interior decorator

This week Melissa sits down with renowned shoe designer Christian Louboutin to discuss his latest venture: a boutique hotel in the scenic hills of Portugal. Christian is widely recognized in the fashion industry for his glamorous footwear line featuring coveted red-bottom shoes. He has now, however, ventured into the world of hospitality with his latest project, the Vermelho Hotel.

Vermelho is located in Melides, a quaint fishing village in Portugal, and opened this April. Christian collaborated with his talented friends, architect Madalena Caiado and textile designer Carolina Irving, to create a unique and elegant property that also feels like a cozy home. The Vermelho Hotel has 13 distinct rooms, a restaurant, a bar, and a spa. The name "Vermelho," which means "red" in Portuguese, pays homage to Christian's love for the region. In this episode, Christian shares his journey of opening Vermelho (it was originally going to be only a restaurant) and why he fashioned the property to feel more like a home than a hotel. He also dives into the beauty of Portugal and what motivates his nomadic lifestyle creating homes in different parts of the world.

And on Ask Melissa, summer travel, the most popular locations of summer 2023, where to go off the beaten path and strategies to deal with delayed connections are all covered.

Welcome to Episode #26 of Profiles in Franceformation. This is your host, Allison Grant Lounes, and this week, our guest is Sumner Hargrove, a native Texan who left the financial sector on Wall Street to work in Paris at age 30, raised multi-lingual twins in Paris, and finally went back to school for a diplôme d'état to pursue her childhood dream of becoming an interior decorator. She created her interior decorating agency, Flights of Fancy in Paris in 2018. 

Through our conversation, you’ll also learn:

• How an advertisement on a bus encouraged her to overcome the hurdle and challenging experience of learning French at the age of 30 years old, and what she did to increase her confidence while speaking French
• The steps she took to “reinvent” herself in order to work in France
• How €27,64 almost stood in the way of Sumner’s ability to gain French nationality
• The magic and power of the French words “je suis désolé de vous déranger"
• What Sumner has learned in creating and developing friendships in France, and how this differs from the same experience in the US
• The decision to raise her twins to be bilingual and what steps she took to ensure they successfully learned French and English
• The steps Sumner has taken to integrate herself into her community, whether that is in English or in French, and how she has stayed true to herself throughout it all
• In what ways Sumner feels French when she goes back to Texas, and in what ways she feels very American when interacting with the French
• What Sumner loves about living in France, and her suggested route to anyone wishing to explore Paris or for Americans with an interest in history or chateaux
• The part of Paris that inspires Sumner’s creativity and how it has been the source of some of her best ideas, including her business’ tagline
• What Sumner means when she says she’s in “the business of daring” and how she combined the skillsets of both her parents in her current job
• Her favorite French meals, which seem to pay a bit of an homage to her Texan roots

To learn more about Sumner’s company, Flights of Fancy: https://www.flights-of-fancy.paris

Be sure to check out her YouTube and social media pages as well!

• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYctsP-8Kef48-gZADxKdPg
• https://www.facebook.com/paris.interior.design/
• https://www.instagram.com/the.only.parisian.sumner/?hl=en

If you are considering moving to France like Sumner, Foolproof French Visas can help you navigate the path toward finding the right visa for you. It can be purchased here: https://www.yourfranceformation.com/books or in paperback on Amazon.

If you would like to pursue your own Franceformation, you can also request a free 30-minute clarity call with Allison to review your visa options and decide how to move toward creating your ideal life in France: https://www.yourfranceformation.com/free-call

If you liked this episode, please leave a positive review and be sure to subscribe so you won't miss next week's episode!

Not only has Melanie rescued the Goods from some design challenges, but she also helps rescue women & men from trafficking. Melanie is an avid traveler & provides us with an exclusive list of her favorite spots in the Midwest!

// Design Info

Wallpaper: use it - it adds a visual point of interest. Search "peel and stick wallpaper" with the color/design you want.

