My Urban Garden Deco Guide

Just read this and have to share it : I just love the combination of colors, the slate firepit and the aquarium type lane pool used in a hotel presented in detail in the NY Times online. It goes to prove you can stay in an understated chic style without giving into the 'Beige' all teck and aluminium attitude!

'At first glance, La Purificadora, a new hotel in Puebla, 90 miles southeast of Mexico City, doesn’t look like it was designed by Ricardo Legorreta. For one thing, the colors are neutral (there’s some purple, but only in the furniture). “Imagine, we’re this young hotel company, putting conditions on the most important living architect in Mexico,” said Rafael Micha, managing partner of Grupo Habita, the company that operates the hotel and insisted that the architect tone down his color palette. “At first he was a bit hesitant.” But Mr. Legorreta, near right, now in partnership with his son, Victor, far right, finally agreed to turn the 1884 water purification factory into a 26-room hotel. “When you work around a historical building you do a lot of things you would never accept in a new structure,” said the younger Legorreta. The architects couldn’t touch the facade, and preserved the original walls in the lobby. The result: spaces like the firepit and pool that nod to modernism but remain true to the 19th century. Information: www.lapurificadora.com. RIMA SUQI'

OK, I am now back from Paris !!!

It was a great stay and the first discovery I'd like to share is Faz.

She has been showcased around the world: The French Senate, Shanghai, Greece, The EU...

I will leave it to Marc Levy, one of France's most successful contemporary authors to provide a full introduction before you visit her site ( here).

'I knew the story of this little boy, a desert nomad, who once asked his grandfather...

to explain to him what a woman was. The man answered that the task was impossible, as they were several.

So “describe them to me if there are so many”, asked the child, “we have time, this is a long journey”, and the old man realized that in this multitude, he could only depict the two women he had known, his spouse and his mother, still present to his mind.

So the man spoke of earth, water, fire and heaven. These are the words he used to describe what he felt without being able to name, womanhood.

Womanhood is at the heart of Faz’ sculpture. Woman as element.

As soon as she comes to life, she blends into nature, which gives her birth, or may be it’s the opposite. So, as if to lift this doubt, Faz’ hand sculpts further, it goes straight to desire, to its outcome: emotion. Passion yielding to gentleness, the bodies mingled with earth or bronze invite you to this journey.

Curves are sensual, motions intimate, and never provocative. Like an enchanting voice, each sculpture leads you to another, to yet more knowledge, there are no limits to delicacy.

Walking around these women, whose faces shoot towards the sky, one imagines a glance, and beyond the pose, the life it suggests, the moment, at least.

Faz’ women are beautiful, subtle, attractive and sincere, so touching that they are almost dangerous. One would like to leave, on the arm of one of them, to have the honor to talk to her, to hear a confiding whisper.

The sculpture is so alive that one can start dreaming.

And in the end who knows? May be, at nightfall, when the exhibition closes to the public, in the solitary half light, may be they would start speaking. Then, a grandfather from the desert would guide his grandson through the place.

Marc Levy

In a previous post I mentioned that BBq's were being replaced by kitchen islands etc...However, like many, I felt that though the offer was interesting, design wise things were not in line with modern homes.

Well, it seems the game is about to become more exciting.

FuegoLiving is bringing new category defining products.Its Fuego 01 will serve as a base to create the 'Modular Fuego' hub, due to launch in in 2008.

Robert Brunner, previous director of industrial design at Apple Computer, is the designer to thank!

Fuego Modular

• Fuego expands the outdoor kitchen with customizable options
• Features a frame that can accommodate up to six modules with grills, burners, warming drawers, and storage
• Features key components from the Fuego 01
• Available 2008; The base configuration for three modules starts at around $5k

Alex Johnson from the excellent blog dedicated to outdoor rooms that can serve as offices, has e mailed me the list of winners at Grand Designs. And I am pleased to see that my pick below won the award for best design in the outdoor category. It is Odosdesign's formica reinterpretation of the classic parasol. You can find it on line at Conran... You will have a 10 week delay so hurry if you love it!

LINK here

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A spectacular shade sail by .....................

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Swimming pools and spas, hot tub, and Jacuzzis are going through a real revolution: new options, new formats, new places to locate them... The book covers all the best novelties including the most innovative finishes .

I love the idea of steel pools (the one she showcases by architect Gunther Weidner will convert more than one!).

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Except for the work I have already showcased by Beatrice Guichard at the Fragonard home (see post in everything water), I cannot say I am too thrilled with water features. I wrote a post a few months ago appealing to designers to help us out of the rut we seem to be in... Well, first a designer present in Milan has let me know he is on the case... And given his success I am impatient!

It seems however I had overlooked a talent from the vibrant UK market : waterscaper Andrew Ewing.

His work is diverse, from chic to creative and always excellent.

Do visit him at www.andrewewing.co.uk