Author

Márcia Miranda

 


SOURCE OF INSPIRATION

As a student, I remember always being “hungry” for new inspirations and new design projects and always scouring design mags on any given occasion. I would commit to expensive design magazine subscriptions in order to stay current. Furthermore, in an attempt to bring organization to it, I tried creating a catalogue on my computer, so I would scan  the images and store them and categorize them in order to be able to find them. I would also browse the internet like no other to find new images and I’d save them in specific categories. After a while, I would transfer them onto external hard drives to make room for new images. I admit, it was not the most ideal system and it definitely ate up a lot of my storage space on both my laptop and external drives and slowed them down extremely. It wasn’t the most practical approach either, since I wouldn’t have the backlink of the source. I also tried the whole bookmarking thing and I soon started disliking it, since it didn’t have the visual support I needed to make it easy to find what I was looking for. And then Pinterest came along and changed my life completely.


For quite some time now, metallics have been all the rave, rose gold in particular. But it seems like it’s winning a second, much larger wave of momentum with an extra dash of a power boost. More and more, fashion houses and home furnishing companies are incorporating it’s finish into their collection. The range is so stupidly wide and I honestly sense the fun designers are having with the infinite possibilities this material is creating. Whether it’s just the finish or the idea of taking advantage of the characteristics of the material itself, it is all being highly appreciated by the crowd, including my gold-loving self.

XO – Márcia


It almost feels like a few months have passed since we went on a family trip to my all-time favorite country, Portugal. In actuality it’s been over a year, which makes me realize how much time has passed and how much our lives have changed. I love thinking about this vacation in particular, not just because it was our first family vaca, but because we had so many special moments of bonding and only did things that we really enjoyed.

 

I particularly remember waking up to this distinct and earthy fragrance in the air, bronzing in a rooftop cabana while enjoying marvelous views of the city skyline of Lisbon. I remember the extensive walks through the tight alleys while noticing the combination of Old and New that seem to dominate this city. The fancy meals in exquisite restaurants. The refreshing waves of the Atlantic Ocean splashing against our bodies and realizing that we were far, far away from home (somewhere in the middle of planet earth/nowhere). The memory of looking up to the pink sunset sky and finding the leaves of palm trees dancing in the wind and shimmering in the most beautiful and vivid colors. The naps on the beach and collecting this eclectic mix of shells right after and realizing how talented and diverse mother nature is. The yacht trips along the Mediterranean Coast and those spectacular views of the northern peak of Africa.


IT’S THE VARIETY THAT DOES THE MAGIC

I’ve been cultivating an immense interest in plants and have been looking for the best fit for my lifestyle. Along my research I noticed the broad information available on the web. I realized I wasn’t alone out there! It was borderline overwhelming to filter through the plants of interest. It’s almost like a revival of plants and they come in so many different forms and variations. The more exotic and unique, the better! They instantly give life to any interior space. The vibrant colors and the organic flair plants give off are pretty powerful and transform any space into a better version of itself.


MARBLE IS LITERALLY THE NEW BLACK

As an 80’s kid (yikes, I feel old!), I remember walking up our staircase to our condo in Lisbon and having a closer look on the walls and stairs which were framed with solid marble. I remember my eyes followed each swirl and vein and I was intrigued with the coloration and how it’s worn patina felt hard but yet extremely smooth. The smoothness had a certain softness to the touch, which I loved. In fact, I loved it so much that I barely used the railing.