Valentina

Coastal Atmosphere In Your Home | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

09 Apr 2015 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #CoastalColors, #Corals, #HowToDecorateWithShells, #LifeOnTheCoast, #RedVoyageIntoColors, #SeaColors, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns

Coastal decorating to me is ephemeral. Picture for one moment the colors of the water reflected on the walls and the next moment sun rays reverberating on the water and then again on the walls of your home. Coastal decoration is breezy, it must recreate the soft wind that carries the music of a wind chime and the echo of the sea in a large conch shell. Coastal decoration is also rustic, sandy and weathered as the seawater creates a patina on anything it touches. These are the feelings and atmospheres we want to create when decorating in the coastal style.

Coastal Colors my way

Sea Cockles-Photo found on http://www.pescherialoscoglio.it/frutti-di-mare.html

My shells collection

https://www.etsy.com/listing/75945106/sea-foam-green-whelk-seashell-air-plant

This style requires texturing, that means eliminating slipperiness and glossiness. The essence of a coastal effect is to keep everything as natural as possible. It is a celebration of tactile qualities where one can imagine telling a story of mariners and navigations. It is important to use opaque material, salvaged or rustic, weathered-beaten materials that are warm and cozy like driftwood, burlap fabrics and cord or rope materials often used as trims.
To perceive a soft lulling sense of the sea waves, window covers must be light, soft, easily to drape and often very sheer.

Colors are interesting, because most people would decorate using a lot of white, blues and aqua colors, but if we look at the underwater world, we will find an array of beautiful colors. In the underwater world there are coral banks ranging from beautiful orange color to purplish, white, cream and even greenish. The seabed has vegetation and algae ranging from all the grey tones, all the blue tones, all the green tones, to sage, pale yellow, and purple and even rose colors. Let’s not forget the colors of all the fish, some of which are multicolored and then all the variegated shells varying from beige and white tones to even brown tones, black, grey, blues and on and on.

To give a finishing touch, succulent plants tucked away in shells and glass topiary full of sand and driftwood would be perfect.

Nautical Theme – Model Kitchen

Colors and Material – Kitchen

Colors and Material Story Board – Living Room

A few years ago, one of my clients in Italy decided to decorate most of his home in coastal style. I called that project: “Stories of Navigations” because the client had been a life time long-distance navigator on merchant ships. Using his memories and his tales to decorate his home, my goal was to let him re-live his sea affairs. To reminding him of his distant voyages in exotic lands, I reproduced the original ancient maps he collected and pasted them on the walls of his living room. I used nautical ropes as curtain tiebacks, I placed lot of brass metals here and there as we see them on old ships, galleons and even modern yachts. The fabrics of upholstery were rough canvas, jute fabrics, striped cotton and burlap fabrics. The kitchen was huge fun to design. I found a company that specializes on nautical kitchen and other furniture. On the kitchen cabinets, the details were ship’s portholes and a lot of brass hardware. The floor was spectacular. I found a bluish-green marble that really echoed the swaying of seawater. The choice was between blue-green marble or blue painted hardwood floor. The choice was hard, as both floor solutions were very attractive. At the end marble won.

If you live on the water, refresh your home with “cool” ideas and if you need me, I am here to help. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior Designer working in the USA and Europe since 1990, specializing in 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 has made four appearances on T.V. Comcast Channel 15 and on RAI, Italian National TV.
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

Ephemeral | Valentina Cirasola | Author and Designer

03 Apr 2015 3 Comments

by Valentina in The Good Life Tags: #ColorOrange, #Ephemeral, #Jellyfish, #Medusa, #MontereyAquarium, #RedVoyageIntoColors, https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/ephemeral, WPPhotChallengeEphemeral

This week is ephemeral at WordPress photo challenge. https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/ephemeral BY KRISTA.
I was born on the water, I am attracted by the sound of water splashing against the rocks, the swaying motion of waves, the salty air, the smell of the sea and of course the colors of the water and the colors of the underwater world. I don’t snorkel and I don’t dive, the closest way I can get to the underwater world is visiting the aquarium. Every flora and fauna from the smallest to the largest examples fascinates me and I always come away with a treasure of photos.

