Versailles collection

During my recent visit to Versailles we also explored the grounds of the Grand Trianon and the Petit Trianon which were both separate residences located in the northwestern portion of the grounds.

I was fascinated by the opulent fabrics, vivid colors & overall feminine beauty that was encompassed within these buildings. Spending the day amongst all of this lavishness was bound to have some effect on my designs at some point and it has.

There are two different ways that I see these designs breaking down. One being the over-the-top elaborateness of the furniture, the accessories & the scale of whole place. Its got my head in a tizzy about bold & faceted "grand" pieces that would be one-of-a-kind and quite luxurious. The other takes its cue from the more feminine side of the experience. The fabrics with all of their rich & subtle hues, floral motifs, damask prints & overall softness.

Here are a few pieces that I've already made with the latter in mind. I've used softer colors, antiqued brass & vintage inspired findings but wanted to introduce the idea of faceted crystals into the mix. I found these great metal "tulip" shaped forms which really lent themselves to the overall look I was going for.

seafoam green - bronze pearl - Swarovski® crystal


white - chain - Swarovski® crystal


red - freshwater pearl - chain


These earrings are part of a VERY limited edition group that I have created. If you are interested in ordering any of these please contact me via an email through the website: www.tastyjewelry.com

cheers!
xo diane

A Day at Versailles

The day before I left Paris my sister took me out to the chateau of Versailles. It was only about 15 minutes from her house. (Nice!) We got there nice & early so we could enjoy it before too many other people came. Here is what we saw once we arrived:



The sun was just rising and the glow cast such a beautiful light on the chateau it was incredible!



We proceeded indoors where we opted for the audio tour. I would highly recommend this as you can take your time to see everything with some detailed explanation. Here I am in "Le Salon de Diane"...my own personalized room at Versailles. Nice huh? :)



Ok, so its really about Diana the Goddess of the Hunt as depicted in this ceiling painting:



Here is the infamous "Hall of Mirrors":



my self-portrait there...(no easy task since there are usually about 150 people or more in this room at any given time - it paid to go early!)



and some gilded tushies:



Everything was so completely opulent. The fabrics, the wall treatments, the furniture, the artwork. Its something that simply must be seen with your own eyes to appreciate.

I'm considering this look for my new bed...think the Queen would mind?



Beautiful crystal chandeliers were everywhere! I must have taken about 20 pictures of them alone. Here's just one example:



and another...



Marie Antoinette herself:



Here is one view of the gardens in the Winter...notice how long & far they reach! Amazing!



and the fountain:



We head out to the Grand Trianon & the Petit Trianon which is where the Queen had her own quarters. Here is one of the rooms, they had the doors closed to block out some of the sunshine so the fabrics wouldn't be ruined.



Here's a close up of a beautiful chair. I was amazed at the unbelievable tapestries & fabrics that were used. The colors were amazing and very inspiring!



Here's the shot my sister took of the whole room:




It won't be soon that I will forget my trip to Versailles. We spent the entire day there...I could have stayed the whole week! I will definitely come back in the Spring/Summer to spend more time in the gardens. What an amazing place.

cheers!
xo diane