I have such a fun video for you today. I'm collaborating with Nikki Moreno from Inspired by Nikki to bring you 5 ways to add romance to your decor. Nikki has a wonderful and inspiring YouTube channel and she is a dear friend of mine in real life too! Nikki's decorating style is lovely and romantic and I can't wait until you see her tips too! Watch Nikki's video here.



Now, what do we mean by romance in decor? How can decor be romantic? Well, it's those little touches that add beauty, loveliness and charm to your surroundings.

Speaking of surroundings, I have written a poem for Nikki's channel that she is making a film of and that video is debuting tomorrow, so be sure to watch that too. It has been a fun, artistic collaboration all around!

Here are my 5 ways to add romance to your decor:



📖 Books I love to have beautiful and inspiring books in almost every room. If I have a free moment to sit down, I love to do so with a cup of tea and a great book. I like keeping books on poetry, interiors, artists, and inspiring people in our downstairs sitting rooms. In today's video I show you the book of poetry by Shelley (which will be a part of our April Chic Assignment). I also mention the Tasha Tudor book as well as my own Madame Chic books. I have been reading Mother Culture and loving it. I highly recommend this book for homeschooling moms.





🌹Flowers Our property is covered in beautifully established rose bushes and when the roses bloom, we have an abundance of fresh bouquets in our home. They add romance and fragrance and are simply divine! But in the off months, when we don't have fresh flowers, I like to use faux florals. I have used florals from Nearly Natural and I also love the decadently beautiful arrangements from Horchow.



🎵 Music When I am having "one of those days" or simply do not feel inspired to do anything, I always open the windows and put on some beautiful music. I prefer classical because it is stimulating to the mind, yet relaxing all at the same time, and oh so romantic! I mention the albums Porcelain and Beethoven at Bedtime in today's video. Porcelain was recently recommended to me by a reader and I'm loving it!


🕯 Natural Candles There is something about the flickering flame of a beautifully-scented candle that adds beauty to your surroundings. I recently did a comprehensive review of my favorite natural candles on Natural Home with Jennifer. In today's video, I'm burning Breathe Easy by Cellar Door Candles.



🍫 Chocolate Let's say the day is dragging on and you feel as though you are in despair. Forget the knight in shining armor, a dose of good chocolate will do the trick! (I'm only partially kidding!) I love having chocolate around the home. I have to hide it so that the kids (and Ben!) don't find it and devour it. Sometimes I hide it and then I forgot where I put it. Do you ever do that? Tell me I'm not alone! I like to put my chocolate almonds on this pretty antique silver dish I picked up at an estate sale in Santa Monica. It makes it so much fancier.

There you have my 5 tips for adding romance to your decor. I hope you enjoy today's video.

News
📍 A big thank you to those of you who are taking my new eCourse, How to be Efficient at Home.

Rosalie writes, "Thank you, Jennifer, for another inspiring course. Not only do you provide great, practical content, beautifully delivered, but you have also created a community of like-minded people. I think this will really help when the going gets tough - to know that I can come back, read the content and the comments and find tips, tricks and support. You have truly inspired me to "serve my family with a happy heart"."

Thank you, Rosalie! Yes, the course is accessible at any time. It's worth coming back and reading the comments on each lecture. They are truly great!

📍I love when people post about their ten-item wardrobe! Check out Robin from Faith and Flour for her week of outfits and Joy Forney for her ten-item wardrobe for spring/summer. These two ladies have done an excellent job of displaying how the ten-item wardrobe can work in real-life situations. If you share your ten-item wardrobe online, let me know and you could be featured on this blog!

On Instagram
Lucy Selgas, owner of Preserve Journals, who has always been so supportive of the Madame Chic books, has launched the kickstarter for her beautiful celebration journals. These journals are such a unique idea. They created a Celebration Journal— a beautiful, heirloom quality journal offering an intentional alternative to the greeting cards Mothers receive from their children. I have already pre-ordered mine. I can tell this is going to be an heirloom I will treasure from my children. Congratulations, Lucy!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Preserve Journals (@preservejournals) on Feb 28, 2019 at 12:16pm PST

Comment of the Week
On Monday's ten-item wardrobe video, Jodie writes, "Hi Jennifer. I’ve been following you for several years now and the capsule wardrobe is finally sinking in...I’m slow on change...if the tortoise can be a winner then so can I. Thank you for your amazing authenticity..."

Ha! Jodie, I loved your comment. I know that it helps for me to put out regular ten-item wardrobe reminder videos because everyone goes at their own pace. You can do it! And please report back to us and let us know how it goes.

