#ValentinaInteriorsDesigns | Valentina Expressions

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

One Day Two Years Ago | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

30 Mar 2017 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #ArchLittleItalyCeremony, #ArchLittleItalySanJose, #LittleItalyAwardPlaque, #LittleItalyFundRacings, #LittleItalySanJose, #PasqualeEspositoTenor, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns

Two years ago, this month, Little Italy San Jose, Ca was unveiling a new arch. I had been part of a design team for years. In-kind professionals formed the team, donating our time to attend meetings, discussion, challenges and all that it took to move a city project forward. In addition to time, many of the professionals donated construction material to build this beautiful artistic arch and when it was completed, all of us received the award in a form of an engraved plaque with our name.
(Click on each photo to view it larger).

Little Italy Arch – San Jose, CA – http://www.littleitalysj.com/archway.html

Above: My award – http://www.littleitalysj.com/archway.html

(President Little Italy – Joshua De Vincenzi-Melander, speaking at the arch unveiling ceremony – March 27, 2015)

The concept of the arch was to create a bridge between the old Italy and Italian emigrants who landed on American soil at the turn of 1900s and the vibrant Italy of today, competitive on the economic level with cutting edge stylish products known worldwide. The arch is situated in an area of San Jose where the Italian emigrants lived to honor their lives and work.

Some of the Victorian homes the Italians emigrants occupied were renovated for resell. An area, we called Piazza Piccola, delineates an Italian style patio with trellises and pavement made of bricks engraved with donor’s names. In Piazza Piccola, Little Italy organizes street fair, opera in the piazza, Italian Christmas carols in December and celebrates Befana Day in January, as it is customary in Italy.
Often visitors simply sit on benches and sip a glass of wine with friends. Little Italy have organized large fund racings, of which as a designer, I was part as well, and many small events of all sorts to find capitals to pursuit our goals.

(Photo above courtesy of Little Italy – Brick area in Piazza Piccola)

(Little Italy Gala – 2014. Food, wines, music, silent auction and a load of attendees)

So far, we have established the presence of a few Italian businesses successfully operating in the Little Italy area: a restaurant, a café, an Italian language school for kids and the August 2-days Family Festival in the park, event which attracts $40,000 and more visitors every year. They flock to visit our vendors with Italian products, listen to the music sitting on grass, watch the Renaissance parade, participate to talks on various subjects related to Italian culture, watch art exhibitions, taste food and wine and many visitors will dance, happy to be in a recreated Italy.

(Pasquale Esposito, Italian tenor with Valentina Cirasola, Italian designer, celebrating the unveiling of the arch and the awards – March 27, 2015)

The unveiling ceremony was a day of celebration for many achievements and successes the Little Italy organization reached though the years. The ceremony culminated in Italian food, wines and music experience, as it should be.

(Above: Little Italy arch illuminated at dusk. Below: bronze plaque on the arch with all the “in-kind’ people’s names)

Little Italy future projects in the making are the building of an Italian-American Museum, a Pinocchio Village for children, a Bocce Ball Court, an Italian Cellar Bar and an authentic Trattoria.
It will be a very nice Italian village where everyone will enjoy Italian culture and learn about community.

It has been a journey, I met so many good people, learned so much….I would have never thought Italy is dearly loved outside its borders. I am an expat of modern times, to see so much love towards my country, warms up my heart.
I am proud of all the people who work to keep Italian traditions alive. I am very honored and grateful to have received an award for my contribution in the design concept of the arch. Ad majora, Little Italy! Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

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

Light Sensations | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

11 Oct 2016 2 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #ColoredLights, #DivaLights, #InteractiveLights, #ItalianDivaLights, #MoodControllingLights, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns

What if you could change the sensation of dark winter days?
In the fall, days start to get shorter, weather becomes cooler, natural light is low, the garden outside the windows looks dark at night with a very little hint of colors from flowers hanging on to their life, until winter comes, then it’s easy to feel in hibernation. Fall and winter are beautiful seasons, if you ask me. Fall with its jewel color tones picks up a subtle golden coloration and winter with snow time becomes nature amusement park. However, many people suffer depression during these months due to lack of sun and too much rain in some parts of the world.

What if you could change all of that instantly? What if, by placing some special lights, the entire environment surrounding the house could become a happier and colorful place? And not only that. Feeling sad? Change the color of the lights to permeate the room with happy feeling. Feeling too stressed out? Change the color of the lights to feel calm and relaxed. Need to be energized? Change the color of the lights to pick up new vibrations. (Click on each photo to view it larger).

