Menton Beauty

Menton is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. Situated on the French Riviera, along the Franco-Italian border, it is nicknamed perle de la France ("Pearl of France").         ~ Wikipedia

This is a beautiful photograph, by Erich Westendarp, of the scenic harbor on the French Riviera at Menton in south-eastern France.  Here are the visual elements that I think make this harbour so beautiful and scenic:

• the cute lighthouse appears to situated on its own island. 
• the buildings are painted in various, yet complimentary colors.  
• the mountains beyond the roof-line of the buildings, 
• the neatly parked boats,
• the foggy, cloudy sky
• the evergreen trees
• and the water.

It's easy to see why Menton is called the 'Pearl of France'.

Facades

Hello, Friends!  I like the beauty of the buildings/homes/architecture, landscaping and other scenery visible in the five(5) images, below.  The images of Italian homes are some of my favorites!  The colors are very serene.  I like the wrought iron of the railings, the bridge, the courtyard, lanterns, doors, planters, trees, the arches, the stone, among the other gorgeous features. of these buildings

This area of the yard is beautiful for a small picnic!

In this photo, I like the beautiful trees, the potted plants, the stone columns of the fence, the stone on the facade of the building and the picnic area.  Everything is so beautiful and makes this garden spot so inviting!

The potted plants are pretty; their bright colors look great  against the soft apricot color of the wall.

The doors, the wrought iron accents, the color of the wrought iron and downspout as well as the color of the wall make this home's exterior very pretty!

Architectural Beauty with Color

Today's post, my Friends, features beautifully-colorful architecture of various locations.  I'm a fan of cheerful colors, too.  So, seeing how other people have enhanced the exteriors of their buildings is a delight!  Somehow, these gorgeous colors on the buildings against the most-gorgeous scenery makes these locations look artistic!  The photographer, MariaMichelle did an excellent job of capturing the beauty of these colorful places, which are Cinque Terre, Italy, Malta, St. James's Church in Stockholm, Sweden, Valparaiso, Chile and Venice, Italy.  Wow, even the names of these places are beautiful.  These photographs inspire me to see these lovely places in person, sometime soon; I'd love to see these places with friends!  

In addition to the photos, I've shared a few paragraphs about each location from their Wikipedia pages!  So, enjoy the photos and perhaps, if you have not toured these pretty places yet, you'll be inspired to tour them soon, too!

Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre, Italy

"The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. It is in the Liguria region of Italy, to the west of the city of La Spezia. "The Five Lands" comprises five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Over the centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea. Part of its charm is the lack of visible corporate development. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach them from the outside. The Cinque Terre area is a very popular tourist destination." ~ Wikipedia/Cinque Terre

Lovely Bathrooms, Eclectic Bathrooms

Hello, Friends! It's April! Today, I am featuring lovely and eclectic bathrooms I saw on Houzz (one of my favorite websites), yesterday. These images feature the creative designs of talented bath designers. Enjoy!

Eclectic Bathroom by La Jolla Tile, Stone and; Countertops Cabochon Surfaces & Fixtures

I like the green and white color-scheme, the type of windows, the number of windows around the bathtub and the view of mature trees, as well at the  shape of this bathtub.  I would plant evergreen trees behind the ones seen here, so that the evergreens are seen after the leaves fall from these trees.  Also, I'd add silhouette-blocking window treatments so that night-time bathing remains a private experience.



 

Eclectic Bathroom by Pierz Architects and Designers Dan J. Heid - Planning & Design

I like the backsplash tile, the circular sink, the faucet and the countertop; all are gorgeous!

I See So Many Pretty, Pink-Hued Things!

Good Day, Friends!  PINK (not a link here, nor anywhere) is one of my favorite colors and I want to share some of the prettiest items, in hues of pink, that I've seen online, so far. Below, you'll see a variety of beautiful / gorgeous / pretty PINK-hued items featured, including cakes, cookies, cupcakes, roses, peonies, clothing for babies, stilettos, outdoor scenery, bedrooms, nail polish, home furnishings, buildings and more!  I hope you can appreciate their beauty, too! Enjoy.

Beautiful Architecture & Landscape Design: Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

Hello, Everyone! As you may know by now, the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is one of my favorite works of architecture; it's a beautiful building. Here's a bit of information about the chateau, in case you are not familiar with it yet.

"The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is a baroque French château located in Maincy, near Melun, 55 km southeast of Paris in the Seine-et-Marne département of France. It was built from 1658 to 1661 for Nicolas Fouquet, Marquis de Belle Île, Viscount of Melun and Vaux, the superintendent of finances of Louis XIV.

The château was, in many ways, the most influential work built in Europe in the mid-17th century and the most elaborate and grand house built in France after the Château de Maisons. At Vaux-le-Vicomte, the architect Louis Le Vau, the landscape architect André le Nôtre, and the painter-decorator Charles Le Brun worked together on a large-scale project for the first time. Their collaboration marked the beginning of a new order: the magnificent manner that is associated with the "Louis XIV style" involving a system of collective work, which could be applied to the structure, its interiors and works of art and the creation of an entire landscape. The garden's use of a baroque axis that extends to infinity is an example of this style.

Once a small château located between the royal residences of Vincennes and Fontainebleau, the estate of Vaux-le-Vicomte was purchased by Nicolas Fouquet in 1641. At that time he was an ambitious twenty-six year-old member of the Parlement of Paris. Fouquet was an avid patron of the arts and attracted many artists with the gifts and encouragements he poured on them.

When Fouquet became King Louis XIV's superintendent of finances (Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry (France)) in 1657, he commissioned Le Vau, Le Brun and Le Nôtre to renovate his estate and garden to match his grand ambition. Fouquet’s artistic and cultivated personality subsequently brought out the best in the three.

To secure the necessary grounds for the elaborate plans for Vaux-le-Vicomte’s garden and castle, Fouquet purchased and demolished three villages. The displaced villagers were then employed in the upkeep and maintenance of the gardens. It was said to have employed eighteen thousand workers and cost as much as sixteen million livres.

The château and its patron became for a short time a focus for fine feasts, literature and arts. The poet La Fontaine and the playwright Molière were among the artists close to Fouquet. At the inauguration of Vaux-le-Vicomte, a Molière play was performed, along with a dinner event organized by François Vatel, and an impressive firework show." ~ Wikipedia

Learn more about the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, Nicolas Fouquet and his family.