At Monterey Aquarium in California the medusa or commonly called jellyfish is my biggest attraction. I can spend hours watching them going up and down and get hypnotized by their slow motion and magnificent colors. The orange color is so deep, bright and illuminated, it almost doesn’t look real. What beautiful art nature creates!!! The orange and blue are opposite to each other on the color wheel and they attract so perfectly. Can you tell I am in love with colors? I need to be inspired, I need to look at colors every day and be surrounded by them.

I caught two small sharks in the moment of kissing, at least they seem to be kissing. My prompt reflexes immortalized them in time, in my mind they will stay like that forever.
I hope you have the chance to visit aquariums, it’s time well spent. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior Designer since 1990. 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 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/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

The Architectural White Shirt | Valentina Cirasola |Designer

21 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #GianfrancoFerre', #GianfrancoFerre'WhiteShirt, #PratoTextileMuseum, #ValentinaCirasolaAuthor, #WhiteShirt, #WhiteShirtMilanoExhibit

Welcome to a new episode of Friday Fashion.
A white shirt is as common as one makes it, or a piece of architectural work. A white shirt builds your figure to an elevated elegance or swallows your beauty. A white shirt must speak the language of beauty and not cover the body.

Italian designer Gianfranco Ferre’ considered the architect of fashion, designed striking white shirts, each with its own character and message. Gianfranco Ferre’ passed away in 2007 and now the Italian Textile Museum Foundation in Prato together with Gianfranco Ferré Foundation organized in Milano an exhibition in homage to the “architect” designer of the white shirt. “There are twenty-seven white shirts, a stunning sequence of sartorial masterpieces, bearing silent witness to twenty years of absolutely ingenious and peerless creativity.” – says the museum’s director. The exhibit runs from March 10 to April 1, 2015 and there are plans for the exhibit to travel to the U.S., to Phoenix and perhaps Los Angeles and Chicago.

(photo credits Museo Tessuto)

Gianfranco Ferre’ took inspiration from history, art, nature, poetry, architecture and built the white shirts on sensuality, curves and femininity. Watch his work here:

“Talking about my white shirts is all too easy. It’s all too easy to declare a love that covers the span of my creative path. A hallmark – perhaps the ultimate signature – of my style, which enfolds a constant pursuit of innovation and a no less unfailing love of tradition. Story in motion. Tradition in the form of the men’s shirt, ever-present and encoded element of the wardrobe. That tickled my fancy for invention, incited my propensity for rethinking the tenets of elegance and style in an interplay of pure fantasy and contemporary design. Read with sense of glamour and poetry, freedom and energy, the formal and quasi-immutable white shirt took on an infinity of identities, a multiplicity of inflections. To the point of becoming, I believe, a must of modern-day femininity… This process always entails a keen rethinking of shapes. The white blouse is never the same yet always unmistakable. It may be light and floaty, flawlessly severe (if a mannish cut remains), as sumptuously enveloping as a cloud, as skinny and snug as a bodysuit. Some parts, primarily collar and cuffs, can become emphatic; others expressly lose ‘force’ and may even disappear (back, shoulders, sleeves). The blouse comes with precious lace and embroidery; turns sexy thanks to the use of sheer fabrics; acquires ultra importance with gorgeous ruffles and ruches. It billows delicately with every motion, almost free of gravity. It frames the face like a fabulous corolla. It sculpts the body in a slick second-skin mode. It is the eclectic interpreter of all types of materials: sheer organza, crisp taffeta, glossy satin. Duchesse, poplin, chiffon, georgette, too…” Gianfranco Ferré, notes (quote credit given to the author)

If you are in Milano at this time, make an effort to visit the exhibit, it will be an inspiring experience, Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Valentina Cirasola is a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, working in the USA and Europe. 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. To better help people in 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
Amazon: http://goo.gl/qNxXrB
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Living In The Womb Of The Earth | Valentina Cirasola | Author and Designer

12 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

by Valentina in The Good Life Tags: #CasaCava, #MateraCaveLiving, #MateraHotelSextantio, #MateraItaly, #MateraSassi, #ValentinaCirasolaAuthor, #ValentinaExpressions

Last time I took a group of American travelers to Italy we visited Matera, a medium size town in the region of Basilicata, in southern Italy. Matera is the largest town in this region and has been the capital town of Basilicata since 1806. The town lies in a small canyon, which has been eroded in the course of years by a small stream of water and that Canyon is called the Gravina. Matera is also known as the Subterranean City, due to its infamous homes created in the caves inside of the rocks of that canyon.

