Jacques Garcia for Baker

In love with the new furniture line of Jacques Garcia for Baker Furniture.

Simple lines, luxe materials, sexy looks.

I want that St. James sofa so bad.

It's could be the lovechild of Marie Antoinette and Lenny Kravitz.

Inspired

Pardon the lack of posts, for I have been traveling and went to Paris for business and holiday.  My discoveries at the Maison et Objet Furniture fair were posted last week at Grupo Santamaria -- the  website of my design firm that has a blog feature as well. Just to clear things up, that blog will be the venue for sharing work-related design experiences with you, such as the business trips to lovely cities.  Although I'm sure you'll understand how the lines of work and pleasure are sometimes blurred as I try to live and breathe design...

Chandelier-by-the-Sea, on the other hand, was originally meant to chronicle my weekend and holiday life by the ocean, as I and my friends surf and soak up the sun, smiles, and good vibes that come with a life dancing with waves.  Along with a bunch of random experiences outside the office that leave me...well, inspired.   

I will try to post here more often now that I'm back in Manila and surf season is in full swing.  

Meanwhile, I leave you with my room inspiration for the week: a bedroom in Almunecar, Granada, designed by Susanna Cots.  

Clean, minimal, yet cozy.  

This definitely goes up on my future beach house mood board.  

Hey Sexy

This Vita side table from Uncontrollable Urge

Rare marble base with folded anodised aluminum top.  OMG.

I love simple forms used ingeniously! 

This table is so elegant in its simplicity it hurts to look at it.  

Bring sexy back into your home. 

My Week in 10 Photos

T'was a busy but pleasant week for me and Grupo Santamaria.

Sharing with you some snapshots of the past few days, in random order:

we worked on 2 client presentations

always thinking about my trip to Paris in September

can't wait to do these walking tours when I get there

The UP Architectural Students Association of the Philippines 

did a tour of Grupo Santamaria for their "firm-hopping" activity.  

Although I still can't get over how 20-25 people fit in my office, we had FUN! 

To be blogged soon at Grupo Santamaria.

Was visited by these 2 dear friends...bringing heaps of good news with them!

*wink*wink*

Did some shopping for a returning Client...

...and for me!

(haha! Brought home this new frock from the Zara sale. 

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do)

attended a Production Design talk by Leeroy New

visited a new job site in Alabang

(I can imagine the new house rising---a very good lot, with eucalyptus trees on one side) 

Meet Boulette (French for Meatball). 

I had to dog-sit for my friend Apol from La Pomme, now I don't want to return her anymore.

And the furniture-hunting continues.  

Work goes on, til next week, friends. 

:-) 

Poolside Guest House

If you had an extra 30 or 40 square meters and could build a guest house on it, how would it look like?

I love everything about this place! Note: I wouldn't necessarily say this is how I want my own home to look like, it's a bit too frilly for me.  BUT I think it is perfect for a guest house by the pool (if you have one), or a farm house or weekend getaway on a tiny lot far away.  What I like best about this home is the very smart space layout where the kitchen and the charming little dining area is across each other.  You can see the space is small but you won't really mind it.

Kudos to Tillman Long Interiors, an interior design company based in Atlanta, for this gem of a guest house.

Tali Beach Weekend

A month ago, I visited Tali Beach for the first time.  It was a pretty chill weekend with my mom, her friends and their kids: we went swimming, sound tripping, and gorged on delicious home cooked Pinoy meals. 

View from the house.

It was the height of summer so the bougainvilleas and fire trees were still in full bloom.

La Casa Blanca

(they have really nice cabanas for rent here if anyone's interested)

the yellow-bells looked sooooo happy! It was like sunshine in petal form

I couldn't help burying myself in it.

Our Filipino breakfast of boneless tinapa, daing, fried rice, 

corned beef, hotdogs, and pineapple for dessert.

Off to the beach...with a book, of course.

Here with the "Northwest" kids (and I mean kids as in high school and college ages, haha!)  

They are kids of my mom's friends from her Northwest Airline days.

She worked for NWA for almost 20 years.

 At night all is quiet and only the crickets (and a guitar) keep you company.

But in the morning, sunshine returns and ever-so-brightly.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Beach House Blues

This is my beach house inspiration for the week.

A lovely Sag Harbor, Hamptons home by Willey Design who says, 

"Life is too short for an all-beige room". 

I love that the dining, kitchen, and living room all flow into one big space.

The choice of lighting fixtures & the mix of blues & aquas are also superb.  

Two thumbs up!