Ever heard of an offer you can't refuse? Sicilian mayor Vittorio Sgarbi has. The creative politician has decided to give the historic town center of Salemi in southwest Sicily a boost by selling properties in dire shape for just a single Euro (that's $1.39), according to the Daily Mail. The catch is that it'll cost you about $140k to repair the homes, and you'll have to do so within two years, keeping with its original character, and using local artisans, masons, builders, and architects in order to revitalize the area's weak economy. The area was damaged by a 1968 earthquake, and many houses have since been abandoned and are on their last legs. "We want to try and attract people back to the town or at least make some form of donation to try and help save an architectural environment that we are rapidly losing," says Sgarbi. Salemi, which has a population of 11,436, is also important historically: it is "known for having been the place where Giuseppe Garibaldi announced the annexation of Sicily in May 1860 as part of the expedition of the Thousand," and "has been ruled by the Romans, Vandals and Goths and then the Arabs." If you ever dreamed of living your own version of Under the Tuscan Sun, perhaps now is the time! Source
In a recent San Francisco Chronicle article, homeowner Karen Justis says that she views her home as a gallery, saying that, "Art is of primary importance and everything else is a backdrop."
While I definitely admire her gorgeous home, I know that it's not a good fit for my personality or lifestyle — a little clutter makes a house a home, in my world. What about you? Source
Congratulations to Beccster44, who won this this gorgeous organic lily bouquet ($60 value, plus free shipping). I'm sure you're going to love your bouquet! Source
Graffiti, the process of scratching, scrawling, painting, or marking images or letters in any manner on property, has existed since the Roman Empire, and has evolved into much more than simple scratch marks. Some people think of it as vandalism (defacing property), others as art, and for others it's a movement of its own. You can see from a recent CitizenSugar poll about British graffiti artist Banksy, the consensus is largely divided. If you have the chance to check out the film Beautiful Losers, which is in theaters now, you'll see that for some, graffiti is truly an art medium. While some graffiti is often reviled by authorities, other work is heralded for encouraging creativity and for the sense of community it builds. To see a few examples of these, check out this slideshow.
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I am absolutely in love with this Charles Catteau Deer Vase ($3,900). Created in 1925 in Belgium, its brilliant colors and crackled surface are decorated with four deer. Its unusual appearance is just begging for a room to be decorated around it, don't you think?
For this week's What You're Wanting, I want to know how you'd decorate a room to complement this vase. Would you use blues? What room would you choose? What type of textiles and furniture would work with this unique vase? Add all the finds to your ShopStyle Living stylebook, and create a look tagged with the phrase deer vase. Private message me if you have any questions. Oh, and as extra incentive, I'll give some Sugar schwag away to my favorite look! Source
I just returned from a little midday break in the park nearby, where I basked in the sun and gave my eyes a well-deserved break by staring at some gorgeous greenery. Back in my quiet, sterile office, I've still got turf on my mind so I decided to round up home décor items with a grass motif. Soon when it's Winter, the real stuff will all wither and hide under layers of leaves and snow. We might as well all enjoy it figuratively in our homes, even if the grass is always greener outside.
To see my home finds that will have you ready for a day in the park, read more
Yesterday, I showed you a before and after of Pinupsweetheart's cool bedroom. If you were as wowed by the results as I was (seen here), then I have good news for you. Pinupsweetheart told us the short version of how to make this project, and now I've got the skinny on showing you the step-by-step process.
Here's What You'll Need
ConTact paper (a brand of low-tack, self-adhesive vinyl, commonly used by grandmas as "shelf liners," has a very matte finish)
Tape (preferably easily visible and low-stick, like painter's tape or masking tape)
Writing utensil (marker or pencil)
Scissors
Large sized scrap paper (like used newspapers or newsprint)
Plastic card, such as a library card
Idea for your design
To find out how to make your own wall stickers, read more
The area was damaged by a 1968 earthquake, and many houses have since been abandoned and are on their last legs. "We want to try and attract people back to the town or at least make some form of donation to try and help save an architectural environment that we are rapidly losing," says Sgarbi. Salemi, which has a population of 11,436, is also important historically: it is "known for having been the place where Giuseppe Garibaldi announced the annexation of Sicily in May 1860 as part of the expedition of the Thousand," and "has been ruled by the Romans, Vandals and Goths and then the Arabs." If you ever dreamed of living your own version of Under the Tuscan Sun, perhaps now is the time!
Tom Tailor
Christine Bec
Designers Guild