Musings
Explore the various topics which serve as inspiration in creating interiors that are timeless yet memorable. There is a world of beauty to educate and encourage new design shaping Casa V’s work. Spanish architecture, Old Florida, Luis Barragán, Casa del Herrero, fashion, flowers, and hotel design are some of the many subjects explored on this page.
“Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
El Retiro
El Retiro, now known as Pinewood Estate, provides a window to a time when detailed craftsmanship was a part of one's home just as strolling in one's garden was a regular pastime. In the unlikely location of Lake Whales, Florida lies the most beautiful house from...
What’s the Deal with Lampshades?
Those who dare to step away from the ordinary can add zest to a room with the use of over scaled lamps or unexpected shade styles. Placing enormous lamps in a room shakes things up immediately. The room above, in Barcelona's The Cotton Hotel, would still be elegant...
Artistic Authority
Many accomplished artists live a disciplined life full of routine liberating their minds to focus on creative pursuits. Artists are free spirits and create when inspiration strikes, or so I used to think. Most artists that I know or read about are by contrast very...
Life can be short so live beautifully
Living in a beautiful home provides rejuvenation from stressful pursuits and comfort from attractive personal objects that are carefully put into order. After graduating from design school, I pondered the significance of being an interior designer. At times it felt...
Unexpected color combinations trump trends
Using unexpected color combinations of cement tiles elevates this long-used material from trendy status to classic standard. Despite its current popularity, I am devoted to cement tile. The patterned versions are currently en vogue, however; the solid varieties...
Ice cream in the Bathroom
Colorful plumbing fixtures provide an extra opportunity for lovers of tint and individuality to express themselves in their private bathrooms allowing these rooms to be on equal footing as the public ones. For some time I have been longing for the return of colorful...
Houseplants bring house charm
Houseplants add informality, personality, freshness, and often a wonderful fragrance to the interior of a home making them a necessary addition. One of my favorite design books is An Island Sanctuary A House in Greece by John Stefanidis. The images within the book...
Celebrating nature’s magic and mystery: El Real Jardín Botánico
Visiting El Real Jardín Botánico in Madrid provides a respite from the hard surfaces of a large urban environment by immersing the guest in a sea of green and a vacuum of quiet pierced by the chirping of birds. In honor of Earth Day yesterday the feature today will...
Extraordinarily ordinary objects
The most creative designers don't miss an opportunity to transform an ordinary object into one of extraordinary style elevating everyday experiences into ones that are more pleasurable. One of the many things I love about design is making ordinary objects beautiful....
Bill Willis: Morocco made better by an American
Some of the best designers have little recorded of their work so are less known to the masses, but thankfully the book Bill Willis brings awareness to the amazing work of this talented man. Many Moroccan design books line my bookshelves. A few have featured the home...
Insta Inspiration
Instagram inspiration is endless with images of beauty made by man or made by God streaming in for constant contemplation. Since joining Instagram numerous creative individuals, houses, stores, etc. have become known to me. Below are just a few of my favorite sites to...
Are you in the mood?
Inspiration boards give a glimpse into the mind of the highly creative and provide inspiration to all who are lucky enough to view them. Creative people tend to have inspiring mood boards that sometimes provide insight to the backstory to one of their creations. Other...
Mayan in Maitland: Maitland Art Center
The Maitland Art Center brings a touch of ancient Mayan architecture to an otherwise typical Central Florida residential neighborhood. The town of Maitland is extremely lucky to have beautiful sunsets. André Smith fell in love with them abandoning his sojourn to...
New Beginning (a little late)
Beginnings are exciting as they offer the opportunity to start fresh with unlimited potential. The beginning stage of a new project is my favorite part. While coming up with the concept anything is possible, nothing has been ruled out, yet. That is my thought about a...
Kips Bay goes South
Villa Belmonte provides a glimpse of living the good life in Palm Beach with its exuberant colors, playful patterns and lavish details. Having a full work schedule is the goal, but it leaves little time for pause and inspiration. A few days ago I took a day to do just...