EVENT: Nepal, Azkals and Meg Imperial

If someone asks for a ticket or payment, show this Philippine Embassy Circular - 

this EVENT IS 100% ENTRANCE FREE.

ART: Go Ahead and Stair (A Picture Perfect Wall)

http://www.potterybarn.com/design-studio/articles/living_rooms_staircase-gallery.html

I received some photos of our dream house last week from my sister, including the stair case. We weren’t actually expected the stair case to be that grand. We thought that it will be a simple stair case, yet when we saw the pic, I said “Wow! Ang sarap pagandahin ng area na ito!”

Although we were decided to put frames on the stair wall since we did the same thing on our tiny home here in Qatar (less the stair case of course :D ), we also did some research on how to do them perfectly.

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/7d/81/ee/7d81eeaa26d77601e80a13b1a251fdce.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpR-72XQIoa8Xh5DPCtefg4K1C-WXNcBnNgSO3Vjnqn_XHu0wSnxEeo6AApCY8tOGitMWMWwIf8qdxmNMGtfNcblx3ubGgqfFWh-hfHBH4iVIRkvpQ2MXHxQoZdZvgHMlZosed_jqGrM/s1600/gallery+wall+edited+2.jpg

http://www.thehandmadehome.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/frames_handmade.jpg

http://i01.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/1979426309_1/18-box-solid-wood-photo-font-b-frame-b-font-font-b-picture-b-font-font.jpg

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/65/3c/a0/653ca0789579ea2272336fc384c1afda.jpg

http://www.positivelysplendid.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/gallery-wall-2.jpg

http://cdn.decorpad.com/photos/2011/10/12/m_7588e4e5ba9d.png

http://rk.pbimgs.com/pbimgs/rk/images/i/201432/0006/images/design-studio/articles/thumnails/articles_thumbnails/staircase-gallery.jpg

So here are some tips on laying out frames with balance and symmetry. By the way, these are just purely suggestions. You can still use and apply your own ideas and concepts on making your stair wall become a perfect framework for a show stopping gallery of memories.

http://www.picturewall.com/pages/perfect-picturewall-size-specifications

http://www.simplybeautifulhouse.com/2012/09/photo-gallery-wall-up-stairs.html

http://www.scrapnframes.com/SITE_EN/FRAMING/images_encadrement/CadresEscalier_img/Escalier2layout.jpg

HOME: The Habitat Furniture Shop

While everyone is getting crazy over IKEA and its line of products, there is another one furniture shop that will open in Doha real soon-The Habitat, One of the best-known European names in contemporary interior design plans to open its first store in Qatar early next year as part of a strategy to expand throughout the Gulf.

The new Habitat store, which will be on the Airport Road, lost momentum after a warehouse fire earlier this year gutted its stock. But it is now set to open its doors around February 2015, its CEO has confirmed to Doha News. Started in 1964, Habitat has been transforming living space design, combining inspiration with the creation of beautiful interiors. On May 11, 1964, Terence Conran, a young furniture designer and restorer, opened the first Habitat store in Fulham Road, London. His ambition was to modernize British furniture by offering contemporary design at affordable prices. Since then, the habitat catalog rapidly became a standard for interior design, foreshadowing the arrival of the magazines of the 90s, and giving readers ideas for decoration and accessories for their homes. Habitat owes its success to the eclecticism of its range of original products from around the world.

The 1,800sqm meter Doha showroom and shop will be one of the largest in the Habitat network, which currently operates in 16 countries.

In addition to furniture and furnishings, Habitat Qatar will also offer interior design advice and provide an assembly service and free delivery. By June next year, the company hopes to have its online shopping service operating in Qatar. The new shop will launch nearly two years after IKEA finally opened its doors to an eager Qatar public and will offer additional choice for those looking for more affordable, pared-back furnishings.

More info at: Doha News, Habitat Website

PEOPLE: Oscar dela Renta, an Icon of Style

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_de_la_Renta

Although I have a real passion with fashion,  I am not a fashion guru nor even a fashion icon. But Oscar dela Renta is a name that moved fashion in a fast forward pace. Too sad that the world of fashion lost another icon of style.

When you say Oscar dela REnta, it means red carpet that never missed any best dressed lists. Oscar died in 20^th October 2014 due to cancer complication and left an enormous fashion legacy. But not only he left us timeless gowns and couture, he also left the world with his memorable quotes with a touch of humor. Here are some of his quotes:

1. ON PERSONAL STYLE

“Fashion is about dressing according to what’s fashionable. Style is more about being yourself.”

2. ON HIS DESIGN AESTHETIC

“I want to make clothes that people will wear, not styles that will make a big splash on the runway.”

3. ON EVERYDAY WEAR

“I don’t really know how to do casual clothes.”

 4. ON HIS FAVORITE SOUND

“There is no sound more feminine than a woman in a taffeta dress.”

 5. ON SOCIAL MEDIA

“Although I have no plans to tweet, I am fascinated by developments on the Internet.”

