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

For a long time I have wanted to make a beaded lamp.  I  wanted a tall freestanding one, but this is what I had in my studio.  The shade has a good structure to start with because the frame of the lampshade had many parts to attach the wire and beads.

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.

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.

Sette Design

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.

Tomorrow is a big summer holiday in Italy.

Buon Ferragosto a tutti.

With affection,

Natalie

I'm linking with these fun parties:
French Country Cottage
Romantic Home
Miss Mustard Seed
Between Naps on the Porch
Mod Vintage Lif

A Little Bohemian at Heart

Here is the dictionary description of

Bohemian.

As a Noun

     1.     native or inhabitant of Bohemia

     2.     a person, as an artist or writer, who lives and acts free or regard to conventional rules and practices.

     3.     The Czech language, especially as spoken in Bohemia.

     4.     a Gypsy

I say a little Bohemian at heart referring to design. Yet it may have to do with my lifestyle too.  What about YOU?  Do you have a little Bohemia in your heart?

Summer Morning

The Simple Life 

Just a few thoughts

on this almost rainy

summer morning in Umbria.

I know that Toni Morrison is “troppo forte” way tough and I at times am too weak to read her.  But I would like to be strong like her.

“If you want to fly,

you got to give up

the shit that weighs you down.”

Toni Morrison

Inspirations in Grey

I'm sorry my readers I disappeared for about 10 days there.  Life gets complicated sometimes...no?

Today I want to post up some inspiration in Grey.  I love grey as a neutral color.  Here in my home I have grey and taupe checker board painted floor and a grey and white kitchen and a dark taupe colored floor in my bedroom.  I love how grey looks with color and how it absorbs color.

So I’m going to show you some inspirational photos with uses of grey.

Plethora of Apricots

The Simple Life

Good Morning my sweets.

It is beautiful warm blue sky day in Umbria.

I wanted to just pause a moment and show you these photos of apricots that I took.

I must say I want to learn to make Jam and be one of those woman who know how to make preserves and I'll even wear a white apron when I do it.  The white apron will not have paint smeared on it.

Chalk Paint Recipe

I promised I would post up the recipe I did for painting this little shelf cornflower blue. 

I do love chalk paint because it so easily adheres to old furniture.

Red White and Blue Interior Scenes

Happy Fourth of July

In America it is our independence day.  It is also my mother and Louis Armstrong's birthday.  Happy Birthday Mom!  My mom is as cool as Loui.  I know that is hard to be, she is creative and artistic and very funny.  She does not sing anything like Loui.

I came up with the great idea to post up some photos for The Fourth of some scenes I took of Red White and Blue.

Summer in Italy

I won’t mention the Mafia or the political or economic situation. I won’t even mention what went down in the World Cup.  We are so thankful this is a design blog.

Aged Mocha-Black Armoire

Before we begin with the how to paint an Aged Mocha-Black Armoire, anyone interesting in my online painting class can click the ad below.  Come join us in this intensive, uplifting, inspiring painting techniques course.

Hello my darlings!

I must confess that it torments me to post badly lit photos and not styled.  But I really wanted to show you this armoire because in real life it came out just gorgeous.

It was simple to paint.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Simple Life

It is raining cats and dogs here in Umbria, and then the sun comes out and I optimistically think it is over.  But no....

Is this old door and rose vine just the most delicious view?

Medicine Bottles and Flowers

Do you ever have a simple little design obsession that just makes you so happy to think about it? O.k. you probably have a thousand little design ideas going around in your head and this is what makes life pretty when times get tough, escape into the world of gorgeous – for the moment, do not think about … all that troubles you.  Then once you have added a little “bellezza” to your home, things begin to improve.  I understand it all has to do with perspective.

8 Photos with Some Design Advice

The Simple Life

Living in design.

1. Blue is always fabulous!

2. Wherever you go look for pattern.

Flowers in a Box

Let's add come color!

Oh how I love flowers in a box.  I just put a couple jars of water in the box to not rot the wood and arranged the flowers from there.

Here is an arrangement I created by for the arrival of my niece, Rosalie I put them by her bedside table as a welcome. I did not make up her name just to fit this floral gone crazy blog post.  I collected the flowers on a bike ride to Spello, resting them in my bike basket on the return home.

Blood Red Orange Color Inspiration

 The Simple Life

Today, just a little color inspiration, I go crazy for the color of Blood Red Oranges.  I feel like it is almost impossible to duplicate for interiors.  I always have clients trying to find the right red.  Yes the juice is very good with Russian Vodka!

Antiquing a Table Gray Silver

This project came out so pretty.

I love how sophisticated yet distressed it is.

My Chaotic Studio

The Simple Life

Isn’t my studio pretty a mess.  Put a sepia tint on the space and it becomes uniform, just shape and light.

Today, just this photo and a quote from Georgia O’Keeffe.

“I found I could say things with color and shape that I couldn’t say any other way, things I had no words for.”

Un bacio, to all of you with a messy studio, or to those of you who want one.

Natalie

How to: Play with Glass Paint and Silver Leaf

I’m supposed to be working on my Painting E-Course and finishing up this gorgeous gray and silver table but instead I played hooky.  Hooky is what we call it in California you don’t go to school and instead go to the beach or to a café.   Of course, one can play hooky and not go to work also.  This Diario di Design is kind of like always playing hooky for me.

So I played hooky because I became inspired to do a vignette of tarnished silver and painted glass, then I thought it would be fun to just add silver leaf to encourage more reflection. 

7 Ideas To Make Your Home Pretty

    1.  Open your windows. 

      This is a very Italian action.  Italians love to air out their homes, even in the dead of winter, windows are always opened.  The extended light will make your home glow.

     2.  Cover your couch or a big chair with fresh white linens.

It is amazing how this will lighten up the room.  If you don’t have anything big enough you can use a curtain or sheets taped together in the back.

Purple Path

The Simple Life
Today just some inspiration.

If you are looking for your purple path,

it is just ahead waiting for you.

It may have topiaries dusted purple too

and a smooth stucco palazzo.

Or just a purple path waiting for you,

meandering along.

Shabby Chic Bed, Breakfast Crate

I’m going to keep it to few words today (do you believe me?), let the photos speak for themselves.

I do want to show you my Painting Techniques Course.  SOOOOO Fun.

I’ve been working hard and waking up early is painful and awesome I must say.  I am getting so much done, life feels blissful and full of hope.

Here is a bed I did in Shabby Chic distressed mode.  A good tutorial I did you can see just Click Here.  This tutorial of mine is crazy famous on Pinterest, it shows how obsessed people are with Shabby Chic. I used the same process only a different white.

Easter Decorations

I’m on to a new stint where I am going to try to wake up at 5:30 a.m. and see if I can’t kick it a bit more effectively.  I know, what you are thinking that I won’t be able to handle it, well maybe by confessing my plans to you my lovely readers I will be more committed.  “They” say if you want to save money, if you tell your friends, you actually save more money and your friends help and encourage you to do so.  Did you know that successful people wake up early and then get this, they exercise.  I have read studies about it.