My family of four lives in a sweet cottage built almost 100 years ago in the Napa Valley. It has great bones and many original features (double-hung single-paned windows for instance). Charming in the summer but chilly in winter. In our first winter there, I quickly discovered a gaping gap under the front door, which allowed cold air to rush in. Sealing up the house and keeping warm became a mission. Here are a few tips I learned along the way.

Above: A neon knitted Draft Extruder from Kolor.

1) They're low tech, but draft extruders are an easy solution and require no sticking to frames. Gray felt extruders are on my DIY list.

2) Rubber foam insulation tape: it's not glamorous, but it does the trick. I tracked all the sources leaking cold in from the outside and armed with a roll of white tape, sealed the gaps under the doors, the inner door frames and the bits of the windows that were wonky. It typically comes in black but if you have white frames, seek out some white foam. Sponge Rubber Foam Tape is available at K-Mart for $4.99 or Double Sided Foam Insulation Tape is $19.99 from Eco Foil.

3) In addition to tape, we added a white door seal bottom that is easily stuck to the bottom of the door and adds an extra layer of insulation (and is barely noticeable). The Silver Cinch Door Seal Bottom is $10.47 from Home Depot.

Above: Not just for doors: consider draft stoppers for your windows, such as the No Sew Hairy Draft Stopper. Spotted on the site Bag of Pretty, this is nothing more than a faux fur rug rolled up and placed at the base of a window pane or at the bottom of a door.

Above: A wool blanket repurposed as a window shade, made by Matt Pierce from Wood&Faulk for ReadyMade.

4) Keep the curtains. In a very impulsive but aesthetically driven move, I took down all the curtains with their heavy rails and replaced them with simple white roller blinds. The effect was a much cleaner, lighter look and a heating bill that doubled. Yes, doubled. Love them or loathe them, curtains keep a house warm. My plan next winter is to install a wool blanket shade like the one above in all the bedrooms using some leather straps, then take them down when the weather gets warmer.

5) Heated Rugs: Decidedly low tech a heated floor mat hidden under a rug is a great way to heat a small space in a room. Cozy Winters offers Rug-Heat mats; prices run from $149 to $299, according to mat size, which range from two by three feet to five and a half by eight feet.

Finally, It's not rocket science, but think about heating the parts of the house that you are actually using. Shut off any rooms that are not used, closing vents or turning off radiators. It's what people in castles and grand houses do. Still cold? I like the way the Japanese combat the frigid winters by bathing in a scorching hot bath at the end of the day. Both a stress buster and an effective way to head to bed feeling warm.

What did we miss? If you have any ingenious solutions for keeping the house warm, please let us know in the comments section below. Thanks!

If you want to see more snappy ideas for living smarter, check out our Five Quick Fixes posts.

We like the way a few thoughtfully placed paper lanterns can turn up the eclectic vibe of a room in an instant. Just in time for this weekend's Chinese New Year (the year of the snake), here are 10 of our favorite rooms with just the right balance.

Above: A hallway through the lens of Amsterdam-based photographer Hotze Eisma.

Above: A mix of lanterns at the home of Australian designer Sibella Court.

Above: A single lantern hangs in textile designer Rosie Brown's flat in Edinburgh.

Above: A mix of lanterns in the home of Jess Brown in our post: West Marin's Accidental Doll Maker. Photography by Mimi Giboin.

Above: Detail of a lantern hanging in Paper Day's attic studio via Miss Modish.

Above: DIY lanterns by Dottie Angel on SF Girl by Bay.

Above: Another view of Paper Day's Studio on Flickr.

Above: Hanging in the stairway at a Southampton home designed by Muriel Brandolini.

Above: Two small lanterns photographed by Lillian Day on Flickr, via Desire to Inspire.

Above: A trio of lanterns in Eric Goode's Manhattan loft on Yatzer.

Above: Rudy de Amicis' house in Freunde von Freunden.

Looking for more lights? See a mix of DIY projects and Lighting in our archive. Thinking of rice paper lanterns instead? See Vanessa Bruno's surprising design choice.

Spotted at Arch Daily, a cabin in the winter wilderness by Finnish architect Ville Hara, with no running water, no central heating, and limited electricity. "We wanted to keep it simple to contrast with hectic city life and all the machinery," he says. "It is an ascetic experience." Hara designed the building, which is located on an island in a remote lake, with partner Anu Puustinen (their firm is Avanto Architects). They created a floor plan in the shape of a cross, framing different views of the forest and water on all four sides.

In the summer, when the cottage is used most often, the lake supplies fish, and a vegetable garden produces much of the daily fare. One luxury (or necessity, if you are Finnish) is the sauna, located in a separate building. It produces just the right level of löyly. "That's Finnish for steam, but specifically the type of steam that results from pouring water over hot rocks in a sauna," Hara says.

Photography by Kuvio.com/Anders Portman and Martin Sommerschield.

Above: "The dark exterior blends in with the surroundings," Hara says. "In the summer, you can't see the building if you boat by the island because the woods are so dark and so dense."

Above: The house is an elegant frame for the wilderness outside. In the sitting area, Ilmari Tapiovaara's classic 1956 Mademoiselle Rocking Chair awaits; Hara's father brought the moose skin back from a hunting expedition.

