Home Designs Master | Valentina Expressions

A Dinner Table Is Not For Royals Only | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

13 Dec 2012 24 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #ArtOfDining, #ChristmasTableDecoration, #DecoratingTips, #DiningTableSetUp, #RedVoyageIntoColors, #TableEtiquette, Tablescape

During the holiday season everybody wants to celebrate something important, whether are the achievements of the years, religious events, or just the advent of a new year that will bring novelties, hopes and new perspectives.
As in all the celebrations, food is the center of the attraction and if we don’t indulge at least once a year, what’s the point?

“Do not worry if you have a few pounds on, you will have the eternity to have only bones” ~ my joke. You can take care of those few pounds after the holidays.

At the moment, I just want to give you some suggestions on how to set a formal, or a casual dinner table. The drawings are pretty much explanatory, but a few rules apply when sitting at a dining table properly staged.

From Disappearing act in this casual world

Casual Lunch Setting

Cutlery – The way the cutlery is set, will indicate which food will be served first. If there is a spoon on the right, you know that a soup is coming. The cutlery on the outside of the plate will be used first, work your way from outside in towards the plate. The silverware, fork and spoon, or just one of them, at the top of the plate is only for desserts and not for stirring drinks, or coffee.

Hands – Both hands must be visible on the table, but not the elbows. The body must occupy only the space that it takes. Elbows must stay closer to the body when cutting the food and not hitting the next person sitting near you.

Napkins – will be folded in half and placed on the lap with the fold toward the waist. Gently dab the mouth with the napkin when needed, but never rub the mouth with it.

Plates – I like to place a charger plate in both casual and formal dinner setting, I think it decorates the table well. On top of the charger, place all the plates according to the sequence of food and how they will be served.

Drinks – are always placed at the right, butter plate on the left.

Bread and Butter – In different cultures you might see the breadbasket in the center of the table, which will be passed around if guests ask for, or you might not see a butter plate at all. If you are the host setting the dinner table, make sure you know the preferred customs of your guests.

How to serve – In a formal dinner, never serve the entire dinner in one plate, it is a good practice to change plate for each course. If you are the host and serving the food as well, please know that the rule is to serve from the left and pick up empty dishes from the right of each guest.

Dessert and Coffee – Dessert is usually served at the table with coffee. Invite the guests to the sitting room, or living room for a taste of spirits, such as digestive, cognac, port or sherry.

I hope this simple guideline will make a great dinner experience for you and your guests. May your table be blessed with healthy, tasty food and pleasant company.

A big thank to Rebecca of http://misbehavedwoman.wordpress.com for awarded me with the fifth star of The Blog Of The Year 2012 Award. I love her strong character. It is refreshing to read her blog on social issues. My stats as of now, show I have received 4,149 visitors to my blog site today. I am ecstatic, cannot be happier than this. This is a load of fun! I take my hat off to everyone who is passing through, leaving a comment, or awarding me. Thank you.

Need to know more about this award? Check out the FAQ page:
http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/faqs-blog-of-the-year-2012-award

And the award goes to:

Tom – http://thepalladiantraveler.com – he fell in love with my Italy and writes about the pursuit of happiness from within the borders of Italy and, occasionally, beyond.

Cristian – http://cristianmihai.net – A writer and author from Romania. Don’t ask him to sing.

Tina – http://astronomybythecosmos.com – She writes about astronomy, very interesting subject.

Leanne – http://leannecolephotography.com – Very nice and attractive photography.

Let’s start celebrating. Ciao,
Valentina

http://www.Valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola has been a lifetime designer in fashion and interiors. Her extensive knowledge of colors and materials led her in both directions successfully. Vogue Italy featured her as the guru of staging a home in the theatrical way. Among designing and remodeling homes, designing custom-made furniture and writing books, Valentina is now teaching etiquette, table manners, table setting and life style. Check out her latest books ©Red-A Voyage Into Colors on the subject of colors, available on

Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0

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

Changing Seasons | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

10 Dec 2012 10 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #ChristmasColorScheme, #ChristmasDecorating, #ChristmasLights, #ChristmasThemes, #StoresDecoratedForChristmas

December, the month of running around, the month of getting rid of things we have accumulated during the year, including bad habits and feelings.

