Viviane Ashcroft

The French love affair with black — winter minimalism at its most refined Black, in France, is never merely a color. It is a posture. A philosophy. A quiet declaration of restraint and confidence. While winter elsewhere erupts in sparkle and excess, the French retreat inward — returning, season after season, to the purity of black. In Paris, it is not worn to disappear. It is worn to be precise. From the slate mornings along the Seine to candlelit dinners in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, black is...

A Designer’s Vision Finds Its Florida Chapter Images courtesy of Leah Talanian Marino of L Design Interiors For L Design Interiors, this Newport Beach residence represents a defining moment in the career of its founder and principal, Leah Talanian Marino—one that now bridges coasts and anchors her practice firmly in Florida. While the home sits along Lido Bay in California, its sensibility—layered, restrained, and quietly elegant—translates seamlessly to Florida’s refined coastal lifestyle,...

Charleston has never been shy about showing off its charm — pastel façades, moss-draped oaks, oysters on the half shell — but each November the city adds another jewel to its crown: the Charleston Literary Festival. Charleston Literary Festival This year’s line-up is anything but quiet reading in the corner. Think Reese Witherspoon swapping stories with thriller king Harlan Coben, Joyce Carol Oates stirring the pot as only she can, and Michael Cunningham (yes, The HoursMichael Cunningham)...