DIVA Lights, Italian made, can do this for us, as they almost breath with the surroundings and our emotions. DIVA Lights, being managed by a software, sense the weather outside and change automatically into the opposite colors of the outdoor. Let’s say outside is gray and raining, by placing DIVA lights in the interior of the home, the lights will pick up the vibes of the weather condition and will change the interiors of the home into summer light tones and feelings.
In fact, restaurants in Europe use them to keep customer inside the premise longer, inside of their created spring-summer atmosphere when outside is cold, gray or raining. Due to the colored lights and the “feel good” atmosphere generated by the lights, customers feel to stay put. Who needs to go out there, when inside is cozier and colorful?

DIVA lights are portable, thus they reproduce in the garden the same scenario created in the home. DIVA Lights are intelligent, by placing them among the foliage, bushes and shrubs, the lights will feel the cold fall or winter temperature and will create warmer colors, contrasting with the evening-night colors. Suddenly the garden will not seem so dark, bare and uninviting. Under the moonlight with DIVA lights the garden will be luminous, will have a colorful appeal and will pick up a happier feel. Psychologically the lights help feeling better during the dark period of the year.

(Photos courtesy of DIVA Interactive)

As I said before, from outside to the inside, the lights are portable, a smart phone manages the software even at a distance, the color system they bring to us is the secret. Today we want to “feel good” with the technology we use, when we entertain, when we eat exceptional food, when we exchange ideas in a living room full of friends, when we work, when we sleep and when we spend time in the bathtub. DIVA Lights promise these experiences and I add “change your colors, change your life energy and you will have a story to tell”.

Feel free to contact me about DIVA Lights, or go here:
http://www.divahome.co/
https://www.facebook.com/diva.light.home/

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

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 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

Don’t let limited bathroom space cramp your style! | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

12 Jul 2016 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #BathroomColors, #BathroomDesigns, #BathroomLayOut, #CustomBathVanity, #CustomDesignedFurniture, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns

The aim was to pamper a teenage girl by creating a modern bath that was comfortable, dramatic, elegant and functional. The space did not exist in the previous floor plan, it was created ex-novo from one of the rooms. My challenge was to use all the hard surfaces left over from previews projects my client had done on his properties. I had to work with what was made available to me and I still managed to play with my fantasy. I have designed many pieces of furniture for this home, this bathroom was one of the many challenges. As I progressed in the project, I realized I wasn’t designing for the 17 old daughter, I was designing more for the mother, two very sophisticated women, who knew exactly what they wanted. No time is ever wasted with people who have clear ideas of what the style of the home should be. The girl knew that in a year time she would be gone to college, she trusted her mom’s taste and let her have fun in choosing nothing but the best for the only girl in the family.
(Click on each photo to view it larger).

(Valentina happy at the cabinet maker’s shop)

An Italian master ebonist built the vanity cabinet in Mahogany with inserts of Lace Maple. Its door handles and pull are real silver 925. The area for counter top was minimal, therefore purchasing an expensive stone, a beautiful Opera Fantastico marble was not a big expense at all. Flooring and the shower enclosure were the two areas where leftover stones from previous remodeling projects were used. A combination of Italian marbles and stones created the contrasting colors. Italian made wall lighting and a delicate seafoam wall faux finish set the tone for this small bathroom.

One day, the client sat with me on the freshly installed hardwood floor to shoot the breeze. In a rare moment of confession, she showed me her collection of original jewelry made of precious, semi-precious gems and told the story of each piece . They were beautiful examples of lapislazzuli, quarts, corals, African copal and much more. All of those eccentric pieces led me to my inspiration for the bathroom and the bedroom of the girl.

A small bathroom is one place a designer can propose expensive material without breaking the budget and almost have the license to do it. It is the right place a designer can show off abilities to make everything fit in a reduced space, still produce a functional bathroom with all the amenities and do it with style. Furthermore, using material from previous projects and know how to put them together in a new space is a magic only the expert with clinical eye can pull off. The results exceeded even my own expectations. Many designer magazines published this home and it was on designer tours many times. 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. She offers design consultations on-line 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/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Tie It Or Let It Flow | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

04 May 2016 3 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #CurtainTieBackDesign, #CurtainTieBacks, #SheerCurtains, #SilkCurtains, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns, #WindowCoverings, #WindowTreatments

What is home decorating? Most people would think of furniture, accessories and colors. In my world, decorating is much more than that. Decorating is creating a vision, a personal style. It is about layering textures, dimension and asymmetric lines. Decorating is also about knowing how to relate to the environment outside the door. Train your eyes to see your surroundings, look at the color in the nature, accent what is out there and bring that beauty in a mixed bag inside the home. The view outside the windows most likely will affect a few choices for your interior décor. That was my intention when I chose this curtain with chiffon roses for this sliding door. I wanted the beautiful outdoor setting to come inside this bedroom. (Click on this photo to view it larger).

