Design Diary- Painting Techniques- The Simple Life in California and Umbria, Italy
Living in the Wine Country
Sometimes in the fall in Umbria,
I would make the girls stop in their tracks and smell the air of pungent fermenting grapes. I would say
that is the smell of the crush, the smell of home. Elisa and Lucia would undoubtedly respond, “but Mama it’s
GROSS”.
Love Wins
I’m sorry that I have been away
for more than a hiatus.
What is more than a hiatus anyway?
My daughter recently told me
that in medieval times a moment was measured as 90 seconds.
The dictionary describes a
hiatus as:
2. A
missing part; gap or lacuna.
I like it that a hiatus refers to space and action.
Small Spaces
The Simple Life
Now since we live in our little California cottage I need to force myself to think small and organized. The days of rambling around our huge Gothic Italian apartment are gone. Guests used to actually get lost and not find the way out. There were a lot of doors!
I like to play with scale and so I set up this pretty scene just for YOU.
A little chest of drawers, a silly tiny ice cream swirl chair and a bunch of flowers.
A big rosemary topiary.
A Starting Place
I found this phrase the other day and it humbled me. It is so simple and perfect.
Start where you are
Use what you have
Do what you can
I'm sure it has been said before and should be said again. Wouldn't you just feel better if you followed that advice?
Natalie
Painting Furniture
For Inspiration
Today I’ll show you some of the
furniture I have been painting.
I always want to keep all the
pieces for myself. This is silly
because it is supposed to be my job not a hobby, but it is like they are my babies. This little five drawer dresser I really could have put
anywhere in our cottage here in the wine country. It would have even fit up on my loft
bed right below the eves.
Bohemian Loft
Here is the loft I finished
painting a while back. Everyone
who walked into this space wanted to move in. I called this loft the House of Doors. There are five doors exiting the bottom
of the loft and no inner doors at all, except one going to the bathroom. All the doors lead to the huge garden
and courtyard area. To me this is a Bohemian Loft because of the mix of elements in the design and also because I know the people who own it will fill it with books, art, wine and unmade beds. The Bohemian life we all want.
Oak Tree Galls a Creative Display
The Simple Life
I’ve finished the loft I was painting a while back. I call it the Californian Bohemian Loft. I plan to show you it in the next post. Today some strange and splendid inspiration, Oak Tree Galls and garden flowers.
Ukrainian Egg Dying
Around this family compound
there is lots of Ukrainian Egg Dying going on. Since this is the wine country, I can also say that friends
bring over bottles of precious wine and then sit down and let their creativity
go. It is interesting how good
people are at it. Everyone wants
to dye eggs!
Springtime and The Nashberry Cocktail
The Simple Life
Oh do I have a special treat for you. It is COCKTAIL TIME, now here in
California (and the U.S.) we have change our clocks forward to save daylight
time.
Spring forward
Fall back
March Already
I’ve lost my grip on The Simple Life. I don’t have my calm. It’s funny because I changed the heading
on this blog to The Simple Life in California but it isn’t true at all at this
point. We moved into a tiny little
cottage but honestly it is a mess most of the time and not simple. I don’t make bread anymore either. I’ll tell you there is a lot that goes
on and down when one moves across the world even if it is to a world that you
think you know. I don’t know this
life in Cali, I’m learning it all over again.
Crazy for Camellias
I go crazy for Camellias they bring vivid color to any environment in the winter, in Umbria and where we live now in the Wine Country of California they are abundant. To me they always seemed like a Valentines flower because of all the varying shades of pink, red and white.
Two Houses I Love
If you read this blog a tiny bit, you know that I love houses, tiny houses, rambling big houses, colored houses. As I wander through my days I fall in love with so many houses.
Today I have for you a couple of houses that I LOVE.
One is a playhouse covered in brambles and winter leafless wonder.
 |
| Sette Design |
 |
| http://settedesign7.blogspot.com |
Anyone interested in taking my Online Painting Class for Interiors, Art and Furniture --click the link below. It is inspirational!
Cheers,
Natalie
Credenza and Table
Today as promised I’m going to
show you the last job I did in Italy.
The last job before I left.
There will still be other jobs in Italy in the future, “Salve Italia”.
I hope this will be
inspiring. As you know I love grey,
this was a taupe-grey. Here I did the
credenza a shade lighter than the table.
Distressed both the pieces.
Then on the table I sanded the edges irregularly and added bronze.
A New Year 2015
I can hear the train whistling
in the distance.
I’m drinking a Ruby Red Grapefruit Margarita
Why because I’m in Cali not
Italy, it is still so shocking.
It was 68 degrees today- unprecedented!
The sky was deep blue, now it is
black.
At night I look up in the sky
and there are so many stars I know I’m home and this is my big sky.
I’m sorry I disappeared for a
bit there I took an unannounced hiatus.
I did just move across the world. There may be more hiatuses to come.
I’m back now and I want to wish
you
Happy New Year.
Almost Christmas
It is the darkest night of the
year.
From now on it starts getting
lighter.
Making a Forest Christmas Wreath
All the way across the world in
Cali (California).
I got my freedom.
We are moving into a tiny
cottage and I don’t exaggerate when I say tiny. Now the Simple Life will be truly tested.
Big News
 |
| Sette Design |
The Simple Life (ha!)
Hello my darlings.
Do you like to be shocked and
surprised?
I hope you answered YES.
