Saturday, August 6, 2011

ABC 123

Typography has been very trendy in the home this year! Graphic letters, vintage numbers and symbols add a bold decorative punch to any space. In small doses it adds charisma to any home. Spell something, or just add an oversized letter or number in your living room, bedroom or bathroom today. Frame a word written in a special font to add a little interest to your wall. With texting and tweeting being so popular today, no wonder we are very fond of characters! I have a big A on a shelf in my office and am always tempted to buy pillows that spell something quirky. Come on, go to the flea market and buy some vintage numbers or letters, display them together....there is strength in numbers!

via West Elm

Hillary Petrie

bathroom sign wood bath cottage style beach decor Light Turquoise

Etsy.com via OldNewAgain

Lucas Allen Photography

Jonathan Adler via House Beautiful

via Remodelista.com

via RealSimple.com

dressers chests and bedroom armoires by anthropologie.com

Anthropology.com

Dana Tanamachi

Birdsquare Carpentry

via Houzz.com

mothology.com

Add instant appeal with typography! It's as easy as 123!

Happy Decorating!

Ana Alicia

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Charming Andalusian Rural Hotels

Andalucia, a southern spanish region is close to my heart. Since I can remember, every summer my family and I would vacation on the Mediterranean sea in the province of Malaga. In those days it would take ten hours to get from Madrid to our vacation spot. Nowadays the time on the road is slashed in half due to road improvements over the years (Hallelujah!). My parents loved the south so much they retired there. Now I take my own family to vacation in the south of Spain and stay at my parents home. I feel fortunate to be able to continue to soak up the Mediterranean light and enjoy the vistas, people, food, decor and culture!

If you ever feel inclined to travel to Andalucia I would definitely suggest staying at a rural hotel. They are quaint and designed in a traditional southern way. Take a look at three different rural hotels in Malaga:

via Casa y Campo

Hope you can visit the south of Spain, it's worth it! (I am not biased....LOL!)
Which hotel did you like best?

Happy Decorating!
Ana Alicia

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Andalusian Home

First I want to apologize to my followers for not posting in the month of June. Various factors contributed to my inability to blog. For those of you who have kids, you know how hectic the last weeks of school can be with award ceremonies, school projects, exams, summer camp registration......the days didn´t seem to have enough hours to write about interior design! :( Then my kids and I went to Spain to visit family. Before we even arrived to our final destination my backpack was stolen.....my computer, my Ipad and my camera.....from one moment to the other....GONE! Indispensable materials for my work! To make matters worse, my father lives in a remote mountain with unreliable internet access...(you have to drive through winding dirt roads inhabited with herds of goats to arrive to his house)...it´s paradise, but a blogger´s nightmare! I hope you accept my most sincere apologies for leaving you without Instant Interiors Inspiration for such a long time!

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The following home via Casa & Campo is situated in the mountains very close to where my father lives. It´s a little peak into a rural spanish home in the south of Spain by the Costa del Sol. It´s a traditional andalusian home with clay tile, wood, and lots of white.

Enjoy your summer! More about Spain to come....

Happy decorating,

Ana Alicia

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Designer : Vicente Wolf

I love Vicente Wolf's work! He serves as an inspiration when I am looking to decorate rooms in shades of white. His relaxing spaces with clean white lines, subdued colors and plenty of light feel like eye candy to me. His rooms feel airy and eclectic, upscale and luxurious. He does not use bold colors, but his white rooms are bold statements in their own right. Take a look:

Dreamy bathroom! I love the contrast of the old
wood table vanity with the
stainless steel sink and modern chair.

The white bed seems to float in the
middle of the room, like floating on
a white cloud.

The art collection becomes a focal point by
having white as a backdrop.

Love the white floors!

The simplicity of this rooms is striking!

This is a perfect conversation spot! A huge
white sectional surrounded by art, an old rustic
table, some candles,flowers and a few books.
What more can you ask for?.....Well, maybe
a cup of coffee please....with milk and sugar.

The wood acts as a sculpture in a
sea of white! Notice how the paintings are "sitting"
on different types of chairs.

White and gray is one of my favorite
color combinations lately. It's simple, yet
sophisticated.

The oversized ottoman is brilliant! Everyone
can put their feet up, be comfortable and
and social at the same time. The oversized
lampshade is barely there despite its size.

Two tables nesting at the side of the bed act
as a nightstand. The tables are each of a different
era, yet they complement eachother.

The architecture of the windows is stunning!
I love using different types of chairs at the
dining table. It makes the space more
interesting.

Do you find white rooms boring or full of life? Do tell. I happen to find them

very alluring. The color can come from accessories and art. The use of wood

also makes a white room come alive. A white room is like a blank canvas and

anything goes, really.

Happy Decorating!
Ana Alicia

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Easy, breezy, beautiful ...

This Shelter Island beach house caught my attention because of its simplicity, the washed wood in every room, the Scandinavian vibe and the uncomplicated, summery mood it gives its owners on vacation. All the colors are muted and interconnect throughout the bright rooms. I can see myself picking out a great book and lounging around on the white sofa with a cup of ice tea. There is a carefree atmosphere you can almost touch. Isn't that what we want on vacation? That's definitely what I look for in a beach house! Easy, breezy, beautiful.....

It also has a wood stove for cozy winter evenings.....which
is a plus...this house can be used year round...
(Notice the hand stamped tile on the wall)

It all feels casual and lived in...

Windows are open, the breeze is coming
right in....the bed is not perfectly made...

An organic bath experience at the end of
a sun-sand-wind filled day...

Casual get togethers with friends and family...

A place to relax....and have a siesta...

Just leave the office behind....

Harriet Maxwell Macdonald and Andrew Carrie

I wish it were a rental... I could spend a week in this beach house! Those floors are begging my feet to walk barefoot on them...the sandier the better! I do hope it has a beautiful outdoor space as well!

Happy Decorating!

Ana Alicia

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Worldly Walls

I have always had an atlas of the world with me. Whether I went off to college in Europe or moved away to the North American continent, an atlas has always been my companion. I just love to flip the pages of an atlas and go around the world. Even so I can't say I am particularly great in geography, but I have always loved to travel and daydream about far away places. Different cultures, different people, different ways of living have always been a source of interest to me. In my home I have an old heirloom atlas which I proudly display open on my dining room buffet. I turn the pages every now and then and always admire the organic lines and colors. One day I am going to cut out the pages and frame them.....I just have not mustered up the courage yet!

Decorating with maps has been around for centuries. Maps can be used in any interior, be it modern or traditional; be it in the living room or kids room. They are very versatile, beautiful, can spice up any room, and are great conversational pieces. There are vintage maps, modern versions, collectors editions, whimsical ones, even wallpaper maps and map decals..... they all add great decorative appeal on your walls. You can frame a big map as one art piece, or cut the map into fragments and frame them into a cohesive grouping. Maps come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Sepia versions add an archival subdued sense to your interior while a bold colored map adds a splash of color. Any way you display a map it adds an artistic touch and draws the onlooker in to look at all the detail, revealing a new world!