TRAVEL INSPIRATION

SOUTH AFRICA DAY 1:: CAPE TOWN | BO-KAAP | TABLE MOUNTAIN | CAMPS BAY

THE MOST COLORFUL VACATION IN CAPE TOWN

Some of you followed my vacation to South Africa on instagram & facebook this September. (Thank you for all the excitement as I journeyed there!) It was truly such an amazing experience! I decided to break apart the adventure into different segments, so you can see more details (and tips!) of my time spent there.

Up first, Bo-kaap.

So here is the deal. I got to Cape Town late Saturday night, if I can recommend anything to you, do it that way - arrive late and get to bed ASAP! If you can get the first night of sleep in, I think you will be set on your trip and beat jet lag. So I did just that, got in a full night of sleep (yay!)

When I woke up Sunday morning, I just really couldn’t believe I was actually in South Africa. My heart was fluttering with excitement for what my first day would hold.

It wasn’t a 27 hour dream - I was actually spending Sunday morning in South Africa!

My hotel Protea Mowbray, was just outside of downtown Cape Town, which I really loved. It was quiet and calm and not overwhelming at all. It was a really great place to rest and rejuvenate and the staff was incredibly lovely. When I walked out of my room to start my adventure, this was the first view of my day. Quickly, I was smitten.

View just outside of room, looking over toward Table Mountain

I will definitely do another blog entry on the actual hotel, the design was the best. For now, I want to focus on other areas of the day!

So, after some coffee, off I went to the colorful streets of Bo-Kaap. I knew I was in for a colorful treat, thanks to some trusty instagram sneak peeks, but I had no idea it would be this colorful! Every corner I turned there was some kind of magical color blocking moment happening - and bonus points, even some funky vintage cars that just completed the whole vibe.

If Lisa were to have a house in Bo-Kaap. It would certainly be the green one!

All you need is love.

After exploring all the colorful eye candy and walking the streets of Bo-Kaap, I found my way to the cutest and most delish little cafe for a bite to eat and a latte.

My heart skipped a beat when I walked into this vibrant but airy space. It had so many natural elements and the plant life suspended from the ceiling - genius! I am definitely remembering that for an upcoming project!

And, can we just talk about this glorious little hand painted moment? Swoon.

After my lovely stop at Batavia Cafe, I headed over to Table Mountain, in hopes of some great views. Well. It didn’t work out in my favor. While the view up was amazing, the very top was completely covered in clouds! Still, it was a fun experience.

I ended my first day over in the Camps Bay area. It was truly breathtaking. The waterfront views, the teal blue water, stunning architecture and an eery view of the clouds rolling in. It had this very moody feel to it, that I couldn’t get enough of. To top it off, quite the array of restaurants to choose from as well!

So there you have, day one in South Africa. Stay tuned as I share more elements from this amazing trip!

lisa signature.jpg
 

DESIGN INSPIRATION: PARISIAN DOORS

If windows are the eyes of a home, than the door is the mouth. And personally, I like a great, bold lipstick! Lipstick can change the mood of the day and I believe the color of your door to your home is the same.  

While in Paris, along the grey tone backsplash of historic buildings, I noticed that Parisians are not afraid to punch up their entry ways with color.  The architecture provided large, heavy, wood doors in bright colors with shiny hardware.

Here are a few of our favorites that I would love to incorporate into Florida living:

RED:  A bold red against the grey backdrop is fun and vibrant but also classic.  

Photo Credit: Lisa Gilmore Design personal photos

Photo Credit: Lisa Gilmore Design personal photos

NAVY: I love everything NAVY so why not put it on a door!  It's rich, smooth, and is a subtle but stylish choice.  Navy blue looks great with shiny bronze hardware.  

Photo Credit: Lisa Gilmore Design personal photos

Photo Credit: Lisa Gilmore Design personal photos

TEAL/TURQUOISE:  If you are looking for something a little bit more out of the box than navy blue or black but not quite as bold as red. A teal door is the perfect compromise.  Teal equals happy and inviting! 

