Stairway to Heaven LookBook

Posted on November 5, 2016 by Abbie Lu

Creating beautiful and unique ways to display books is something that really intrigues and delights me. I love seeing all the different way people have come up with to make their book experience enchanting. For me it’s even greater looking at space saving book storage solutions. This lookbook has the best of both.

These stairs truly are a way to heaven, book heaven 🙂

I love the whole design; the architecture, the regal-ness of the books, those stairs are heavenly indeed!

I love the sleekness and modern warmth of these stairs.

This set up is so amazing. I love how all the colors pop off the
crisp white backdrop.

I think this one might be the funnest. Climb up stairs filled with books
and slide back down!

I love this, I just imagine that those stairs lead to a heavenly room
filled with even more books.

Don’t get dizzy. This design is also pretty fun and fantastic. If I had this little stair-nook/ book-cave I could spend all day in it.

I love this concept, I love how you could make it so personal too, and
the kid’s one is SO great!

I like the modern edgy-ness of this design, so neat and interesting.

These two are great because they are both utilize space so well.

I really like this one, it’s like a personal book-fort, a
inside modern tree-house!

All of these make my heart sing, I just wish I had stairs in my house. 🙂

Which one is your favorite?

The Most Brewtiful Cafes II

Posted on May 7, 2016 by Abbie Lu

There were already so many stunning cafes in Part: I and yet
you will find in Part II that this world has many more incredibly
beautiful and interesting cafes.

Here is part II of The Most Brewtiful Cafes:

Bar Topolski (London)

Topolski gallery-bar-café-venue is a unique London space set in the railway arches near Waterloo Station, in the former studio of artist and illustrator Feliks Topolski RA (1907 – 1989).

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Knoll Ridge Cafe (Mt. Ruapehu, New Zealand)

Knoll Ridge Cafe is the highest cafe in New Zealand and has incredible views over the upper slopes. Serving a wide array of meals, including a fresh salad bar, hot dishes from around the world, café style snacks and espresso coffees.

Cafe Central (Vienna, Austria)

The café was opened in 1876, and in the late 19th century it became a key meeting place of the Viennese intellectual scene. Until 1938 the café was called the “Chess school” because of the presence of many chess players. The café occupies the ground floor of the former Bank and Stockmarket Building, today called the Palais Ferstel. Palais Ferstel was renovated in 1975 and again in 1986 after closing post WW2.

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Dreamy Camera Cafe (Yangpyeong, South Korea)

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This incredibly unique cafe stands out on the hills of Yangpyeong as a red, rectangular building in the exact form of a Rolleiflex.

Balzac’s (Toronto, Canada)

Balzac’s Coffee Roasters micro-roasts the finest selection of Arabica beans at their roastery and serves some of Canada’s best coffee at their Ontario cafés.

Callas Cafe (Budapest, Hungary)

The Art Deco style Callas Café & Restaurant has a prime location on Andrássy Avenue right next to the Budapest Opera House. Budapest is a city of cafés. Its famed historic cafés can still evoke a reflection of the lustre of the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s past…

Cafe Majestic (Porto, Portugal)

Belle Epoque-era cafe with ornate interior featuring carved wood, mirrors & chandeliers. This gorgeous cafe is rich with luster and history. Click here for More on The Majestic
“The Majestic Café is a wonderful place, where muses, thinkers and artists can get together to live the best moments life has to offer: simply sharing communication through words and gestures,glances smiles and even a few tears sometimes.” ~ Gloria Montenegro (President of the Paris Academy of Coffeeology.)

Well there they are, some of the most beautiful and interesting cafes in the world. I hope you enjoyed viewing them as much as I have.

Please share if you have visited any of these magnificent cafes.

Which ones would you want to visit?

Holy Library Lookbook

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Abbie Lu

Let’s celebrate this Holy day with a Holy Lookbook.
Here are some beautiful and inspirational libraries from
Holy locations all over the world.

Admont Abbey (Austria)

Familiar? I think Disney may have been inspired… 😉

Abbey library of Saint Gall (Switzerland)

A stunning and warm library. During a fire in 937, the Abbey was destroyed, but the library remained intact.

Waldsassen Abbey (Bavaria, Germany)

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The intricate engraving work engulfing this library takes my breath away.

Westminster Abbey Library (United Kingdom)

The Library and Muniment Room houses the extensive and historic collections of books, manuscripts and archival material

Vorau Abbey Library (Austria)

There is something just absolutely magical about this library.

The Vatican Library (Rome)

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Formally established in 1475, (although much older) it is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. It currently has 75,000 codices from throughout history, as well as 1.1 million printed books, which include some 8,500 incunabula.

Melk Abbey Library (Austria)

Melk Abbey Library, Austria

The Melk Library was orginially a palace. The library has two floors and around 80,000 volumes of priceless works.