Paint: The new neutrals are creamy whites & variations of greige. No yellow undertones!

Lighting: try ultra-daylight bulbs and your rooms will go from yellow to white!

Design "no no" for Farmhouse Décor: the "X" symbol in the barn doors, tables, etc... keep at a minimum! Update your look with straight lines & minimal detail.

// Human Trafficking Info

Pursuit 3416:  A ministry that will bring awareness & prevention to schools and organizations.  Contact pursuit3416@gmail.com 

Hotline: 1-888-373-7888. Save to contacts. Call if you see ANYTHING suspicious or your intuition is causing a question.

Sex trafficking: when a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud or coercion.

Labor Trafficking: when individuals perform labor or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for little or no money.

Common forms of recruitment into Sex Trafficking:

• Runaways (1 in 7 teens lured into prostitution within 48 hrs of leaving)
• Manipulation on Social Media/in person Family/Relational selling
• Pornography/prostitution, small % kidnapping

How to spot a trafficker and/or victim:

• “Parents” with children: child uncomfortable, fear, no eye contact, abuse/somethings wrong, child hypersexualized
• Someone “fake” shopping, girls sent around to troll/provocative dress
• Couples: something is off/no eye contact-abuse-control
• Truck Stop: watch for young women/men entering trucker cabs.
• Branded tattoos: bar codes, daddy’s girl, my bi***
• Teens: suddenly have clothes they can't afford, acting out, nervous, shamed,overly confident, drug use

Many short videos on YouTube do a great job explaining trafficking

//Recommended Midwest Finds

• Nashville:  Poindexter Coffee, Anzie Blue, White Limozeen, Hampton Social
• St. Louis:  Hygge, Rise Coffee House, Hello Juice and Smoothie
• Kansas City:  Made in KC, Outta the Blue, McLain’s Market

Discover more about our guests:

Melanie’s Travel, Fashion, and Faith on Instagram

Fun things from the episode:

• The Covering House
• Daylight LEDs
• Tips for getting high end furniture “dupes:” Search bar type: “modern organic side chair” and click shopping tab for alternatives
• Heaven by Randy Alcorn

Now That's Something Good Podcast by Sarah Good is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Show notes may contain affiliate links. Thank you for your kind support.

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Devonia DeBeck is an interior decorator, real estate broker, and  life coach!

In this episode Devonia shares her story of entrepreneurship. We talk about how Devonia took the steps to break with corporate life, figure out what she wanted, and start her first business. 

Plus:

• Starting your business while still working for your boss with him/her knowing about it
• How to gain the confidence you need to just rock your business
• How to show up as the professional you are expected to be whilst just starting out
• How you can get into that right mindset
• No “fake it till you make it”, but…
• One thing every entrepreneur definitely needs!

To make use of Devonia's offer: devoniadebeck@gmail.com

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Head to BorntoFly.faith to find out more about the Accountability Community for Christ-driven Solopreneurs.

Head to BorntoFly.faith to learn more about the Platform and Community for Christ-driven Solopreneurs.

And leave a review if this episode blessed you :)!

From the moment I landed on this Instagram grid, I was captivated... The images alone just transported me immediately to the remote far west corner of Tasmania where this beautifully renovated little shack is located, Captain's Rest. 

I then learnt more about the owner, Sarah Andrews. Sarah purchased the shack years ago and transformed it into this magical space. And now, this remote little shack on the edge of the earth is one of the world’s most sought after Airbnb accommodation listings.

As a result of her success with Captain's Rest, Sarah soon had enquiries flooding in from other aspiring Airbnb providers, wanting to know how she created this amazing business.

Sarah now runs 'The Hosting Masterclass' showing people how to achieve this. And boy has she achieved some phenomenal results. 

She has an incredible story with such a diverse background of experience, including a stint running her own marketing agency. But I want her to tell you that so please sit and listen to the incredible Sarah Andrews.

Join the marketing conversation and stay up to date in the free How to do Marketing Facebook group.

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