Mixing color palettes

I love the excitement of a new color palette in a space. Recreating a new room, adding new tones and combining powerful colors. I remember this one time, I had to choose a new color palette for a client's bar. We chose the colors together and tested them on a small area on the wall and the painters came during the night and painted the whole place. I couldn't sleep that night, I was anxious and excited about the result. This is definitely my favorite part of being an Interior Architect, the feeling you get the first time you enter the room when it's finished. Today I want to share with you a powerful color palette of a living room. If you feel that your living room is kind of dull, add a dash of yellow (yellow is strongly connected with inspiration, joy and communication!) with a lamp or a couple of pillows. A vibrant artwork on the wall will do the same. 

This post will help you copy this room and its color palette! 

What do you think? Do you like mixing vibrant tones with earth tones?

Maria 

Image via // Edited by me.

Trendspotting: Moroccan tiles in the kitchen

To be honest, I was never a huge fan of mixed patterns. I was always supporting the 'Less is more' movement. But as I grow up I find my self loving mixed patterns, colors and textures. My latest obsession is Moroccan tiles. They come in different shapes and colors and they add a unique, ethnic character to each space. Especially in kitchen area. What do you think?

Would you like 'ethnic' tones in your kitchen?

Blogging break is over, I'm back to beautiful London town & my favorite daily blogging routine.

I hope you're having a lovely Summer!

Maria

Image sources 1,2,3 // Edited by me.

Favorite Summer holidays

Alikes beach, Ammouliani island, Greece // Picture taken by me

 I've just opened my macbook which has been sleeping for a week now due to a dead charger. I'm so happy to be back to the world of internet with a brand new charger and from a different location this time. I've just arrived to Aegina island, the weather is HOT(42 degrees!) and we are going to spend all of our days on the beach. Today I'm guest blogging over at Helena's blog 'A Diary of Lovely' about my favorite holidays and I'm sharing with you a secret Summer recipe! Take a look at it here. 

It's time for some refreshing cocktails!
See you all tomorrow!

Maria

Unidentified Lifestyle @ Greece

Happy Sunday to everybody! I've arrived to Athens last night and I'm back to the airport right now waiting for my gate to open and writing this post. After a stressful year it's time to spend some quality time with friends and family (on the beach!) I'll be back in three weeks, I have my camera with me so I'll try to update the blog regularly with photos that I take from all the places that I plan on visiting. Did you watch the Olympic games opening ceremony on Friday? Did you like it? We watched the ceremony in a British pub, with cocktails and burgers, the atmosphere was amazing, everything is so festive in London right now and I'm really excited about my holidays but at the same time I'm also kind of sad to leave London. That's it for now, it's time to board, I'll see you all soon from a different location, have a fabulous day! 




Maria


Pictures taken by J.

Snapshots of my apartment in London

More than a year ago I've decided that it was time to hit the reset button on my life and start over. Long story short, I prepared my portfolio, got an interview for a university, got accepted in the university, bought a huge suitcase, two plane tickets and the next thing I remember is that I was sitting on a train, watching the blurry red brick buildings outside and the sudden realization that this was it, I wasn't living in Greece anymore. 
Actually I had no idea were I was going to live. I looked at John, my boyfriend, who was sitting next to me and he had the exact same look in his eyes. We didn't say anything for a long time, we just smiled and somehow I felt calm. It's seems kind of funny now because at this point I remember this moment in the back of my mind  as if I was a random passenger on this train, sitting across this foreign Greek girl surrounded by suitcases, with fear in her eyes. I know thousands of people do that every year, but that first moment when you realize that you're not in your comfort zone anymore, that you're moving to a place where you have to start a new life, create a new comfort zone, this moment is when you realize how beautiful life is.
After that day, real life started and I've faced all kinds of difficulties that a person can face when they're starting a new life: apartment hunting, enrolling in a new university, crazy landlords,, trying to catch up with projects and deadlines while I didn't even have a descent place to live. Well, as you can see all of these belong to the past and in September a year will have passed. A WHOLE YEAR. Twelve months in Londontown, that's big. I don't have words to describe this new experience, this new life and everything that this city has offered to me. Friends, love, education, experiences and ENDLESS design inspiration. Today I want to share with you some of my favorite parts of my little flat in London, a small but bright and cozy studio apartment somewhere in West London. (I never post ugly things on this blog so I think a "before" picture of my apartment will be unnecessary!)