Window treatments are not called window coverings any more, because they are not made exclusively to cover, but to reveal the environment. Window treatments can block the sun and can block the light when you need more sleep; they can give you privacy and can also provide more insulation to save energy, but mostly are designed to create magical atmospheres. They are supposed to add fantasy, beauty and whimsy to your interior.

My inspiration for window treatments comes from anywhere. I like to create transparencies and games of textures with fabrics and experimenting with unusual solutions. I am not afraid to decorate a window with lot of sheer fabrics of different colors touching a heavily distressed wall, or to have silks in industrial looking rooms. A traditional room can very well host a modern style window treatment for a dynamic atmosphere.

Did you know that the fashion industry is the first to dictates new trends in home décor, as well as in cars designs and everything else that involves our life? Home transparencies came about when a few years ago, fashion designers invented the lingerie effect in clothing, using soft layers over soft textures to create dimensions. Window treatments, which carry the same concept of layering fabrics, layering colors and textures also makes a personalized home. Do you want to leave your window treatments loose to allow your curtains to flow freely in the soft breeze when you leave the windows open or do you want to tie them back as usual? If you choose to tie them back choices are numerous.

itsy-bits-and-pieces.blogspot – LargeFlower

t-echoblogspot

Indulgy.com – Corset tieback

Urban Outfitter

http://picmia.com/ Beads

Horchow Napoleonic Bees

Urban Outfitter

(photos via Pinterest – Credits given to the respective owners)

Style is the ability to combine ensembles of ideas in a such a way that people perceive it as creative and original. In decorating a home you must experiment with your emotions and create your own vision. People might call you extravagant and eccentric, so what?! It would be better than being banal, normal and have a common place to return to. 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. Featured on Vogue Italia magazine, Gentry and many prominent magazines in California, appeared on RAI, National Italian T.V., my stories continues. Find copies of my three books on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Kill That Black Room | Valentina Cirasola |Interior Designer

04 Apr 2016 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #AquaColorTones, #BedroomDecorating, #BedroomFurniture, #FeminineBedroom, #SoftBedroomColors, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns

I never stumble in a woman’s bedroom made of total black. It has been a surprise to see the entire bedroom set in a shiny black lacquer with shiny metal details and black heavy window covers as a woman’s bedroom. Perhaps at one point there was a man living there, I don’t know, someone who likes the dark side of the color spectrum. A masculine room such as I described is easy to find in a single man’s home but not in a single woman’s home. She is attached to the black bedroom set and doesn’t want to change it. An expert designer will dance around the obstacles to find the solution and I did. (Click on each photo to view it larger).

Let’s start bringing in the room the foliage and greenery of the outside through natural grass window covers. This type of window treatment allows you to see out but nobody can see in, even with the lights on. In her case, birds are the only eyes.

Closet in the room didn’t exist and since part of the house is in the remodeling mode, I envisioned sliding closet doors with frosted aqua colored glass. The glass in itself brings a lot of luminosity and reflects the natural light coming from the windows directly across the wall closet. The frosted glass color inspired me to change all her bedding and accessories from grey and putty colors to the same calming aqua colors in various tones, not only for her spirit, but also to calm all that heaviness of the black furniture in the room.

An alcove in the room will be dressed up with a Chinoiserie view wallpaper to echo the nature outside, with a distressed banquette built to fit the alcove space, embellished with silk throw pillows. My second proposed solution was a very large flowers wallpaper. Either way, this will be a place where she can sit to read a book, sip a tea or meditate. I want this area to be very feminine and cozy just for her, using colors suiting for meditation and spiritual moments she has as a daily routine. The atmosphere of the room will change and the energy will be 100% positive. As you see everything is possible.