Thank you for joining me today. I would love to know how you like to add romance to your decor. What are your tips for us? Let us know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on The Daily Connoisseur.



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I have the pleasure of interviewing Hilary from Old World Home in today's video.



Hilary has a wonderful YouTube channel where she shares her fantastic interior design tips. Hilary's classic American style is refreshingly curated through affordable thrift-store and second-hand finds. We have a fun discussion about interiors, parenting, marriage, YouTube and more. I hope you enjoy today's video.

News

For more of The Daily Connoisseur, take my eCourses, Creating Your Own Ten-Item Wardrobe and Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living.

On the Debt-Free Course, Janis writes, "This is a really inspirational course and full of common sense ideas. See if you can get the BBC in Britain to be interested in running it as a series as it is a life changing course Jennifer! Thank you."

Thank you, Janis. I'm thrilled you enjoyed the course.

On Instagram
At Home with Madame Chic in Japan...

20180813 フランス人は10着しか服を持たない2 今の家でもっとシックに暮らす方法 ジェニファー・L・スコット 神崎朗子訳 洋書は1も2も自宅に置いてあるのですが(装丁がかわいいからインテリアにもなる！)、帰省したらこちらが本棚にあったので読むことに。 心にゆとりのある生活を意識してみようと思います。 #フランス人は10着しか服を持たない #フランス人は10着しか服を持たない2 #ジェニファーエルスコット #神崎朗子 #だいわ文庫 #大和書房 #Lessonsfrommadamechic #JenniferLScott #AkikoKanzaki #bestsellerbook #bestseller #プレミアムルルルン #ルルルン #あまおう #新発売 #九州限定 #Lululun #facemask #strawberry #Amaou #Fukuoka #limited #Kyushu #Japan #読書記録 #readinglog

A post shared by mn_booksgallery (@mn_booksgallery) on Aug 13, 2018 at 5:34am PDT

Comment of the Week
On last week's tour of our totally out-of-control vegetable garden video, Diane writes, "My mom every year makes ( meal in a pumpkin) cleans out the pumpkin stuffs it with a mixture of cooked rice, cooked ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, I think onion soup mix and maybe cooked mushroom. Then you put the lid back on pumpkin and cook in the oven until the pumpkin is really well done. the pumpkin browns a bit. Then you scoop out your rice serving by also scrapping a bit of pumpkin from the sides. It's so good and a real tradition in our family for harvest season."


Thank you for sharing your mother's recipe with us, Diane. I would like to try this! It sounds perfect for fall.

I hope you enjoyed my chat with Hilary today. I would love to hear your take on all of the topics we discussed. Your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on The Daily Connoisseur. See you on Thursday!

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FTC: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

I recently posted a home tour featuring the downstairs portion of our home. Many people requested an upstairs tour as well, so in today's video, I'm sharing our master bedroom and bathroom with you.



I like to keep our master bedroom minimal and serene. Everything is cream and white, which makes for a nice background with the mossy/ taupe walls. You might remember that in our last home we put up wallpaper in the master bedroom. We would like to do the same here one day, but as for now, we are enjoying the neutral and muted color palette.



Our master bathroom is very large and light. It's a wonderful space to work with. I would love to update the bathroom one day with new, well, everything! Countertops, floors and backsplash. Maybe one day. Until then, I am enjoying it as it is.



The following items that are mentioned in today's video aide in creating an atmosphere of calm and relaxation in our room...



The Lëvoit air purifier is truly awesome. I've always wanted to try a purifier but was skeptical as to whether or not they actually worked. I can tell you after running this now for weeks that the air in our bedroom is markedly different than in the rest of the home. You step in and it's like the air is sparkling clean. I love the different settings you can set it to. I want to put one of these in each of our bedrooms now. Because of Amazon Prime Day, the Levoit purifier is heavily discounted. For more on Levoit, visit their website here.

The sound machine I have is the Brookstone sound machine. My husband gave this to me for Christmas this year and I love it. My favorite setting is thunderstorm and I turn it on every night.

The essential oil diffuser I use in conjunction with my doTerra oils, was purchased from my friend, Antoinette. You can find her information here. I generally like to diffuse lavender essential oil at night. It helps me relax and calm down after a long day.

I hope you enjoy the tour in today's video.

News
For more of The Daily Connoisseur, take my eCourses, Creating Your Own Ten-Item Wardrobe and Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living.

On the Ten-Item Wardrobe eCourse, Candice writes, "Hi Jennifer! Honesty time...I have known about the 10 Item Wardrobe for awhile, but I have always resisted committing. I definitely struggle to wear my best everyday. I am going through the course as a way to commit once and for all to making a change. I am also working through your financial course. Your books have always been such an inspiration and I am excited to make some changes, especially in my closet!!"


