Ribbon Ring

And speaking of coffee, isn't this image just lovely?  

That ring...just the most delicate and pretty thing to look at before I head off to two construction sites today and wallow in dirt & grime! 

The ribbon ring and the morning room.  Something to carry in my head the whole day.  :-) 

image from pinkbow

Morning Room

Interior Design by Andra Birkerts

One of those rooms I would wish to wake up in.  

The only thing lacking is a cup of coffee and a telescope. 

Good morning!

More Whites

More whites on my mind.  This all started weeks ago when I was asked to design a bridal lounge & I went all out French neo-classic with a twist of Hollywood retro (friends, think Barbara Barry gone Scandinavian), thus igniting in me a thirst for all things white & metallic...and a (well, temporary) distaste for all things bright & colorful.  

I dug DEEP into my files to share with you more of my fave white images.  The first one is the most persistent one. This was my peg for the bridal lounge I am currently designing for a friend.  

That mirror designed with Hermes saddle straps...it is just too elegant.
Adnet Collection by Jacques Adnet

volumes of Vogue in a Hollywood home, from Habitually Chic.   

My future kitchen would definitely be white.  

heavenly whites, brass tray cart as side table

all 4 photos above from Rue Magazine

Hotel Acuzar in Mexico,  as shared by
From the Right Bank

White has also been on my friend NdP's mind a couple of months back.  Check out Color Obsession: White  It's such a classic look, a classic color (or non-color, if you want to be technical), and my eye is always looking & welcoming it nowadays.  Awesome when paired with gold...

like gold trim on white porcelain 

like golden skin. A VERY young Kate Moss 

or when paired with natural wood
(the flower girls' dresses at her wedding last year)

or, like when paired with bamboo

Art Deco dresses by Jasper

gold speckles deliciously & perfectly spattered on dirty white...
another hypnotic work of art by Nena Saguil

*Notice how Nena Saguil's paintings pop up in almost every other entry in this blog? I don't think I'll ever tire of going back to her work for inspiration.  And this is exactly what C-by-the-Sea is for me, a journal of inspiration to go back to anytime. :-)  (and you are very much welcome to share it with me)

 I've always dreamed of a white office-- like the late, great Yves Saint Laurent's.

and the most famous "white" office ever--
Anna Wintour's.

I guess I'm not the only one who likes fresh roses in the office.

and more roses...from my friend Mikko's wedding back in 2009.

Which white do you like best? 

I think it's just irresistible the way nature made it...whether hot or cold, sand or snow.  

See below. 

"The game of kings is the king of games"---or something like that.  Polo in the snow, from Nowness

 a photo I took at Palawan Island, Philippines, 2006.
Yes, it is the BEST & WHITEST sand I've ever set foot on.
Or ever laid my eyes on.
(no photoshop here, friends)




All that incredible, blinding white.  What a sight.  Goodnight!

My Chinese New Year

So how did you spend Chinese New Year's?  Mine was better than any firecracker or dragon show--it was spent at sea surfing, in bed eating french toast & bananas, by the boardwalk making blueberry pancakes (w/c turned green, by the way), and road-trippin' w/ my cousin Charlie.

nutellas & bananas

impromptu breakfast-buffet-in-bed

We had coffee at a violin school in the middle of a mango orchard where I had a nice chat with a local film maker, who was showing his documentary to the local women.  

Hogwarts is real

this school was awesome. It shall be blogged soon. 

We also met & hung out with a vacationing 8-time Muay Thai World Champion who also wharfed down all my green pancakes, which I took as an honor & a compliment!

yesterday's images to share 1 last time before bedtime...

landscape seascape butt-scape

pistachio rock, coral nails

lazy daizy under the tree
photo by Kage Gozun

every minute is an hour

and oh, I saw a heart-shaped birthday lantern flutter off to the sky

...I'd say, not bad for the 1st long weekend of the year.

Kung hei fat choi! :-)

***photos from Charlie Gomez & the Circle Hostel***

London Dreaming

My design & travel inspiration for the week: the newly renovated Stafford Hotel in London, revealed to the public towards the end of 2011.  I saw it today at Discovery Channel's "Passport to Europe", then fell in love with the interiors.  Immediately googled it and adored each & every room.

Very classy, very warm & elegant, very English! I don't know how it looked like before, but hotel websites are raving about it.  I find it incredible how the rooms have slightly varied looks but they all imprint the same comfy & elegant theme of the hotel to the client.

I spent a good hour daydreaming about how I'd spend my hours here when I do get to go 1 day.

The Stafford Hotel, London

the back courtyard in winter

Oh, to sit by that fire with a good book & a cup of tea.

sidenote: I love that the center table is high and not the usual coffee-table height.  We did something like this for a residential project in Cagayan de Oro back in 2007, see here:

2/F Family Room, CDO Residence, 2007.
Grupo Santamaria Interior Design

Residence in Cagayan de Oro, 2007.
Grupo Santamaria Interior Design

Ok sorry allow me to indulge in that little pleasant flashback.  It was a great project, that one. My first time in Cagayan de Oro--- client was trusting, easy to deal with, and gave us absolute free reign on what to do with their house.   Since the theme was very English mansion (but w/ a touch of the tropics), I went ballistic on the Ethan Allen & the Old Asia pieces.  I also tapped the best Filipino furniture manufacturers who exported to Europe--- from Pampanga to Cebu to Manila.

My favorite part was choosing & designing the curtains--- Austrian shades, remote control blinds for the stairs, yards upon yards of soft, beautiful, luxurious fabric!  Remember, this was the glory days of Zen design in the Philippines and the start of "Modern Asian".  I was so sick of it back then.  This project landing on my lap was the perfect balancer.  It was just awesome.

I really wish I could go back and have it photographed professionally, but they are very private about their properties and I have to respect that.

Oh well, back to my London fantasy...

one of the restaurant lounges at The Stafford

I would like to do sit by this table & have my tea, cakes & sconces, please.  

Oh and the bedrooms, omygoodness.

I'd love to go home here.

the lamps, the wallpaper...

the pleated shades, the cornice...

Imagine touring London the whole day, wowed by its sights & sounds, and coming home to a bedroom like this? Beats any modern "cookie-cutter" hotel room, right?  The light-gray paneled walls, veneer furniture, flat weave rug...oh my. I sigh a dozen times!

And while fantasizing, I can't not include the details. 

OF COURSE I already planned what to wear... haha!

Burberry PRORSUM Spring 2012

 And of course for that one tiny, final touch...

Valentino Gloves. It's either this or DVF's.
From Vogue Glove Guide

and that one, final image in my head...

yup, my fave scene in 101 Dalmatians

It's not because I just watched Sherlock Holmes a few nights ago, nor was it the King's Speech on HBO last night.   Dreams of London (and Paris, but that's another story) have been on my mind since I was 14 when my mom brought me to Europe.   There is something about London...I hope to visit it very soon.

Enjoy the 1st long weekend of the year!