Personal Changes – Yesterday, I watched a video of one of my business coaches, who suggested something clever. Take a piece of paper, draw a line in the middle, write down all your achievements of this year 2012 and the lesson you have learned from them. Then write all the negative things, goals that didn’t happen, or anything that didn’t go right, including relationships and what you have learned from these experiences. Read both sides out loud, then burn the piece of paper. This way you have acknowledged your actions and thoughts and you know what you will not do again, but also you will be ready to part with the baggage of this year that is leaving us.

Changes In The Wardrobe – This month, I am organizing a “Second Time Around” party with girlfriends. We exchange clothes we don’t like, or we don’t fit in anymore. Funny how another person will wear that used piece in a novel way and make it attractive again! The party is fun, we have a few glasses of bubbles, food, laughter and we become our recycling firm for a few hours.

Shops Changing Views – In December, I like to take a few hours for myself to photographs store windows when they are closed and nobody is around. I like to admire their interpretation of a changing season.

Gaylord Texan Resort

I received the 4th star for The Blog Of The Year 2012 Award from Natalia of http://nataliasarkissian.wordpress.com – she writes stories, one postcards at a time. Thank you Natalia, I humbly accept your star.

* * *The ‘rules’ for this award are simple:

1. Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

2. Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.

3. Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

4. Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them

5. You can now also join our Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience

6. As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

Need to know more about this award? Check out the FAQ page

http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/faqs-blog-of-the-year-2012-award

Congratulations! on being chosen for the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award:

Jamie – http://grandmothermusings.com – Words of wisdom, tips, How to do stuff. Jamie has received all 6 stars for this award, well deserved.
Laura – http://astimegoesbuy.me – Fashion and personal style.
Judy – http://petit4chocolatier.wordpress.com – Chocolates and sweets to die for.
http://misbehavedwoman.wordpress.com – Well behaved women seldom make history.
Karen – http://roamandhome.com – She loves eating scrumptious food and taking photos of everything she eats.
Cynthia – http://lesplaisirssimplesdelavie.wordpress.com – Photography and more.

Enjoy the award and this colorful season. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola is an Interior Designer since 1990 and a former Fashion Designer. In any or her design work, she blends fashion and interior well. Vogue Italy featured her as the guru of staging homes in a theatrical way. She loves to remodel and turn unattractive spaces into castles. Fashion design was her first career choice that made her happy for fifteen years before settling into the interior design business. She is also a published author of three books available on

Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0

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

Blog Of The Year 2012 Award | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

08 Dec 2012 16 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #BlogOfTheYear2012Award, #DickensChristmasFair, #DickensVillage, #FrenchChristmasMusic, #OxfordUniversityChristmasMusic

It is still December and all is well.
My best girlfriend just found a young man 18 years younger than her. While she was exploring the world across the pond, she discovered him and studied the new architecture of a man. He will be part of her luggage upon her return, she is taking him back home with her to California and spend Christmas with a man who can chop English really well. Love has no barriers.
I avoid stores during this time like a bubonic plague.
On Sunday, I will go visit the Dickens’ Christmas Fair, a divertissement I give myself every year, perhaps I will dress in costume of the era.
The Christmas village display in my home is ready. As a tradition, the lights in the living room go off at night and the village lights are on. I am living in the late 1800s at this time, French Christmas music and music from Oxford University fill the air. I need to escape in the past for a couple of weeks.
I am still watching the film “Midnight In Paris” religiously once a week. It has been a year now. I am wondering if not getting tired of it is a sign I will move to Paris.

This week I am very honored, thankful and grateful to Stefan of http://hillsofherchastity.wordpress.com who nominated me for the second time for the Blog Of The Year 2012 Award.
As you can see, I have collected three stars, there is total of six stars to collect until December 31, 2012. This is fun, let’s play it together.