I hope you like it and don't forget "If you don't like where you are, change it, you are not a tree!" 


Maria


Pictures taken by me.

Steal this decor // The balcony project

Happy Wednesday! I hope you're having  a lovely week! The weather here in London is finally warm, it's so sunny and the city is ready to welcome the Olympics! My apartment has two huge windows and it's so bright but I always envy all of those people who have the privilege of owning a balcony and enjoying the sun & a cup of coffee there. So I've decided to create this new section on the blog where I can show you how you can "copy" a beautiful room on a low budget! Today I've recreated a beautiful small French style balcony with only 112£ //138$. Everything in this project is from IKEA,  I love modern affordable design (that can easily be transformed into something unique).


Two white folding chairs // 25£
White folding table // 15£
Clear glass vase // 17£
Clear glass serving bowl // 8£
Pink floral mug // 2£
Multicolor cushion // 20£


What do you think? 
Do you have a balcony in your home? 


I'll see you all tomorrow, unfortunately I have to start packing  for my journey (have I mentioned how much I hate packing?)


Maria


Image via// Edited by me.

My daily dose of Greece

This is the first post with the photos you've posted on  #MydailydoseofGreece and I couldn't be happier! In less than a week you've posted more than 90 photos and it was so hard for me to choose only 10. I promise, I'll try to share all as many pictures as possible every week. I loved all the beautiful snapshots of my beautiful, sunny country, thank you all for participating in this little game and please keep sharing your favorite Greek locations with rest of the world! In less than a week, I'll be back home sharing my daily dose of Greece with you, too! 


If you don't know what #MydailydoseofGreece is, take a look at this post and joins us on #mydailydoseofGreece on instagram.


What do you think? What's your favorite picture?


I've created a list with the instagram usernames of the photographers on the list below so you can follow them if you like their pictures.
I hope you have a lovely new week!
Maria


Instagram users & their daily dose of Greece 

1.   www_bees_gr // Klimaki beach
2.   chris_mos // Lipsi harbour 
3    drhorrible1989 // Azul beach bar
4.   freris_made_in_greece13 // Syros island 
5.   natmilenina // .Loutraki
6.   nicolelogou // Kamari beach
7.   Dimkandyl // 
8.   marsari // Thessaloniki // 
9.   drhorrible1989 // Akropolis
10. berthac //
11. berthac // Chalkidiki
12. stamatisv // Mykonos island
13. chris_mos // Lihadonisia
14. nadiaved // Kalamata castle 
15. anitavanilla // Santorini island //
16. nadiaved //

It's Friday I'm in love with: Anthropology

It's Friday, I'm in love with: Anthropology // I'm sure most of you know Anthropology and its aesthetics. If not, take a look here and you'll thank me later! I've started looking on their website for a couple of new decoratives for my apartment and I ended up daydreaming about my next (bigger) apartment and all the things I really want to buy. Today I will share with you my favorite products and how you will use them in your bedroom// kitchen// office desk! I hope you enjoy them! 

Picture 1// The Chalkboard Spice Jar
Scrawl the name of your favourite spice across the slate-painted medallion of this colour-topped ceramic jar.
You can buy it here for £8.00

Picture2// Colorful soft letters

They would look amazing in a nursery or simply on a bedroom wall or on a bed
You can buy any letter you want here for £12.00

Picture3//A happy pencil set
Probably the best gift for people who love writing and sketching.
You can buy it for £28.00 here. 

Do you have any special plans for the weekend? 

Don't forget #mydailydoseofGreece on instagram, I will publish 10 of the most beautiful pictures you'll post on Sunday!

Have a lovely day!
Maria 

Images via Anthropology // Edited by me.