkRadioValentinaCirasola, #EntrepreneurBranding, #EntrepreneurMindSet, #Inspirational

Three years ago today, I had the opportunity to be interviewed by AnYes van Rhijn on her Blog Talk Radio show, all the way to France.
She is a business coach for mindset, self-confidence, self-care, personal branding and personal effectiveness for professional women.
Here is the link to the interview.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/womenwhomakethingshappen/2014/02/03/valentina-cirasola–the-interior-designer-who-loves-to-color-her-clients-world

At the time of my interview she was starting her series of radio shows and I was happy to have been chosen as a guest. She was a good host and directed the show to meet the needs of her audience. The core of the conversation was to help her followers understanding basic business principles and issues entrepreneurs usually struggle with, such as how to be productive in business, how to overcome self-doubts, how to be disciplined, even when, at times, there is little desire to work, how to set goals and achieve them.

It takes courage to become an entrepreneur, accepting to earn money inconsistently at the beginning and to work lonely long hours. It also takes courage to accept changes. An entrepreneur must be ready for the transformation, which naturally happens with unfolding events of a new business. Fear is normal, but it does not have to blur the targets, never lose the vision of the goals one wants to reach.

(Photo Microphone: Free image https://www.iconfinder.com/icons/37056/microphone_record_icon)

My secret to endure hard times in a new business in a foreign country was not to put myself in the box, even if it meant to be a fashion designer one day and an interior designer the next day. I put all my qualifications to work with diligence, making sure they were all related. One of my business coaches once said:
“money is money, doesn’t matter where they come from. Honor it” therefore I had skills, I put them to work for me.

(Photo AnYes van Rhijn – Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/anyesvanrhijn/?ppe=1)

The conversation with AnYes then evolved on the difficulties a foreigner meets when doing business in the adopted country. I am sure everyone moving to a foreign country experiences difficulties with the new life, new customs, new way of thinking or even making jokes. Often, what was funny to me, was taken the wrong way by the locals. I had to adjust my thinking and speaking out loud was something I had to forget, otherwise I would have created the desert around me, that was not my goal.

Writing books, in a foreign language was also one of the questions AnYes directed to her followers, many of them are foreigners and want to write a book, but debate if writing it in the native language or English. I chose to write my books in English, only because I want to sell to the world and no only to a small country like Italy. Why put limitations?

Being an entrepreneur doesn’t have to be difficult or painful, as long as one conducts business with humor, caring for clients with love, understanding personal limitations, doing the best one can, resting between tasks or projects and never overwork. Make clients part of the business life, share moments behind the scenes, be open and transparent. Humans run businesses, treat the business as a friend with humanity and people will come.

I hope to have been an inspiration to all the brave and courageous new entrepreneurs out there. Thanks to AnYes van Rhijn I can remember that day, she was so great interviewing me and that’s an art on its own.
The story of my business continues. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

As a designer in business since 1990, I am interested in helping people designing their interior and exterior spaces with an overall feeling of peace, relaxation and harmony that will draw them home eagerly. I am always looking to add that special touch with original findings to the spaces I design. Color is the focus of my business today, changing people’s energy and life force just by introducing them to colors they would have never imagined. Vogue Italia magazine, Gentry and many prominent magazines in California featured my work, I appeared on RAI, National Italian T.V. and nonetheless my story continues. Find copies of my book on colors ©RED – A Voyage Into Colors and the rest of my books
Amazon: http://goo.gl/qNxXrB
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Your Aura Color | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

07 Jul 2017 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #PinkGreenAccessories, #PinkGreenCombination, #PinkGreenFashion, #PinkGreenVibration, #PinLacyPoncho.

Welcome to my Fashion Friday.
One of my most liked fashion colors combination has been apple green with soft pink. Pink exudes feelings of caring, tenderness, self-worth and self-love. Wearing pink presents a person as peaceful and not threatening. The softer shades of pink are very feminine and give out a youthful look. Of course, with this combination in the photo, I wore a piece of jewelry in a darker shade of pink to create a feeling of order and protection from hostility. That’s what dark pink does, protects the wearer from provocations. Pink lacy poncho is my crochet creation. https://www.etsy.com/shop/ValentinaExpressions

(Click on each photo to view it larger).