Candice, thank you for commenting for the first time. I applaud your desire to change! Check back in with us and let us know how your progress is going. We are rooting for you!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Today is Amazon Prime Day, which is a wonderful day to do your shopping and secure major deals on Amazon.

On Instagram
Lessons from Madame Chic and a lovely coffee...

“It was in Paris where I learned to taste wine properly. Appreciate perfume. Relish a there-hour dinner. Discover the nuances between different cheeses. Attentively listen to music and appreciate it. It was in Paris where my senses came alive, allowing me to extract pleasure from things I might never have paid attention to in the States.” #newyorktimesbestsellers #lessonsfrommadamechic #jenniferlscott #dailyconnoiseur #madamechic #libros #librosdeinstagram #instalibro #lectoresmexicanos #book #bookworm #bookstagrammexico #instabook #obsessedwithbooks #bookstagrammx2 #booksofig #bookphoto #igreads #bookcover #booklover #bookaddict #bookgram #instareads #bookaholic #bookstagram #bookphotography

A post shared by Bet (@beth_bau) on Mar 20, 2018 at 10:28pm PDT

Comment of the Week
On last week's Inspired by Nikki interview, Alexandra writes,
Hello Jennifer,

Thank you for introducing us to Nikki. I like her lovely, soft yin energy with her feminine decor, her love of ballet, her appreciation of silence, and how gorgeous she looks in grey. I will be taking a closer look at her blog.
I would like to suggest a couple of books based on the books you two mentioned. If you like "Material World", then I think you will love "In Her Kitchen: Stories and Recipes from Grandmas Around the World". Also, if you like the "The 5 Different Languages of Love", then you will adore "The Child Whisperer" by Carol Tuttle. This book discusses the four different energy types that children (and adults) can have and how to proceed accordingly.

Thanks again for the interview!
Alexandra

Hi Alexandra, you always have the most insightful comments. Thank you for those two book recommendations. I've linked them here for others to check out as well. I'm really interested in the cookbook sharing the recipes from grandmothers around the world. Thank you!

I hope you enjoyed today's master bedroom and bathroom tour. Today I would love to know how you decorate your bedroom. What do you have in your bedroom at night to help you unwind? Do you diffuse oils? Listen to sound machines? Just enjoy good old-fashioned silence? :) Also, do you use an air purifier? Let me know in the comment section below and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog.

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FTC: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.

To cap off last week's home tour videos, I am sharing one way I display faux flowers to make them look sophisticated and even real. I like to use leaf ribbon on the inside of a clear vase to make the arrangement look like it came from a florists' shop.



Of course there are many ways to display faux flowers. You can use glass pebbles, decorative opaque vases, and even acrylic water (which I have also done), but sometimes it's fun to use leaf ribbon to try to achieve the chic look from a florists' shop. I'm showing you how to use it in today's video with various vase shapes.





I usually get my faux flowers from Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Amazon and AFloral.

I hope you enjoy the tutorial in today's video.

News
I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day celebration. We had such a great day. I wanted to share this quote from Louisa May Alcott's, Little Women:



You have a few days left to enter my Ana Luisa Jewelry Giveaway. 3 lucky winners will receive the beautiful 'Olivia' earrings. Giveaway is for US residents only.

For more of The Daily Connoisseur, take my eCourses, Creating Your Own Ten-Item Wardrobe and Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living.

On Instagram
Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic in Poland...

Dzień dobry w poniedziałek! Mam nadzieję, że udało Wam się zrobić w ten długi weekend tyle ile chcieliście, a jeśli nie wszystko to chociaż większość 😉 Dużo energii na dzisiaj Wam życzę! Pogoda jest piękna! 😍 #flamingo #ksiazka #madamechic #lekturadoherbatki #teatime #herbatkazksiążkąpl #herbatkazrana #notes #piekniejest #milegodnia #taca #bambus #kujonki #minimalizm

A post shared by Minimalistic Girl (@minimalisticgirlblog) on May 6, 2018 at 11:20pm PDT

Comment of the Week
Regarding last week's real and faux indoor plant post, DD writes, "I mix real and faux flowers in arrangements. A bunch of real lilies (inexpensive at the supermarket) in a big vase with several faux long, drooping stems of tiny orchid blossoms gives me an easy, beautiful, impressive arrangement for the entry or dining table. I've seen guests check them out and determine "real" when they see the lilies are real! Economical, beautiful, and easier to arrange and take care of than a big bouquet of varied real cut flowers."

