“Isn’t it romantic? Music in the night a dream that can be heard. Isn’t it romantic? Moving shadows write the oldest magic word…Sweet symbols in the moonlight, do you mean that I will love per chance. Isn’t it romantic? Isn’t it romance?
Lorenz Hart
I’m not a lace, ruffles and frills designer, so I don’t believe in defining romance traditionally. To me, romance is intensely personal and the absence of feminine charm doesn’t betray a sense of style. French blues, sunflower yellows and Parisian greens can be just as charming as simple lines, soft colors and voluptuous textiles.
Enjoying sensory pleasures is a reminder of our humanity. A bouquet of fresh flowers, soft candlelight or a fire in the fireplace are timeless antidotes to the fast paced, technological world we live in. Design by the spirit and not the fad. Use your own compass to cultivate style. Everything you put in your home should have meaning to you, because when you share what you love with your family and friends they will learn more about you. Wear your heart on your sleeve.
Unify and update old pieces with a fresh coat of paint. Romantic design doesn’t always have to be a variation on the shabby chic theme. Treasured souvenirs from the past, photographs in silver frames, antique vases brimming with tulips swooning with their weight create a flourish of ostentatious poetry in a room. A private sanctuary not only creates a place for an affaire d’amour, but lets the mind roam and frees the imagination to daydream.
Romance can be clichéd or conventional, modern or sentimental, as long as it’s what you love. On this Valentine’s Day share what you love with someone you love, whether it’s cooking a favorite meal or watching a classic old movie like An Affair to Remember, Doctor Zhivago or The African Queen. Couldn’t we all use a little more romance in our lives?