Above: The house is oriented so that the dining room faces south: The morning light comes into the sitting area and then passes into the dining area. The walls and the ceiling are spruce, and the floor is pine; both woods have been treated with a Wood Wax Finish in white from German company Osmo. "I was worried about the durability of the finish, because I have two dogs. But the wax finish makes it easy to repair scratches," says Hara.

Above: Made by Finnish furniture-maker Nikari, the dining table is a prototype of one that was in the Finnish pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo (Hara has a friend who is a carpenter at Nikari). The white chair is typical of the midcentury furnishings of the Finnish countryside; "I found it in the trash and repainted it," says Hara.

Above: The bedroom has one of two wood-burning fireplaces in the house, which are from Danish company Scan.

Above: The sauna is in a building of its own. (There is also a separate outhouse.)

Above: The sauna's separate changing area is a place to recompose yourself before braving the cold.

Above: "Most holiday houses in Finland don't differ in any way from a normal house. Here, you are almost independent from the outside world; sometimes you feel too self-sufficient. That's when you need friends to come and visit," Hara says.

Above: The plan was developed as a rotated cross with edge to edge plate glass at the end of each arm.

N.B: At this time of year, who can resist a cozy cabin? See 358 images of Cabins in our Gallery of rooms and spaces.

N.B.B: This post is an update; the original story ran on December 23, 2011.

Last weekend we looked at mountain cabins; this coming week we'll be channeling Valentine's Day (for those sitting out the storm on the East Coast, stay warm!).

N.B.: See last week's posts on space heaters and low tech ideas for banishing the cold.

Above: Inspired by this budget-conscious brownstone in Boerum Hill. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Dwell.

• LA readers, our friend Kelly Lamb will be selling her Ever Collection this Sunday, February 10th, at Mowhawk General Store.

Above: Feeling the chill? Sarah is admiring Yoan's garb. Taken at the French wedding of Didier Murat and Julianne Jones, owners of Vergennes Laundry. Photograph by Corey Hendrickson.

Above: Julie is coveting everything on offer at Quitokeeto this month. Photograph by Heidi Swanson.

• Looking into the new Talstation Baiersbronn in Germany's Black Forest, equipped with geothermal heating, solar passive design, and natural ventilation.

Above: Looking for an afternoon doze? Why a power nap makes you both smarter and healthier (see more lounging spaces at Architectural Detail: Built-In Reading Niches).

Above: We're stopping by March in San Francisco this weekend for a few hand-stitched Valentine's Day cards by Maki Yamada.

• Checking out Brownstoner's look into these Bushwick apartments on Wilson Avenue.

N.B. Over at Gardenista, Michelle has rounded up 10 Ways to Survive the Storm, weekend edition.

Well, twelve, actually. We love stairs and know that you do, too. Here, a dozen elegant picks from members of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory.

Above: A wood staircase was one of the few original details that remained in this Italianate Brooklyn brownstone, set for a remodel by Elizabeth Roberts. The architect removed a bearing wall that sequestered the staircase to a hallway, making it newly visible from an open kitchen/living/dining room. The original oak floors were stained a dark chocolate brown, and the stair painted glossy black.

Above: In the stairwell of their dark and dramatic Shadow House, London-based Liddicoat & Goldhill whitewashed the wood steps and painted side brick walls matte black for total contrast. Says architect Sophie Goldhill, “We wanted the interior spaces to have maximum emotional effect.” For more from the firm, see In Praise of the Shadow House.

Above: In this Fort Greene townhouse remodel, Brooklyn-based Elizabeth Roberts designed a new stair to match the historic curved stair leading from the floor below. A new mahogany handrail seamlessly connects them both, and a glass door at the roof illuminates the stairwell, even when closed. For more from the designer, see Steal This Look: Elizabeth Roberts Brooklyn Bath.

Above: Oakland firm Medium Plenty designed this stair in a new family home in the Oakland Hills. The stair is definitively modern, but dark wood and black iron on a white palette is a timeless mix. Hear from Medium Plenty architect Ian Reed in our post The Architect Is In: Medium Plenty in San Francisco.

Above: NYC-based Wettling Architects designed this stair for a waterfront property on Shelter Island. The home's Atlantic views inspired the nautical look of the stairwell, and its simplicity perfectly suits the tenants--a young family and their guests. Photo by David Gilbert.

Above: In remodeling this 1950's Bernal Heights home, San Francisco-based Schwartz and Architecture added a modern open stair to transform the dated entryway. The architects sited the stair to neatly accommodate the homeowners' desire for a someday third-floor addition. For more from Schwartz and Architecture, see post Steal This Look: San Francisco Kitchen by Schwartz & Architecture. Photo by Matthew Millman.

Above: NYC-based Front Studio remodeled this 1912 Brooklyn brownstone, keeping as much of the original detailing as possible and refinishing it for a new life. For more from Front Studio, see post RADD Visit: Front Studio in New York.

Above: San Francisco architects Zack | de Vito designed this Sonoma County home for an East Coast couple making the big move out west. Interior bleached wood paneling frames the home's valley views, and the dark wood steps in this stairwell are a welcome contrast. For more from the firm, see Designer Visit: Zack | de Vito in San Francisco. Photo by Bruce Damonte.

Above: NYC-based Billinkoff Architecture arranged this West Village brownstone remodel around a five-story atrium, adding an Escher-inspired stair winding up to the roof. At the top, a skylight glides open onto the roof deck. An all-white stair means natural light has maximum play through the central void. For more from Billinkoff Architecture, see our post on creative uses for concrete in RADD Roundup: Concrete.

