My new American friend Rela

 

Dear friends, today I do have to tell you about my new friend, the Napa Valley based interior designer RELA GLEASON.

Rela Gleason

If my husband would have known that I was going to write this post, he absolutely would have insist to write down : ‘We do have to tell you about OUR new friends Don and Rela’ !

And actually he is right, we met Rela and Don in Belgium, a few days before Christmas.

Jan and I, both have a weakness for the spontaneous way American people behave. We just love this ! A few moments after our meet and greet, it actually felt as we did know each other since a life time. We spent a wonderful evening together in a restaurant in Brussels. And while Rela and I were talking about interior design and all things related, Jan had a heartwarming conversation with Don.

Rela and I

Don and Jan

 

In earlier times we already met American designers and architects Natasha Esh (New York), Maryanne Flaherty (Texas) and Brooke & Steve Giannetti (Los Angeles). All such a wonderful people who became dear friends. We do cherish these friendships!

Natasha Esch and I - Jan and Natasha’s husband Matt  (Brussels, November 2009) 

Maryanne Flaherty and I – Jan and Maryanne’s husband Peter  (Paris, January 2010)

Brooke Giannetti and I – Jan and Brooke’s husband Steve  (Brakel, June 2011)

Blogging is a fantastic way to connect with people from all over the world.

 

Back to Rela now!

Stumbling on my blog a few months ago, Rela contacted me by email to ask me about some interesting places to visit in Belgium. She was planning a business trip to Belgium.

I realized that Rela knew a lot about Belgium! Not surprising, if you do know that she was raised in Brussels! She probably does know more about our capital than I do!

After Rela contacted me, I visited her website Rela Gleason Design and I was thrilled to read that Rela collaborated with one of my favorite American architects Bobby McAlpine of McAlpine Tankersley, to build her house named ‘CASA KULANU’, which means “all of us” in Hebrew. So ’Casa Kulanu’ is a warm and inviting family home.

Rela and Don told us that they both love to have their children and grandchildren around.

 

‘Casa Kulanu’, the Napa Valley home of Rela and her husband Don, which was the first California commission for  the Alabama based architect Bobby McAlpine.

It was Rela herself who made the first house sketches.

The house definitely has architectural influences of the Flemish farmhouses of Rela’s Belgian childhood, but Rela emphasizes that she loves authenticity and she absolutely didn’t want to create a faux-Tuscan villa. ‘Casa Kulanu’ is an honest house and the architecure of it possesses a Napa-style authenticity.’, Rela says.

 

The salon, - with steel doors, wooden beams, linen upholstered seats and a Flemish chandelier -, reveals Rela’s Belgian childhood.

Rela knows exactly how to choose the right furniture for every particular room of the house and she even has her own furniture collection.

The cavendish daybed - Rela Gleason Design Collection  Source website Rela Gleason Design

 

The sunroom of the house.

 

Red-cedar-paneled library.

 

Gorgeous master bedroom! Rela combined a love seat and a wing chair of her own collection with an antique armchair.

 

Beautiful bathroom design! Notice the marble vanities with iron mirrors, designed by Rela herself.

 

A chalet-style box bed in a child’s guest room.

Rela travels across the United States and to Europe to find the most beautiful antique pieces for her clients. Her interiors are stylish and are composed of bespoke furniture and quality pieces.  “Invest in quality pieces that can follow you anywhere.” says Rela convincingly. And I couldn’t agree with her more!

 

If you are interested to see more of Rela’s work, please visit her website RELA GLEASON DESIGN http://www.relagleasondesign.com/

If you would love to ask Rela to help with the design of your interior, please contact Rela at info@relagleasondesign.com

Blog Rela’s Journal : http://relasjournal.blogspot.be/

 

For the wine lovers among you, I do have to mention that the Gleasons are settled in the Northern Californian’s wine country and that the family’s Summer Hill Vineyards produce Cabernet Sauvignon wine and olive oil.

www.gleasonwines.com

Vintner Don driving through the family’s Vineyard.

Source images : Architecutal Digest November 2011  – Photography by Roger Davies

 

Please tell me, do you love Rela’s house and her design work as much as I do?

 

XX

Greet

My new American friend Rela

  Dear friends, today I do have to tell you about my new friend, the Napa Valley based interior designer RELA GLEASON. Rela Gleason If my husband would have known that I was going to write this post, he absolutely would have insist to write down : ‘We do have to tell you about OUR new friends Don and Rela’ ! And actually he is right, we met Rela and Don in Belgium, a few days before Christmas.

Blogmeeting in Antwerp

Friday night (yesterday) we had our first blogmeeting ever with our group of Belgian bloggers! For almost 2 years we shared thoughts through blogging (especially about interior design, because most of us are involved in design in some way), but we had never met each other in person! So, we were all excited about this meeting!

