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
Mixmaster: Rooms à la Isabelle Huppert
Isabelle Huppert proves to be a mixmaster of combinating contrasting elements to spectacular effect creating her noteworthy appearance. Isabelle Huppert's appearance at the recent Academy Awards reminded me of a few of my favorite rooms. Online opinions of her outfit...
Color your world
Skillful use of bold color in one's home, irrespective of style, can create a dazzling atmosphere that lingers in one's memory. A friend visited San Miguel de Allende over Christmas and came back questioning her home's lack of color. Mexicans are fearless with color;...
Making México beautiful: Flores Cosmos
Flores Cosmos creates flower arrangements that are beautifully Mexican in the best way - dramatic, unexpected, and even a bit strange. While researching Carla Fernández for my previous post, I made a fascinating discovery. Alberto Arango and Ramiro Guerrero live and...
Carla Fernández: Mexican style star
Carla Fernández exudes style in her fashion line as well as in her home; both are simultaneously traditional, progressive, and 100% Mexican. The name, Carla Fernández, keeps popping up lately. First, my friend living in México suggested that I research the house of...
Two girls ( two women entrepreneurs) in a tea house
Two local girls are making Winter Park (and beyond) a more beautiful place. Being my own Santa means I get a lot of books for Christmas. One book that I gave myself this year was In the Company of Women which has women entrepreneurs on my mind. Recently, I ran into...
Jean Cocteau: Man of style
Jean Cocteau is the source for much of my new year's inspiration because of his personal style exhibited in his original timeless home in Milly-la-Forêt. While thinking about my latest inspirations, I realized they largely came from Jean Cocteau. His...
Palaces on postage stamps
The proportion of a house to the lot is the first place to start when designing a beautiful new home. My neighborhood was one of the last to be spared from the current barrage of new homebuilding. What many love about the neighborhood is that it is quiet, hidden away,...
Old Souls
Old houses have an allure with their soulful interiors hinting at the past inhabitants that lived happy, sad, and the days in-between within their walls. Like many places, my town is undergoing great changes. Winter Park is experiencing a building boom at the moment....
The eccentric living room has a balcony
A living room balcony creates a bohemian feel to one's home reminding of exotic locations such as California or México. I love a living room balcony. A recent visit to the Polasek museum here in Winter Park reminded me of this seldom seen yet lovely oddity. There is...
Private home: Son Marroig, Mallorca
Son Marroig showcases elements that are a personal favorite such as white walls, dark wood, formal furniture mixed with casual natural textures such as rush, cotton fabrics, dried flowers, and woven baskets. While driving along the western coast of Mallorca we...
Spanish Gem : Trasierra
Trasierra provides a low-key yet luxurious experience through its quiet country setting and non-affected style. Ever since seeing a spread in Vogue magazine many years ago I have longed to visit Trasierra, the sprawling white country estate set in the south of Spain....
Wish granted: Mallorca
Mallorca provides much design inspiration through its charming stone homes, rustic beauty, simple fabrics, and casual style. Summer was over weeks ago, as it is early October, but for me it lasted longer this year. Back to school signals the end to lazy days and a...
Outside The 404-Nashville experiences
A weekend in Nashville is a sensory experience with days full of creative mouthwatering food and nights full of sultry romantic music. As much as we loved our hotel, The 404, we had to get out and explore the city. Our first Nashville experience was a good one -...
The City Beautiful
Orlando is vehemently rejecting being known as the location of the worst mass-shooting in American history by celebrating what is wonderful here and proving that it is the city beautiful. Life here is pretty spectacular. I say all the time how lucky I am to live in...
The 404
The 404 packs a lot of style into a tiny space right in the middle of the Nashville fun. It is that time again...looking around for another college for another child. I love it when they are interested in a college in a fun location with great sights to see and...