Wiblingen Abbey Library (Germany)

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Is this the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow..? I adore the beautiful vibrant colors of this library.

El Escorial Abbey Library (Spain)

The library was a Renaissance statement of power, majesty, prowess, and intellectual world leadership designed for both the preservation of the old (binding multiple cultural histories into a single Catholic Spanish culture) and discovery of the new.

Göttweig Abbey (Austria)

Göttweig Abbey library, Austria

The wood work on this library and contrasting simplicity is gorgeous.

Einsiedeln Abbey Library (Switzerland)

The abbey is dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits, the title being derived from the circumstances of its foundation, for the first inhabitant of the region was Saint Meinrad, a hermit. I could very easily become a hermit myself with this as my haven!

I hope you enjoyed these beauties, have you ever visited an abbey library?

The Most Brewtiful Cafes II

Posted on March 5, 2016 by Abbie Lu

There were already so many stunning cafes in Part: I and yet
you will find in Part II that this world has many more incredibly
beautiful and interesting cafes.

Here is part II of The Most Brewtiful Cafes:

Bar Topolski (London)

Topolski gallery-bar-café-venue is a unique London space set in the railway arches near Waterloo Station, in the former studio of artist and illustrator Feliks Topolski RA (1907 – 1989).

Knoll Ridge Cafe (Mt. Ruapehu, New Zealand)

Cafe Central (Vienna, Austria)

Dreamy Camera Cafe (Yangpyeong, South Korea)

This incredibly unique cafe stands out on the hills of Yangpyeong as a red, rectangular building in the exact form of a Rolleiflex.

Balzac’s (Toronto, Canada)

Balzac’s Coffee Roasters micro-roasts the finest selection of Arabica beans at their roastery and serves some of Canada’s best coffee at their Ontario cafés.

Callas Cafe (Budapest, Hungary)

Cafe Majestic (Porto, Portugal)

Well there they are, some of the most beautiful and interesting cafes in the world. I hope you enjoyed viewing them as much as I have.

Please share if you have visited any of these magnificent cafes.

Which ones would you want to visit?

The Most Brewtiful Cafes I

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Abbie Lu

Part I of my little guide to some beautiful and unique cafes/coffee houses from all around the world:

The Grounds (Alexandria, Australia)

The Grounds (Alexandria, Australia)

The Grounds (Alexandria, Australia)

Located in a former industrial precinct from the 1920s, The Grounds of Alexandria is a landmark coffee roastery, café and sustainable organic garden known for its abundance of fresh produce and hands-on experiences.

Caffè Greco (Rome, Italy)

Caffè Greco (Rome, Italy)

Caffè Greco (Rome, Italy)

This café has a rich history; it has been around since 1760 and was a known meeting place of artists, poets, and writers of all countries. Byron, Shelley, Goethe, Keats, Thackeray, Thorwaldsen, Mark Twain, Canova, Gounod, Bizet, Berlioz, Gogol, Wagner, King Ludwig of Bavaria and many other world celebrities having been regular patron of the Caffè Greco.

Mirrors Cafe (Gifu, Japan)

Mirrors Cafe (Gifu, Japan)

Mirrors Cafe (Gifu, Japan)

Covered in beautifully polished mirrored surfaces this building reflects the landscape surroundings. A row of cherry trees is planted at an embankment at its basin. The best time to visit is during the cherry blossom season.

Cafe New York (Budapest, Hungary)

Cafe New York (Budapest, Hungary)

Cafe New York (Budapest, Hungary)

An ornate cafe/restaurant founded in 1894 with frescoes & chandeliers. A stunning cafe serving coffee, cake & Hungarian cuisine.

Truth Coffee (Cape Town, South Africa)

Truth Coffee (Cape Town, South Africa)

Truth Coffee (Cape Town, South Africa)

This cafe was phenomenally designed by Heldane Martin. It features a steam-punk theme; adorned with vintage typewriters, Singer sewing machines, old candlestick telephones, exposed copper pipes, as well as old extending mirrors and Victorian tap levers. They also pride themselves on roasting and brewing the best quality coffees.

D’espresso (New York, NY)

D’espresso (New York, NY)

D’espresso (New York, NY)

Decor designed by Nemaworkshop was inspired by nearby New York Public Library turned on it’s side. This unique design is the backdrop for coffee, sandwiches & gelati.

Confeitaria Colombo (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil)

Confeitaria Colombo (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil)

Confeitaria Colombo (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil)

Its huge stained glass, tiled, and mirrored interior features materials from France, Portugal, and Belgium. Serving an array of classic Brazilian and Iberian cuisine, delicious pastries, and of course a cup of tea or famous Brazilian coffee.

The world is full of beautiful Cafes, I wish I could visit them all!

Have you ever been to any of these? Which are your favorite?

Stay tuned for Part II tomorrow!