Rug Life

As progress on our house continues, ever slowly but ever surely, I’m turning my sights to our living room. It’s been the most neglected to date- really serving as our dumping ground while the rooms around it have taken shape. (Check out my dining room, media room and even a kitchen sneak peek in case you missed them). But I’m ok with really taking my time in the living room because eventually, it’s going to be the heart of our home. That’s why I custom designed a sofa (that’s coming any day now!), insisted on built-in shelving (which you can see here) and am being incredibly choosy about every piece of furniture I add to the space. I want to make sure I get this room right and fill it only with treasures that I truly love.

One of the biggest decisions I’ve yet to make is a rug choice. Rugs can set the tone for an entire room. While the beni ourain trend still has a vice grip on our style subconscious, I’m craving something equally timeless, but decidedly different. Here are just a few of the rug ideas I’m currently considering.

Still Moroccan, still vintage but in a noticeably different style and color. I’m loving the mix of a grid and squares in the example above. It would be a really interesting conversation piece.

I’ve talked about layering rugs before but hadn’t thought about it for my living room until now. It would make it easier since I wouldn’t have to hunt down something in the over 12′ range. It would allow more flexibility for switching up styles down the road. It would let me play with tone and texture…color me intrigued.

A flatweave with black stripes would create a striking visual and would be a fun way to mix and match print and pattern in the room.

I am leaving heavily toward a vintage option and I’m liking the darker tones of the rug in this picture. It would ground the room and give it depth.

While I tend to shy away from color, I’m into this multi-toned striped rug idea. It still feels neutral even though it includes some blush and earthy brown tones. Something like that would play well off of our light oak floors.

When mixed with an eclectic grouping of furniture a classic blue and white stripe goes from feeling nautical to feeling modern. Hmmmm.

But then I come back to a beni ourain. A good vintage one with asymmetrical, unique patterns really does feel classic. But is classic a cop out?

What would you do??

To check out my living room design inspiration, CLICK HERE

For all the updates on our renovation and the reveals to date, CLICK HERE

image sources 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7

The post Rug Life appeared first on Apartment34.

from Apartment34

Tiffany & Co. Jewellery: Lady Gaga stars in the new campaign for the Tiffany HardWear collection

The luxury jeweller and Mother Monster team up for the new Legendary Style campaign

from LUXUO

The Best Outdoor Activities on Paradise Coast, Florida

Florida is justifiably famous for its beaches and theme parks but there are so many other fantastic things to do in the region. We’re sharing some of the best outdoor activities on Paradise Coast area of Florida to inspire your wanderlust and help you get the most out of your future trips.

10,000 Island Shelling Trip

When was the last time you collected sea shells? Chances are that it was when you were a child but it’s just as much fun as an adult. We took a 10,000 Island Shelling Trip with Captain Charles Wright, the owner of Everglades Area Tours. Starting out bright and early from Goodland Boating Park, we saw quite a few birds from our boat.

Captain Wright is an experienced naturalist and took us to some deserted beaches, only accessible by boat, that were perfect places for shell collecting. As you’d imagine, coral and anything that’s alive should be left in place, and that included the starfish in our photo on the right below. The tours run daily and morning tends to be preferable due to the heat in the afternoon. They’re limited to a maximum of 6 guests and a great activity for all ages.

Delnor Wiggins State Park

With a beautiful pristine beach, Delnor Wiggins State Park is rightly popular with locals and visitors alike. We spotted these cheeky racoons curiously observing us from the trees.

Then we took the boardwalk to the beach for a lovely view over the Gulf of Mexico.

There’s also a viewing tower which I couldn’t resist climbing. Close by, enjoy more beach views whilst dining at BALEEN within LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort.

Kayaking in the Everglades

For an unmissable experience, try your hand at kayaking in the Everglades. It’s suitable for all, whether you’re a novice or an expert and not particularly strenuous as you will spend quite a bit of time spotting wildlife…

This heron was a particularly impressive specimen, perched immobile as we passed by.

Naples Botanical Gardens

For a relaxing day out, you can’t beat Naples Botanical Gardens. This beautiful attraction is a delight for the eyes, with a myriad of flowers and trees spread over 170 acres.

Their special exhibitions are really interesting – this is Origami in the Garden which runs until 23 April 2017.

Naples Pier

No visit to Florida would be complete without a visit to the beach and Naples Pier is a particularly photogenic one. Heading down the timber boardwalks leading to the white sand, you feel like you’re escaping the stresses of everyday life.

By night, the beach takes on an even more magical aspect as the sun goes down and people gather to watch the sunset from the end of the historic pier.

Sunset catamaran cruise

One of the highlights of our recent visit to the Paradise Coast was a sunset catamaran cruise. The fun started when we arrived at Naples Dock and spotted all the pelicans. The dock is also a popular haunt of Florida manatees, also known as sea cows yet an aquatic relative of the elephant, although we didn’t see any.

