I'll get you my pretty..............

The first thing I do when I walk into the living room in the morning is open the outside door to let some fresh air in. No matter what the weather!

If it's summer the door usually stays open all day but in the winter time five minutes (maybe three) is enough fresh air even for me!  

I get this strange need for fresh air in the morning from my mother.
As we were growing up she would always have the windows open in the house even on a cold windy day.
I can still hear her saying to my father, "but Vince, fresh air is good for you".
My brothers and I would roll our eyes, put more clothes on to stay warm and think "what a crazy women".

Now years later I do the exact same thing.

As you know we have recently moved house and the front and back doors are very old heavy wooden ones. Unfortunately when the wind blows they have a tendency to slam shut with an enormous bang.

I am terrified that our dogs will be caught unawares and have these heavy doors slam their little bodies between the door edge and the frame, so I have invested in some door stoppers.

I wanted two unobtrusive looking stoppers and the first one is a chocolate leather sand filled stopper that works perfectly and blends with the living room.

The back door stopper is a different story.

It is a tall, heavy, metal hand crafted structure of the Eiffel Tower.

Neither of these will be coming to Italy with me but for now they do the job and I'm happy with them.

But if I had of purchased this door stopper instead?

Well this would definitely be packed in the Italy box as it is fantastic!

Crystal clear door knobs.....

More beautiful glass and crystal door knobs for me to choose from.

Luxe curtain tie back.....

I love this idea.

They have recycled a vintage crystal and brass door knob and used it as a curtain tie back.

Months ago Beauty and I were in our favorite jewelry store when I saw these beautiful but outlandish over sized rings. They were so big that the circular top covered across the top of my four fingers.
They were made from huge gold and silver circles with turquoise and red back grounds. They had intricate inserts that were covered with a facet cut, risen up clear lucite.

As soon as I saw them I turned to Beauty and said "they would make great curtain tie backs".
The problem was that they were $25 each and I couldn't justify the expense.

Yesterday we walked into the same jewelry store and there they were as usual, 2 turquoise and 2 red ones. But the difference was that they were on the sale rack for just $3.00 each.
Beauty grabbed them quickly and handed them to me and I did my little happy dance.

If the Italian villa doesn't have French doors then these will be used as window curtain tie backs. You could even mount them on the side of a window frame and use them to wrap a cord tie around or even thread it threw the ring hole.

I'm so happy. It was meant to be!

Black is beautiful...

I think these art deco, ebony front double doors are grand and beautiful.
I could live without everything else in the room but the doors need to be shipped to Italy to me!

I love a curtained doorway....

I love curtained door ways.
They are just so bohemian and unexpected.
If they are done right it's like being in a very classy gypsy caravan.

My favorite are the heavy black velvet ones that are pulled to one side of a doorway.




They are double sided and heavy but also very practical by keeping the heat in the room when pulled closed, as well as decorative and dramatic.

Awnings

I think that black and white striped exterior awnings are classically beautiful and very old Hollywood.

I will definitely be having these simple yet versatile blinds on some part of my home.

Door knobs

I can't wait to decorate with beaded and glass door knobs.