The Way We Live: PodArt Creator's Home

With each of her moves, my mother-in-law recreates homes that speak to her love for plants, books, art and colorful textiles.  Her latest landed her in a space she professes to love even more that her previous ones.  

I'm always amazed by how well she combines her favorite [old] possessions with newly acquired pieces and accessories.  In her newest residence, she showcases more of her work, PodArt, the organic feel of which blends seamlessly into her decorating style.   PodArt reinforces her love for nature inspired art that successfully adds character and texture to any interior. 

Whether is by creating vertical gardens or assembling interesting vessels brimming with native botanicals, she devotes as much attention to her outdoor spaces as she does to her indoor ones.

No matter where she lands, her love and devotion to her "Munchkins" (as she likes to refer to our children) is loud and clear, as is one her favorite mantras:  "I've never met a wall I didn't like".  

Her dining room combines her treasured Russian fairy tale plates and her favorite chandelier with slick [really comfortable] seating on a colorful dhurrie rug.  When not creating PodArt or tending to her many plants, Natalia spends quite a bit of time in the kitchen creating new dishes or mastering old ones for the enjoyment of our family and friends. 

Her entry way reflects her sense of whimsy and aesthetic sense of balance.  The beautiful ink and watercolor work on the wall is by her mother, Nadia, who is the original artist in the family.  She is still drawing and painting at the 'young' age of 87.  The featured PodArt is one of Natalia's first works and one she couldn't part with.

Her study is home to most her books, to art painted by my husband as a 5 year old boy, and glass terrariums created by the Munchkins, suspended from a foraged Manzanita branch.

Incense burns in a Sansevieria pot, next to stacked vintage suitcases that double up as a night table.  The bedroom's warm hues reflect Natalia's ever present drive to create spaces that are cozy, yet uniquely relevant.

Please check out her website   www.podartca.com   and stay tuned to learn about her future shows and exhibits.

Botanical Inspiration: A Costa Rican Landscape

I just returned from a week long yoga retreat in Costa Rica. The country's lush landscape is abundant in hues of greens, layered leafs, rich textures and unusual flowers.  I was completely in awe of it, but what really mesmerized me were the sounds of its rain forest canopies.  I've never heard so many interesting insect calls, howling monkeys and tropical birds.  Even the jeeps and motor bikes traveling on gravel roads and beeping their horns seemed to contribute to the busy jungle noise.  Unfortunately, I don't have an audio of what I heard, but I can provide a visual of the beautiful botanicals I encountered.  Take a look:

I hope to one day return with my family.  Costa Rica is truly an amazing place.  

Botanical Inspiration: Plants And People

Lately I've been drawn to images of people and plants together.  Of course, seeing botanicals in their environment is always inspiring, but seeing them used as props is actually delightful.  Here's a collection of my favorites so far.  Whether just for fun or for marketing purposes, utilizing leaves to style a photo can add both interest and intrigue.  Next time you're looking for a whimsical photo with friends or need an interesting set detail grab a palm frond or an interesting bloom and snap away. For more of my favorite botanical images follow my Pinterest board here. 

Images: 1./2./3./4./5./6.