Boarding the spacious Sweet Liberty catamaran, we were warmly greeted by Mark and Graham. Not only is the Sweet Liberty the largest sailing catamaran in South West Florida, but our hosts were very knowledgeable about wildlife as well as local properties. The area in and around Naples is one of the most affluent in the United States and a boat tour will give you serious house goals ;-).

On our cruise we were fortunate to see a group of dolphins frolicking some distance away. They then came right up to our boat so they seemed to be as pleased to see us as we were them!

This palm tree is one of the most photographed spots on the cruise and Mike told us exactly where to get the best angle for our shot. If you look closely, you’ll see a heron in the water.

The sunsets on the Paradise Coast are some of the most spectacular that you’ll ever see. This one was a great end to our catamaran cruise.

Where to Stay on Paradise Coast

Continuing the outdoor theme, we’re highlighting two hotels in Naples which have particularly impressive outdoor areas. Firstly, Inn on Fifth, with its prime location on Fifth Avenue. There’s a beautiful rooftop pool within the main hotel. Across the road, the Club Level Suites also have a charming rooftop area with an outdoor jacuzzi. It’s a great place to eat breakfast or simply to relax with a good book.

Our second recommendation is Naples Bay Resort, which boasts a dock area and a separate leisure club with a main pool, adults only pool and even a lazy river!

We hope that you’ve enjoyed our suggestions for outdoor activities on Paradise Coast. What’s your favourite of the activities shown here?

We tried out these fantastic outdoor activities as guests of VISIT FLORIDA and Florida’s Paradise Coast, with car hire provided by Hertz.co.uk. See loveflorida.co.uk for more on Florida. 

The post The Best Outdoor Activities on Paradise Coast, Florida appeared first on Luxury Columnist.

from Luxury Columnist

S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018: Applications are Now Open!

S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018: Apllications are now open!

from Fine Dining Lovers

S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018: Applications are Now Open!

S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018: Apllications are now open!

from Fine Dining Lovers

Why Not . . . Be Grateful for January?

“January is the quietest month in the garden.  …  But just because it looks quiet doesn’t mean that nothing is happening.  The soil, open to the sky, absorbs the pure rainfall while microorganisms convert tilled-under fodder into usable nutrients for the next crop of plants.  The feasting earthworms tunnel along, aerating the soil and preparing it to welcome the seeds and bare roots to come.”
–  Rosalie Muller Wright, Editor of Sunset Magazine, January 1999

January is a peculiar month.

I am a hypocrite of sorts as I eagerly anticipate the new year’s arrival: A fresh start to begin anew and improve upon the previous year’s growth and lessons. But as it progresses, I silently ache for the sun, the warmth, the perennials to bloom and, yes, I become ever-so-slightly impatient. However, each year I reflect on the January that was, and believe it or not, I am thankful for its occurrence.

Why?

The cold reminds us of the amazing warmth we have felt and will feel again. The dark reminds us of the power of a deep, long night’s sleep. The hazards and obstacles presented by Mother Nature reveal to us what we may have taken for granted. The additional time snuggling inside grants us time to dream and plan (and catch up on the pile of books waiting to be devoured).

I recognize that January may not be everyone’s favorite month; there have been moments this year that haven’t been mine. But there have also been moments that have exceeded any day of the year, and there are still eleven months to go.

It is during these times of unimaginable joy that we savor and are reminded that even during the contrary moments of doubt, strain and angst, beautiful, magnificent, and extraordinary experiences can occur as well, and that should be the hope we ride into the rest of the upcoming eleven months.

Yes, as the quote states above, January is a quiet month. But sometimes quiet is good. Sometimes quiet means behind the scenes a magical moment is preparing itself so that it might be able to roar when the right time occurs.

Patience.

Let go of the agenda in your mind. Let go of how you think it “should” work out. Savor the life you are building, express that gratitude in your daily life and remember patience is something we actually always have with us as I recently came to understand.

I am reminded of a recent quote I heard during one of my sessions of meditation on the topic of patience:

“Patience is not something we need to develop. Instead, we need to learn how to let go of impatience. This may sound like the same thing, but it’s actually quite different. Patience is an inherent part of a calm and clear mind. If we know this, if we understand it, then we do not try to ‘create’ patience; instead we simply let go of the noise and our involvement in that activity and thereby experience patience. In this scenario we can say that the absence of impatience has led to the experience of patience.”

May January 2017 be remembered for what it began to foster and may the coming months reveal the gifts we never thought would be possible.

~SIMILAR POSTS FROM THE ARCHIVES YOU MIGHT ENJOY:

~Why Not . . . Give Your Life an Annual Appraisal?

~Why Not . . . Create a To Be List?

~Why Not . . . Transition from Busy to Balanced?

Image: source

from The Simply Luxurious Life®

Salicornia: What You Need to Know About This Tasty Sea Bean

Salicornia, sea beans, samphire...this delicious sea vegetable goes by many names but what does it taste like? We break it down for you with recipes and tips.

from Fine Dining Lovers