If pink has a suiting effect on our behavior, green is the safe color. Green has the powerful energies of nature. It symbolizes fertility, growth and life. Egyptians wore green eyeliner, as green was considered the eyes’ healing color. The energy of green is all about the ability of sustaining changes and the freedom to pursue new ideas. I am in constant evolution, new ideas, whether possible or not fill my days, the important thing is to have them. That’s the reason I wear green often.

Both colors are very friendly and easy on the eyes of the viewers. If your natural color, texture, and skin’s appearance allows it, please wear the apple green and pink combination, you will see a change of attitude to positivity.

Everyone has a personality color. It is that particular color, which excites you when you see it and it is not the color you wear as a habit.
It is, in fact, your aura color.

If you believe in the power of gemstones, carry or spread around the home and office:
Pink gemstones to promote love, order and protection.
(Photo Pink tumbled Mangano Kalcit – Peru http://www.stengarden.com/stenar/trumladstenar/mangano-kalcit-trumlad.html)

Green gemstones to promote wealth, growth and balance.
(Photo Green – Amazonite – Russia https://crystal-cure.com/amazonite.html).

Are you debating which is the best color for you? I am here, take advantage of my online color and fashion consultations. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior Designer working in the USA and Europe since 1990, specializing in interior and exterior, color analysis, kitchen, bath, wine cellar, and outdoor kitchen designs. Often people describe her as “the colorist” as she loves to color her clients’ world and loves to create the unusual. “Vogue” magazine and many prominent publications in California featured Valentina’s work. She also was seen on RAI – Italian National TV and has made four appearances on T.V. Comcast Channel 15. Author of three published books, the latest ©RED – A Voyage Into Colors is on the subject of colors.
Amazon: http://goo.gl/qNxXrB
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

I Am Up To 500 | Valentina Cirasola | Valentina Cirasola

06 Jul 2017 4 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #BlogAward, #Blogosphere, #HomeAToZChallenge, #PhilippeMatthewsShow, #SimonCanada, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns, #WiseDecorWallDecals

In 2010, after I had been writing in online forums, free-lancing in newspaper and smaller publications, I decided to open my first blog column called “Home Design Master”. The column was all about homes, home style, home décor and home trends. I gave out suggestions, tips, how to do things, sometimes I talked about memories on my clients’ home projects, sometimes I joked about funny situations on the job and I am sure I provided inspiration. My business of 27 years so far has given me so much to talk about. I had over 2000 followers and touched 133 foreign countries, the closest readers were from USA, Canada and United Kingdom.

In 2010,Italo-Americano newspaper published my article on the story of Italian balconies.
https://valentinaexpressions.com/2010/06/06/appear-at-the-balcony-my-love

In 2010, I created the event “October Month Of Italian Style” to publicize only luxurious Italian products. For that occasion, I wrote a few articles on Bedroom and Bed style together with an image consultant.
https://valentinaexpressions.com/2010/10/13/style-between-the-sheets-by-valentina-cirasola-interior-designer https://valentinaexpressions.com/2010/06/02/sweet-dreams

For three years, I was a contributor with my column “The Good Life” on The PM Show by Philippe Matthew, considered the Oprah of the Internet. https://www.facebook.com/thepmshow

In March 2013 – Simon Magazine of Canada http://www.simons.ca asked me to write an article for their publication and chose to elaborate on Candlelight Magic Pollution
https://valentinaexpressions.com/2013/03/05/candlelight-magic-pollution-by-valentina-cirasola-interior-designer

From Jan 2013 to Jan 2014 – I took up a Blog Challenge “From A to Z”. For the entire year, I wrote one blog a week about the Home, the subject I know best and for which I can provide a ton of information. Each letter of the alphabet became an article. I included history of furniture, custom and habits of homes through times, brought some novelties to my readers, elaborated on new products. The first article was about a bathtub. Basically, I had fun while I brought useful information and completed the challenge on time.
I am now thinking of turning that challenge into an eBook filled with interesting subjects.