Above: Front Studio Architects included an über-modern skylit staircase in their remodel of a traditional multi-family Harlem townhouse. The stair leads from the eat-in kitchen to a bedroom addition above. For more from Front Studio, see A West Village Pied-a-Terre with a View. Photo by Cameron R. Neilson.

Above: Burr & McCallum Architects designed this Berkshires home around a couple's impressive collection of modern art. The architecture's clean lines and simple materials harmonize well with the artwork. For more from Burr & McCallum, see A Civilized Factory by Burr & McCallum Architects. Photo by Michael Lavin Flower.

Above: Hamptons-based Bates Masi + Architects designed this family retreat in Noyack, New York on a relatively modest budget and a small plot of land. In order to maximize water views at the rear of the house, the architects designed stairs to serve as both a passageway and as casual tiered seating. A broad outdoor stair parallels a narrower indoor stair, separated by a wall of glazing. Both are clad in stained wood decking. For more from Bates Masi, see our post A Midcentury Cabin in Amagansett.

Are you as obsessed with stairs as we are? See 321 photos of Staircases in our image gallery.

Is Ochre the home furnishings version of Chanel? We think so. It's hard to pin down why, but somehow their designs hit just the right note; classic yet forward-looking, subtle yet glamorous, formal yet nonchalant. Want proof? Join us on a tour of Ochre designer Solenne de la Fouchardière's Paris flat in Montmartre.

“This 800-square-foot flat serves as a foothold when we are in Paris," says de la Fouchardière, a partner at Ochre. "We wanted to create something stylish, clutter free, and functional (more jeans than silk) for our short stays,” she says.

N.B. For more on Ochre, the home furnishings brand that Harriet Maxwell, Johanna Bibby, and de la Fouchardière started in in 1995, go to Harriet Maxell and Andrew Corrie of Ochre in NYC.

Unless otherwise noted, photography by Pierre Verger.

Above: Ochre designer and partner Solenne de la Fouchardière in her light-filled Paris flat in Montmartre.

Above: Ochre updates the design of the classic French verre églomisé mirror with repurposed scaffolding, while a small sitting area is created with a small Daxie Ottoman bench in bleach leather, a set of Moon Tables, and a Cherub Table Lamp in smoke with a black silk shade.

Above: A vintage Danish sofa has been reupholstered in Desert Cloth Charcoal by de la Cuona. Bright colored velvet cushions from Caravane in Paris add to the relaxed glamor. An Axis Mundi Table Lamp is dressed with a red silk vertically pleated shade. The painting by Liz McDonald is of a beach in Devon.

Above: The Chain Mail Chandelier by Ochre hovers above the Les Puces dining table and chairs while Axis Mundi Floor and Cherub Table lamps with black silk shades flank the sides. The enamel and steel fireplace is original to the flat.

Above L: An Arctic Pear Table Lamp adorns the slatted wood bench by Didier Richard, while Eclipse Half Moon Lights (R) bejewel the wall.

Above: A wooden dresser purchased at the famous Clignancourt flea market holds glass and tableware from Astier de Villate and Christiane Perrochon mixed with silver and porcelain gifts from the designer's family.

Above: The graceful but functional Zefirelli Chair and the Convex Black Bole Mirrors over the mantle are understated in their strength.

Above: The designer created an elegant work area with a desk by midcentury French designer Pierre Paulin juxtaposed with an Ochre Scorpion Lamp.

Above: The small functional kitchen with its marble work surfaces gets a dash of glamor with the Light Drizzle Chandelier and the Maasai Lamp.

Above: Scorpion Wall Lights perch on the fabric wall panels in the master bedroom like delicate earrings. The textured rug is from Caravane.

Above: A print by Braque adorns a corner of the bedroom.

Above: Concrete walls and walnut cabinets create a rough-luxe finish in the bathroom. De la Fouchardière worked the architects Fritz Associates to change the layout of the flat, which she purchased from an older couple who had lived in it for thirty years.

Above: De la Fouchardière's view from her top floor flat is of the Sacré Coeur and its vineyard. "The building is a typical Parisian Haussman style with a long west facing balcony, showcasing the most wonderful sunsets," she says.

N.B: Curious about how the Ochre style translates into New York City living? See Harriet Maxell and Andrew Corrie of Ochre in NYC.

Is there anything more luxurious than the vanilla bean? Aside from the fact that they grow on orchids, the beans (known as tlilxochitl, "the black flower," by the Aztecs) emit a fragrance that is almost otherworldly. All reasons why the seductive vanilla bean is the perfect candidate for a modern Valentine's Day gift.

I first spotted this idea for creating heart-shaped vanilla bean ornaments in last year's Retro Valentine's Workshop at Echo Park's Cookbook Grocery and filed away the idea. This February, I'm sending out the tiny hearts to loved ones to hang in their kitchens until ready to use for any number of vanilla infusions (you could even tuck one into a jar of sugar for baking with). Want to try the project yourself? See our sources and step-by-step instructions below.

Above: The inspiration: black hearts hanging on the wall at Cookbook Grocery in LA (available for $14 each at the shop).

Here's What You'll Need:

• 4 fresh vanilla beans (you'll want them in a very malleable state)
• Black cotton thread (Gutermann Black Forest Thread for $1.23 from Amazon) or waxed linen (50 yards of Waxed Irish Linen Cord for $4.75 from Amazon)
• Pair of snips or kitchen scissors like Burgon & Ball's Topiary Trimming Shears for $23
• 4 Clothespins; $4.57 for a pack of 40 pieces from Amazon.

