Before I head out to try and finish my Christmas shopping (ugh I hate doing this last minute!) I wanted to share this home in Brazil with you. Someone emailed us the other day asking for us to show more “real life” homes. I am more than happy to oblige because as much as we all love the idea of living in a magazine-worthy home, it’s not realistic for most of us. This is the home of designer Neza Cesar, care of Casa dos Outros. Fun, colourful, and vivacious. And the photo with her dog made my heart melt.

Tip #1 for how to deal with winter (the kind of winter that involves below freezing temperatures and lots of snow): find yourself the coolest chalet to hang out it, and take in the views of the snow covered mountains while standing 3 inches from the fireplace. This place will do just fine. Designed by Laurence Simoncini.

More of Laurence’s work here and here

This 4 story Victorian townhouse in West London is calling out to all you maximalists and colour fanatics (and pottery collectors) out there. Overloading the senses? Too bright? Too much fun? You decide. Designed by Collett Zarzycki.

Oh, to have 5 stories and 7000 sq ft of space to play with. This townhouse designed by Rafael de Cárdenas of Architecture at Large has a casual elegance I adore. This expansive Lower Manhattan residence, located in The Greenwich Lane, is imbued with RDC/AAL’s characteristically rich atmospheric nuance. The five-story home has been designed entirely around the principle of a vertical chromatic temperature gradient. The earthen reds and warm peach hues of the garden and parlor levels give way to the subdued grays of the master suite, the playful greens of the children’s level, and the cool blues of the penthouse. The spaces are notably augmented by a series of artworks drawn from the collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody.

Russian decorator Liza Rachevskaya is really pushing all the right buttons with these spaces that are a wonderful random mix of colours, textures and furnishings from many eras. I love unexpected combinations that have me devouring each photo in detail. And I must note how head over heels I am for the first bedroom below. Gorg!!!