In June 2013 – I accepted Wise Décor Wall Decals as a guest blogger – They shared with my readers a few thoughts on cooking as a form of love. https://valentinaexpressions.com/2013/06/28/guest-blog-cooking-is-a-form-of-love

Through the years, I received an infinite amount of blog awards from bloggers in my blogosphere. I was very happy and grateful to have met so many new people and became friend with so many more. I learned about new topics I would have never read and about the life of some bloggers, what they eat, where they have been, their preoccupations and goals. I feel in company of someone, even when I feel lonely. My awards are all collected in this link, or click on the pictures to view them all. https://valentinaexpressions.com/blog-awards

However, after my three books were published, I felt the need to create a website combining blog and books together and in 2014 I migrated Home Design Master blog column.
https://valentinaexpressions.com/2014/02/22/home-designs-master-has-a-new-home-valentina-cirasola-author-and-designer

Well…. the decision was good, but my followers and their comments didn’t migrate easily, WordPress couldn’t do much to fix the problem and I lost them all. I had to work harder to find new followers. I thought, why limit myself to only home design when I can offer so much more? Following that thought, The Good Life and Friday Fashion were created. Every Friday, I talk about fashion trends, fashion news, or express my thoughts on fashion like and dislike. The Good Like column is about Italian customs, travel, food, or memory of my growing up in Italy.

This week, I made 500 blogs and many more will come. Being a blogger has opened many doors for me, gave me the opportunity to turn my blogs into subjects when I am hired for public talks in groups and associations, aside from the fact that has opened the road for a new online business. Life is good. Thank you all. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

As a designer in business since 1990, I am interested in helping people designing their interior and exterior spaces with an overall feeling of peace, relaxation and harmony that will draw them home eagerly. I am always looking to add that special touch with original findings to the spaces I design. Color is the focus of my business today, changing people’s energy and life force just by introducing them to colors they would have never imagined. Vogue Italia magazine, Gentry and many prominent magazines in California featured my work, I appeared on RAI, National Italian T.V. and nonetheless my story continues.
Find copies of my book on colors ©RED – A Voyage Into Colors and the rest of my books
Amazon: http://goo.gl/qNxXrB
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Yellow In The Kitchen | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

30 Jun 2017 8 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #ColorYellow, #GoldenYellow, #HowToDecorateWithYellow, #YellowColorScheme, #YellowDrinks, #YellowEnergy, #YellowFood, #YellowKitchen

A week ago, on the news, I heard some statistics on colors for homes. It was said that yellow kitchens don’t sell and blue bathrooms do, but missed to explain which blue will sell: dark blue, sky blue, aquamarine, periwinkle, turquoise, French blue, cobalt, indigo….I like to know who makes up these statics.
(Click on each photo to view it larger).

I never knew people buy homes solely based on colors leaving behind all other important features. For what I know, houses sell based on a good location, highly reputed schools and parks, vicinity to stores, convenience to reach main freeways and highways, house modern amenities, natural light infusing the home, a beautiful view, designed details, solid architecture, well maintained backyard and above all, an excellent sale price.
People will buy a home when they are ready to make that investment and will buy anything that suit them, even a fixer upper.

I bought my home with a pea green linoleum kitchen floor, a brand new medium gray carpet all over the house and an uncultivated backyard burned by the sun. I hated all of it, the floors and the backyard, but I saw the potential of my feature home. It had all the features I mentioned above, do you think I was going to pass up a good opportunity just because I didn’t like the color of the floors? No way!!! In fact, both linoleum and carpet were the first to go and little by little I designed a small paradise in my backyard. Now, I have a stone interior floor made with ashlar pattern, the same used in old European villas.

It goes with the golden-yellow walls of my kitchen and one special wall in the dining area colored in burgundy wine, which sometimes turns aubergine in different times of the day as the sun turns.

I want to remind the people who made up that statistic, that yellow is an inviting color, it’s the color of the sun. We get in the sun because it energizes our batteries, makes us feel positive and healthy.

Yellow is the color of many foods, the first one that comes to mind is yellow grape, which gives us delicious white wines and all the bubbles we all like so much.

