Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Oh, the (Art Deco) Drama!

Because this week is all about the gloomy weather and "The Dark Knight", let's be...well, dark for a change.  Came upon these photos of a renovated residence from The Contemporist.  And so I present to you...


Art deco-inspired modernism....OH MY GOODNESS.  I faint! 


Architecture & interiors by MIM Design.  


For some reason, the shutters all around the house give it an island feel.  
Well ok, a swanky island feel. Haha.  




  

The longer I look at the photos, the details unfold one by one before my eyes:

Those geometric deco grills...
the unbelievable wall-to-wall onyx stone...
the sexy linear & straightforward shapes...
the chrome on black on magenta on acid blue and gold!!!

And don't get me started on that brass & lacquered table by the tub.  (Yes, by the freakin' BATHTUB!!!) I would give my iPhone, all 64GB of it, in exchange for that table.  Not kidding.

And then there's the boldness of this chair that throws the viewer's eyes off...and THAT my friends is the surprise modern twist to this concept. Or the joke? It's brilliant when designers inject a little humor into their spaces.  

Or maybe I like it because I had to buy a coat & hat stand yesterday for a retail store I'm doing, and this chair could have been intended by the designer to be one.  

Forgive my rantings.  Finally, I think those brazen"bleeding" colors are the perfect complement to all that solid black. WOW. 


This is an impossible dream kitchen where nobody cooks or eats anything...but to me its an aspirational space nonetheless.  I would love to have the discipline to maintain a space like this.     

 *Spotted: check out that unlikely (but ingenious) design idea by the sink.  A mirrored splashboard!


I think I will dream about that "opera house" shade of blue for the next 3 nights.  
Luscious! Dramatic! Intense!


Bravo Modern ART DECO!



Saturday, July 14, 2012

Happy Birthday C-by-the-Sea!

My blog is officially 1-year-old today! 




My first entry dates back to July 14, 2011 titled "Hello!" and I remember being awkward about starting a blog. I was a total techno-phobe and I didn't even own a smart phone or an external hard drive.  But I was reading and getting a lot of inspiration from several design blogs at that time and felt the urge to share images & stories myself: from random work stuff to dream beach houses and surf trips with my friends.  Happy, joyous things.





All of which comprise my (what I would like to unabashedly call blessed) life in the Philippines.

I couldn't think of a good enough name for a "blog" or a "visual journal" and I thought about it real hard, like maybe for 10 minutes (haha).  You could find out how I came up with "Chandelier-by-the-Sea" name HERE.

For the past 365 days,  Chandelier-by-the-Sea has been a wonderful venue for sharing the joys of being an interior designer inspired by the evolving and exciting design scene, the ocean & surf life, and most especially other creative people.

Thank you to all who have read, appreciated, and followed the blog.



(a little C-by-the-Sea trivia:  I write this now while I am in Siargao Island, my favorite place on earth.  The first photo I ever posted on the blog, shot by my cousin Charlie Gomez, is the same exact spot I am looking at in this picture.  See reflection on my aviators.)

Just those random moments of serendipity.

CHEERS!







Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Beach House 10: Nantucket Style

Been a while since my last Beach House post.  Well,  for a change, I'll post something different from my usual modern, form-follows-function, glass + concrete + wooden deck ocean homes.


Here's the usual white-washed clapboard walls, bleached wood furniture, aqua & lemon yellow accents, and driftwood pieces all thrown together for a super duper COZY-LICIOUS HOME!!!  



Admit it,  you can't NOT desire to snuggle and huddle under the covers right there.  


How creative is that fridge handle?!? A driftwood piece!


(I love those metal "shell" handles.  Reminds me of old government office desks...it's the same exact style I chose for my own closet at home.  I got them on sale at Ito Kish's store, in antique brass finish. See below.)

This is my bikini drawer at home. 
 Sorry, this is the only photo I could find of my drawer handles. 



This room is screaming for a slumber party 





Which came first, the ladder or the cabinet? 
It's too much of a damn perfect fit!


Nice hinges.  

*Architecture by Luke Thornewill
Photos from Country Living Magazine.



Now let's throw in some ensembles that I think 
will look good with this home...
#citygirlinthecountry









*all 6 photos above are from Habitually Chic


And my current favorite summer photo: 

the lovely & inspiring Garance Dore 
as shot by The Sartorialist


I may not be half as talented as Garance, but I DO have a white bicycle too, given to me by my Uncle Rene as a birthday gift.  I dare say, Garance & I have something in common. HA! 


 I bet she can't eat ice cream & ride a bike at the same time.  :-)
*photos by Charlie Gomez



Have a nice mid-week day! 

Saturday, July 07, 2012

A Siargao Instagram Story


This is a visual story of my stay in Siargao from May 18-23.  
I went alone praying for good surf, good weather, good food, good friends to hang out with

I prayed for a perfect day and I got it everyday.  










Life is so good and I'm so thankful for my little piece of heaven on earth. 

Not many words needed, for the photos are enough to share with you the joys of island life. 







I also attended the lovely wedding of a surf couple I've known for years. 
It was a perfect day to get married.  



(not an Instagram)









On the afternoons we were waiting for the high tide to come, 
we would play on the tight rope by the ocean. 











The beautiful kids of Siargao (some of which are my godchildren)...all so grown up and adorable!


















 








I surfed everyday, twice a day.  Out of the water, friends old & new kept me company.  There was plenty of time in between to do whatever else I wanted to do, and yet 5 days was not enough.  Soon the day came when I had to go back to Manila  



Up to the last hour of the day, every moment in Siargao was lovely. 



***END***