However, a few years ago, Hollywood and Italian Cinecitta’ chose Matera as the set for filming in 1964 of the The Gospel According to St Matthew by Italian produce Pier Paolo Pasolini, and in 2004 for Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ. Presently, another film is in production, the remake of historic 1959 blockbuster film Ben Hur, in which are now starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Huston.
In 1993 UNESCO declared Matera a World Heritage Site and last year it was nominated the European Capital of Culture for 2019. Due to all the new interests in the area, many activities and cultural initiatives have sprung up, like the World Book Fair of women writers from all over the world.

What really makes this area so distinctively interesting is not the formal Italian architecture found in Italy, in fact the historic center of the town does not have examples of buildings or palazzi of particular value or refinement, the interests lies in the homes made for poor people inside of caves in the canyon (Gravina), or else known as Sassi. Those homes are examples of spontaneous architecture created out of necessity, where poor people were destined to live. Not having any place to go they excavated their homes inside of the womb of the earth. Visiting these ancient cave homes, one feels enveloped, embraced and a closed relationship with the womb of the earth. The original homes are made with local tufa stone, which is a particular calcareous limestone, malleable that gives out a feeling of warmth when is left exposed and not covered with other materials on top. Tufa stone gives out a feeling of authenticity and natural as nature created. It is not uncommon to find rock fossils of seashells in the tufa stones, which makes these homes so authentic.

As I said, poor people lived there, but during the ’60s and ‘70s the government offered them low-income housing arrangement with running water and electricity and little by little they vacated the caves for a better and more modern living in the town. Today, after Hollywood filming and Unesco recognition as World Heritage, local people are returning to cave living, making some big improvements with modern amenities. Now we see elegant hotels and restaurants being propped in there that are maintaining the characteristic of the caves.

If I were the designer remaking these cave homes, I would work with a warm palette that agrees with the warm tones of the tufa stone, using oxidized or etched copper as fixtures to recreate the patina of a corroding water stream. I would use opaque resins with oxides coating, type of Venetian style and for the floor, I would use the typical street pavement of the area called chianche, very beautiful stones or handmade ancient terracotta without cooked waked on top. For the furniture, I would choose the shabby chic style. Although in general I do not much like it, especially when it is very distressed, I believe it would be the most compatible with the type of environments we are confronted in the “Sassi”.

The air in the “SAssi” area is mystical, it is impossible not to feel a strong attraction and bewitched by the surroundings. The energy that comes up from the earth is truly magical, especially at night. Some of the visitors during my last trip to the area suggested that the Italian government should build a theatre in the canyon for aspiring actors from all over the world where they can practice their theatre plays. The mystical atmosphere is already there, they need to create the rest. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinaexpressions.com/trips-to-puglia-2/

Copyright © 2015 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved

As a writer and cultural promoter of Puglia, my native land, it is my intention to let readers feel and experience a new ”wheel of emotions”. I want to encourage them to visit areas of Italy not beaten by massive tourism. Through stories of art, architecture, fashion, food-wines, shopping, I want them to create their special adventures and live it up in Puglia! Check out my books on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Playing With My Marsala | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

12 Mar 2015 2 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #2015Colors, #2015Marsala #2015PantoneColors, #MarsalaColor, #MarsalaWine, #RedVoyageIntoColors, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns

I cannot be happier than this year choice of color: Marsala. It is a rich color, it feels velvety and opulent, it’s ruby undertone is warm and when it bounces off the walls on your skin will give you a special glow, in fact everyone with any color skin tone can wear this colors.
To some people it might feel a bit dark when used it in an interior space, but the idea is to feel enveloped. However, if the walls are painted in Marsala color the floor must be made of a light color, that is just one of the basic rules of designing regardless of colors. Adding light color furniture and mirrored furniture is one other way to avoid feeling closed-in by dark walls and I will never stress enough about lighting, which is something people don’t pay much attention to. Lighting is a vital feature for a successful décor and to feel in harmony with your space.
(Click on each photo to view it larger).

(Photo above: Pantone)

Here, I have prepared a couple of boards to give you ideas how to combine Marsala with cool aqua green and custard color together for a younger and modern décor, or how to combine it with a mixture of texture to achieve a more traditional and eclectic look.

Texturize it, explore new feelings and express it your way.

