Light in Sant'Antimo | WeekEnd in Tuscany

Last weekend, I visited the Abbazia of Sant'Antimo, near Montalcino (Siena).  Everytime I go there, I'm awed by the natural light that plays inside through the 12th century windows and by the beauty of the naked interiors. As architect, I'll always have a lot to learn from masters of past centuries.

Abbazia di Sant'Antimo, Montalcino -Siena - Italy

La joie de vivre | Fonelle inspires

I'm an admirer of the pen of Sophie Fontanel. Her words about Charlie Hebdo and sweet funny people (les gens drôles) are always in my mind and also this time - after the Paris attacks - I don't miss a post from her. I loved to see reactions like the pianist playing in front of Le Bataclan or the humour of John Oliver or to read her own words:
"J'accepte ma tristesse, mais je refuse de me désespérer. Si je me désespère, ces fous auront gagné. Ils ne gagneront pas. It means : Give me art today. Give me beautiful souls. Give me the softest music. Give me "more than life" words. Give me a dancer, open arms. I need this to deal with my sadness. And with barbarism."

"Les musées, les cinémas, les salles de spectacles sont fermés aujourd'hui à Paris. Pour l'art et la nourriture qu'il apporte, il nous reste à fermer les yeux, et à penser à de belles choses, à ce genre de belles choses puissantes et sublimes qui existe en ce monde. Et à se dire que toute force physique n'est pas la destruction, toute détonation n'est pas la destruction. Ça peut être le saut du danseur, le jet de peinture du peintre, le coude en l'air du musicien qui attaque son morceau, le mot qui fait mouche. S'accrocher à cette idée car c'est elle qui aura le dernier mot, justement. Toujours. It means : every museum, every art places are closed in Paris today. So we make our own private museum, just by searching images full of a positive strength. #noureev, for example."

Thank you, Sophie!

Sophie Fontanel Instagram | Twitter | Fonelle Time

For Paris | Joann Sfar

The great message of Joann Sfar via Instagram after the 13th november. I LOVE life!

Read more: Joann Sfar on Instagram - Article Le Soir

Mini Calendario Italiano | Free Printable 2016 Calendar

My mini calendario Italiano is ready. This time, I wrote it in my mother language - Italian. "Mini" means little in Italian language but it's also the abbrevation for minimal. As past years, it's on one page and without a background- I like to save ink and paper! You can download the pdf file - ready to be to print - here.

Surf Snowdonia | Wales

"Picture this. A perfect lozenge-shaped fresh-water lagoon, roughly the size of six football pitches, set in the lush, green Conwy Valley in the lee of the Snowdonia mountains. Now add something entirely unexpected.

October weekend links list

Mira Rai runs and wins - the history of this brave girl from Nepal will soon become a movie

Try this Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe (it looks delicious!) by Love and Lemons

Get ready (or dream like me) to visit Hogwarts in the snow!

Frrresh - visual arts magazine - 31 is out on Issuu

More time to read? Learn about the history of Fire escapes in urban America - the thesis presented
by Elizabeth Mary André to The University of Vermont.

Muuto Fall 2015 | The Grain pendant lamp by Jens Fager

GRAIN is a small lamp with plenty of personality. It is perfect for hanging in rows over a bar setting or placed in clusters of multiple lamps to create an alternative light installation over a table.

Vincent Munier | Photograph

Vincent Munier is a French photographer specialized in wildlife, often in extreme conditions. He was the special guest of the 5th Mont Blanc Photo Festival, last summer. I was stunned by his work about the Japanese crane - Tancho - on the island of Hokkaido and I discovered his others wonderful works - here.

I have something special with snow!

Sources of photos: 01 | 02

Dismaland for Calais

Reuse: all the timber and fixtures from Dismaland are being sent to the ‘jungle’ refugee camp near Calais to build shelters.