Photo Credit: Lisa Gilmore Design personal photos

Photo Credit: Lisa Gilmore Design personal photos

Like all great trips, Paris has inspired all of us at Lisa Gilmore Design.  For me, I have decide to punch up the color on my drab, black entry door.  I'm thinking a glossy navy blue or going for a fun coral with a nice, brass knocker.  

Sherwin Williams In The Navy -  Sherwin Williams Ravishing Coral - Anthropologie Pineapple 

Let's say, "OUI, OUI" to bright front doors! 

kristin signature.jpg

DESIGN INSPIRATION:: BOSTON

EXPLORING BOSTON'S ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN HISTORY

View of Beacon Hill from Boston's Public Garden, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

View of Beacon Hill from Boston's Public Garden, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

As a born and raised New Englander, there are few cities that make my little design heart flutter quite like Boston. It’s a city full of architectural and design inspiration, with a new period of history coming alive at every turn of a corner. From cobble street and brick covered, colonial Faneuil Hall, to the Italianate and Gothic Revival churches and public buildings in the heart of downtown, and the art deco skyscrapers of the financial district - Boston really knows how to make my creative juices get excited. I recently went back to explore for the weekend and gathered some photographs of my favorite corners of this magical city.

Art Deco inspired building in Boston's Financial District, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography). 

Art Deco inspired building in Boston's Financial District, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography). 

Interior marble archways, chandeliers and John Singer Sargent murals of the Boston Public Library. LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

Interior marble archways, chandeliers and John Singer Sargent murals of the Boston Public Library. LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

The Boston Public Library is one of my favorite hidden gems of downtown Boston. From the outside it looks very stately and grand already, but when you walk inside you feel like you’re stepping into a palace - in fact it was called the "Palace of the People" when it was first designed in the late 1800's. Designed with inspiration from Paris’s Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève , it’s interior is covered in decadent marble, ornately carved archways, and murals by famous painter John Singer Sargent.

Interior grand foyer marble staircase and archway of the Boston Public Library. LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

Interior grand foyer marble staircase and archway of the Boston Public Library. LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

I could live in here if you let me!!! I could see using inspiration from this for a grand foyer or entrance way to a home with some of these elements. Upon further exploration, the library opens up to a large Romanesque courtyard right in the middle of the building, complete with classical music playing live from students of Berklee (College of Music).

Interior Renaissance inspired courtyard of the Boston Public Library, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

Interior Renaissance inspired courtyard of the Boston Public Library, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

Perhaps my all time favorite piece of design inspiration in all of Boston though is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Estate and Museum. Tucked away in the Fenway-Kenmore district of Boston, this Venetian Palazzo style palace houses one of the world’s largest collections of artwork and furniture from all periods of history. Isabella was a huge patron of the arts, leaving her entire estate to the city of Boston for public enjoyment - with one exception; absolutely nothing can be moved from where she left it.

Isabella Stewart Gardner interior Venetian inspired arboretum and courtyard, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

Isabella Stewart Gardner interior Venetian inspired arboretum and courtyard, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

Every single inch of this estate is covered in a piece of art, and each room pays homage to specific period in art history. The most amazing part to me? The arboretum centered inside the estate, changed seasonally with specific plants and flora to match. Her estate inspires me to be more playful with ornate and decorative items  - it’s exciting to see the little details in every little piece of furniture, ceiling tiles, lighting fixtures, rugs, and even wall coverings made of hand woven silk. This was a woman who was not afraid to be bold!

Isabella Stewart Gardner Estate interior tile detail, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

Isabella Stewart Gardner Estate interior tile detail, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

Isabella Stewart Gardner Estate gilded ceiling tile detail, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

Isabella Stewart Gardner Estate gilded ceiling tile detail, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

While Boston is filled with incredible design inspiration spots, these are just a couple of my very favorites - I hope you found a little something to inspire you, or perhaps help you to find your own design inspiration on your next traveling adventure!

Boston's Italian North End district, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

Boston's Italian North End district, LGD Team (Crystina Castiglione Photography).

Until next time!

crystina.jpg