Yellow is the color of cantaloupe, squash, apple, pineapple, pepper, banana, lemon, potato, honey, corn, cheese, egg yolk, orange juice, starfruit, chanterelle mushrooms, mango, polenta, turmeric, tomato, beets, peaches, do you want more?
Eat these yellow foods to feel strong, energized and happy. Why wouldn’t anyone want yellow kitchen walls?
Yellow is especially an appropriate color in a gray, cold climate. In those areas, getting up and make coffee in a yellow kitchen is a blessing. It helps to start the day in a positive way.

Perhaps those people in the news should look closer at the colors they wear…..

Don’t be afraid of colors, get outside your comfort zone and experience new colors, they can only bring you renovated energy. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

As a designer in business since 1990, I am interested in helping people designing their interior and exterior spaces with an overall feeling of peace, relaxation and harmony that will draw them home eagerly. I am always looking to add that special touch with original findings to the spaces I design. Color is the focus of my business today, changing people’s energy and life force just by introducing them to colors they would have never imagined. Vogue Italia magazine, Gentry and many prominent magazines in California featured my work, I appeared on RAI, National Italian T.V. and nonetheless my story continues. Find copies of my book on colors: ©RED – A Voyage Into Colors – and the rest of my books Amazon: http://goo.gl/qNxXrB
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

The Bed | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

24 Jun 2017 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #EiderDownBedding, #EiderDownComforters, #EiderDuck, #HealthyBed, #HypoallergenicBedding

The bed, the cocoon, the throne, the dream catcher, the love alcove, the resting place and even a playground, however we want to describe it, the bed throughout history has had many functions, but providing a comfortable rest has been the most important function of all and it has been the greatest invention of the human kind.

Long time ago, babies were born in beds at home and the last breath was drawn in beds before the body was taken away. The chamber room which contained only one large bed, often was the place where people met socially. It was no surprise to see grown up kids in their twenties sleeping in the same bed with the parents. The bed was the place for love-making, to produce kids, as well as discuss family problems. In the Middle Age people slept in beds that were built into the walls, set into an alcove enclosed on three sides and the opening was a curtain or shutters.

From that complete closeness, we arrive at our time, taking to bed our frenetic life and everything that has become a necessity: computers, cell phones, bills to pay, food, TV, and if there is any time left, we might think of some love. The items I just mentioned produce negative energy, the electromagnetism affect our sleep and should never be taken to bed.

How do we keep the bed and the chamber a safe heaven? The first and most important item close to our skin is the bedding set. After reading so much about bedding and how to provide a refreshing night’s sleep, I came to conclusion that comforters made of hypoallergenic eider-down are the best. The female of this duck species living in the Northern Seas of Europe, North America and Eastern Siberia has been proven to have the best quills in the breast area. The eider’s nest is built close to the sea and is lined with eider-down, plucked from the female’s breast.

(Photo Wikimedia by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0)

Silk fabric is best to use as covering for the filling. Silk does not allow the growth of bed mites and is resistant to bed allergies.

Sheets made of natural fibers are the best. I used to think sheets made from bamboo fabric were the best, until I touched the sheets made of beech wood fabric and fell totally in love. The feel is regal and opulent, delicate and soft, silky and cool. I am totally into it now.

Once you decide on the natural aspects of the bedding, please, please don’t match the bedding set to the curtains, the rug, the carpet, the bathroom towels, the art work and everything you wear to bed. What a mistake it would be!!! Please, refrain from doing so. The bed has one function only: to give you an exceptional sublime experience of resting and pleasure, it has nothing to do with anything else in the room, keep it special.