 6. ON EACH OF HIS GOWNS

“There is always an emotional element to anything that you make.”

7. ON DRAMATIC DESIGNS

“I am not interested in shock tactics. I just want to make beautiful clothes.”

8. ON HIS INSPIRATION

“Every season I am inspired by women.”

9. ON CONFIDENCE

“You have to walk like you have three men walking behind you.”

 10. ON THE IMPORTANCE OF A SIGNATURE SCENT

“If you wear a different perfume every day, I do not recognize you.” 

11. ON HIS RESPECT FOR WOMEN

“The qualities I most admire in women are confidence and kindness.” 

12. ON WHY HE LOVED HIS JOB

“My job as a designer is to make a woman feel her very best.”

13. ON THE DYNAMICS OF FASHION

“The great thing about fashion, is that it always moves forward.”

14. ON HIS FAVORITE PASTIMES

“Dominos, bridge…I love to compete. And rules were made to be broken.”

 15. AND HIS HOBBIES

“Gardening is how I relax. It’s another form of creating and playing with colors.”

16. ON HIS DAILY WARDROBE

“I see people in a colorful shirt and I think, My God, I would really love to wear that, but then I am afraid that when I walk into the door, the host will say, ‘I’m sorry, but the Latin band walks through that other door.’”

17. ON FEMINISM

“When I started, the woman went to the store to buy a dress. She saw it in pink and red, and then she remembered that the husband, who is probably going to pay for the dress, loves it in pink. So she buys the pink. Today, the same woman goes to the store and remembers the husband likes pink, and she buys the red.”

18. ON FASHION WEEK

““Never, ever confuse what happens on a runway with fashion. A runway is spectacle.”

HOME: Happy Home Part 3 - Let's Eat!

Now, I am on my 3^rd blog for our happy home id e eas. Last time, we discussed about our exquisite choices of beautifully crafted chandelier for the living and dining areas, followed by minimalist concept for a living room.

On this blog, I am going to look for some ideas that we can apply for the dining room, together with the kitchen. You know, this place is actually critical  for people like us who love to eat (that’s me!) and cook (that’s my husband hahah!). though I am not into cooking, I want these 2 areas to have a very a happy mood that you can enjoy the food even if it just a simple fried egg and bacon. All you have to do is to choose the right furniture, comfy chair and a table that is just the right size, everyone will be happy to stay for a while.

Our dining area is actually “disconnected” to the kitchen, meaning, there is wall between them. This is actually my husband’s idea which I also like, because we don’t want to extend the smell of every food that we are going to prepare. We prefer our kitchen to be closed although it is adjacent and accessible to the dining room. So you can cook everything, prepare everything, even clutter everything (but be careful with the sharp utensils, of course) without anyone seeing the mess.

The dining room however, is adjacent to an open lanai facing a well-trimmed landscape. Two purposes: to serve as a refreshing view, and a source of natural lighting. Our Architect, which is also a family friend designed it using a sliding glass door.

Anyhow, we already have some choices, we just need to choose the best one that will complement our personality (and budget, lolz!)

Here are some of our top picks:

Kitchen:

http://imgora.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/elegant-kitchens-photos-and-elegant-modern-kitchen-designs-pictures-2014.jpg

http://bedarthome.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Kitchen-Ideas-850.jpg

http://imgora.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/modern-kitchen-design-white-cabinets-with-Small-Kitchen-Designs-2014-With-Stunning-Small-Kitchen-Design-Ideas-Simple-And-Elegant-Decoration.jpg

http://imgora.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/modern-kitchen-ideas-cream-gloss-and-tasty-comfortable-small-apartment-with-elegant-kitchen-design-details.jpg

http://www.asapela.com/small-kitchen-ideas-how-give-proper-colors.html/small-kitchen-ideas-light-yellow

Dining Room:

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/5e/c9/04/5ec9046289c8e1da03db4295424c2fb3.jpg

http://www.lovedesignideas.com/make-comfortable-modern-dining-room-decorating-ideas.html/elegant-modern-furniture-dining-room-decorating-ideas

http://homestyledecoration.com/2014/10/exquisite-minimalist-dining-room-ideas-for-the-posh-modern-home-interior-ideas/

http://www.distroarchitecture.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Fascinating-Fresh-And-Relaxing-Minimalist-Dining-Room-Design-Idea-With-Perfect-Illumination.jpg

http://www.uwumca.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/minimalist-dining-room-ideas-contemporary-breakfast-table-sets-and-chairs-furniture-decor-posh-modern-home-interior-design-small-dining-room-space-lighting-Contemporary-dining-room-idea.jpg

http://www.fhabook.com/dining-room-table-design-for-small-dining-room-inspiration/wooden-dining-room-table-design-ideas-for-minimalist-dining-room-design-ideas-with-laminate-flooring-with-dining-room-wall-units-design-with-wallshelves-and-glass-wall-design/