Instructions:

Above: Twist two sets of two vanilla beans tightly together and secure at the top and bottom with clothespins.

Above: Work the shape of the twisted beans into a heart-like curve. Cut two lengths of thread or waxed linen to tie at each end.

Above: Twist the bottom of the heart together and secure with a tight knot. Wrap the thread in and out of the twisted vanilla beans to make sure they're tightly intertwined.

Above: Twist the beans together at the center of the heart, leaving about half an inch to hang down the center. Be sure to tie your thread as tight as possible; once the beans dry in this shape, they'll shrink up some. The finished heart hangs next to the kitchen sink (adding a fine vanilla fragrance to the kitchen).

Looking for more genius ideas for the kitchen? See 23 more DIY Kitchen Projects in our archive; everything from a Ladder as Pot Rack to Dip-Dyed Wooden Spoons to an entire DIY Kitchen Island.

There's nothing more unflattering than harsh, clinical lighting in a room, with overhead fixtures casting shadows from above. Bright light might be the solution when it comes to reading, working, and creating, but an intimate atmosphere calls for a softer glow. Here's how to achieve a romantic ambience with a few quick moves.

According to Randall Whitehead, author of Residential Lighting: A Practical Guide, a balanced, well-lit room includes a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting. We're focusing on ambient lighting here; read on for 10 solutions:

1. Incorporate glamorous bulbs for instant romance. Like UK designer Lee Broom's Crystal Bulbs, hand blown from English full lead crystal for £109 each directly through Lee Broom, or Eric Therner's Diamond Lights (see more at High/Low: Cut-Crystal Light Bulbs).

2. Soften the room with a rosy glow. In a mostly white space, soft pink incandescent bulbs tucked into opaque glass shades or in table lamps can bring warmth into a room. The bulb's pink hue is pale, but it's wise to test the light in a room and against skin tone before fully committing. Sylvania Soft Pink 60 Watt Bulbs are $10.03 for a pack of two from Amazon.

3. Turn down the wattage. Reserve 75 and 100 watt bulbs for reading lamps and reduce the strength of principal lights in settings where a more romantic ambience is desired. Alternatively, fixtures on a dimmer easily alter the mood, extend the life of light bulbs, and conserve energy.

4. Avoid direct, overhead light. A pivoting wall lamp can function as either a task or ambient light depending on its location. Take Maison Martin Margiela's use of the Prouvé Potence Lamp at La Maison des Centraliens in Paris (above). Low hanging pendant lights in the bedroom, floor lamps, and recessed lighting all cast flattering light evenly into a room.

5. Go incandescent. If you're willing to compromise energy efficiency in a particular room, the full spectrum light offered by incandescent bulbs is preferred by some—including lighting designer Howard Brandston, who has been a longtime advocate of incandescent over halogen and fluorescent bulbs (read more of Brandston's views on lighting at the New York Times).

6. Or don't. CFLs and LEDs designed with soft light in mind are comparable to 40 to 60W incandescents; the Philips 12.5W AmbientLED A19 Bulb gives off a bright but warm glow while maintaining its energy-efficient properties.

7. Consider luxe lighting; the smaller, evenly spaced bulbs of a chandelier disperse light softly through a room. See our post 10 Easy Pieces: Modern Chandeliers and Glass Globe Chandeliers for a total of 20 different options. Photograph from Living Above the Shop: Marche St. George in Vancouver.

8. Reduce the glare. The reflective coating of silver tip bulbs refract and redirect light to reduce glare and work well in base-up lighting fixtures or as a simple bare bulb. The A19 Silver Tip Bulb is $5 from Schoolhouse Electric and Bulbrite's Inside Frost Half Chrome 60W Bulb is $6.49 from Amazon.

9. Set the mood. Bulbs like Purely Products' Healthy CFLs claim to boost happiness by generating negative ions that increase serotonin levels ($8 each); the Blues Buster Light Bulb emits light that mimics natural sunshine ($9.39 for a single 60W frosted bulb from Amazon.

10. Go elemental. In the end, nothing is more flattering than the flickering glow of candlelight. Consider sculptural Slowlight Candles from Belgium, Cire Trudon, or Astier de Villate candles. Photograph of The Apollo from Where the Divine Dine in Sydney.

Ready to put your plan into action? Find 200 Dining and 28 Bedroom Lights in our Shop section.

Forget jewelry; I'd prefer a piano hinge for Valentine's Day. A while back, when I was in the midst of a remodel, my architect friend Jerome Buttrick suggested piano hinges for a slim closet door. "Much more elegant than clunky, conventional hinges," he said. Here's why you, too, should consider piano hinges:

"Hinges and hardware require careful thought," Buttrick says (his firm, Buttrick Wong, is a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory). "Piano hinges serve a practical function—they keep doors from warping out of plane. As they are attached with a continuous row of fasteners, you can use them on thin doors easily. Aesthetically, they recede because they form a continuous edge rather than reading visually as two or three discreet elements, as is the case with conventional hinges. Conventional 'five knuckle' hinges can look clunky, as the barrel diameter (3/8 of an inch, typically) often looks large. Piano hinges are easy to use, unlike the concealed or pivot hinges, so builders like them. I just wish they came in more finishes."

