The most beautiful boutique I have been to is L’Officina Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, in Florence, Italy.  A few centuries ago, the monks of Santa Maria Novella ran into financial trouble, so they started a business selling perfumes and soaps and things.  We are left with the legacy of this beautiful building down the road from the monastery, still selling their sensuous wares.  And absolute must if you’re ever in Florence.

Inside the boutique, David and I were intrigued with these gorgeous, sensual chandeliers.  When you looked up at them from below, they resembled aquatic flowers.

We identified them as Murano glass chandeliers.  Murano is in a lagoon near Venice, and the birthplace of the finest glass-blowing art tradition in the world.

If you don’t plan to be dropping into Italy any time soon, you can always import your own Murano glass chandelier into your home.  They range from sensually sedate…..

…to wildly organic…..

You can put one in your living room…..

…..or your breakfast room…..

…..or your bedroom…..

But when I win the lottery, I’m gonna commission Chihuly to create me one like this…..

1)  Marcelle Guilbeau snapshot at L’Officina Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella

2)  Marcelle Guilbeau snapshot at L’Officina Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella

3)  Marcelle Guilbeau napshot at L’Officina Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella

4)  Murano glass chandelier available through Villa Verde Ltd, via House and Garden

5)  Murano glass sconce, via www.murano-glass-chandeliers.com

6)  Murano glass chandelier available through Vistosi, via Australia Vogue Living

7)  Murano glass chandelier available through Andromeda International

8)  Murano glass chandelier available through Villa Verde Ltd

9)  Via “Class on Class” etiquette artical, Traditional Home

10)  Murano glass chandelier available through Villa Verde Ltd

11, 12, 13)  Laguno Murano Chandelier, via the Hunter Museum in Chattanooga, TN