The WORST Thing to have in Your Home
Here’s what I know: embracing your inner elegant woman will change your life. (And you don’t have to spend thousands on a designer wardrobe, sweat your way to a size 2 or quit your job to do it.) Here's what I also know: whilst our inner world shapes our outer world,...
How it all started … clutter, a glass of champagne and small, simple acts
Recently I was sitting in a friend’s kitchen, we chatted, drank one of her fantastic herbal tea mixtures and the conversation drifted to our younger selves. Looking back half fondly, half embarrassed, I shared how at times I was so disorganised that the floor of my...
15 Things To Buy That Will Add Instant Luxury To Your Day
Last week I was early for a meeting near the luxurious Avenue Montaigne in Paris, and so I took a stroll, enjoying the summery displays in the windows of Chanel et al. on this grey February day. Everywhere people were carrying shopping bags with the logos of this...
How To Rekindle Your Fire
Last week I spoke with a client who truly wants to change the quality of her life and who for some time was going in circles, asking herself the same questions again and again, trying to find a solution by working harder and harder. Nothing she did really made a...
How to find the Perfect Christmas Gift – 15 Clues
Do you know what you are going to do in approximately four weeks' time? You are probably sitting amongst family members and exchange Christmas presents. Did you just sigh? For many of us, finding gifts for Christmas is a tedious exercise, and, ironically, we...
How French Women “diet”
Recently in the métro I overheard a conversation between two ladies from the US. It was obvious that they had a great time during their stay in Paris, marvelling about the places they had visited, the gifts they got for their families, the architecture,...
The Elegance of Imperfection: Five Things to Do (or not) When You Disappoint Someone
Recently I disappointed someone. What makes it worse, it was someone I quite like and who had done nothing wrong. It was a simple case of me needing something different than what she could provide. I was very clear that my decision did not demean her qualities...
A Challenge to Get Over Your Biggest Addiction
Now, what was the first word that came to mind when you read the title? Chocolate? Booze? Sex? Money? Porn? Sugar? TV? Shopping? Facebook? It’s a safe bet that it’s none of the above. It’s something we’ve all done, and it’s truly an addiction that thwarts all...
The Things We Keep – a Story of Love and Fear
When my children were younger, we used to have a vacation every year on a beautiful island on the West coast of France. It’s perfect for family holidays, we always rent a house there and the kids are having a blast, splashing in the sea, stuffing themselves...
What to Do When You Can’t Get What You Want
This summer I moved into a charming little house outside of Paris, nestled in a valley surrounded by fields, woods, and more castles than I have weekends to visit. But: for all it’s potential charm, this little house had been for too long in the hands of a self...
First Class Ticket for Your Mind
A couple of years ago I found myself sitting with a few others in a garden in the Carpatian mountains, a canvas in front of me, trying to depict the breathtaking view around me and listing to our teacher, a professional painter, explain colours, shadows and the...
How Elegant is Your Schedule?
There are times of the day or the life when one could do with four arms, a second pair of eyes plus at least 20 more hours each day. I’m moving houses in two weeks’ time, so I’m sure you understand what I mean! ’The temptation to hyperventilate is sometimes a very...
How to Master your Decisions
We all know this person who takes an eon to chose between three kinds of salads and finally orders a pizza or who urgently needs a pair of shoes, tries on 30 different pairs without being able to decide, only to leave the shoe shop and then to buy a...
What to Do when Someone’s Blocking You
Did you ever have a project you were passionate about? You planned everything, lovingly took care of allthe details, made sure that all the t’s were crossed and all the i’s dotted, and then the phone rings… That’s what’s happened to me today. I’m moving houses...
Is your Home Addicted to Struggle?
What's happening in our homes corresponds to what's happening in our lives. By and now this simple truth has made it into most people's awareness. Not that we don't try to ignore it, at times. Or that we try to hide our homes from the world, because they show an image...