(Wall Mural https://www.wayfair.com/decor-pillows/sb2/pink-wall-murals-wallpaper-c1861000-a85974~302490-a85979~435026.html)

Look around and extrapolate the details of nature you can bring to the décor, or details of your life.
Make a list of activities you do in the bedroom and find the element of décor to dedicate to those activities.
If you must use existing items, find the colors which will bring those items to life or obscure them. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

It’s my hope that through my writing and my stories I am enriching your aesthetic sensibility towards design, style and inspiring you to live in beauty. I have loved my profession as an interior-fashion designer since 1990. I am here ready to offer consultations on-line if you need. Check out my latest book on colors ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors, available on
Amazon: http://goo.gl/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Saint Patrick’s Day And The Interesting Green | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

17 Mar 2016 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #ColorGreen, #DecoratingWithGreen, #HomeDecorating, #HomeFashion, #HowToCombineGreen, #SpringColors, #StPatrickDay, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns

Here we are already approaching Saint Patrick’s Day!
Saint Patrick, in Latin Patricius, is the patron saint of Ireland. It is traditionally celebrated as a religious event in Ireland, America, Canada and Australia by Irish and non-Irish alike.
Up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, the Irish government began a national campaign to use St. Patrick’s Day as an opportunity to drive tourism and showcase Ireland to the rest of the world.

A note of history: At age fourteen Patrick was captured from Britain by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Ireland, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning to his family. After entering the Church, he returned to Ireland as an ordained bishop. One traditional icon of Saint Patrick’s day is the shamrock. An Irish tale tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. Shamrock represents the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit existing as separate elements of the same entity.
Today, people of all background celebrate the day with parades, wearing something green, drinking beer and eating traditional Irish food. Tradition says that people who don’t wear green will be “pinched”…. in an affectionate way.

One reason St. Patrick’s Day might have become so popular is that it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring. Spring is time to renew, refresh and upgrade any space in the home.

I love surrounding myself with bold colors, but not everybody thinks that way. Calm, no need to paint an entire room in bold colors to brighten it up. Use bold and colorful accessories such as rugs, throw pillows, and window treatments to add punch to a room painted in a neutral shade. This way, bold colors can be contained in small areas, making it easy to change or eliminate if later you decide to go with something else, or go with the change of seasons.

Using a bold color in a small room, will add a feeling of coziness. Some people think it will shrink the room, I think it is only how you perceive your space and how you intend to make it work for you. With a bold color in a small room, it is a must to use a spectacular light effect to avoid that shrinking feeling.

Depending on the mood you like to create, green combines well with purple and grey for a modern high tech hipster décor. Soft pink and green tones if you want to create a feminine environment, or yellow and golds if you like your home to have a summer feel all year round. Use cool green and turquoise hues for tranquility.

(Source: Color Palettes)

If you want to use a darker color in any size room, consider painting one accent wall in that color, then paint the remaining walls with a lighter tone of the same shade, or with a different neutral color to set off the bold color.
In the kitchen get creative with your backsplash in contrasting colors. Using a contrasting grout draws attention to the tile. In this example, a light-color grout lets the round green tiles pop.
(photo below: BH&G)

In home décor all the different elements can co-exist in the same space to create rhythm and a dynamic space. Green often is the right color to repaint a repurposed piece of furniture that can be used for beauty and functionality.

I am always available to resolve any design challenges and yes, I am the colorist who brings happiness in any décor. Ciao,
Valentina
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/xUZfk0
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Monochromatic Appeal | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

20 Jan 2016 2 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #DecoratingTips, #DesigningWithColors, #DesigningWithMonochromaticColors, #HomeRemodeling, #MonochromaticWhiteInteriors, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns

Working with a monochromatic color scheme seems easy for those who know how to do it. In decorating with one color only it is important not to keep it boring, to put the accent on details and to play with light effects in a large way.
The house showing in my photos dates 1987.

Entry Gallery After

Living Room Bar Before

Living Room Bar After

The interior of every room was made entirely out of oak wood inside and out, wall panels, windows and shutters, floor, kitchen and bath cabinets, interior doors and beams. It was a very dingy, dark and not practical home for today’s needs. The only firm demand was to turn it into a very bright, airy, contemporary and functional home. The Clients liked subtle colors such as golden beige and were open to other color suggestions as long as they were not bold. After studying various tints and tones of subtle colors, this was the last scheme chosen. Clients envisioned a very white home, but this color scheme for the interiors and exteriors really got them excited.

All the walls in every room, including kitchen and baths cabinets have been faux finished with an elegant metallic effect that is only noticeable by getting closer to the walls.

Living Room Before

Living Room After

Kitchen Before

Kitchen After

Inside Kitchen Before

Inside Kitchen After

Master Bath After

Earlier, I talked about putting the accent on details when working with monochromatic colors. The existing beams overhead were overwhelming and felt like a heavy lid. I put LED lights inside of them and the ceiling came alive when illuminated at night or grey days. Each pillar of this home had a brass band at the bottom. I left it there and with the new cream color those bands created an elegant accent. It looks done on purpose to break the verticality of the pillars.

