Let's Tour the Romantic Vizcaya Estate

(Vizcaya - East Terrace)

Janet Ramin - If you ever fantasized about being transported to another world ... back in time to a period of glittering balls, palatial mansions, formal gardens, and old-world European charm, you may want to visit Vizcaya in Miami, Florida. Yes, Miami! The city of bikinis, nightclubs, and pink flamingoes may not be the first place you associate with old-world charm, but nestled south of its famous beaches is a local treasure, the Vizcaya estate. 

Vizcaya was home to James Deering, a wealthy executive at International Harvester. Deering envisioned Vizcaya as a winter retreat reminiscent of Italian palazzos. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many industrialists built mansions inspired by European palaces to announce to their peers that they have “arrived.” Deering hired designers F. Burral Hoffman, Paul Chalfin, and Diego Suarez to create the mansion, its interiors, and its romantic gardens.   

(Vizcaya - Front)

Vizcaya was completed in 1921, taking two years to finish and employing nearly ten percent of Miami’s population - about 10,000 at that time. In the photos above, you can see the East Terrace as well as the front entrance. Invited guests can arrive in two ways: by automobile or by yacht. Those driving would pass by a forest of rockland hammock trees, fountains, and a circular driveway to finally gaze upon an Italian Renaissance façade made from local limestone.

Those arriving by yacht encountered a Venetian stone barge, at once beautiful and highly functional. The barge provided a unique outdoor space for parties as well as acting as a breakwater against tidal surges. After docking, a guest would enter the mansion via the East Loggia (see photo below), a foyer decorated in classical columns and busts, vaulted ceilings, and marble floor. A model ship of San Cristobal, Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon’s ship, hangs in the center.

(Vizcaya - Stone Barge)

(Vizcaya - East Loggia)

Despite the Italian Renaissance exterior, the interiors were decorated in a variety of styles – Italian Rococo, Baroque, and Chinoiserie (Chinese-influenced), as well as the neoclassical style. One of the most beautiful rooms is the Tea Room, decorated in both neoclassical as well as Baroque manner. The grandiose iron gates with gilded detail, bought from a Venetian palace, certainly reflected the more flamboyant Baroque style, as well as the floor torchieres that light the room. The walls itself are decorated with

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Stay Current with Online Shopping Obsession Sites

Irwin Weiner ASID - I first heard from my in-the-know clients about four addictive, members-only web sites for luxury fashion and home goods. The concept is simple: publish impulse-flash sales at a specific time of day or send out sale alerts to your members that they can scoop up substantial discounts on hand-picked, staff curated luxury goods. You can't lose if you love high fashion and bargains, but many members report feeling left out if they don't take advantage of specific sales.

These kitchen items were on sale at Rue La La in May 2011.

There's no buyer's remorse if you make a purchase and respond quickly - and these sites have apps for tablets, SmartPhones, and android devices so you're constantly getting pinged. One of my clients told me about great artwork for her daughter's room wall that we could get on one of these sites. Another told me about a Blu Dot furniture sale on another.

Check out Gilt (the following video shows the buzz about their hot site), Rue La La, Fab.com, and Ideeli.

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Which New IMM Global Furnishings Do You Love?

Irwin Weiner ASID - It's great for American homeowners and interior designers to see what vendors in the rest of the world are producing in the way of furnishings, home textiles, and accessories. The International Furnishing Show in Cologne, Germany never disappoints when it comes to giving us inspiration and an eye for design trends. The following Lifestyle TV video is excellent; it provides us with many web addresses for vendors - some are old favorites (like Ligne Roset, maker of the Ploum Sofa, above) and many are new discoveries. As the IMM says, "Create. Furnish. Live."

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Update on August 24, 2011 by Design2Share

Super King Size Leather Beds: We just found a great collection of sleek leather bed designs. They add sophistication, whether your bedroom decor is traditional or modern. 

Featured Project: DIY Painted Headboard

Now is the perfect time to think about freshening up your interior space. With a splash of color here and a new piece of furniture there, it's easy to redecorate. Here's a quick, budget-conscious DIY design idea to help get you started.

Paint Your Own Headboard

Chances are if you if you purchased your bed frame as part of a bedroom set, the headboard is already included. If you don't want to put forth the extra cash, especially after paying for a pricey mattress, no problem! Painted headboards are a great way to add a pop of color to your bedroom.

Step 1: Measure the width of the head of your bed and mark it with blue painter's tape from floor to ceiling. Now, choose your color based on your desired color scheme. You obviously don't want it to be the same shade as your walls, but it should complement that color.

Step 2: Once you have your color, paint the wall, staying within the blue painters tape. Once the paint dries, if you choose to do so, you can detail with paint or with some removable wall decals from a company like Blik. For as little as $40, Blik makes easily removable wall decals in fun shapes like bookshelves, chandeliers, birds, etc. If this sounds like too much work, don't worry and leave your wall a solid color.

Step 3: Simply position your bed up against the painted wall, prop up some decorative Euro pillows in coordinating colors and patterns, and you have yourself a headboard. You might want to take this opportunity to invest in a new comforter or duvet in fun, light, spring colors. You'd be surprised at what a little bit of paint and some new bedding can do for your space!

Contemporary vanities and more at Decor Planet for your bathroom needs.

Handy Hidden Leaf in Expanding Dining Table

Irwin Weiner ASID - I'm always looking for a good dining room table for my clients. I prefer round or oval tables - just because I like putting a round shape into a squared-off or rectangular-shaped room and it's great to sit around a table and be able to see everyone around "the pie." Check out this lovely round expanding table: the DB Fletcher Capstan Table, for instance.

But some families and their entertaining needs require a longer table in the traditional rectangular shape. The new Omnia Wood Dining Table demonstrated in this video exhibits clean lines, and I love the way the side leg and side details present a beveled picture frame molding appearance. It adds a nice tailored twist. Extend the table and you've got much more seating room, but you'll need a tablecloth to hide the sliding metal track that borders the stored leaf. It would have been better to extend the side molding to provide an "edging leaf" when the table is extended so you wouldn't have to use a cloth. Calligaris, keep this in mind for a revised reissue of this otherwise elegant wood dining table.

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