The girls and I have moved from
Italy to California.
After 12 years abroad we are now
moving back home to start a new adventure.
IT IS SO EXCITING!
 |
| Sette Design |
Cheers,
Natalie
Painted Ceiling in Perugia
Here is the café at the train
station in Perugia, Italy.
The ceiling is fantastic!
I also love the crumbling effect
on the walls painted over in deep rich red. I can see having a loft space with the walls aged in this manner.
A Little Shabby Chic and French Provincial
Happy Friday it is almost the
weekend.
Today I’m just showing an after
and before photo.
I fell in love with this piece
the moment I saw it. I like the curved
legs and curved door, plus a corner piece is always lovely.
Happy 2nd Anniversary Sette Design Blog
Can you believe it we have made two years. We are still kicking!
It sure has been fun.
Will we make it to three years. Will you still be here?
Stones for Peace
The Simple Life
You never know what you might
find here at Sette Design. I hope
this is a tiny part of why you keep coming back.
I made a simple discovery
recently, if I leave stones around the house it makes people happy. I love to collect stones from the river
or from the Adriatic and then display them around the house, sometimes with art
or sometimes just randomly left around.
Coffee and Tangerines
“Life starts
all over again
when it gets
crisp in the air.”
-F. Scott Fitzgerald
How To Grow Rosemary Topiaries
Hello EVERYONE
Yes I did tint the colors on the photo above, did I get your attention?
I have been working on this
project for so long and I have been excited to show you. Why, because it is easy and simple and
so pretty. This is what we just love here at Sette Design.
Marcus Aurelius
The Simple Life
Today just a few words from my hero Marcus and then some pretty photos.
Sending joy across the world to YOU!
Painting a Restaurant - Distressing Walls
Here are the finished shots of the restaurant I have been working on in the center of our city, Foligno, Italy.
Everyone was thrilled with the the final look, rustic, distressed, aged walls and two smooth plum colored back walls, which gave a nice accent.
Autumn, Apples and Apple Pie
The Simple Life
How are you? Are you an Autumn type of person? Do you thrive as the weather begins to turn cold? I must say that I’m more of a Spring and Summer California girl but I do love the golden light of Umbria at this time of year. It is crazy how the light really turns orange or sepia.
Glamour Moment
I’m having a little glamour
moment at work. I’m painting a
restaurant right in the main Piazza of our city Foligno, Italy.
I’m must say that the space is
gorgeous with vaulted ceilings and a stone wall and beautiful old wooden
tables.
Antiquing and Distressing Furniture
For a long time I have wanted to paint a piece that was
painted brown underneath and then creamy white on top.
A while back I found a beautiful antique dresser that was
already painted a good chocolate brown.
Lavender in Umbria, Italy
The Simple Life
Just a few words today.
Lavender lavender lavender,
Umbria not Provence,
A whole heap of lavender.
The smell is so pungent it almost knocks you over when you walk in our door.
Wall of Furniture
I love the idea of furniture or living in design being
alternative, day dreamy or fantastical. I believe that if our eyes are intrigued, our minds expand.
I took a class in University called Architecture
Futures. I was so in awe of the
professor that I hard time speaking to him (I think my eyes watered or my face
became blotchy, some bad action) he was splendidly smart and interesting to listen to, he
believed that in the future our rooms and interiors would be made out of water
in an organic way.
Almost September
The Simple Life
I cannot believe that it is almost September. Here in Italy it seems like the heat is
hitting us now.
My girls still have another 2 weeks before school starts.
I’ve started lighting candles in the morning at the
breakfast table, even if no one wakes up to come to breakfast.
Earthquakes, Espresso and Ice Cream
The Simple Life
Yesterday at 3:20 A.M. there was a huge Earthquake in Napa
Valley.
My family in California is fine.
We have a house in the Napa Valley and even one on the coast
that the San Andreas Fault passes under.
DIY Beaded Painted Crystal Lamp
Paint It White - Add Color
The power of white is grand.
If you read this blog you know by now that I love color!
White always looks modern and fresh. I adore interior spaces with white floors and walls and then color added in the furniture rugs, art and flowers.
Here are a few before shots.
White always looks modern and fresh. I adore interior spaces with white floors and walls and then color added in the furniture rugs, art and flowers.
Here are a few before shots.
I also believe that it is a good exercise in design to paint a few items from your life WHITE and then just add COLOR as you choose.
This little side table I’m creating a special process for my
E-Course on Painting Techniques and as you see it here, it is in the white
primer phase. Doesn’t it look so
pretty?
Go around your house and grab a few items and paint them all
white. I took a lamp, a cigar box,
perfume bottle, side table, basket and a jar.
 |
| Sette Design White makes color pop! |
My kiwi-green floor is still holding up Click Here for is the post on
how I painted it. I think the key
here was I used an anti –scrap finish at the end. The green floor is doing far better then the floors painted
without the anti-scrape varnish.
Next post I’ll share how I made the lampshade, it was so fun
and easy. Do you like it? There are some people in my life I won't mention who, they sarcastically question my sanity after seeing that lamp creation.
|
| Sette Design |
Tomorrow is a big summer holiday in Italy.
Buon Ferragosto a tutti.
With affection,
NatalieI'm linking with these fun parties:
French Country Cottage
Romantic Home
Miss Mustard Seed
Between Naps on the Porch
Mod Vintage Lif
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)