When in doubt call the expert, me!!! I am always available for new adventures. It’s alway easier to row the boat with two people. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior Designer working in the USA and Europe since 1990, specializing in 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 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/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

A Treasure Trove In Vicenza | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

27 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #AlbaCappellieri, #HistoryOfJewelry, #ItalianJewelryDesigns, #Jewelry, #Vicenza, #VicenzaBasilica, #VicenzaJewelryMuseum

Welcome to my Friday Fashion episode.
The Italian city of Vicenza, near Venice, has the primacy of being the first city in the world to have set up a Museum of Jewelry. In nine exhibition halls inside a Palladian style Basilica, the museum accommodates jewels, which will take visitors on a journey through time and cultures. The exposition does not narrate history in chronological time, it is not meant to be a dusty voyage in memory lane, says Director Alba Cappellieri. The nine halls are divided by:
• symbols of jewels such as love, power (crowns and bandeau) and political meanings of jewelry;
• artistic and sculptural language of jewelry making;
• the beauty of colliers and copyrighted jewelry made by famous houses for famous people;
• magic meanings of ancient amulets tied to superstitions and religions.
The unprecedented exhibition, which will rotate every two years, also includes fashion bijou pieces, icon jewelry, function, design, the future of jewelry and the use of new material.

Vicenza – Basilica – Museum of Jewelry

Fashion hall

Famous jewelry

Crowns and bandeau

(All photo credits Cosmo Laera – Vicenza Today)

This museum so particular in its genre is intended as a public place with multiple functions where visitors and jewelry experts can meet or as a place for future cultural exchanges. It was created also to promote the Italian excellence in know-how in style and to promote the cultural identity of the Italian Veneto region for which jewelry has been one of its main productive art forms through centuries.

This treasure-trove was edited and directed by Alba Cappellieri, lecturer in Jewelry Design at the Politecnico in Milano and a leading national expert. It opened its doors at the end of December 2014, I hope you have the opportunity to visit it. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Valentina Cirasola is a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, working in the USA and Europe. 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. To better help people in 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

Bohemian Wedding | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

21 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #BeachWedding, #BohemianStyle, #BohemianWedding, #BohemianWeddingDress, #ValentinaCirasolaAuthor

Welcome to my usual Friday Fashion, this blog will be about a wedding.
It all started when this woman, we will call her Possum, started to frequent my home. She could not pinpoint what was about my style that she liked so much, until one day I told her it was a Bohemian Valentina’s style, not just any hippy Bohemian from the ‘60s. In my décor there is modern Italian with country French, Venetian 1700s style with American classics, found pieces mixed with hand-painted pieces, travel memorabilia and personal memories. All and all is a style which suits my personality and it feels just comfortable for me.

Fast forward a few years later Possum found the right man she wants to marry. Influenced by my style, she started redecorating her home in the Bohemian style and now she wants to marry in the same style.

Preparations have begun with a delicious brunch prepared by him (a chef) for us the girls of the wedding including myself. I will be officiating the ceremony for the very first time in my life, the other girls will be the bride’s maids.

Nothing in this wedding will be ordinary, nor conventional. Possum decided to get married on the beach bare feet somewhere on California coast. She will hire a party bus to take us to the beach, then to the reception place and back to her home at night.

(Possum will wear these anklets – Source: https://www.ebay.com/p/swarovski-foot-jewelry-beach-wedding-anklet-destination-bridal-bridesmaids-gift/1177730856)

Our brunch was full of ideas and full of flavors, her man cooked delicious food for us. Possum started with a Bohemian tablecloth and two seahorses as table centerpieces. You might have imagined already, the theme of the wedding is the beach with its beautiful calming colors.

At the end of the brunch, she gave us a surprise: champagne color bracelets for us to wear at the wedding, shells, a small glitzy jewelry box and chocolates to remember how we started it. It was presented to us as a treasure chest as if she found it floating at the shore. Guess who in the photo is wearing the blue polish with a large shell ring?

I designed her Bohemian dress already. The day we were going to the seamstress to share our idea, Possum almost fainted when she saw my drawing, could not believe it was exactly how she had imagined. The seamstress will make her ensemble, which we will not call a wedding dress. The look, the colors, and the design do not scream wedding, this is a dress for a day on the beach with loved friends, free of conventions made for a free spirit like Possum and if she wants to wear each piece separately later with the jeans she can.