Consider dressing up for bed, whether you sleep with a partner or by yourself. If your bed is the means of an exceptional experience, why would you go to bed dressed in a cheap night attire, on in short pants and t-shirts with vulgar writing on, or even worse, torn? Think about it. Wouldn’t it be better to create an aura of pleasure around you? Put a few drops of your favorite scent and get dressed in a night attire that makes you feel good. Your sleep will improve and….what do you think would happen if you sleep with a partner…? Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola transforms and creates spaces realizing people’s dreams in homes, offices, interiors and exteriors. She infuses your everyday living with a certain luxury without taking away a comfortable living. Valentina is well-known for bringing originality on any project and for thinking outside the box. Her interiors are not made with cookie cutters, only follow client’s inspiration, lifestyle and personality. She offers on-line design consultations through Skype and the traditional in-house consultations, helping people with their design challenge anywhere in the world. She is the author of three books, all-available on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/qNxXrB
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Summer Of Love | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

16 Jun 2017 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #1960Exhibition, #1960SummerOfLove, #CountercultureMovement, #DeYoungMuseum, #HippiesFashion, #SanFrancisco1960s, #SummerOfLove

Welcome to another episode of Friday Fashion. This is a trip in the ’60s era and what a trip it it.
(Click on each photo to view it larger).

“Turn on, tune in, drop out” a famous counterculture-era phrase popularized by Timothy Leary in 1966. He spoke at the Human Be-In, a gathering of 30,000 hippies in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco where he pronounced the famous phrase. In his album with the same title Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out, recorded in 1966, we can hear his views about the world, humanity, nature, about adopting native American Indian symbolism, the meaning of inner life, the LSD experience, about keeping peace and many other issues, which afflicted youth.

And that was the atmosphere of the ‘60s, a “trip without a ticket”. The counterculture movement led by artists, poets, writers, musicians, designers and performers was an expression of arts as much as it was a political movement. San Francisco, Haight-Ashbury district became the center of the hippie’s movement. In 1967, The Summer Of Love event attracted as many as 100,000 young people from all over the country, protesting against political and social issues, the Vietnam war, social injustice and challenged the mainstream American society.

Making colorful posters with “trippy” graphics and bold colors became one of the arts of the counterculture movement in the ‘60s. Music events, gatherings, life expressions, drugs, fashion, free love, everything was publicized with posters attached from wall to ceiling in stores frequented by attentive hip crowds. DeYoung Museum did the same in this exhibition and dedicated a couple of large rooms to posters.

In these rooms one feels the commotion and confusion of the era. The baby boomers visiting the exhibition relived the decade as it was yesterday. I could hear some people singing along or repeating famous phrases pronounced in video clips of the era. “Sitting On The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding resonated throughout a few rooms and a few people danced to that tune. The psychedelic room was a “trip”. Bean bags on the floor invited to lay down and listen to music, relax and relive the Summer Of Love in full colors.

Say it with a button, or better attach as many buttons as you like on your clothes and pass on the message. Political buttons personalized the clothes of The Summer Of Love to let the bourgeoisie know how the youth felt about things they rejected and were no longer valid for that generation of the ‘60s. Messages on the buttons using satire, criticism and emphasizing the “good effect” of drugs were very clear.

(“Big Smith” jacket, circa 1970 by Jean Stewart)

Many of the youth of the ‘60s suffered confusion, anxieties and panic attacks. Psychiatric wards saw an increased in young adults hospitalized for a “bad trip” as it was described. To cure and to keep such patients distracted from their confusion, hospitals involve them in the making of elaborated embroidered hospital scrubs. This one below is a beautiful example of the intricate work done by hospitalized youth.

(Hospital scrub – Circa 1968 – Cotton plain weave with cotton embroidery from the collection of Arthur Leeper and Cynthia Shaver).

Fashion too marked the era. It was a non-conventional fashion, extravagant, colorful, geometric and free-flowing, aiming to liberate women from constriction of corsets and girdles of the previous decades. Many designers took inspiration from Bohemian life, native American Indian style and various ethnicities, adding denim to all the new natural fabrics ever used before. Denim represented the working-class fabric, it was durable, affordable and it meant rejection from the middle-class upbringing, thus denim mania became the counterculture look.

Crochet clothes returned strong from the past. Both women and men wore lace, appliquéd fabric, embroiders, fringes, tie-dye, silk screened clothes, hand painted shoes, colors and crochet garments became unisex, corroborated by button pins with messages mocking society. Everything and anything was fashionable as long as it was colorful.

(All work of art displayed are from the permanent collection of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco).

Not only in San Francisco. Youth of the ‘60s took upon themselves the counterculture revolution to change and transform societies all over the western world. A lot of the policies of today would have been unimaginable without the ‘60s visionaries.

