Keeping it Realtor

All white, minimal and fabulous.

 I like to think that I'd live a clutter free life if I lived by the sea.  The main attraction would be the view so furniture and decoration would be minimal.   I find minimal difficult  to maintain though.  I know it should be really easy but  I don't know if I can stop myself from buying stuff. The husband gets concerned when I redecorate and a box of ornaments end up in the loft only to reappear because I miss them.  I maybe should practice living in a minimal, white, boutique style environment where the view is everything. 

Now if I was going to practice living in that kind of environment then here's the very place I'd do it.  Have a look at this fabulous boutique hotel on the Amalfi coast.,southern Italy.  Isn't the Casa Angelina just beautiful?  White inside and outside.  I love it.   

 

White exterior

 

The view.

 

The lounge.

 

One of the bedrooms.

 

One of the bathtrooms.

   

Dining at Casa Angelina,  all white, view and glass ornament!  Bliss!  

 

Beach Picture

To live by the sea must be wonderful with the window framing an ever changing view.  Colours muted one minute vivid the next.  Most people have a picture in their mind of a perfect beach  and for me it's pretty much like the one pictured here.  Silvery green grass, soft golden sand and a little pathway leading to the sea.  This infrared handcoloured photograph is one of a limited edition created by Elizabeth Holmes.  It's entitled "Going To The Beach" and I love it!

Boat coffee table

When I first saw this unusual boat coffee table I could picture it in a light, bright lounge with a couple of white covered sofas and a single blue and white striped chair.  I got really quite excited as I tried to imagine  these pieces of furniture in my own home and this coffee table could be the piece de resitance. It's got a glass top and real wooden oars and you can use the interior as storage,  Or.... you could display some coastal nick nacks in it. 

Then that excitement, well it  just up and went.  Is this coffee table just  too gimmicky? 

Modern Capiz Chandelier

Here's a lovely summery beach themed chandelier that's different and also a lot cheaper than the driftwood one featured yesterday. 

This square capiz chandelier looks modern and a wee bit dramatic.  The capiz shells are attached to  clear strands which are suspended from a metal frame giving the chandelier a lovely  light, airy look.  Casual yet elegant this delecate looking chandelier  would lend itself to many a scheme so don't just think of it  if you're planning a beach themed room.  It makes me think about summer, how about you?

Driftwood Chandelier

I've  been looking for beach themed accessories because I have a longing, as you may know, to live by the sea.  I don't think this is going to happen anytime soon so I though if maybe I had a couple of beach themed accessories around it would keep me happy.  Driftwood seemed to be an obvious first choice (a) because I love the unusual colours and shapes and (b) because it's cheap. Well it's practically free if you've got some time to search the beach!   I found this driftwood chandelier which is really lovely and it's a lot more delicate than a lot of driftwood chandeliers I looked at but at $2,596,00 it's not cheap.  Memo to self; driftwood's not cheap!   I'm going to have to go and walk some beaches and try and find some driftwood and maybe use it as a table centrepiece or dress up a mantle or coffee table with it.  Having said that although this metal and driftwood chandelier  is expensive it really is beautiful and I love the shape.  

Garden sofa for all weathers.

When the good weather returns, (I pray for this event daily)  this is what I'd like to relax on after I've had that wasp free outdoor meal. 

This garden sofa looks so comfortable, and even if it does start to rain you don't need to get stressed because it's designed to resist all weather conditions. 

Yes, that's  ALL weather conditions!  Garden sofa designed with Scotland in mind then! 

I'll be able to admire it all summer from my conservatory,  because the chances of me lounging in it are getting slimmer by the day!  Maybe July 2010 will be dry! 

Red Porcelain Stool by Philippe Starck; it's got a face.

This week I've really tried to keep things all about summer and sunshine and the great outdoor lifestyle but it's been hard because it's rained every single day.  Yes, that's right, every        single          day!   It's been  relentless rain with a grey sky that you feel like you could reach up an touch.  Trust me if I could touch that sky I surely would grab it,  roll it in a ball and throw it in the bin.  Anyway because of that I want you to see this red porcelain  stool designed by Philippe Starck. Its  cheerful colour may just blow away those grey clouds, its sombre face on the other hand......   Anyway , it's a stool with a face and you can get it in other colours.  You can also get a miniature.  I'm thinking I'll get it in gold, name it Oscar and award it to myself for suffering this crap summer! 

Waspinator to help you enjoy outdoor meals in peace.

Because it's been wall to wall rain here we haven't eaten out of doors this year at all.  On the one hand I'm annoyed about that because I really like having a long leisurely dinner outdoors but on the other hand there's the wasp menace.  Every year any outdoor meal that we've managed to have has been ruined by wasps.  I've thought about buying a canvas gazebo with netting sides but that kind of spoils the alfresco feeling.  Also we don't want any harm to come to the wasps, or to trap them, we just don't want them buzzing around the food.  However I've found this Waspinator which is practically guaranteed to keep those pesky wasps at least 36 feet away from you.  It's easy to use, portable, durable, ecologically friendly, and maintenance free.  It's not pretty though but who cares as long as it creates a wasp free zone whilst I'm having dinner.  Bring on the sunshine.   

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Coat Rack or Wall Art, you decide.

This is not only a coat rack it's a piece of wall art don't you think? 

 I love the idea that this powder coated steel coat rack, which looks like a ribbon thrown against a wall, has an unexpected practical use   

 This is seriously nice and I love the free form design which means that no two coat racks are the same.  Think how surprised your friends will be when you hang their jacket or scarf on your wall art!

Something to throw the barbie on!

Disposable barbecues have been around for a while now and they're so handy to throw in the car when you're going on a picnic.  Well, if you're planning a barbecue anytime soon here's something that will make cooking on that disposable barbecue a whole lot easier.  It's a disposable barbecue stand and I don't know why it's taken so long for somebody to come up with this great idea.                                                                                                                                                    Also,  if you're taking the stylish barbecue stand with you on that picnic you might want take this great   picnic wine bottle holder too. 

It'll stop the wine bottle from falling over. 

 You are taking wine aren't you? 

Thought so.