The meeting took place in one of Antwerp’s most famous restaurants ‘Sir Anthony Van Dyck’ , were we had a fantastic dinner.The restaurant is named after the Flemish Baroque painter Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641). And is fully restored in the spirit of the 17th century by the Belgian antiques dealer and art historian Axel Vervoordt. The restaurant is housed in beautifully situated premises, in the historic Vlaeykensgang. Time spent here, is like time spent back in the days of Anthony Van Dyck.

 

  Our table was placed in front of the gorgeous fire place.(Picture by me)

 

The advantage of a blogmeeting is that conversations are easy-going, it feels as we already know each other since a long time, by following each other’s blog.

Animated conversations as you can see!

 

We all felt embraced by the warm color tones of the restaurant’s interior,and we were enchanted by the pleasant created atmosphere.

 

And the food was excellent!

 

Notice the plastered walls (as an old Venetian plaster technique), the authentic tiled floor and that beautiful wooden bench! (Picture by me)

 

Clockwise : Sabine and husband Peter of the Home Interior and Lifestyle Blog; Natalie of Natalie Haegeman Interiors; David of the blog The Neo Lifestyle; my husband Jan; me; Annick of The Stitching Room; Veronique and husband Geert of Malvini; Sandy and husband Yves of the blog Miss Baptista .

 

Time went by and and before we realized it was time to say goodbye.

I dare to say that we all enjoyed this first blogmeeting. Tone is set for more to come! I am really looking forward to the next meeting and maybe there will be more of Belgian bloggers who would love to join us!

 

The Restaurant Sir Anthony Van Dyck is definitely worth a visit. It is one of the ‘Belgian Pearls’ I wanted to share with you. You will love it!RESTAURANT SIR ANTHONY VAN DYCK – ANTWERP     www.siranthonyvandijck.be

 

I do hope you all enjoyed this post about our first blogmeeting!

Have a great weekend!

xx

Greet

PS : You can still sign in for my Beta-Plus Book give-away untill Monday the 23th, midnight (Central European Time). Click HERE.

Blogmeeting in Antwerp

Friday night (yesterday) we had our first blogmeeting ever with our group of Belgian bloggers! For almost 2 years we shared thoughts through blogging (especially about interior design, because most of us are involved in design in some way), but we had never met each other in person! So, we were all excited about this meeting! The meeting took place in one of Antwerp’s most famous restaurants ‘Sir

And they were here…!

I was so excited to see Brooke and her family arriving at our home on Saturday !! All the way down from Los Angeles to that small village in Belgium where we live! We were so pleased to meet each other!! The first moments I couldn’t believe this was happening! But if felt as we had known each other for a long time! And in fact it is! Two years of reading each other’s blog and emailing, abled us to know so much about each other’s life and about things that keep us busy in life!

Brooke, Steve and her children are wonderful, lovely people!! And it wasn’t hard at all to start conversations with this family! They are all adorable!

I have to confess that I didn’t took that much pictures because I was too excited I guess, but I do know that Steve has taken a lot of pictures and I am sure you will see more of our meeting on Brooke’s blog Velvet & Linen the next days!

 

Brooke and me.

 

After we had a glass of champagne to celebrate our meeting, we made a little house tour.

Unfortunately the weather was not that gorgeous. It was too chilly and we weren’t able to take the apero or to have lucnch outdoors.

 

But as you can see we went outside to see our outbuilding in which Brooke and Steve were very interested. They loved the weathered oak we used for our typical Belgian outbuilding.

Brooke enjoyed our garden!

  As being an architect Steve loved to know more about the Belgian architectural construction details!

So I am sure that Jan and Steve had lots of things to tell each other about architectural materials and construction! That was just wonderful!

Jan assured me that it was so interesting talking with Steve and that he would have loved to have more time to spend with Steve!

 

And then we invited the Giannetti family to have lunch with us.

The day before I had prepared the table setting in our dining room.

And it was just wonderful to have Brooke, Steve, Charlie, Nick en Leila at our table! We had so much to talk about. We have so much in commun! And I agreed with Brooke that in fact it is much easier to chat with blogfriends than with the people of our close environment, even knowing them since a long time. We really communicate in another way with our blogfriends, because we are more or less interested in the same things!

 

In my previous post about Brooke’s visit I showed you the pictures of the Menu courses we were going to have as lunch (here).

As a starter we had the Asparagus prepared in ‘the Flemish way’ (for a recipe click here).

As main course we have chosen for a typical Belgian meal, Pork cheeks (for a recipe click here).

And as dessert we had the Italian Pannacotta (for a recipe click here).

 

Between the courses we made an inside home tour.

An animated chat in the wine cellar.

Brooke sitting in our library.

I just love this picture of Brooke! She is totally wrapped up in the conversation! As we know here!

 

While our boys Charlie, Nick and Anthony stayed at home, we drove Brooke, Steve and Leila to a merchandiser of antique building materials.

Brooke with the owner.

Brooke and Steve were searching for some antique doors to bring into their future home ‘Patina Farm’.

Steve is checking the dimensions of the doors.

Bingo! Brooke added her name on the appropriate doors.

 

Brooke, Steve and Jan nosed in the cabinet with antique architectural hardware.

