Spots and Stripes

Beach House

2013-05-06T08:13:00.000+10:00

Regular readers will remember these photos of our beach house which was featured in Australia's Home Beautiful magazine last year.

I used lots of manilla cane, or wicker as it's called in the USA. Today one of my favourite blogs, Habitually Chic, did a feature on wicker and included our dining room.

Lamp Shades

2013-04-20T10:43:00.001+10:00

After spending the last few years renovating three different houses and advising friends and customers on their homes, I've learnt that it's the smallest details that make the biggest impact on your home.

Take these lampshades. They're a small detail but they have a major impact because of the contrast with the wallpaper.

I chose a navy silk for the shade and added a green chinoiserie trim. My lampshade lady did a fabulous job. If you'd like to update your lampshades, let me know.

Stonework

2013-04-18T09:51:00.004+10:00

My mum has an amazing garden in Toowoomba ("the garden city"). The garden has blue stone paths leading to all sorts of secret spots throughout the garden.

The blue stone was quarried locally so when the paths were built (over 30 years ago) there was an abundance of stone. Since then the quarry has closed and it's much harder to find these days.

But I noticed that it can still be found, like this fence in close to our place in Brisbane.

And I've always admired this sand stone fence at the Moreton Club in New Farm.

So with these pictures in mind, I also wanted to do some stone at our place. But with the quarry closed in Toowoomba, it was hard to track down the bluestone. Luckily, Mum came to the rescue and sourced some unused bluestone in Toowoomba. And here it is being made into steps at our place. Eventually, there will be terraces on either side of the steps too with a garden. But it's one step at a time around here!

(All photos by Spots and Stripes)

Easter in Brisbane

2013-03-28T09:52:00.003+10:00

Easter decorations are a new tradition at our place. But, like all things for the house, I've gone all out. From the moment you step in the door, you know it's Easter!

My Husband says I'm "obsessed" with Easter (and Christmas and all of the holidays).

Guilty as charged!

As a choc-o-holic, this is one of my favourite holidays.

I've got my American Vogue ready for some time beside the pool.

But in a worrying development, I've realised that my nails match my wallpaper. The nail polish is "Charming" from Revlon, although I'd call it mauve. Haven't seen mauve around for a while but I think it's having a come back.

Happy Easter!

Bathroom - Vanity Basin

2013-03-22T09:15:00.002+10:00

I thought I'd share a photo of our downstairs bathroom. I wanted a really striking pattern for the floor so I chose these black and white mosaics. The wall tiles look like VJ's which is in keeping with the style of the house. I've also added a capping tile around the edge of the wall tiles which is not necessary but adds a bit of polish. Great bathroom accessories are really hard to find. There's lots of generic stuff out there but nothing really special. Personally, I like a "free-standing" mirror if there's room for one.

Great vanity basins (or wash stands as they also called) are also pretty thin on the ground. This one has a marble top, white basin and steel legs. I imported it from the US because I couldn't find what I wanted here. Everyone who has seen this vanity, loved it and asked where to buy it. Well, it's easy! I supply them! So drop me a line, if you're interested.
(Photo by Ian Colley)

Veranda

2013-03-16T16:18:00.004+10:00

At last, sunny days in Brisbane have returned! I'm enjoying the view and the sun from our veranda.

Herringbone Office

2013-03-01T14:05:00.003+10:00

Remember I chose this herringbone fabric for the office? Well, the roller blind has now arrived.

The office is at the top of the stairs and has a view of the trees beyond our back fence, as well as our old Crepe Myrtle tree. You can see that I upholstered the chairs in the same fabric as the blind.

This table has been around the world with us and back. We bought it from Golborne Road in London back in the early 2000s BC (before children). Originally, we used it as a dining table.

And here's Coco under the couch in the office.

Vanity Fair Oscars Party

2013-02-26T10:08:00.002+10:00

I know you have all seen the dresses on the red carpet at the Oscars by now. So I thought I'd share a few of my favourites from this year'sVanity Fair Party, post Oscars. To me the VF party looks like more fun than the actual Oscars!