Hi DD, what a great idea to mix real and faux in the same vase. I bet your arrangement looks spectacular!

Today, I would love to know if you use faux flowers when decorating. How do you like to display them in a vase? Let me know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog. See you on Thursday for a pregnancy chat video.



Visit my Author Website

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FTC: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.

Thank you to everyone who watched Monday's home tour video. It was really fun to share our downstairs with you. Today, I'm discussing how we like to mix both real and faux indoor plants.



We do this for a variety of reasons. We have a six bedroom home, and because I like a bit of greenery and/or flowers in each room, I mix real and faux plants to keep maintenance down. Also, some rooms have less light than others and live plants don't work well there. With the plethora of realistic-looking faux plants on the market today, it's easy to create a totally natural look. I have purchased many of my faux plants from Hobby Lobby, Ikea, Amazon and Michaels.



I do not show every plant we have in this video, but I do show you a large selection. Be sure to watch the video to hear me discuss each plant in detail, including which ones are faux and which ones are real.

If you'd like to see a part two to this video, showing our faux plants upstairs, please let me know.

I hope you enjoy today's video.

News
Be sure to enter my Ana Luisa Jewelry Giveaway. You still have time to enter. 3 lucky winners will receive the beautiful 'Olivia' earrings. Giveaway is for US residents only.

For more of The Daily Connoisseur, take my eCourses, Creating Your Own Ten-Item Wardrobe and Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living.

Regarding the debt-free course, T writes, "Hi Jennifer,Thank you so much for this eCourse! Your blog and books have always resonated with me and this eCourse was no exception. I really appreciated your humility and realness. It felt like I was getting advice from a girlfriend which made it fun. The Investing and Entrepreneurship lessons were my favorite and gave me some much needed motivation. I want to say "thank you" to everyone who shared their stories and comments. I've always felt like the odd man out for being frugal. Knowing there are others on a similar path that are enjoying a debt free life and have found success with it is very validating and empowering. Thank you for all that you do and I look forward to what you have in store for us in the future!"


On Instagram
Madame Chic and breakfast in bed in Poland...

If you want...😊 #breakfast #inbed #sleepinthekitchen #whereisyourmanners #itsme💋 #całaja #the50s #retrogirl #retrodesign #vintagestyle #nostalgicart #pancakes #lekcjemadamechic #ąę #jenniferlscott #booklover #wydawnictwoliterackie #czytambolubie #czytanienieboli

A post shared by Hiacynta Bukietowa (@hiacyntabukietowa) on May 4, 2018 at 7:08am PDT

Comment of the Week
Today's comment is a testimonial from Dawn, who wrote to me about her experience with a budget ten-item wardrobe: "Dear Jennifer, Your books have enhanced my life immeasurably! Thank you so much for everything, but specifically your video on the budget ten item wardrobe and your reply to critics. While I read that one should buy "the best quality you can afford", I mentally applied this as "I should be able to afford expensive items or not purchase clothing". Hence, I only bought one $100 dress over the past several months. Your response to critics finally made the true meaning of your original quote click for me, and it was so freeing! We just completed an international adoption, so expensive updates are not an option. After watching your video I purged some summer items and purchased two updates from Zulily and Amazon; for about $30 total! Thank you for living authentically! Blessings, Dawn"

Hi Dawn, congratulations on the adoption! I'm so thrilled that the ten-item wardrobe concept has worked for you in all areas, including budget. There is no shame in not having a large budget for clothes. It even causes you to be more creative than you normally would be. Thank you for being a supporter of my work.

I would love to know... do you mix live and faux plants and flowers in your home? Why or why not? What are your tips and tricks? Leave us a comment and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog. See you soon!

Visit my Author Website

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FTC: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.

Today I have an exciting new book that will inspire the interior designer in you: Elements of Style: Designing A Home & A Life by Erin Gates. Charming, inspiring, witty and funny, this is a beautiful book from start to finish that would not only be a great addition to your interior design library, but would also make an excellent gift.

Erin has a wildly popular blog called Elements of Style Blog that can provide you with even more inspiration.
Here is the description of the book from Simon & Schuster:

From the rising-star designer and author of the hit blog, Elements of Style, a full-color, fully illustrated book packed with honest advice, inspiration, ideas, and lessons learned about designing a home that reflects your personality and style.

