Interiors: Paula Martins' Sao Paulo Retreat

I've decided to dedicate this week to lush, international locales. Next stop: Brazil and the Sao Paulo home of Paula Martins, co-founder of the fashion blog Look of the Day. Or, if you’re feeling fancy, Look do Dia.

Paula’s favorite part of the house is the library and with good reason. It features floor-to-(very high)-ceiling, ebonized built-ins. The two-story focal point is flanked by an equally stunning wall of windows.

Lots of sunshine, wood tones, organic shapes, and natural textures provide warmth and balance. If you're missing the glamour, please refer to the library’s low-hung chandelier. It’s been in Paula’s family for years and adds a glitzy counterpoint to this very modern retreat.

 Images: Casa Vogue

Interiors: Mario Testino Royale

Fashion + Interiors = The Perfect Match, which is why I love this Vogue editorial featuring model Natalia Vodianova and the eclectic home of photographer Mario Testino Royale. Aptly dubbed the "Casa of Curiosities" by Vogue writers, Testino's home showcases furniture, accessories, and art from countless countries including his native Peru. Crisp, white walls provide the perfect canvas for a global mix of color and texture.

"...I enjoy the idea of all the different cultures meeting here. Japan meets Peru, Peru meets America, America meets England... Total integration of cultures."

via Mario Testino Royale: A Look Inside the Photographer’s L.A. Home, Vogue Magazine

Interiors: WhoWhatWow

As mentioned, a mirrored fireplace surround can be absolutely stunning. But for those of us without a fireplace (or a big budget), a mirror-backed mantel is just as nice! This example comes courtesy of WhoWhatWear's fashionable LA office. I'm not sure if the fireplace ever functioned, but it certainly looks cute now!

via The Coveteur

Interiors: Better in Brazil....

Have you seen the Architectural Digest spread on this Brazilian beauty? It is the Rio apartment of interior designer Alberto Pinto and I'm in love! Modern meets eclectic meets Ipanema!

"The apartment, with its vocabulary of lush colors, rugged textures, and strong silhouettes, not only symbolizes an immense country where emperors once reigned, but one where jungles have always ruled." - AD

Image credit: Ngoc Minh Ngo for Architectural Digest

Interiors: I Adore the Floor...

Yes, yes, yes. It's all lovely - the drapery, the leather-upholstered window seat, the silver sofa and ikat bergères. This living room by designer Iain Halliday is gorgeous. But the one thing that simply can not be ignored is the floor! This area rug by Beauvais Carpets sports a pattern of such magnificence - overscaled and eye-catching. It's the perfect example of how amping up the size modernizes most anything.

via Elle Decor