 

After a few hours we drove home again! Time went by much toooo fast!!

 

My friends I have to tell you something special !!!!

Brooke brought me a present!!!! I was totally excited!! Can you imagine, Brooke offered me the only copy she already had from their new book she and Steve wrote ‘PATINA STYLE’ !!!!!!!!!

I couldn’t believe!! That was sooo generous of Brooke and Steve! Brooke thought about it that it wouldn’t be easy for me to find the book here in Belgium. And yes indeed, I couldn’t pre-order it yet!

My dear friends I want you to know that the book is fantastic, fabulous, gorgeous!!! I am so pleased to have it on my coffee table! And I will be so proud to tell my clients and friends about our wonderful and talented friends Brooke and Steve and to show them this wonderful and precious gift that this book means to me!

Brooke you are a sweetie (she really is!!) ! Thank you so much for this precious gift.

‘PATINA FARM’ on my coffee table! I really recommend you to pre-order the book!   HERE.

 

As on Saturday the weather was bad, yesterday we had a wonderful sunny day! Incredible I know! But that is the way it is in Belgium!

Believe me friends, yesterday I was a bit sad!! Our time with Brooke and Steve was definitely too short! Jan and me talked about our meeting with the Giannetti family the other day and realized that there were so many more things that we would have loved to talk about with them! Unfortunately the day was too short! But there is one thing that I am sure about! We will stay in touch with Brooke and Steve and we would be so pleased to help them with the construction of their future home ‘Patina Farm’.

 

So yesterday afternoon, installed in our garden, I started to read ‘Patina Farm’ and couldn’t stop! I finished the book and I just loved reading it! Brooke and Steve are giving us wonderful tips to decorate our home, together with the most beautiful inspirational pictures!

 

Brooke and Steve, you are just wonderful people ! Jan and me are so pleased to call you friends! We are so thankful to you for the respect and friendschip we have received from you both!

We are looking forward to meet you and your family in Los Angeles next year!

xx

And they were here…!

I was so excited to see Brooke and her family arriving at our home on Saturday !! All the way down from Los Angeles to that small village in Belgium where we live! We were so pleased to meet each other!! The first moments I couldn’t believe this was happening! But if felt as we had known each other for a long time! And in fact it is! Two years of reading each other’s blog and emailing, abled us

A warm welcome to Brooke and her family !

 

Only 2 days to go…!!! Next Saturday I will finally meet my blogfriend Brooke and her lovely family! I know that a lot of you do know quite a while that Brooke of the blog Velvet & Linen is coming to visit us! And I am so excited!

Jan, Anthony and me are so looking forward to welcome this family at our home!!

I met Brooke through blogging almost 2 years ago! She introduced me to the blogging community in August 2009. You can read the post she wrote about me and my blog here. I am still most grateful to her for this! Since that day Brooke and I started getting to know each other better and better and I do have to tell that it felt as we have known each other since a long time! We have so much in commun.

Some months ago Brooke wrote me that she and Steve planned to visit Europe with their family. And they definitely wanted to visit Belgium to get inspired by the Belgian architectural and interior design style as Brooke and Steve are preparing to built a new home with the beautiful name ‘Patina Farm’. They  would love to bring in some European architectural elements.

 

Brooke, Steve and their children Charlie, Nick and Leila

 

A 3 dimensions model of their new home ‘Patina Farm’.

 

The gorgeous site in Ojai, California where Brooke and Steve will built their dream house!

 

So I might think that Brooke and Steve will definitely be inspired by this kind of houses and reclaimed architectural materials here in Belgium

A typical Belgian styled house with a combination of a thatched and tiled roof.

 

Oak façade and steel windows.

 

Oak beamed ceiling, brick floor and again the steel windows.

 

Reclaimed doors.

 

Oak door executed by my company Lefèvre Interiors.

 

So the Giannetti family will hopefully arrive before noon!

And we will of course open a bottle of champagne to celebrate our long awaited meeting!!

 

If the weather conditions will allow us, we will definitely take the apero in our outbuilding that Brooke is looking forward to see.

 

Can you see us yet sipping a glass of champagne here…?!

 

If it is too chilly, I will ask Brooke if she would prefer to take place ....

in our orangery or…

…. if she would love to have the apero in our sitting area.

 

And after talking and discussing about…, oh my gosh,… so many things, we will invite Steven, Brooke, Charlie, Nick and Leila to have lunch with us.

I have to prepare the table setting in my dining room tomorrow!

 

I might think that Steve and Jan will go down to our wine cellar to choose a bottle of wine !

 

I won’t tell you the menu yet but I will share some pictures of the courses. Maybe you will be able to guess?!

This typical Flemish course as a starter.

Typical Belgian main course.

An Italian dessert.

I will till you more about the lunch in a next post!! It has to be a surprise for Brooke and her family!

 

We are so excited to meet the Giannetti family! I do hope that they will have a safe trip to Europe!

And I will tell you more about our meeting next week!

 TO BE CONTINUED…

I wish everyone a wonderful weekend!

xx