Montessori Kid's Room

Last years, I discovered the Montessori educational system, because of my sweet Godchildren who is attending this school. After 5 years (oh my God...he is yet 8 years old) we are now so sure that it was the best choice...  

Montessori philosophy is not only focus on the education offered in a school but it is more spherical as it analyzes with details the way that parents ought to grow up their children and how they can organize their everyday life in their home so as their children achieve their independence very soon. Besides, the Montessori moto is: "Help me to do it by myself"!!!

Today, I will try to give you a spherical idea on what a Montessori kid's bedroom means!   According to Montessori system, the way we are usually equip & decorate an infant's or kid's room is extremely wrong! Firstly, we ought to "see" the room with the eyes of the child... that means, from her or his height. We have to create a room where our child could have access to everything without the help of an adult person and of course to feel free on it and to be always safe! For example, we don't need to buy a crib as its fence deprives the sense of the freedom. The best solution is to place a mattress directly on the floor, surrounded with a lot of pillows when our kid is newborn. Later, it will be easier for the child to move from the bed without help! Also, it is very important for his mental growth the placement of a mobile above his bed and a mirror next to it so as the baby start recognize himself.

Another point in Montessori philosophy  is the way we store the toys and the books in a kid's room. Everything must be easily accessible... So, we have to create storage shelves and bookshelves  of short height. 

Here you can find a lot of inspiration on how you can organize your sweetie's room, making her or him happier and help her or him to evolve into an independent person in the future!!!

p.s.: In this article I am just mentioning some information about the Montessori philosophy; in order to create a Montessori room by yourself, you need the help of a professional or many hours of studying about it, as there are tons of information around the www...

Hand painted floors

This is the lowest cost and most inspired way to make a change in your home's floors if you have been bored of them or they are in need of renovation and you cant't afford it now. 

So, you have only to decide which colors you will prefer to use in your floors' renovation, what kind of designs or patterns you will paint on them and in what dimensions. The next step is to go buying the colors and start working...

I think that I would working on this project without stoping until finish it, as I would be desperately impatient to see the result of my effort.

Today, I took inspiration from Paola's Navone holiday home in the island of Serifos... Her home is traditionally constructed according the Cycladic architecture with stone walls, whitewashed surfaces, wooden ceilling and of course cement floors both inside and outside home. 

Traditionally, every year the inhabitants of Cyclades used to whitewash not only the external surfaces of their homes, so as to protect them from the hot sun rays, but they used to paint  designs on the floors of their homes' patios or on the alleys with the same pigment, made by plaster and water!

In the same way, Paola Navone modernizing this method of Cycladic floor painting, created very interesting floors for her home. In some spaces she used a white pattern on the grey cement background. But, I found brilliant the idea of painting faux carpets on the floor... 

An aquatic nook in the garden

You don't have to have a little pond in your garden in order to grow water plants. All you need is sun, a little outdoor space, a container and a lot of imagination...

Sunday Morning Tales

Sunday at least... and the weather is ideal for a walk near the sea ether for enjoying a coffee gazing at the deep blue or trying to make our first sea bathing of the season!!! Have a wonderful time whatever you! :)

Bright nights

As the weather becomes better each day, we tend to spend more time outdoor... Personally,  I love to spend my evenings in my balcony, enjoying the romantic atmosphere created by the candles I light up among the plants in different size lanterns and the retro floor lamp I have placed in a corner! This year, I plan to add some festive string lights too, as I find them amazing for outdoor spaces, especially for gardens! I believe that they add some magic to the hot summer nights , making them sparkle in the deep dark when the sun goes down... In the photos above, you can find ways on how to arrange them into your outdoor spaces. I found some lovely outdoor string lights at the One Kings Lane & the PigeonToeCeramics.

Bring romance to your bedroom with a canopy

A canopy bed always sounds exotic into my head and makes me dream of beutiful princess and fairies in its sight! I feel that a canopy can transorm a simple bedroom into an amazingly atmospheric, dreamy and serene space. I love the sight of sheer transparent drapes enfolding the bed while the light summer breeze make them waving! Oh...such a bedroom is ideal for real relaxation and the sweetest dreams you' ve ever seen!!!   

Even if you haven't a structured canopy bed, it is so simple to get the look of a canopy and to surround your bed in softeness and color... The easiest solution is to buy one from the market and attach it into your ceilling. But for those who would like to create a special atmosphere is to find a fabric which fits perfectly with your bedroom (I prefer light and ethereal fabrics) and make  it by yourshelves. I found 10 dreamy canopy bedrooms which can offer you a lot of inspiration in order to make your own! I felt in love with the bedroom of San Giorgio Mykonos Hotel (1st photo) and then with this one of Panormos retreat (3rd photo). Which is your favorite? 