Stefan made me discover poems and poetry again. As a hard-core business woman, I had lost the pleasure of stopping every so often and read something sweet, romantic and often out of my reality.
Stefan gave me the opportunity to get reunite with a fantasy world. His blog notification reaches me during my working time and punctually I open it, it gets me curious to see what nice words he has put in the ether.
Sure enough, I feel transported in another dreamy dimension for while. So Stefan, I will award you back with the same award just because you have taught me how to leave behind some of my reality.

* * *The ‘rules’ for this award are simple:

1. Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

2. Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.

3. Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

4. Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them

5. You can now also join our Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience

6. As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

Unlike other awards, which you can only add to your blog once, this award is different!
When you begin you will receive the ‘1 star’ award – and every time you are given the award by another blog – you can add another star!
There are a total of 6 stars to collect. Which means that you can check out your favorite blogs – and even if someone else has already given them the award – you can still bestow it on them again and help them to reach the maximum 6 stars!

This award goes to the following bloggers:

Jake of http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com from Manila – He is a Graphic Artist / Photographer who believes in Progress not Destruction.

Natalia of http://nataliasarkissian.wordpress.com – She writes Postcard From Italy, stories one postcard at a time.

http://thismansjourney.net – A nice man who writes about family experiences.

http://kaitlinring.wordpress.com – She is a student from North Dakota and got my attention with her last post about why the world will not end in 19 days.

Enjoy the award all of you, let’s collect more stars that will bring lights and positive energy into our lives. Thank you all for being my supporters. Ciao,
Valentina

http://www.Valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola is an interior designer and a former fashion designer in business since 1990. She helps people realizing their dream spaces in homes, offices, interiors, exteriors, restaurants and more. She needs your story to design your dream.

Check out her books on:

Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0

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

December – Grace and Thankfulness |Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

03 Dec 2012 22 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #AwardOfTheYear2012, #BlogAward, #ChristmasCelebration, #GratitudeDay, #SelfImprovement

Ah, December is here with the rain to clean up the air, the spiders off the plants and the nuisance illnesses of the winter. Outside is grey and cold, inside my house is warm, the fireplace has been on since the start of the morning making my house nice and cozy all day. I am so thankful to have found an older home with charm and a fireplace.

This morning I was thinking of the special food to cook today. After all it is Sunday, a special day for resting and enjoying food with those who like to eat. My friends forget to leave when invited to my home. At times I wonder if they come for me or for my food. I am thankful for my friends and for having food to offer.

I am a bit behind reading blogs of my followers; while food was cooking I read many to ketch up. Everyone is so talented and write attractive stories or subjects, which makes it really hard to choose. “Everyone is a star and needs to shine”. ~ Marilyn Monroe. I am so thankful for my friend bloggers following me.

December is the month to celebrate a new light coming to the world, a new winter solstice, religious events and it is the month for giving. Cities looks so beautiful with the building tops crowned with lights, colorful displays make designed stores very inviting and front yards of every home are decorated to perfection. I am grateful and thankful to have eyes to see the colors that illuminate my world.

I am very honored, thankful and grateful to two people who nominated me with the Blog Of The Year 2012 Award:

Stefan of http://hillsofherchastity.wordpress.com who writes beautiful poems and
Jamie of http://grandmothermusings.com who writes slices of life with humor and knowledge.

* * *The ‘rules’ for this award are simple:

1. Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

2. Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.

3. Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

4. Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them

5. You can now also join our Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience

6. As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

Sindy – spiritual growth and healing – http://bluebutterfliesandme.wordpress.com

TBM – 50 years project of reading and traveling – http://50yearproject.wordpress.com

Mary – a renaissance woman – http://leblogdemarie.com

Marianne – a British woman living in Andalusia – http://eastofmalaga.net

Judy – with some sweets of her own – http://petit4chocolatier.wordpress.com

Marianne – inspires people to live happier – http://marianne365days.wordpress.com

Create a great week and thank you all. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.Valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola is an interior designer and a former fashion designer in business since 1990. She helps people realizing their dream spaces in homes, offices, interiors, exteriors, restaurants and more. She needs your story to design your dream.