Buttrick's preferred sources? "The number of people who understand the intricacies of the craft are like polar ice caps—fewer and fewer. Here are some places to try: E. R. Butler in New York, E. M. Hundley Hardware in San Francisco, Crown City Hardware in Pasadena, and Bronze Craft in New Hampshire. And, never forget McMaster-Carr—they have everything."

Above: Piano hinges, also called continuous hinges, add an elegant note to a cabinet or closet door. Although they are usually used for heavy loads (bench-style seats, table leaves, piano tops), continuous hinges add a subtle accent to swinging doors as well. Photo via architect D. Stanley Dixon.

In the world of Ochre, the iterative process of designing and making is as beautiful as the end product itself; especially in the magical Seed Cloud chandelier, where the process used to cast hundreds of bronze stems comes from another age with a technique that can be dated back at least 5,000 years.

Intrigued by the courses they had taken in traditional craft techniques in art school, Harriet Maxwell Macdonald and Joanna Bibby founded Ochre, their home furnishings brand with shops in New York and London, and set about reinterpreting their lessons in modern ways. The ancient and evocative Lost-Wax casting process beckoned as they searched for a technique to realize their nature-inspired designs. “Few people have any idea of the research and craftsmanship that go into the production of this particular design,” New York-based Maxwell Macdonald says. “We decided to make a series of workshop images in order for our clients to feel closer to the process, and also understand the complexity and skill that go into these beautiful pieces.”

Unless otherwise noted, photography by Kristin Perers.

Above: The Damselfly Wall Light in its entirety. Photography by Ditte Isager.

Above: A finished arm of the Damselfly Wall Light has two Seed Clouds. "Our pieces require a great deal of engineering, as evidenced in the LED bulb that has been sunk into the arm," Maxwell Macdonald says.

Above: The Seed Cloud, Rectangular 56 Bud hangs above the Whippet Table, a recent addition to the Ochre collection. "As a product it evolves, it takes on its own life," Maxwell Macdonald says. "Thinner, fatter, or in the case of the Seed Cloud, needing more friends?"

Above: Molten wax is poured into silicon molds. The molds are held together by elastic bands.

Above: Opening the silicon molds after they have cooled and the wax has set reveals the hollow wax copy of the original mold.

Above: Heating up the crucible, which is used for melting the bronze.

Above: Damon Rawnsley and Sam Dalton, founders of the Crucible Foundry in their London workshop. Maxwell Macdonald and Bibby met Dalton at the City and Guilds where he was teaching sculpture.

Above: Pouring the molten bronze into the plaster molds. The original wax shapes have been melted out.

Above: Finished pieces of the Seed Cloud Chandelier.

Above L: The plaster is hammered away to reveal the bronze "tree". Above R: The bronze pieces after they have been polished and finished.

Above: The finished pieces await soldering.

Above: The Damselfly Wall Light is being soldered together.

N.B.: Has the Lost Wax casting technique inspired you to seek more bronze moments? See 65 images of Bronze from lighting to door handles in our Gallery of rooms and spaces.

A onetime medieval French settlement is transformed into a bucolic bolthole by a couple from Amsterdam.

Located in Le Perche, a national park in the Basse-Normandie region, a couple of hours outside Paris, D'une Ile is a hotel comprised of nine cottages and a restaurant. Husband and wife team Michel Mulder and Sofie Sleumer (he's a professional chef and she's an interior designer) collaborated on the design of the rooms; the result is a perfect merging of their talents and manifestation of what they love to do best. For more information, go to D'une Ile.

Photography by Studio Aandacht for Trend Tablet (except where noted).

Above: Owners Michel Mulder and Sofie Sleumer.

Above: Tables are set with vintage china.

Above: The cottages are dressed in vintage furniture and accessories. The couple restored much of the furniture themselves, some of which is for sale to guests.

Above L: A cozy kid's seating are with a sheepskin throw. Above R: Whitewashed walls and a reupholstered settee in green velvet.

Above: The interior offers a mix of vintage finds with a laid back boho vibe.

Above: Hexagon-shaped tile flooring and exposed beams can be seen thoughout the buildings.

Above: An all-white bedroom with a vintage ladder as headboard.

Above: A bedroom featuring the original exposed beams with whitewashed walls and industrial lighting. Photo by D'une Ile.

Above: The bathroom with a claw foot tub. Photo by D'une Ile.

Above: D'une Ile with its enclave of buildings. Photo by D'une Ile.

N.B.: Looking for more Lodging and Restaurants in France? See 67 more suggestions in our City Guide.

Fashion designer Vanessa Bruno is a master of modern femininity (her fans include Charlotte Gainsbourg and Vanessa Paradis)—and we're not just talking about her clothing line. Bruno, born in France and of Danish descent, has blended her two cultural influences in her own Parisian flat—and added notes of exotica from her travels (Asian silk pillows and rice paper lanterns included).

Read more at Interior Magasinet and get the look with our sources below.

Photography by Birgitta Wolfgang Dreyer for Interior Magasinet.

Above: Gauzy linen curtains and white walls stand out against walnut wood floors and and exposed original beams. A red beaded installation from Italian artist Paola Piva hangs over the sofa.

Above: Fresh tulip magnolia and a stem of purple lilac accent the living room next to a 1910 sofa reupholstered in bright green cotton.

Above: A painting by Finnish artist Marie Sanaa hangs near the stacked rice paper lanterns. For more on her DIY lamp configuration, see Vanessa Bruno's Stacked Paper Lanterns.