Getting rid of all the oak obstacles and details, making each space open and livable was a real pleasure for the clients and me.
What really made this large space was the floor. I selected a large planks chestnut hardwood floor to run continuously all over the house. The very dark brown of the floor grounded the décor and helped this 10,000 square feet home covered in cream colors not to look aloof and floating in the air.

Dark wood furniture mixed with a few satin metals, glass tables, and a few antique pieces satisfied the needs of both husband and wife in different age group. They said “Now we can breathe! ”. The intercommunication system between rooms was a necessity.

As you can see there is no need to live in dull colors, even mortally boring beige can be attractive, sophisticated and exclusive. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

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

The Animal In A Pool Of White | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

14 Jan 2016 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #AnimalPrint, #AnimalPrintAccessories, #AnimalPrintFurniture, #MonochromaticWhiteInteriors, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns, #WhiteInteriors

Fashionable white interiors look clean, spacious, larger, pristine and they seem to give out more light than any other colors. Many people I know love to live in contemporary white, flat, no depth, or in shabby chic white where a bit of antique patina is playful. However beautiful in some people’s eye, white is a tiring color. Our eyes to feel comfortable need to find a resting point on shadows and colors, otherwise will wander aimlessly.

(Photo: Oscar de la Renta Collection Leopard bombé chest of drawers)

I am not particularly fond of a white interior, it doesn’t speak nor does appeal to me. I am realizing that my clients who have lived for long time in a white walls house with white or beige furniture are calling to change their colors. White is bright and creates no interesting games, that’s why is tiring and after a while people hoped to have used colors from the start. Nowadays to help patients heal faster in a cheerful environment even hospitals paint colors on the walls and nurses wear colorful uniforms.

A monochromatic white colored interior works well if it can be broken with textured walls, or contrasting accent walls, colorful art and interesting fireplaces, geometric mirrors with different frames and various warm metals, a well-designed hardwood floor or even all these items together.

Found on: matt.ahomestools.com

Guild Master

Happywall.com

Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets

(All photos credits given to the respective owners)

I love the rhythm that animal prints create. If you like all white walls with white furniture and don’t want to change anything, at least introduce colorful and lively animal prints in a few accessories such as lamps, pillows, a throw cover, a carpet especially on stairs or a stand alone dresser, maybe some candles or dinner plates. I am not saying to cover your home in animal prints, do it with taste, sparingly, add some greenery, some live plants in corners, then all will appear chic and more cheerful.

Once you get into colors, it’s hard to get out. Colors are contagious for your happiness.
If in doubt on the color to choose, please contact me, I can arrange an interesting palette of colors for your personality. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Setting Stage For Thanksgiving | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

11 Nov 2015 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #NaturalMaterialCenterPiece, #NaturalTableSetMaterial, #ThanksgivingColors, #ThanksgivingStage, #ThanksgivingTable, #ThanksgivingTableSetting, #ValentinaInteriorsDesigns

I have been thinking of a new style table setting for my Thanksgiving dinner. Last year it was Bohemian, two years ago it was all about nature, this year the décor of my table is still in roaming in my thoughts and I better hurry.

Flemish and Dutch paintings, lithograph and prints of course, are under scrutiny at this time for a project I am doing, people want their home to look properly attired for the holidays and I feel inclined to reproduce one of those food still life on my table.
The question is only one. This kind of setting almost requires a formal dining with crisp tablecloths, well polished silverware, sparkled crystals, a menu suitable for all needs and impeccably prepared by a personal chef, all the guests selected carefully to be congenial with one another and the house in order with elegant decorations.

I can see myself stepping in a 1500s dinner set, but most of my Californian friends would rather eat informally, roaming in my kitchen while different dishes are being prepared, pouring glasses of wine to each other and some of them would feel even more adventurous and will want to help out with the preparation of the food. Among all the Flemish paintings I have seen, I am considering reproducing one of these as my table settings, fruit in the bowl is simple and easy to do.

(Painting – Flemish Splendor – Carol Lee Thompson)

(Jacob van Hulsdonck – Flemish Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Pomegranate)

I am attracted also to natural materials, acorn, colorful corn, pomegranate, persimmons, fruit and sprig of autumn spices.

AEGEAN HURRICANES – Pottery Barns

I can take it even further and use some driftwood with natural plant inserts and plants in glass baubles,

(Valentina Cirasola’s photos above)

although the animal print tablecloth is very tempting…….

(High Street Market)

Which is it going to be? In two weeks you will soon find out. Meanwhile, have you thought of how you are going to set the stage for your Thanksgiving? Create a story first, then build on it. Surprise yourself with originality! Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

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
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