Check out her books on:
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Christmas In Colors | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

29 Nov 2012 18 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #ChristmasColorScheme, #ChristmasDecorations, #ChristmasTableSetting, #DecoratingWithChristmasColors, #RedVoyageIntoColors

I am into colors and lot of it. I live colorful experiences because I live a colorful life. I can’t imagine my home, my wardrobe, or my garden without colors. In my new book ©RED – A Voyage Into Colors I wrote:

“I am thankful for God who gave me eyes to see glorious colors!”
Have you thought of your Christmas colors this year? The classic timeless red, green and gold will always be available for those who want to stay in the tradition. Personally, I like to change Christmas colors every year and when the holidays are over, I organize a selling party to get rid of all the decorations and to have an excuse for the first party in early January before the real heavy work starts.

This year I have compiled six color schemes to show how easy it is to elaborate a color in many different directions and solutions. Think about how many more will be possible. You can spread one color with all its complements, opposite and undertone hues from the Christmas tree to the table setting and all the surrounding areas. The important thing is to stay within the boundary of one color and not exceeding or spilling into cheap combinations. Cheap is cheap, but simple is elegant.

Found on Etsy

Venetians Christmas ©Valentina Cirasola

Tan-Re-Brown ©Valentina Cirasola

Blue-Green-Silver ©Valentina Cirasola

Love to see your combinations. Let’s share. Ciao,
Valentina

http://www.Valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola has been a lifetime designer in fashion and interiors. Her extensive knowledge of colors and materials led her in both directions successfully. “Vogue Italy” magazine featured Valentina as the guru of staging a home in the theatrical way. Among designing and remodeling homes, designing custom-made furniture and writing books, Valentina is now teaching etiquette, table manners, table setting and life style.

Check out her latest books ©Red-A Voyage Into Colors on the subject of colors, available on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

A Trip Not To Forget | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

16 Nov 2012 8 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #ItalianRegionOfPuglia, #ItalianSouthernCooking, #PugliaExperience, #PugliaTravel, #PugliaTrips, #VisitPuglia, ItalyTravel

Here they come, they are landing in a country of warm people, tasty food and free thinkers. The palm trees are showing their majestic leave tops to the people in the plane and the flat land with white terrace roofs might give the impression that my travelers have taken the wrong plane to Africa, but not at all.

The participants to my trips are approaching the foamy coastline of the blue-green Adriatic Sea, where the waves make embroideries with the sky, the air is salty, where the summer heat is sultry and humid, women exude sexuality from every pores and well…the rest of the people are as laid back as in a tropical island.

They have landed in Puglia, a southern region in the East Coast of Italy and this is the view and the perception the participants to my trips will receive when they will land in Bari airport, the largest city in the South. My team and myself will greet them with smiles. You see, each trip will have a theme and will be based on each book I have written.

My second book: “Sins Of A Queen” – just to talk about one of the trip’s themes, gave me the inspiration to take my guests into a lavish living while they are in Italy and experience incredible treatments with the most natural products from this land of olives, fruits and grains.
This trip will be called: Let’s Travel Into The Sinful Luxury Of A Queen. Watch the video of the area we will visit.

The Lungomare of Bari, a romantic promenade on the Adriatic Sea will be waiting for us to drive along in vintage cars, dressed in vintage clothes, while soaking the fresh sea salt air, enjoying the view and a “gelato affogato” (literally ice cream drowned in a secret spirit). The promenade stretches to Monopoli and Polignano, two quaint towns perched on the cliffs of the Adriatic Sea. We might reach them in vintage cars, or we might take a boat ride coast-to-coast ending for dinner in a fabulous restaurant built-in the cave on the cliff. It will be magical! Rudolph Valentino is on our route to the stalagmites and stalactites caves, thus we will stop in Castellaneta to visit the museum dedicated to the actor. Did you know Valentino was born in Hollywood as an actor, but his native town was Castellaneta, in Puglia? It was an agricultural and unknown town even to the rest of Italy. He died August 23, 1926 and only a few years ago, his town councils finally dedicated him a statue and a museum.

The Castle in Gioia del Colle will disclose us the intricate romance between Bianca Lancia and Emperor Frederick II, which as most passionate stories, ended up in a tragedy.