Dismaland was a temporary art project organised by street artist Banksy, constructed in the seaside resort town of Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, England. Prepared in secret, the pop-up exhibition at the Tropicana, a disused lido, was "a sinister twist on Disneyland" that opened 36 days only from august to september 2015. Banksy described it as a "family theme park unsuitable for children." More

photo via The Indipendent - Text via Wikipedia.

One-SQM-House | Van Bo Le-Mentzel

Discover Berlin for 1 euro/night in the smallest house in the world. The One-SQM-House is a project initiated by Van Bo Le-Mentzel, a berlin-based architect, in cooperation with BMW Guggenheim LAB, airbnb and eastseven Hostel.

Recently...last summer

Dear friends, I'm sorry if I disappeared but I'm far from home taking care to my mom in a hospital. Now she's getting better and I hope she will be back home soon. I'll get back to my dear notebook as soon as I can.
Up, some happy memories of the beautiful weeks I spent in Haute-Savoie and Geneva last august.  

Holiday

Time to go on holiday…although not for long! I'll be going offline until August 28th. But I will be posting on Instagram. I hope you'll enjoy these

Reform | new cool designs for your Ikea kitchen

Reform has presented three new kitchen designs from three of the most famous architecture

The world of Petite Meller

I'm packing to Megève, and I'm looking forward to live some weeks at a colder temperature:) Getting in the mood for holidays, I was looking for some inspiration to dance and I accidentally discovered the "lil' empire" of Petite Meller -  j'adore! 

Above, shots from Baby Love  and Backpack videos directed by the architect (and director) A.T.Mann + the mexican photographer Napoleon Habeica.

Wish list | Summer 2015

01: Shiseido Parlour Hanatsubaki delicious cookies in gold cans | 02: Natural aloe soaps that are wrapped in  virgin wool | 03: Encore!: The New Artisans By Olivier Dupon - Thames & Hudson | 04: toCharge, multitasking genius by Kreafunk | 05: Apple slice, solid brass weights by Alder + Co | 06: Chipperfield w102 by Wästberg

The Orchid Studio, Seattle | First Lamp

Designed by the architecture studio First Lamp, the Orchid Studio is a detached space for a couple needing a place for art and gardening. The studio was designed

Something frilly | Limited editions summer 2015

Two limited editions launched this july and born from the collaboration between K-WAY + Petit Bateau (01-03) and Diadora Heritage + La MJC + Colette (02-04)

Alex Hotel | Perth

Alex Hotel is a new boutique hotel in the centre of Perth, Australia. I love the cosy relaxed

A modernist villa in Aarhus - DK

Bond Street Loft, NY | Elizabeth Roberts Design

Moodboard | 20/15

01 | 02 | 03 | 04

Milan's Porta Nuova district

My Little Paris headquarters

How pretty an office can be? These rooms are the bureaux of the team of My Little Paris - in Paris naturellement.

Moodboard | 19/15

Above, 01: Kitchen design by Arjan Lodder Keukens & Interieur | 02: porcelain bowls ph. by Kirstie Van Noort  | 03: Eames Herman Miller DSW side chairs on in light greige / elephant grey / seafoam green / black | 04: Tine K Spring/Summer 2015 Collection.

Nicolas et Virginie's apartment in a Swiss castle

Apartment in Toulouse | RMGB

RMGB architectes designed this elegant apartment in rue de Tokyo in Toulouse. I love the finishings from paneled walls and

Moodboard | 18/15

01: Clyde Sift Hat in Natural Straw | 02: Remida Tornaghi's Identity collection | 03: Brass closet handles in Pierre Hermé‘s Parisian apartment | 04: Ombre salted caramel flan popsicles.

A corner with a view | KRADS

The Seven versions of the Sevener | Fritz Hansen

When Fritz Hansen invited 7 internationally well-known architects to interpret the Series 7 into new contexts, there were few rules attached. The architects

Moodboard | 17/15

01: Kat Poly via The Urban Spotter | 02: Endless Rain Record via Ode to Thinghs | 03: 'Sometimes music is all you need' via The Love Notebook | 04: Rockbox fold by Fresh 'n Rebel.