Hotel Avalon Baccara, Cancun Paradise

I love quaint small hotels that have character.  I've had the below hotel on my list to visit and haven't heard a bad review about it.  The hotel use to be an estate and they sold it and made it into a hotel.  Looks so intimate, relaxing and full of inspiration for someone like me!

Hotel Avalon Baccara, Cancun

Two doors down from the Governor’s Mansion and a world away from everything else, the Avalon Baccara Cancun is like nothing you’ve ever experienced. Intimate, exclusive and totally private, this beachfront, boutique resort is truly Cancun at its finest.

These urns are the back of a fountain in the pool.

Perfect!

Love the palm trees.  Aren't these vibrant colors fabulous?  So cheery and fun!

Beautiful mosaic tile work in the pool.  I wonder if I could make a stucco platform for my chairs around my pool.  I can smell the tropical sun tan oil already.  Can somebody please bring me a rolled up fresh crisp white towel to my cabana while I sit sunbathing by my pool?  I love hotel towels.

Look how close you are to the beach.  A hop, skip and a jump!  I don't think this is just the photography?

Brunch calling my name here, Ruthie....Ruthie.....  Love the bamboo ceiling detail.  The detailed arch window adds great architectural interest looking out to the white sand.

That view!!!  Imagine it at night!  Not too crazy about the sunflowers but I can overlook that for the view.  Maybe they put a white table cloth on at night? 

How romantic to be RIGHT on the beach!   Looks like a great place to relax and get away from the world.  When I go on vacation, I want my design magazines, a good book, my ipod and the sound of the beach to take me away! 

Look at the color of that water!!!

There is that "ice blue" I keep referring to.

 Pina Colada please cabana boy!

Awesome stucco walls again with more of the bamboo ceiling.  Love all beautiful tiled rounded archways too.  Large terra cotta pots for all the palm trees "indoors".  Plants make everything come alive, especially indoors.  The brick floor is stunning too.  Easy maintenance for a hotel.

Again, love the detail on the ceiling.  Not the fanciest room but looks comfortable and has a beautiful view.

Very soothing lobby.  Nothing over the top but looks like a spa.

How welcoming!  

Pull up the  limo please!

Throwing the diet out the window and I'm packing my bags. 

 I'm sure my man would be game too, wouldn't be the same without him!

Oh, I wish we looked this good!

Happy Weekend Everybody.

Ruthie

Saddle up your horses

I came across some pictures of a ranch style home here in Texas that I decorated and thought I'd post them for you to see.  This home was my client's vacation home.  He was a roper in the rodeo and bought some land, built the house and then was building a huge riding arena on the property for him to be able to practice with his horses.  They had barns built for the horses too. The horses barn looked as nice as the ranch house itself.   It was an amazing place.  My client wanted me to do all the finishing touches to the home.  I decorated the entry, kitchen, living room, master bedroom and guest bedroom.

DecRenew Interiors - Ruthie Staalsen

This was the entry of the ranch house.  The piece of furniture was so amazing.  The wrought iron work with the rustic wood really introduces the style of the ranch home when you enter. I hung two matching mirrors above this piece to make a statement and that it did.   I filled a large glass votive with layers of different color sand.  These colors were used throughout the house.

DecRenew Interiors - Ruthie Staalsen

Sorry for the poor quality of these pictures.  The sunshine was so bright and my camera was struggling to get some good pictures.  In the above picture you can see the whole space from entering the front door.  Notice the hat rack so the "cowboys" can hang their hat when they come in from a day of riding.

DecRenew Interiors

Very monochromatic space with lots of textures; silver, wicker, wrought iron, leather, etc.  I really wanted this man to feel like his home was cozy and comfortable but masculine!  I didn't add drapes to the space because the property outside was going to be so beautiful after all the building was done that the drapes would have closed the room in.  Since the window was framed with beautiful wood work, it looks fine like it was.  If I could add different blinds, I'd probably put some rattan roman shades in the place of these 2" blinds but he had just purchased blinds throughout.  Sticking to our budget, there is always Phase II to think about.

This "cowboy" really wanted his vacation ranch to be comfortable so we incorporated leather and fabrics. He also wanted recliners so he could put his feet up after a long day of practice.  We really couldn't do ottoman's in this space so these comfy chairs (actually recliners) worked well.  The rustic coffee table with the sculpture of galloping horses worked well with the woodwork in the home.  I incorporated silver on the mantel to make the room feel classy.  Silver always adds that beautiful shiny reflection.

DecRenew Interiors

In the master bedroom I used an old barrel as a side table.  This bed was imported from Mexico and the bedding was all custom made.  I found a leather rag rug and had my upholsterer use it to create the bench and the pillow on the bed.  This added so much texture and interest!

DecRenew Interiors

I love the dark wood stain on this bed in the Master Suite.  I didn't want any kind of bedskirt to cover the beautiful rustic wood detail on the bed frame.

DecRenew Interiors

The dining room turned out so beautiful.

The table and the chairs were also imported from Mexico.   All handcarved and engraved with embossed leather.   Both ordered from different places but work wonderfully together.  If we do a Phase II in this dining room, I would like to change out the light fixture.  Could have some fun there!!   The flooring would be great with a rustic distressed floor too. You know my philosophy though, "you can make a place beautiful without going overboard."  My client was happy because he got an amazing home and he didn't have to totally redo EVERYTHING.  Adding all the beautiful furniture and accessories made an amazing change, don't you think?