Above: A vintage Tubular Chrome Bachelor Chair by Verner Panton from the 1950s is available through Nickey Kehoe on 1st Dibs.

Above: Bruno sourced her Danish midcentury coffee table from a Parisian antiques dealer, but a similar option is the Wegner Coffee Table in oiled oak for $2,490 from Design Within Reach.

Above: The George Sherlock Extended Two-Seater Sofa is made with a beech wood frame and a mixed filing (felt, canvas, webbing, hair lock, and coil springs). Available through Ruby Beets with a variety of upholstery options.

Above: e15's CP03 Kavir Carpet by Farah Ebrahimi features a single-toned surface with contrasting fringe detail at either end. The carpets are available in Antique Pink with Luminous Red (shown) and eight other color combinations. Visit e15 for dealer information and read more at CP03 Kavir Carpets from e15 in Germany.

Above: Ikea's Dignitet Curtain Wire is made of stainless steel for $12.99 each. For similar curtains, consider Crate & Barrel's Linen Sheer White Curtain Panels; $59.95 for the 108-inch length panel. The Deka Curtain Clips are $6.99 for a box of 12 from Ikea. Photograph by Alexa Hotz.

Above: The Mies van der Rohe Side Chair is available in black, light brown, or white beige for $1,419 each from Design Within Reach. A Set of Eight MR Side Chairs is currently available for $6,800 from March on 1st Dibs.

Above: A trio of different George Nelson pendant lights hang over the dining room table. The Saucer Pendant Lamp is $435 from Design Within Reach.

N.B.: Looking for more ideas to steal? See all 221 of our Steal This Look posts in our archive. Partial to a pink color palette? Sift through 267 Rosy Rooms in our Gallery of rooms and spaces.

We like this budget-conscious, simple DIY project: a rosy-hued ombre paper shade from Finnish interior prop stylist Susanna Vento.

Recreate the look by saturating the top of the lamp with spray paint and allowing the paint to disperse, fading to white. Repeat for the desired effect and finish by spraying the pendant cord pink. For materials needed, see our sources below (total $15).

Above: Spray paint allows you to control the intensity of the color gradations.

Above: For a lamp with parallel wire ribbing, the White 8-Inch Round Premium Paper Lantern is $2.95 from Luna Bazaar (you might want to pick up a couple of lanterns in case of mishaps).

Above: The Hemma Cord Set from Ikea is $4.99. You will need one of these to go with the lamp shade; you can also spray-paint the cord pink.

Above: Krylon's H20 Latex Aerosol Spray Paint in Rhine River Rose is nontoxic and low VOC; $6.99 for the 12-ounce can from Amazon.

N.B.: Looking for more low budget projects? Browse up to 253 more DIY projects.

When Julie Elliott decided to update the look of In Fiore, her small cult parfumerie in San Francisco, she enlisted her good friend and neighbor, designer Matt Dick. "I wanted the feel of an apothecary, yet something modern with a subtle nod to Japan," she says.

"Matt and I are big fans of Charlotte Perriand, especially when she began incorporating a Japanese aesthetic into her work," she says. Along with local furniture maker, Sebastian Parker, Elliott and Dick created a space that's a mix of studied elegance and moody glamor with Meiji era overtones. The perfect backdrop for a parfumerie where faint whiffs of jasmine, neroli, and rose permeate the air. For more, go to In Fiore.

N.B. An invitation to local shoppers: On February 14th, In Fiore will be serving Negroni cocktails in a little celebration of amour. Swing on by.

Photography by Mimi Giboin for Remodelista.

Above: Julie Elliott in front of a custom jewelry display case. Elliot worked in the fashion industry prior to founding In Fiore. She equates working with oils as akin to working with gems. "it's so precious. Flowers are the most expensive materials to work with in this business."

Above: A mercury glass vessel purchased from March sits atop a walnut counter with black marble top. Elliott lived in Japan and was inspired by the traditional black tiled roofs in Kanazawa for her choice of color for the walls. She conferred with G & R Paint Company to get the right shade, a custom mix of midnight overtones. She explains "When it is dark at night I feel the violet tones, but in the day it has a vibrancy to it and feels more deep teal."

Above: The shallow cupboards with large glass vitrines were inspired by the narrow cupboards for storing calligraphy in Japan. The black walnut shelving was hand made by woodworker Sebastian Parker and lines the wall.

Above: "I knew I wanted a dark wood with gold and black tones to highlight my packaging," says Elliott of her choice of eastern black walnut.

Above: The narrow strips of wood surrounding the case are a reference to the thin shoji frames in Japan. It took Parker several months to do all the joinery. Having handcrafted pieces was integral to the design for Elliott, who notes, "All my products are made by hand so the design had to go with my belief system."

Above: One of the compacts of Parfums Solides from the In Fiore collection. Elliott's favorite is the Saffron of Kashmir.

Above: A detail of the custom leather mat that sits atop a low walnut base, purposely low In keeping with the Japanese aesthetic where everything is closer to the ground. "Matt has a vintage French leather wrestling mat, so we had someone who makes leather saddles here in the Bay Area make this by hand," says Elliott.

Above: The gold and black echo the tones in the claro black walnut salvaged from a felled tree.

Above: The entrance to the store; three large amber apothecary bottles from Japan are displayed in the window. "I like the feeling that the wall is floating," notes Elliott of the wall-mounted display shelving.