However, almost sixty years later, all is to be questioned again. The kids and grandkids of that generation are still seeing wars, hatred and politicians making personal profits from their positions at the expense of people who work for the nations. Natural food so much wanted by that generation is almost inexistent, diseases related to artificial food are rampant, social injustice is still here and fashion…..well, there is nothing new, doesn’t teach individuality and it is not making any statement.

The Summer Of Love exhibition at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco is well researched and worth the visit. It is an inspiration for the youth of today. It will be open until Aug.20, 2017 and if you are in the area, don’t miss it. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

I am Valentina, a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, born in Italy in a family of artists. Style has surrounded me since the very beginning of my life. My many years of experience in design business led me to offer consultations in both fashion and interiors, so much so that I can remodel homes as well as personal images. I am passionate about colors and I encourage my clients to express their individual style in their homes and with the clothes they wear. I am the author of three books, one of which is a book on color theory: ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors available on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/qNxXrB
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Order | Valentina Cirasola | Author and Designer

15 Jun 2017 Leave a comment

by Valentina in The Good Life Tags: #ArchitecturalOrder, #ModernArchitecture, #ModernBuildings, #SeattleSkyline, #SpeakingEngagements., #WordPressPhotoChallengeOrder

Recently I was in Seattle for a couple of speaking engagements. I had a few days for me to be a tourist and enjoy a city I had never seen before. My first impression of the city was the same as San Francisco, the roads go up and down, some are very steep to climb on foot or in the car and at times stop signs are placed at the very top of the hill, leaving the car in a vertical position. Weather was cold, gray, windy and the sun peeped into the clouds on and off during the day.

I have always loved the order of classical architecture, but I have discovered order in the cement jungle of the modern cities as well. (Click on each photo to view it larger).

The geometric cluster of buildings propped on the hill overlooking the Bay create a very playful skyline order.

The classical pediments at the top of this corner building, caryatides of native Indian framing windows, balustrades and dentelle work disguise the boxy modern building behind it.

The verticality of these two towers orderly lead in a downtown street of business and shops.

Modern cities must have color contrast for interest, but the order is in the windows, all the same size, where even the reflection in the glass has an order.

Light and dark in order.

Tall and short order. A very tall building shields this classical elegant building in which Banana Republic store resides. Cheap merchandise sold in a classical architecture…..

In this photo geometric order steals the scene. Glass building, brick stairs, horizontal and vertical windows, dark and light buildings, this corner has an appeal thanks for the greenery. This is the view from the rowdy Irish pub I ate. Beer and food were delicious.

Seattle is a very modern city, bustling with people, amateur musicians cheers the streets, traffic is congested, young people eat in rowdy pubs, and buildings are vertical, just like all the new cities of the Middle Age, when churches and cathedrals were built to reach God and the competition between the patrons who could pay to build the tallest church was high.

For me it’s always a good thing when I can combine work and pleasure. The trip was profitable, lovely people came to hear me speaking on the subject of Colors and sold a lot of my book: RED-A Voyage Into Colors was a hit. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola is an Italian interior designer in business since 1990. She is passionate about colors and all expressive arts. She is a “colorist”. To her, selecting art means to bring out the best energy of her clients and nourish their soul. She trots the world and loves to write travel notes, from which she draws inspiration to design home interiors of her clients .
She is the author of her book on the subject of colors: ©Red-A Voyage Into Colors available on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Balayage And Ombre Hair | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

28 May 2017 8 Comments

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #BalayageAndOmbre, #BalayageHairColoring, #FashionableHairColoring, #HairFashion, #PurpleAndGrayHairColoring

Look out for new words in hair styling!
Ombre is a style, it’s a transition of a lighter shade from a darker shade. Balayage is technique. It come from the French word “to sweep”. With this technique dark pieces of hair are left at the bottom to create dimension and a natural sun-kissed look. Both hair colorings are variegated, extravagant, luminous and an ensemble of colors never done before. It seems one color is no longer accepted. Hair stylists are getting creative combining many colors in one hair do.