In between visits to the most exquisite Baroque architecture, Valentino’s museum and other cultural events, I have planned some fun shopping in local markets for the latest fashion clothes/accessories, where my guests can buy affordably priced items. We will also pay visits to local artists’ shops, where they produce one-of-a-kind high-class handbags, gold jewelry, custom jewelry, or stunning glass lighting, furniture and home accessories. My function as a designer is also to show all the beauty Italian artists are still creating for the world.

Food and wine will also play a large role. Going to Puglia and not enjoying the earthy food, as locals do, would be a crime. It will not be a common restaurant eating, I have used my fantasy. We will have one dinner inside of dismissed wood barrels of wine, where you can still smell the must of wine impregnated in the wood; on another day, an opera singer will delight our dinner in a different place; we might have a rustic picnic in the country with a donkey ride, or we might cook with a local chef in the kitchen of our farmhouse where we will stay.

How about a massage with the green-gold of the land: olive oil?

My three trips’ aim is to inform and entertain and certainly allow the guests to relax while in Italy with unforgettable experiences. My trips will not be trips in a bus loaded with tourists, packing and unpacking every day and make stops to bathrooms. My goal along with my Italian team’s goal is to take care of our guests, giving them personal attention, while we are still together in a group setting. I want to show a side of Italy not known to tourists, show the heart of Italian life, the immediacy of every day living with a lot of fantasy. The itinerary is outlined, the rooms, of course, will be reserved in advance, but the schedule will be free-flowing, not a severe schedule to respect with a timetable. This is not a tour de force. Our goal is to allow our guests to experience a wheel of emotions they don’t even know exist. We want them to never forget the warmth and hospitality of Puglia people and create a relationship with our travelers for the long haul.

Let’s Travel Into The Sinful Luxury Of A Queen – April 15-25, 2013 duration 10 days, 9 nights and everything included. Plane tickets and insurance are not included.
For further information, please contact me by email: valentinadesigns@comcast.net
I will keep sending various information from now to March 2013 until closing date. Stay tuned.

Just remember, this is not a tour de force, but a trip to realize how short life is and to learn how to enjoy it. This experience will change you! Ciao,
Valentina
https://valentinaexpressions.com/trips-to-puglia-2/

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

Sunday Hidden Treasures | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

11 Nov 2012 18 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #AquariumDesign, #EcoFriendlyDesigns, #GreenDesigns, #GreenRoof, #SanFranciscoMuseumOfScience, Microclimate

Last week, one of my follower blogger challenged his audience to find some hidden photographs in our computers.
This is my contribution to photographer Jeff Sinon Sunday’s Hidden Treasure:
http://jeffsinonphotography.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/sundays-hidden-treasure/

I found some pleasant memories in my computer photo archive of my visit to the Science Museum in San Francisco when it was just opened a couple of years ago. Renzo Piano, a modern genius Italian architect designed the building and of course I am very fond of his work.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

(All photos were taken inside the Museum of Science in San Francisco, CA by ©Valentina Cirasola and are her property)

The building is rooted in a mixture of Classical Greek and Modernism architecture.
A glass lobby allows the visitors to look steadily with curiosity or wander through the building and even see the park on the other side in the distance.

The building with the columns framing a central entry presents a classical symmetry echoing the Greek Parthenon, but the modern construction material used such as the green roof, glass walls and windows that let air escape and create a gentle breeze, are very much inline with the modernism movement of Mies van der Rohe of the early 20^th century.

I saw the entire building as a sort of giant specimen case, fauna and flora sharing large exhibition spaces with their own microclimates. Particularly interesting was the vertical garden, which gave me many ideas for my future work designing landscaping for my client.

In the African Hall, I leaned how penguins get fed, a very amusing spectacle and I photographed these beautiful zebras. Too bad they ended up this way, but if they had not been there, I would have never known what a zebra looks like in life.

In one area of the Museum a giant overhead aquarium shaped in an archway surprised the visitors. All kind of fish swim together, I wonder if they know they are on display with no way out. The cat-fish I photographed looks very much made of metal to me. The peaceful lizard, frog and butterfly were kept in a tropical temperature area and boy it was hot!!!