My inspiration is complete and all together, my ideas are clear, from some of my beach photos I will extrapolate the colors for the reception decorations and for the bride ensemble. The bride’s maids will wear whatever they want, hopefully, they will choose wisely and not black. I will have something bluish-turquoise-aqua to match my eyes. The wedding will be the first week of June. Time is of the essence. Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinadesigns.com/services#fashion-services

Valentina Cirasola is a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, working in the USA and Europe. 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. To better help people in 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

Symmetry | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

20 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #ArchitecturalSymmetry, #BariPuglia, #DecoratingWithSymmetry, #ItalianSymmetry, #Symmetry, #TeatroPetruzzelli, #WPPhotoChallengeSymmetry, https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/symmetry/

WordPress weekly challenge is Symmetry – https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/symmetry/
by: CHERI LUCAS ROWLANDS

When I think of symmetry the first image I see in my mind is the symmetric Italian architecture. Clean, orderly, calming and easy on the eyes, Italian architecture has been copied throughout the centuries and all over the world. Wherever there are government buildings, banks, museums, houses of nobles and wealthy people or places where history happens, there is a symmetrically designed building in the classic and neo-classic style. I grew up in my Italy and before I became an expat, classic architecture was all I knew. I spent three years studying fashion in a 400 years old Neo-Classic style fashion school, my University was built in the classic order and my first job was in a Palladium style building. I was fortunate to live in classic beauty!

BTW, as the promoter of Puglia, I accompany small groups to Italy every May. You can be just as fortunate to see all the beauty of Italy if you join us. Check out my trip page: https://valentinaexpressions.com/trips-2/

Architecture is not the only place where we can admire symmetry. If you like to go to the Opera House, you will notice that all the seats and balconies are centered around the stage with a balanced uniformity and symmetry: the view is just about the same from every angle, the red velvet seats are aligned like soldiers and the décor is the same on every floor.

Palazzo Downtown Bari, Italy

Symmetrical buildings in Bari, Italy

Palazzo Mincuzzi in Bari, Italy

Old Bari view

Inside Teatro Petruzzelli, Bari, Italy – Wikipedia Photo

Symmetry in home interiors, where everything is beautifully proportioned and balanced, assures calmness and harmony. It naturally forces people to be organized and coming home to a space that has symmetry is restful, but only if it is clean. Symmetry and cleanliness go hand in hand, one cannot exist without the other.

Cauliflower and veggies

Sea Urchin

Of course if you put symmetry on your plate, what do you think is the natural thing to do? You feel encouraged to eat the food well presented versus a messy plate. Look around your home, is everything symmetrical and is it what you really want? Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola is a trained  Interior-Fashion Designer  in business since 1990. She is the owner and principal designer of her company: Valentina Interiors & Designs. Being Italian born and raised, Valentina’s design work has been influenced by Classicism and timeless style. She will create your everyday living with a certain luxury without taking away a comfortable living. Find Valentina’s three books on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Timeless Venetian Style | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

17 Feb 2015 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #LaSerenissima, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns, #VenetianCostumes, #VenetianDécor, #VenetianFlooring, #VenetianInteriors, #VeniceStyle, #VenitianColors

We are in full Carnival time, a short period of the year to be licentious until Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) when all will end. This joyful celebration inspires me to create some Venetian interior. In decorating a home interior we can choose from so many styles: French, Asian, American, English, contemporary, antique, just to name a few, or we can have a theme like beach, country, eclectic, Bohemian, shabby chic and so on. If celebrations inspire us for instance we can decorate in the mood and colors of 4^th of July, Thanksgiving or Christmas. However a lot of the styles I mentioned are seasonal, Venetian style is a timeless style and not only for Mardi Gras. Have you seen Joan River’s home?

(John_OBrien_Artist)

To understand a particular style it is important to know the history of that period to gain some insight of what shaped a particular style and why people accepted it.

The story of a Venetian style happened many centuries ago when Venice was a very wealthy republic, peaceful and productive. Venice’s name was La Serenissima meaning the Very Serene, because Venetians were financially stable, politically powerful and did not fight with neighboring countries. Instead Venetians people traded goods with foreign countries and the Far East, especially after Marco Polo went to China through the Silk Road and brought back to Venice a new way of decorating with silk fabrics for interiors, Oriental vases and potteries, new spices to enhance food and new fabric for both men and women fashion.

The result of Venetians being peaceful and wealthy people was that they embrace lavish parties, hence the introduction of dressing up with elaborate costumes and masks at Carnival time.