Above: The black painted store front.

Learn more about designer Matt Dick or peruse our San Francisco City Guide for more unique stores.

What's more romantic than a clean house? We're making an early jump on spring cleaning, and that starts with the hunt for the perfect vacuum cleaner. The fanatics at Real Simple recently named their top five vacuums, ranging from cordless to robots, budget to luxe. Here are their five picks:

Visit The Best Vacuums for more and see Real Simple's Cleaning 101 for an offering of the best cleaning tips.

Above: Best Cordless: Electrolux's Ergorapido Ultra+ EL1022A is "two appliances in one—a cordless electric broom, perfect for light whole-room cleaning; and a removable handheld, for spot jobs. Slides seamlessly from carpets to hard floors." $119.99 directly from Electrolux.

Above: Best Luxe: The Miele S7260 "navigates corners effortlessly. Unrivaled for suction. The handle reclines to lie completely flat, allowing you to reach way under the bed." Designed specifically with pet hair, dander, and dirt in mind, the S7260 is $649 from Miele.

Above: Best Canister: The LG Kompressor Pet Care Plus Canister Vacuum features a "bagless canister perpetually cleans itself (picture a rubber spatula scraping a bowl), condensing dust, pet hair, and the like into a compact wad of waste that's easy to dump." The vacuum is $399.99, visit LG for nearby dealers.

Above: Best Bargain: The Shark Navigator Light Upright Vacuum Cleaner is a "lightweight, bagless bargain with serious maneuverability. The stretchable cord and the extra-long attachments allow you to reach even the ceiling fan." $109.99 from Overstock.

Above: Best Robot: The iRobot Roomba 780 can be set to vacuum while you are away or asleep and is small enough to fit under most furniture; $599.99 directly from iRobot.

Getting domestic this coming weekend? Shop our best Domestic Science Products and weigh in on the Great Debate (Dyson vs. Miele, of course).

This Valentine's Day, I'm having a love affair with A Détacher's hot pink pillow.

Since Polish designer Mona Kowalska's launched her own fashion label in 1998, A Détacher has expanded beyond clothing, designing a few, rather avant-garde objects for the home. This hand-crocheted pillow is a mix of high and low materials: hot pink acrylic yarn paired with a duck-down insert.

Above: The Hairy Pillow is $253 from Totokaelo's Art-Object shop.

Above: The front of the pillow features fringe so long you could practically brush it (and you might want to do so to keep tangles out).

Above: The back of the pillow is hand crocheted in standard rows.

Feeling rosy? See our 5 Quick Fixes: Bright Pink Accents for ways to add just a touch, or our 5 Favorites: Rosy Rooms for paint color inspiration.

Jorge Almada and Anne-Marie Midy, owners of the San Miguel de Allende-based Casamidy, decamped from Mexico to Europe not long ago. Their latest project? A renovation of a pied-à-terre in Paris that Midy, who is French, inherited from her grandmother when she passed the bac.

The apartment, located in a building that dates to 1620, originally belonged to her great grandfather, and although it was charming, at less than 400 square feet it was a challenge for more than one person to stay in comfortably. The couple had long debated removing the wall between the living area and the tiny bedroom, and when they gutted the ceiling and discovered 800-year-old beams, the decision was easy: expose the beams and open up the space.

N.B. Interested in renting the apartment? The couple is offering Remodelista readers a 10 percent discount (if you book in the next two weeks) on the $1,500/weekly rental fee; contact them directly at Casamidy.

Above: A Casamidy Ixelles Table with mirrored surface; you can see the 800-year-old oak beams reflected on the table top.

Above: Removing the wall allowed more natural light to permeate the apartment.

Above: Le Comte Settee with a basic clip-on light attached.

Above: A gilt framed mirror above the mantelpiece

Above: Midy and Almada flipped the floor plan, placing the bed in the former living space on the street side and the settee where the living area formerly was. The colored glass sconces on either side of the bed are a flea market find.

Above: The bed is placed on a custom-made platform with headboard, which creates two distinct living areas. The modern lamps on either side of the bed are from Atelier la Cambre in Brussels

Above; Since the apartment is not a full-time residence, Midy decided to reduce the size of the kitchen, freeing up space to expand the bathroom

Above: A view from the kitchen into the living area with the bed in the distance.

Above: Midy doubled the size of the new, marble-clad bathroom with an over-sized shower (unusual for an apartment of this size).

Above: The 1620 building once belonged to the Prince de Conde, after whom the street is named.

See more of Ann-Marie and Jorge's genius at Shopper's Diary: Casamidy Opens in Brussels.

Explore More: House Call

Is there anything more romantic than the canopy bed? Here are 10 favorites, ranging from modern to traditional. Have we missed something? Let us know in the comments section.

Above: The Alcova Canopy Bed from Italian company Maxalto is available with a fabric or leather base frame and headboard and is large enough to provide a storage platform (with an open compartment and drawer) around the parameter of the mattress. Available in six sizes; contact B&B Italia for more information.

Above: The Stainless Steel Portico Canopy Bed is $1,499 for the queen size at Room & Board.

Above: The 19th Century Campaign Iron Canopy Bed is inspired by British campaign furniture. The queen-size frame is currently on sale for $760 at Restoration Hardware.

Above: Room & Board's Architecture Queen Bed is made from a lacquer-finished natural steel for $999.