Green roofs serve several purposes for a building, such as absorbing rainwater, providing insulation, creating a habitat for wildlife, helping to lower urban air temperatures and mitigate the heat as in an island effect. That was the last stop of my visit of the Science Museum, it was very windy up there, but then San Francisco would not be San Francisco if it didn’t have the wind and the fog.

Among a few examples of Renzo Piano’s major work, please admire:
Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France (1971–77)
Menil Collection, Houston, Texas, United States (1982–87)
Stadio San Nicola, Bari, Italy (1988–89)
International Terminal, Kansai International Airport, Osaka, Japan (1991–94)
NEMO science museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands (1997)
Beyeler Foundation Museum, Basel, Switzerland (1991–97)
Ferrari wind tunnel, Maranello, Italy (1996–98)
Maison Hermès, Tokyo, Japan (2001)
Parco della Musica, Rome, Italy (2002)
Padre Pio Pilgrimage Church, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy (2004)
High Museum of Art Expansion, Atlanta, United States (2005)

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. Check out her books on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Geometry | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

04 Nov 2012 10 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #GeometryInArchitecture, #ItalianArchitecture, #MosaicFloor, #NeoClassicArchitecture, #RedVoyageIntoColors, #StoneFloorDesigns, Colors

Saint Nicholas’s Basilica – Bari Italy

San Filippo’s Cathedral – Gioia, Puglia

Gioia – Puglia, Italy

Ceramic Tile Floor – Adelfia’s City Hall, Puglia

Matera

This week theme is perfect for me. The geometry of the Italian architecture has conquered the heart of the world.
In a chaotic country and yet vibrant and artistic as Italy, there is order, tranquility and harmony in all the buildings. They stand erect as a live testimony, that regardless of the state of the economy, or passing of different governments, dictatorship, wars and dominators, Italy has always offered the best examples of beauty. Triangle and semi-circle pediments on top of windows, square top entries and round top entries share the same building façade in a neo-classical order, which is as new today as it was when it was first invented. Colonnades and arcades are perfect to walk under and stay dry for window-shopping, or carrying on a normal day, while outside is raining.

Brunelleschi’s dome, or Palladio style villas have been reproduced everywhere in the world and there has not been yet another architect able to rethink these architectural features. A Dome has been a dome since the Renaissance time; arches have been arches ever since Romans built the first one with the keystone in the center. The White House is one of the many examples of a Palladian villa scattered in the world.

Repetition is the Italian secret to everything. Once we find or create something beautiful, we will repeat it to increase the sensory pleasure. Beautiful quarried stones cover columns, floors and walls of churches, palaces, offices, villas and even simple homes. We walk on luxury every day and we die in luxury carrying with us, on our tombstones, the trait of elegance that distinguishes this small, forever troubled country.

Well, since I come from there, I can proudly say that I can design a mosaic stone floor for any house, small or big. I will be delighted to help designing yours. Ciao,
Valentina

http://www.Valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola has been in business as a designer since 1990. She has helped a variegated group of fun people realizing their dreams with homes, offices, interiors and exteriors. She is a designer well-known to bring originality to people’s homes. As an Italian designer and true to her origins, she provides only the best workmanship and design solutions. Author of three books all available on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

An Incredulous Vision | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

27 Oct 2012 32 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #BlogAward, #ColorTheory, #Inspirational, #LovelyBlogAward, #RedVoyageIntoColors, Dreams, Self-Improvement

An incredulous thing happened to me yesterday afternoon around 6:00 pm, I just want to know if any of you have ever experienced anything similar. I am still thinking about it and what is the meaning of it.

I was driving on a super busy freeway, when all of a sudden, the town I was approaching, but not yet my exit, all the lights of that town, the freeway landscape, the shape of the winding road, all reminded me of another place in Europe.
In my over imposed view, I could not recognize this place in my déjà vu, but I was sure I had been there sometimes in my previous life. It was very clear in my mind, it was very familiar, I know I had been there in that cozy place, but where was it?
Then, as in any dream, I had an abrupt awakening, the view disappeared and returned to the dreadful, super busy freeway.