Elements of Style is a uniquely personal and practical decorating guide that shows how designing a home can be an outlet of personal expression and an exercise in self-discovery. Drawing on her ten years of experience in the interior design industry, Erin combines honest design advice and gorgeous professional photographs and illustrations with personal essays about the lessons she has learned while designing her own home and her own life—the first being: none of our homes or lives is perfect. Like a funny best friend, she reveals the disasters she confronted in her own kitchen renovation, her struggles with anorexia, her epic fight with her husband over a Lucite table, and her secrets for starting a successful blog.

Organized by rooms in the house, Elements of Style invites readers into Erin’s own home as well as homes she has designed for clients. Fresh, modern, and colorful, it is brimming glamour and style as well as advice on practical matters from choosing kitchen counter materials to dressing a bed with pillows, picking a sofa, and decorating a nursery without cartoon characters. You’ll also find a charming foreword by Erin’s husband, Andrew, and an extensive Resource and Shopping Guide that provides an indispensable a roadmap for anyone embarking on their first serious home decorating adventure. With Erin’s help, you can finally make your house your home.

Simon & Schuster are kindly offering to give away 3 copies. Please enter the giveaway via the rafflecopter widget below. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only (terms set by the publisher). The winners will be announced on the widget and contacted by email one week from today. Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


To learn more about Erin Gates visit her blog, Elements of Style.

News
Check out my interview with Heidi Bock of Beauty in Believing blog.

A Domestic Goddess is loving the Madame Chic books.

At Home With Madame Chis is mentioned on the lovely In Sewtopia quilting blog this week.

Don't forget to enter the Christy Luxury Linens giveaway (for Daily Connoisseur readers only!)

Reading
43 Reasons Why Studying Abroad in Paris Destroys You For Life (You'll love this! Thanks to my readers who shared this with me.)

Upcoming Events
Southern California readers: come meet me at one of my upcoming book signings:

October 28, 2014 (next Tuesday!) DIESEL bookstore, Brentwood, CA Presentation, Q&A + book signing 7pm

November 2, 2014 Laguna Beach Books Presentation, Q&A + signing 4pm

(more venues and dates to be announced on my author website events page)



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A few weeks ago I was recognized by a reader of the Daily Connoisseur. I was in my local grocery store (thank goodness for 'looking presentable always'— remember I alway see people at the grocery store!) and she said, "I know you, I've read your blog and book!"

Well it turns out that this lovely reader is Jane Hamilton of JAC Interiors, a prestigious interior design firm in Los Angeles. After chatting for a bit I asked Jane if she would be so kind as to answer some of my questions about interior design for the Daily Connoisseur and she agreed!

Our Q & A is below. All of the pictures you see are from JAC Interiors' portfolio.



What are some inexpensive things people can do to update the look of their home?

• Buy new throw pillows.
• Wallpaper just one wall for accent.
• Add inexpensive art found at flea markets, not just paintings but sculpture pieces. This really adds a curated, expensive look.
• Color arrange your bookshelves—this looks very Parisian chic.
• Bring out the wedding china and use in the bathroom to store make up brushes.


Where should we splurge and where should we save when decorating?

Buy more expensive things and use them on small areas. Buy some fabulous fabric and put it on a tiny piece of furniture like a stool, accent pillow or lampshade. This will add bling to the room and probably be the only thing people will focus their eyes on. You could splurge on a great wallpaper for a small space as well. Splurge on things that will give you great pleasure everyday such as beautiful bedding. You want to get maximum usage or impact from the things you are spending more money on. Save money on fabric for heavy use items like a sofa or chair in a family room. You can use less expensive items and add bling with accessories.



Clutter is so not chic. Do you have any tips for keeping clutter at bay?

Do a daily 5 minute pick up everyday before bed. Edit your possessions. Take a hint from the French who are great minimalists. Less good quality items are better than a lot of cheap junk and will make you feel better about your surroundings. You will be able to think more clearly if you eliminate clutter down to just a few items. We find having cute baskets are great, but be careful not to turn them into junk piles. You must edit periodically. The container store has super items to help you organize.



Can you give us a few do's and don'ts of interior design?

Do have a collection of tear sheets from magazines that capture the “feeling” of the room you would like. Don’t just follow trends, go with what exhibits your best self. Gather your favorite knick knacks around the house and display them together in a collection. You will give your guests an instant conversation topic when they come over.
Go for the best quality you can afford. Consider the light in your space and be sure to compensate for dark rooms or too light rooms when choosing paint colors. The final layer of accessories, such as lighting, art and pillows make a room. Many clients don’t see the value in this last phase and that’s the icing on the cake! A room isn’t done unless there is art and fabulous lighting.

Most people feel that hiring interior designers is only for the wealthy. Is this true? How is the industry changing?