Have I ever had the urge to dye my hair purple? Yes, many times and I refrained each time from doing it. I am afraid of the level of chemicals that will go in my hair and not only that, something else prevented me from doing it: matching clothes in all the colors I like to a dual or multiple hair coloring would be a real challenge. I would feel locked in a few clothes color solutions and no longer free to do as I please.

Before your hair go under a major color restyle, think about a few issues. You chose an extravagant, modern hair color, let’s say purple and silver.
Will it suit your skin coloration?
With the new hair color, how many colors must you eliminate from your wardrobe?
Is it worth to redo your wardrobe (unless your clothes are outdated) just because your new hair color doesn’t match anything you have?

(Click on each photo to view it larger).

While I am writing this post, I am looking at this ensemble of flowers left casually on the table waiting to do something with it and I am noticing the colors are very similar to a Balayage Hair Coloring, composed of purple and silver-gray (shown in my board). Hair colored this way is very attractive, but the combination of purple and gray will add years to your face, unless you wear the right color clothes. The usual black will look good, however do you want to wear only black for the duration of your dual coloring, when there are so many luminous colors to choose from? In my palette, I selected colors that will play a lively game with clothes and the gray in the dual colored hair, especially if your eyes are blue.

(Photo in my board of purple and gray hair found on http://www.haircolorsideas.com/bright-hair-colors/purple-hair/silver-purple-ombre/attachment/silver-to-purple-ombre)

Use colors to your advantage, even grays are elegant when played out right and mixed with the right colors. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Valentina Cirasola is a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, born in Italy in a family of artists. Style surrounded her since the beginning of her life. Her many years of experience led her to offer consultations in both specializations and now she can remodel homes as well as personal images. She is passionate about colors and encourages her clients to express their individual style in their homes and with the clothes they wear. To better help people all over the world she offers consultations online. She is the author of three books.
Get your copy of Valentina’s book on colors: ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/qNxXrB
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

From Messy To Sleek | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

27 May 2017 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #DecoratedWalls, #MetallicWallFinishes, #WallArt, #WallDécor, #WallDécorSolutions, #WallFauxFinish

I have my theory about Harmony in the home, it doesn’t come from any particular science, only common sense. Three words starting with the letter D will block a good energy: Dust, Dirt and Disorder. Often, I go into homes where the mess is made of bad habits, lack of cleaning knowledge system and lack of organizational skills. As a designer, from time to time, I find myself teaching how to stay organized, how to create a method and good habits that will keep my design visible six months after the renovation is completed. It takes a long time to tech people how to live in clean spaces in order to have a clean state of mind. It takes efforts and disciplines to break out of bad habits. Living in a mess could make your life feel upside down. This picture below says it all and even though this home is not usually this bad, it gives a sense of disordered life. This house is one of those restyling projects that keep growing, it has been a domino effect. In open spaces, the floor is common to all the rooms in the major area of the house, which means, without any doubts, that restyling one room requires restyling the next one, thus getting rid of useless stuff has been one of the main needs to allow the design to flow, to communicate with furniture, colors and finally for harmony to take over.

Back in August 2016, I wrote about this fireplace wall to remodel – https://valentinaexpressions.com/2016/08/09/your-fire-is-an-element-valentina-cirasola-interior-designer – and how I was thinking of changing it from this traditional and anonymous look to a modern and sleek look.

(Click on each photo to view it larger).

It finally happened. I choose this metallic look (below), with much of my surprise, it was well received.

(sample wall finish: Gyorgy Sofalvi)

The mess is gone, the room starts to look decent. The new furniture are not there yet and I can’t show the rest of the room. A new stain went on the hardwood floor, which now doesn’t look like a butcher block anymore. Followed a new, modern, LED lighting in the ceiling and the walls have new warm colors. I choose a palette of three colors, tone on tone, from light, medium to dark, which create a beautiful warm rhythm in he room. This living room looks so much larger and inviting and this is the result.
(Click on each photo to view it larger).

In the next projects, I will convince my next client to get this same metallic finish in different colors, perhaps a Tuscan rustic, a watercolor effect, or even a space effect, as shown below.

Wall treatments such as these are work of art and nothing else is needed, only a striking piece of furniture, or a super theatrical light. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com