Above: The Woodland Slumber Canopy Bed is made from oak and finished in a pale shade (shown) or dark gray; $2,698 from Anthropologie.

Above: Designed by Patrizia Cagliani, the Asseman Canopy Bed has a white-painted tubular iron frame with a ceiling of white cotton or white tulle mosquito-curtain; available through Suite New York.

Above: The Italian Campaign Canopy Bed is made from wrought iron that is treated with an anti-rust wax coating; $1,698 from Anthropologie. Photograph of Marietta Beasley's Atlanta, Georgia, loft; via Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.

Above: Pottery Barn's Antonia Canopy Bed has a steel frame and removable canopy top for $1,299 in the queen size.

Above: Mash Studio's PCH Series Canopy Bed is made from solid teak; $4,995 from All Modern.

Above: The Pavillion Black Canopy Bed is made from solid mahogany wood with a black lacquer finish and is designed for use with a single mattress; $1,199 for the queen size from Crate & Barrel.

N.B.: Looking for fabric for your new canopy bed? Thumb through 368 posts on Fabrics & Linens for the Bedroom in our archive. For more inspiration on dressing the canopy, see our post: 5 Favorites: Canopy and Curtained Beds.

The most beautiful movie ever made? If you are asking me (or Martin Scorsese actually), one of the contenders would surely be Luchino Visconti’s "Il Gattopardo" ("The Leopard"), which stars Burt Lancaster and Alain Delon and revolves around the lives of an aristocratic Sicilian family in the mid 19th century. The story is epic—it takes place in the midst of civil war and revolution, and, boy, was Claudia Cardinale ever gorgeous back then in 1963. But you know what else was great about it? The curtains. That’s right, the curtains, specifically the net ones in the palazzo at the beginning of the movie.

Check the way they flutter in the breeze against the scallop-edged awning, the way they are the perfect fresh counterpart to the crumbling ornate palazzo and the parchedness of the Sicilian landscape, the way they filter the harsh midday light and make rippling shadows over the exquisitely fading carpets. An ode to the net curtain. Sorry, it needs to be written.

Above: Patchwork N Curtains, designed by Marlies Spaan; €119 per meter from Frozen Fountain in Amsterdam.

But not the commonplace net curtain, that metaphor for British suburbia (alongside the garden gnome), which is constantly being twitched in order to see what the neighbors are doing. Nor indeed the office net curtains, that greasy fixture of institutional "interior design" which smell of dead flies and always hang an inch or so above the window sill. No. I’m talking the type you see in a white-washed, blue shuttered house somewhere off a cobblestone street in the Aegean, the lovingly laundered, handmade lace ones that slightly sag at the top? Ditto the sort I recently spotted in the dimpled glass windows of a fisherman’s cottage in Clovelly, the privately owned village where no cars are allowed and donkeys are used to transport groceries, in North Devon.

Ditto again the traditional-seeming yet super modern ones you see hanging in so many of the elegant canal side town-houses in Amsterdam. Suddenly normal curtains feel so…claustrophobic, so somber. Besides. If you live in a place such as London where the sun so seldom appears, don’t you need all the light you can get? Voile, toile, lawn, even gazar—these are the fabrics of the future, so my friends in the fashion industry tell me. Sheer, sheer all the way. “Glass Curtains” as they were cleverly called by the Dutch in the early 19th century. But then if you have ever visited Amsterdam you’ll see. Looking in windows isn’t something you are not supposed to do. In fact, it is positively encouraged.

I may be biased here, it’s true. My grandmother was from Holland, I LOVE Holland, the language, the tulips, you name it. Surely, though, most people would agree that the Dutch, they intuitively get that whole modern/traditional thing , do they not? Case in point is Toord Boontje, the king of the modern net curtain with his whimsical lace and sometimes even paper designs, a very modern, very clever take on the kitschy doily of yore.

A modern take on an old trend, it always puts others pleasantly off guard. I’m thinking here of the net curtains by Glaswegian duo Timorous Beasties, whose offerings include a lace curtain, to match the ironic flocked wallpaper of “Devil Damask.” Actually, we have it in the upstairs loo of our cottage in Wiltshire. The children's nanny, I know, secretly disapproves, but most guests are rather beguiled by it, and enjoy trying to spot the devil’s face in the design. Back, though, to the dusty Sicilian landscape and the cypress trees and the insistent cicadas and that hot hot midday sun. Those delicate “glass” curtains fluttering in the febrile breeze.

Above: A net curtain installation by Dutch textile artist Claudy Jongstra.

Above L: Tord Boontje's Nectar Fabric. Above R: The easiest way to get lace into your life: the Until Dawn Curtain by Tord Boontje for Artecnica is $155 from Amazon (it measures 96 by 42 inches).

Above: Timorous Beasties Devil Damask Lace is €72 per yard.

See more classics-on-acid designs here: Grand Thistle Wallpaper from Timorous Beasties.

Ed. note: Follow UK writer Christa D'Souza at @ShitHomemaker.

Earlier this week, Michelle wrote about getting rid of her shower curtain; if you're not quite there yet, we like these new industrial-chic shower curtain rings from Izola, made of rough polished iron.

Above: A set of 12 Iron Shower Curtain Rings is $13 from F.S.C. Barber.

Above: The shower curtain rings come with roller balls for a smooth glide.

To read about how Michelle banished the shower curtain from her life, go to Domestic Dispatches: Could You Live Without Your Shower Curtain?