Sunday Morning Tales

Sunday bliss is to lounging in an amazing island nook & enjoying the serenity of the Aegean while feeling the fresh breeze caressing your skin & then enjoying some delicious mediterranean delicacies drinking a glass of cool wine, in front of this breathtaking view!!!
Have an amazing Sunday!!!

Folder: Dining Room

A dining room that gives you the impression that you are in another era... There is a wonderful mix of  different styles here. The medieval structure of the building with the exposed red brick walls is perfectly combined with the elegant marble wall panelling which adds a touch of luxury in the space. I find ideal the choice of the rustic dining table made by repurposed wooden planks!

Image via dustjacket-attic.com

Sunday Morning Tales - Mother's Day

Behind every smiling kid is a hardworking mom!!! The only person in our lives which will be there forever, without asking anything... She is always happy with our happiness, she cries more than we do in our sadness and her warm hug is capable to make us forget all of our problems... Even if it's been about 14 years I have lost my mom, I feel she continues standing by me every day protecting me in everything I do; She's my angel! I still remember her sweet smile and her warm hug!!! 

I think that Paulo Coelho's words for mother's creation, describe her in the best way! 

When the Good Lord was creating mothers, He was into his sixth day of "overtime" when an angel appeared and said: "You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one."

And the Lord said: "Have you read the specs on this order? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic; Have 180 movable parts… all replaceable; Run on black coffee and leftovers; Have a lap that disappears when she stands up; A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair; And six pairs of hands."

The angel shook her head slowly and said: "Six pairs of hands… no way."

"It’s not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord. "It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have."

"That’s on the standard model?" asked the angel.

The Lord nodded.

"One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, ’What are you kids doing in there?’ "Another here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn’t but what she has to know. And of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, ’I understand and I love you’ without so much as uttering a word."

"Lord," said the angel, touching His sleeve gently, "Go to bed. Tomorrow…"

"I can’t," said the Lord, "I’m so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick …can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger … and can get a nine-year-old to stand under a shower."

The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. "It’s too soft," she sighed.

"But she’s tough!" said the Lord excitedly. "You cannot imagine what this mother can do or endure."

"Can she think?"

"Not only can she think, but she can reason and compromise," said the Creator.

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. "There’s a leak," she said. "I told You were trying to push too much into this model. It’s not a leak," said the Lord. "It’s a tear."

"What’s it for?"

"It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride."

And the Mother was created – a work of genius.

Happy MOTHER'S DAY!!! Don't forget tell your mothers' how much you love them!!! 

Plan an escape in...

 

...Nisyros, where a special house cough my eye!!! You can't but fall in love with this house by the first sight, as it excuses a warm and elegant air from the past.

It's about a 1890's residence's restoration, where the architect and owner George Koukourakis showed a great respect for its history maintaining its main characteristics. These are the original 1890 cement tile flooring which is dominant in the majority of the house's spaces, the vivid palette of colors used on the walls, the traditional wooden ceiling panelling and the wooden openings.

As far as the house's decoration there is an adorable mix of past and future. Old pendant lights are present to every room, an old console welcomes the visitor in the entrance and some meters away they are standing an elaborate stove, an antique mirror and other excellent pieces of another era. All those decorative items and furniture combined perfectly with some vintage pieces or a set of modern tulip table and chairs.

My favorite room is the lemony painted kitchen with its custom made old style cupboards in my beloved color of mint!

Wise Words

Image via tumblr.com

Sunday Morning Tales

Today I feel really blessed... I had the opportunity -after a long time- to meet  some very good friends of mine and have a lunch with them. This is what I can call a Sunday bliss!!! A lovely Spring sunny morning gathering with your beloved ones and then enjoying a delicious lunch with tasty snacks, cold beer and much fun... I love those little moments of our life which break the monotony and make us again feel like children, even if the majority of our party's members have now their own kids! 

Images via  tumblr.com, simply-delicious-food.com                        

Happy May day!

Happy May day my friends!!! Today, the weather is amazingly perfect! Ideal for a walk in the countryside in order to gather a bouquet of wildflowers for our May flower wreath! I took a great inspiration from daises, a humble yet so beautiful flower, for the creation of this year's wreath; I hope to find a good amount of them... Otherwise, Greek countryside is full of wildflowers this time of year!!! Have a wonderful day whatever you do...