The homes of wealthy Venetian Republic were highly luxurious decorated with valuable material and furniture. One of the items that still goes strong is a particular red marble called Rosso Verona used for flooring. It grows in the area and it has been largely used through the years in monuments, churches and museums. Venice sits on water, the colors of a Venetian interior reflect all the colors of the water, blues, light greens, aqua and as the sun rises or falls the warm sunrays reflect on the water, which at time becomes light pink, light purple or light blue and even light grey.

(photo: http://medievalwalltapestry.com)

Fashion had a lot of influence on the interiors as well. The silk fabrics that Marco Polo brought back were also used for the upholstery. Men and women used the same colors. It was common to see a man with a light pink jerkin, yellow silk stockings and cream ruffled shirt, as much as it was common to see a woman in a purple dress with Chartreuse shoes.

(photo: http://www.artlib.ru/index.php?id=11&idp=15&fp=2&uid=10833&iid=137048&idg=0&user_serie=0)

Venice is mostly a grey foggy and cold town, to counterbalance the grey colors of the outside a traditional Venetian interior is cheerful but delicate, it reflects the colors of the water, delicate pastels, mix of floral and a lot of cream colors.
A traditional Venetian interior is not complete without bombe’ and hand-painted type of furniture, heavy upholstery in burgundy colors to echo the wines Venetians drink and gold accessories and home trimmings to echo the gold of the jewelry they once traded on. Fabrics are usually brocade, damask, silk and velvet. Flooring is often a very dark hardwood, or a very common Rosso Verona marble, or checkered designs and heavily composition of mosaics. The windows are always embellished with panes of stained glass.

(Above photo found on: http://www.marblerome.com)

In modern Venetians interiors, the décor changes dramatically. We might still see a beautiful decorate marble floor, but with modern, industrial lighting, light-colored walls, colorful seating and contrasting color pillows, rug and accessories. Another modern decor might be an all white interior with silver-grey faux finished walls with pastel accessories and colorful paintings on the walls, artistic masks and oversized Venetian blown glass here and there. Let’s not forget Venice is the capital of extraordinary blown glass creations. The modern Venetian curtains might be made of sheer material in pastel colors or totally white.

(Cristiani-Marmo)

Even though time in Venice has remained still, the interiors have evolved. A Venetian interior today can have the features of Venice like the light colors and pastels, the fabulous floor of marble work and stunning blown glass without the heavy velvet, damask and brocade fabrics.

Transforming a space in a period style or in a particular theme takes knowledge. The first step in any design project is gathering inspiration. How can you know which elements to choose for your space if you do not know history?
Happy Mardi Gras. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola is a trained  Interior Designer  in business since 1990. She is the owner and principal designer of her company: Valentina Interiors & Designs. Being Italian born and raised, Valentina’s design work has been influenced by Classicism and timeless style. She will create your everyday living with a certain luxury without taking away a comfortable living. Find Valentina’s three books on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Scale | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

11 Feb 2015 1 Comment

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #ArchitecturalScale, #LargeAccessories, #RedVoyageIntoColors, #RoomDesignWithScale, #WPPhotoChallengeScale, https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/scale/

A scale is a proportion used in determining the dimensional relationship of an item with its environment. A scale on architectural plans serves to calibrate lines indicating a proportion. Composers write melodies and build chords to harmonize melodies using the scales notes. Designers use the concept of the scale to create spaces that communicate with each other in harmony, with emphasis and rhythm, then we can say the space is balanced.

The world of design is beautiful and volatile, it changes with the mood of people and fashion of the moment. It is very common today to see large and out of scale accessories in a small room. Here are some examples of how to use tall tree branches as room divider, or take a large wood/stone architectural capitels and turn it into a small coffee table and room decoration. A large chandelier today might be placed over a small sofa in a small space and suddenly the room does not seem small anymore. A large wall clock hanging over a small console table, will fill a small wall and tall candle holders will give the height your table needs to feel grand.

(Above photos were taken in Home Decor Shop in Los Gatos, CA with permission granted)

Feel free to try new things. Your scale is however you perceive your world.

This is in response to WP photo challenge: Scale https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/scale/

Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Copyright © 2015 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved

Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior and Fashion Designer, working in the USA and Europe. She blends fashion and interior well in any of her design work. She loves to remodel homes and loves to create the unusual. She needs your story to design your dream. Check out her books on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w