This morning, I drove 45 miles to return to the same spot on purpose, but the view I had seen yesterday didn’t come back. Perhaps the view of that beautiful place in Europe appeared because I was hungry and the emptiness of my stomach played a trick on me, or I was wishing in that moment to go somewhere unknown. Perhaps, the strange lights of a freeway in the early evening distort images, or the stress of my work is taking a toll. I think the latter is more real and not an excuse.
What do you guys think and what does it mean? Why this view appeared yesterday and not any other day, since that is an area I drive through often?
I will remain puzzled.

On the note of my stress, a few days have passed since I wrote my last blog, I am feeling withdraws as if I have a blog vise and a few days have passed by without thanking Jamie at http://grandmothermusings.com for nominating me with two awards:
The Reality Blog and One Lovely Blog Award. I appreciate your wisdom Jamie and I appreciate all the bloggers’ talents, information, photos, fun and personal dilemmas. That’s is what a community supposed to be. It is not always possible to answer all of you, but I do see and read you all everyday.

These are five questions for both Awards.
I will only answer one, my eye lids are falling off at the moment:
1) What is the one thing really scares you?

Being left completely by myself on this world, no people, no animals, no books, nothing.
2) If you could change something, what would you change?
3) If you could repeat an age, what age would it be?
4) What one dream have you not completed yet and do you think you will be able to complete it.
5) If you could be someone else for the day, who would you be?

(Photo above http://www.delish.com/food-news/a44086/champagne-water-cooler)

I am thinking that perhaps I need something as joyful as this in my photo above, chilled and refreshing, in any corner of my house. I might be able to find another meaning of life, or will cure my stress.
I am also thinking that some of my clients will appreciate having one of this in convenient places, especially when we are in the remodeling process.

I will nominate five bloggers and there is no specific rule to these awards. Each nominee is free to accept and do what he or she will with his or her award.

http://tresorsdeluxe.wordpress.com

http://passport.laurenoliviaco.com

http://astronomybythecosmos.com

http://katrinaperkins.wordpress.com

http://fueledbyvegetables.com

Create a great weekend. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.Valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior Designer and former Fashion Designer, working in the USA and Europe since 1990. She blends well fashion with interior and colors the world of her clients. She has been described as “the colorist” and loves to create the unusual. Her latest book ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors is published. Check out her books on:
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

It’s RED Hot ! | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

19 Oct 2012 20 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #BlogTalkRadioREDHot, #DesigningWithRed, #REDColor, #RedFashion, #RedInteriors, #RedOutfits, #RedVoyageIntoColors, Colors

“Valentina, I’m having a lot of fun reading your book RED. I cannot refrain from marking these points that I found super original and very Valentinians! Page 28: In a highly creative country such as Italy (….) it is only normal that red traffic lights bring out a creative touch of disobedience in any driver. Page 39: Stunning effects such as these (…) try them on, walk proud (…) but before you do that, let’s have a lemon muffin (followed by recipe). Page 44: In Spritz Veritas(…) how tasty this page is!”

As I am running a promotion for my book launch, some comments are already coming in from readers who purchased the book on Amazon: http://goo.gl/qNxXrB – and this comment above is from one of the readers. I am so pleased that she is amused reading my book. That is exactly the goal of my book, to inform, entertain with wit, add some personality and allow the readers, through some story telling, to understand the process of designing on the real field, often undermined with many challenges.

Today, my BlogTalkRadio interview took place and we talked about colors in fashion we wear, color in interiors we live in, colors in food we eat and even color in astrology. It was a colorful and inspiring show. Here is the link, if you want to listen to this fun radio show. It’s about an hour-long: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/carra-riley/2012/10/18/red-hot

I am so happy to have done what I have done, this book #3 is right in line with what I am supposed to do and where I am supposed to be in my life at this time. The book is sending lot of vibrations and I am vibrating too.
I am offering – to the first 100 people who purchase ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors on Amazon: http://goo.gl/qNxXrB – One hour of design consultation, FREE of charge, through Skype line (proof of the receipt needed). Take advantage. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.Valentinadesigns.com

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