Hiring interior designers is an investment that will save you money and time in the long run. It will give you peace of mind that you are choosing the right items for your lifestyle and personality. We save you from making mistakes on your own. Find a designer who understands who you are and your needs. They should be good listeners who uplift the client and make them look and feel great when the project is done!

JAC Interiors---Jane Hamilton, Andrea Putman, Christine Thompson
JAC Interiors is an interior design firm that serves the Los Angeles area. They were recently awarded the Best of Houzz 2013.
For more information on JAC Interiors, click here, or visit, www.JACinteriordesign.com

Thank you Jane!

News

♥ Read my latest piece for Huffington Post Style called, Get Your Spring Wardrobe Ready.

♥ The Biographile picks Lessons from Madame Chic as one of 10 Parisian Memoirs to Celebrate Spring.

♥ Next Wednesday, April 3rd, I'll be appearing on the Cindy Laverty radio show with show host and author, Cindy Laverty, at 1pm EST (10am PST). Visit www.W4WN.com (Women 4 Women Network) next week to listen to the show, or click here. No downloads or Apps needed to listen. The Cindy Laverty Show is dedicated to the subject of CARE - how we care for ourself so we can better care for each other. If women need anything...it's to learn new and creative ways to care for themselves. I'm really looking forward to chatting with Cindy! PLEASE NOTE: Due to technical difficulties this show will not air this week but next week. I will update you soon. Thanks for your understanding!

I hope you have a wonderful Easter... I'll be taking next week off for spring break. Thank you for all of your emails and messages. Even though I am not able to respond to all of them, I want you to know they are greatly appreciated!

See you soon xx

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Last year I did a post on guest bedrooms that outlined everything needed for a perfect spare room. This one is dedicated to your own bedroom- which should have more character, personality and luxury than the guest bedroom.

In fact, the master bedroom could be the most important room in your house. It is the room you spend the most time in (even though most of that time you are sleeping…)

For living well in the master bedroom here is my essential list:

A large, comfy bed. This is pretty self explanatory. My husband is quite tall, I like to stretch out in my sleep and Gatsby is (unfortunately) always at the foot of the bed so nothing short of a California King will do for us ☺

A fluffy duvet and very good pillows. By ‘good’ I mean the most comfortable for you. We have lots of fluffy pillows to prop us up when we read but my favorite one to sleep with is the Tempurpedic with neck support. For the duvet, the lighter and fluffier the better… a good one makes you feel like you are sleeping in a cloud…

White linens. I’m sure not everyone is with me on this, but I just prefer all of my linens to be white. For me, clean, crisp, white linens are the only sort I like to sleep in.

Overhead lighting on a dimmer switch. Dimmed lights in the bedroom are so important. They can add so much atmosphere and really help prepare you for sleep. A good bedside lamp for reading is also essential…

Music. Whether it be through your iPod or an old fashioned cd player (which is what we have). I love to play classical music or opera when I am getting ready for bed. It just makes rubbing in those night creams and changing into your nightgown that much more decadent.

No television… talk about a passion killer.

Miscellaneous items that make you happy. For me that is my perfume tray, jewelry box, candles and orchids…

Curtains. (I prefer curtains to blinds) Ours are cream colored linen- they filter just the right amount of light in and add a softness to the room.

A system for putting your clothes away (either out of the room in a dirty clothes hamper or hung back up in your closet). I try to only keep my dressing gown on the bench at the foot of our bed.


C’est tout! We are currently looking for a beautiful bed frame/ headboard and in the meantime are sleeping with our mattresses on the floor (I feel like I am in college again!) but I am still comfortable and am getting plenty of luxurious nights of sleep- which I plan to enjoy to the fullest before the baby arrives…

I would love to know… how do you live well in the master bedroom?

Gatsby is pictured above in our master bedroom…

I can't believe that this time next year I will be celebrating Mother's Day with my own daughter. I am so excited to be a mother... I am just bursting with joy and anticipation!

So in honor of Mother's Day, this blog post is dedicated to all of the amazing mothers that are daily connoisseurs in their own right and especially to my own mother- who has, together with my father, provided the most amazing life for my sister and me.

Thank you Mom- I love you and appreciate you!

And now I want to share with you pictures of the baby nursery (nearly complete!)


This is a wide angle shot of the nursery- as you can see Gatsby is also anxiously anticipating the arrival of baby connoisseur...


Here are some close up shots...



The rocking chair...



My own American Girl doll, Samantha... so excited to pass her on to my daughter...




As you can see I am ready with The Complete Works of Winnie the Pooh and The Wind in the Willows...



The crib. We picked a 'nursery rhyme toile' for the bedding... I am in love with the print!