The chairs had this beautiful embossed leather.  Notice how the chairs worked with the couch pillows!  Got to pull it all together and I'm ALL about the details!

DecRenew Interiors

The kitchen is a fun place for entertaining and I incorporated lots of masculine items on top of the cabinets.

DecRenew Interiors

I've posted the above picture before.  This was the guest room.  The headboard was transformed from a mirror to a cutom made upholstered headboard.  This frame is so gorgeous, I wanted to keep it for myself.

Hope you enjoyed.

Ruthie

Hello sunshine, where are you?

It's been cold and dreary here in Texas and I'm READY for spring and summer.  As you know, our gazebo collapsed during the snow and ice the past few weeks.  We are now thinking about what we are going to do to replace it.  Do we build one?  What kind?  What style?  Do we just buy one and hope it lasts us a few more summer's?

Here are a few of my ideas and things I love.  Thought you would enjoy the escape and can dream with me a little.

Elegant Homes Magazine

Of course we don't have the lake but the pool feels like a lake? 

Oh, take me to this place!

Traditional Home Magazine

This "outside" room is beautiful.  I'm thinking I'd love to incorporate a fire pit.  We are such outside people and would enjoy the fire pit in the springtime and fall.  Of course the furniture here doesn't seem too practical out in the open.  Mine would be under my gazebo and we could build the fire pit.  I also love the grass growing inbetween the flagstone.  How practical is this though?  Looks beautiful but all I can think of is weed upkeep.  I'm wanting practical, comfortable, beautiful and low maintenance.  Maybe I'm asking for too much.  With kids and running my own business I need to make sure we stick with practical.

Traditional Home Magazine

I love this "Spanish courtyard" venue.  Looks so peaceful and inviting. My thoughts here is that I'd love to use Spanish tile for the roofing if we build a gazebo.

Now this really speaks to me.  Growing up in Africa, we all had pools and thatch gazebo's.  This makes me homesick for where I was born.  In Africa, the weather is beautiful most of the year and "everyone" has a pool.  A lot like Texas actually.  Don't you love the flagstone around the pool? 

This gazebo would be nice.  The pool actually reminds me of ours. 

This one is a little small but it has such great character.  The criss cross thatch adds so much charm.  Don't you love the blue pool.  Check out the Lilly pads in the garden urn.  They've made the garden urn into a little pond.  This backyard is so tropical and I love that feel.  It makes you feel like you are on vacation and you are in your backyard.  Since we entertain so much and love to be home, I want to invest in our backyard.  They were smart in this garden too and put the bamboo that they planted in a pot.  You've probably heard how bamboo can take over your yard if it isn't confined.

This one of course is not feasible for us to do but isn't it fun.  I would have loved this as a child.  Could love it as an adult too!

What kid wouldn't want this one?  They would disappear for days.

africathatch.com

I'm looking into places here locally that sell thatch roofing to see what it would cost.

gazebocreations.com

This one is very large but I love the roof and the columns.  Might be a bit too traditional for my style but I thought it was very classy.

Just having fun dreaming! Thanks for coming along for the ride.
 Of course it all involves money and time.

We all need an escape from the cold and this post made me start thinking about the sunshine and outside time that is hopefully around the corner.  We all need something to look forward to even if it is a dreamy escape.

Psalm 118:24 - "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Ruthie

Who's Palace is this?

 

Imagine who would have such taste and live in
such opulence and style?

An American Billionaire? A Saudi Prince ? Louis XIV of France ?

Who do you think owns this work of art?

This Palace/Mansion is in Harare and belongs to:

The President of Zimbabwe - Robert Mugabe -

I had no idea that while his people in his country suffer and our country contributes to their suffering, he lives in such fabulous conditions. 

This rubbed me wrong? What are your thoughts?

Who do you travel with?

Thought I'd start your week with a quote for the week!

Like I said in my last post, I had a "Girlfriends Pajama Party" this weekend.  By the way, if you haven't done one of these, it's a blast!!!    The above picture is from a "thank you" card I got from one of my wonderful friends.  The quote is so very true and the best part is the black dog is just like my AVA!!  Thanks for a great time ladies.  Anytime you get 12 woman together, there is fun to be had. 
The food was fabulous and the company and conversation was even better! 

Our Ava

Don't know where she'd be off to besides going camping with us which she LOVES.
Darting out the back door is one of her specialties too!


Even dogs love to be with the ones they love.

We all have such busy lives but taking time out to visit with friends is so incredibly wonderful.  Good medicine for the soul.  I challenge you to plan a party.  Make it easy so you actually do it.  You can provide the dessert, coffee and drinks and your friends can bring their favorite snack.  We had a smorges board....everything from potato skins, gourmet appetizers to wine and cheese.  I used e-vite for the invitation and it was extremely easy and fun.

Thank you Cheryl for the cutest hostess gift ever - stylish tweezers

 (it was in my card)

What's a party without a triple layered chocolate mouse cake from Central Market.

They never disappoint!

The party that I hosted made me wish that I could have invited all my blogger friends I've met over the past few years.  Thank you for your daily friendship and your support! 

It's fun traveling with you!

Who do you travel with?

Ruthie