And finally, the changing table...


Happy Mother's Day to you... and thank you for all of the wonderful tips you have been giving me- keep them coming- I cherish every one!

xx

Jennifer

For the past nine months I have been cleaning the house sans help. We are doing this partly to save money and partly because the wonderful lady helping us had to leave the country and I can't be bothered to get someone else in. I actually enjoy doing housework and do a little every day anyway so I didn't think it would be such a big deal.

At first it was all going smoothly. I had a schedule and I stuck to it. Then I found that the more I cleaned the more I needed to clean. (For example, I couldn't clean the kitchen counter tops without also doing the floors, the surfaces of the cupboards, the inside of the fridge... you get the idea...)

Then I found myself devoting a ridiculous 3+ hours a day to cleaning the house. B would look at me in astonishment. It was like I was a cleaning robot- incapable of doing anything else! I carried on like this for about three months. Then I burned out and completely let things go and only did about 20 minutes of cleaning a day (which for me wasn't really that bad... I just didn't do the details like clean the inside of the fridge... you get the idea...)

Where am I going with this? Oh yes. So today I had the day off and was in the mood to clean again. It was a glorious stormy, turbulent day in Santa Monica (very rare) so I lit the fire, played Anthea Turner Perfect Housewife on DVD in the background (you want to see a show that will motivate you to clean? This is the one!), and have made my home completely spotless for the past 5 hours (taking breaks in between, of course). I'm not sure what perverse pleasure I get out of doing this... but I think it has to do with wanting to live well and living well for me means looking at sparkling taps, gleaming floors and a gorgeously made bed...

I would love to know... do you get a kick out of cleaning?


Pictured above are my beloved pink gloves that I wear while cleaning- a very thoughtful present from my sister (Thanks L!)

There are many things in a home that can evoke true feelings of luxury and romance: paintings, rugs, flowers, candlelight, sumptuous pillows, lovely soaps and chandeliers...

We recently installed a chandelier (pictured above) over our dining room table. I am in love with this gorgeous fixture. It creates an instant atmosphere of luxe and helps to define the dining room in our open plan home as a space of importance- a space to be cherished.

Now I am seeing my room with a view in a whole different light…

Madame Bohemienne was a single mother with two boys (one teenager, the other early twenties) that lived at home. She was such a marvelous woman- warm and welcoming. She frequently invited me over to her home... and her home was lovely.

Madame Bohemienne’s apartment was on the 10th floor (I have already described my journey in getting to the 10th floor sans elevator here) and while her apartment was very different to Madame Chic’s (no ancient antiques or portraits of formidable ancestors to speak of), Madame Bohemienne’s home was equally as inviting and uniquely Parisian.

When I first met Madame Bohemienne she asked me what I thought about the walls of her living room. I had noticed them as soon as I walked in. To say they were yellow would be an understatement. They were bright yellow. Strong yellow. Parisian yellow. When I gave her my opinion, I spoke the truth “I absolutely love them,” I said. Madame Bohemienne’s walls spoke volumes about the way she led her life. They were bold, creative, stimulating- these were not tranquil walls- these walls made you think and they would (as I would find out soon enough) be walls to host countless animated dinner parties. They were walls for living in.

Yellow wasn’t the only bold color in Madame Bohemienne’s living room, however. Her curtains were a deep red as was the cover on the built-in seating arrangement; not quite a sofa, not quite a bench… it was an l-shaped built in- covered with bold Moroccan-inspired cushions- perfect for before dinner socializing.

There was, of course, a very large dining table (a pre-requisite, I think for true Parisian living), lots of books and a very tiny television (another pre-requisite, I believe). Her kitchen was a modern one- modern appliances, new fixtures and it was painted bright blue- Madame Bohemienne, as you can probably already tell, was not afraid of color.

Her apartment vibrated with great energy. Some of my favorite memories of my time in Paris are from attending her wild dinner parties (more on those later). But one moment I will never forget happened late in Spring- Madame Bohemienne had just popped out to grab a bouquet of flowers for her dinner party that night. She walked in breathless (no elevator, remember) and placed her flowers down, walked to her open French windows and proclaimed, “We are so lucky to live in Paris. This is truly the most beautiful place in the world”.

I couldn’t agree more.


Image courtesy of www.zazzle.com

Famille Chic had one washing machine and a very tiny dryer. The dryer was only used for things like bed linens, table cloths and certain articles of clothing… everything else was hung up to dry on a laundry string suspended in the front hallway and the hallway leading to the kitchen.

The first time I gave my washing to Madame Chic was early one morning before I jetted off to the Sorbonne. When I came home that evening she had lovingly folded my clothes and placed them on my bed (so nice of her!). I remember wondering at the time where she had put my underwear as I couldn’t find the ones I had given her to wash. Famille Chic was having one of their many dinner parties that night so I made a mental note to ask Madame Chic about my underpinnings later and quickly freshened up for the dinner party. We had an apéritif in the lounge while waiting for the guests to arrive. When the guests did eventually arrive we all moved to the front hallway to greet them. Something caught my eye as I greeted these dinner guests (two chic Parisian couples) and I looked up to discover (in horror) that my underwear was hanging out to dry above all of our heads!

Now back then I was in college so I was wont to wear knickers with cute little sayings on them such as Go Team! and Drama Queen (TMI, I know- and I know I just wrote a post about that- but I feel that I have to describe them to you so you could fully grasp my horror). But no one seemed to notice and if anyone did they were probably wondering who on earth would wear hot pink underpants with immature slogans on them.

This must be one of the reasons why French women only wear the best lingerie!, I remember thinking at the time. Ever since that experience I now buy only sophisticated and alluring underwear- the sort that I wouldn’t mind hanging over my head at a party ;)

I love seeing how other people live. Living in Paris with Famille Chic (and befriending Famille Bohemian) was like heaven for me because I could experience first-hand the way true Parisians live. The most fascinating aspect of observing both families (who in their own right were very different from each other) was observing the interior of their apartments. Here, in Part 1, I will discuss the general interior of Famille Chic’s home.

As I have already touched upon, Famille Chic’s 16th Arrondissement apartment was not typical of the ‘average’ Parisian household. Famille Chic came from a long line of aristocrats and their apartment- while not extravagant (no nouveau riche gaucheness here to speak of) their interior definitely spoke of their distinguished lineage. High ceilings, equally high windows, beautifully restored (probably ancient) wooden floors created the shell for their 4 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment.

As for the decorations, gilded portraits of their ancestors hung on the walls (that seriously looked like they belonged in the Louvre), Persian Rugs adorned the floors, and the furnishings were mostly antiques (the only modern “new-looking” furniture was found in their tiny kitchen- the kitchen table and chairs). Everything in their home was ‘real’. There were no “fake” antiques or decorations purchased from a mass-market home furnishing center. It had all been passed down from their esteemed family members or purchased somewhere abroad. Everything was tasteful and everything had meaning.

Below is a list of my general observations- things I was surprised to find in the home of Famille Chic when I was fresh off the boat (or plane, rather) from America:


- Famille Chic had one small television for the whole house. (We are talking tiny!) No flat screen ‘entertainment’ system Chez Eux. Their discreet little television was placed in their living room almost as an afterthought and was rarely watched. (In fact, their record player got much more use than their TV. Monsieur Chic would religiously play Debussy after each dinner- listening in rhapsody with his eyes shut while drinking his digestif). Every now and then the son of Famille Chic (who was the same age as me and I will call “A” for short) and I would watch a film on the television but because the format of the living room did not revolve around watching television- this was not a very comfortable event. Which brings me to my next observation.

- There was No sofa! No sofa? Where was the huge sectional, or lazy boy recliner I was so used to seeing in American homes? There was none. Probably because Famille Chic would rather die than pass out on an enormous couch in a television-induced coma after work. The set up of their living room included four chairs all facing each other to maximize conversation. There were two large upholstered chairs and two wooden backed chairs.

- The dining room table was très important. Naturally. After work/ school we would all sit at this wonderful antique table with its worn, polished wood and marks from years upon years of fabulous dinners. We would sit there for hours- eating, discussing, drinking…. living.

- One bathroom. (One bathroom?! Was my first thought). I come from a home in America with four bathrooms! I had my own bathroom my entire life! Suddenly I was having to share it with three other people? Quelle Horreur! But actually, it wasn’t bad at all. If anything- it curbed my vanity ;)

And lastly,

- A tiny, utilitarian kitchen that produced some of the best meals I have ever had in my life. There were no stainless steel appliances in this kitchen- no granite countertops or marbled sinks- no state of the art cooking tools either. This was a barebones, (did I mention tiny?) kitchen- modest, humble and tucked away at the back of the house.

What struck me the most about Famille Chic was that they lived extremely well- but did not rely on an abundance of material luxury (there was no keeping up with the Joneses in this home). They clearly lived surrounded by wealth but there was nothing flashy about them. They were modest and humble- the interior of their home revolved around living a good life- eating well, conversation and family.

I hope you will stay tuned for Part Deux…

Above Image of the Salon at Versailles courtesy of msn.com