This is Natalie Portman.

Sorry - I only have a head shot of Rose Byrne - but she looks amazing.

I've also included this shot of Cameron Diaz from the Vanity Fair party a few years ago because it's one of my all time favourite dresses (by Victoria Beckham).

Dogs

2013-02-24T07:56:00.000+10:00

One of my daughters had a pool party for her 6th birthday. To thank our friends for coming, we chose green polka dot bags with thank you tags shaped liked Westhighland Terriers, just like our Coco.

And I made a pool cake - that's jelly in the middle - from the AWW Children's Birthday Cake book.

Would you believe that there are four Westhighland terriers living in our street? I know, because I've met all of their owners when Coco has escaped the yard. Here's a photo of Coco and I - she sure knows how to pose for the camera!

Hardware

2013-02-18T12:43:00.001+10:00

Anyone who has renovated or built from scratch knows that great hardware can be hard to find. Whether it's door knobs, towel rails or hand towel rings, there's a real lack of choice here in Australia. So when I found some gorgeous hand towel rings in the USA, I bought two. I only needed on in our most recent renovation, so I've listed the other one (which is still in it's original packaging) for sale on ebay. The photo above shows the one I used in our powder room. Even though it's just a humble hand towel holder, I think it's got a lot of style!

Pink

2013-02-05T13:56:00.000+10:00

The girls bedroom is pink, actually it's the same shade as a marshmallow. So it's a gorgeous, light, fluffy pink.

Before the furniture went it, I wondered if I'd overdone it. But I'm so glad I went for it. The white ceiling and dark stained timber floors soak up a lot of the colour. Plus the white timber bed head look like clouds against the pink.

I'll probably replace that musk-pink chest of drawers one day with something a little more subtle. I don't like the colour, but I can live it with for now.

Pink ballet dresses in the cupboard, of course!

Target

2013-02-02T15:37:00.001+10:00

I love it when Target collaborates with a designer. There's been a few lately, Roberto Cavalli and Collette Dinnigin (for children) and then there was Stella McCartney a while back and Zac Posen.

Target USA recently collaborated with Thom Browne. So I bought this jacket. Don't you love it when your jacket has a great lining? Me too, especially stripes.

The Black dress in the photo below is from the Target / Zac Posen collaboration. I've got clothes that are 15 years old! Crazy, I know. My clothes just keep hanging around until they're worn out.

PS. Notice my red nails? I usually wear neutral pink so red is a big change for me.

Pantry

2013-01-29T11:14:00.000+10:00

The pantry was a key part of our house design. I wanted to be able to access both my pantry and laundry from the kitchen. I also wanted both to look good, not like an afterthought. So here is a look at the pantry. (The laundry is behind the door that you can see). You'll notice I've used wallpaper behind the open shelving. I keep all the tinned tomatoes and other staples in the cupboards and leave my pretty things on the open shelves. The benchtops are poured concrete, which I've also used in the kitchen. The poured concrete is one of my best picks. I love it. Sorry I haven't posted any photos of the kitchen yet as I've still got bits and pieces to complete.
PS. Finally, I've put Spots and Stripes on facebook!

Red Carpet

2013-01-28T21:46:00.001+10:00

A quick post tonight on the red carpet at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards. Navy stood out as the colour of choice for many actresses. And it looked fabulous.

Amanda Seyfried (above) wore Zac Posen.

Jennifer Lawrence chose Christian Dior Couture.

Marion Cotillard also wore Christian Dior Couture. Is this amazing or what? Also, those shoes.

Nicole Kidman looked great in Vivienne Westwood.

And Jessica Lange looks fabulous in this navy chiffon dress by J Mendel. It's kind of funny that everyone chose navy but I can see why they did.

PS. The rain here in Brisy turned out to be a flood. That's twice in two years. It must be horrendous to see your home, your couch and all your possessions beneath mud, for a second time. We've been lucky but many haven't. I'm thinking of those families tonight.

Walk in Robe

2013-01-27T08:56:00.002+10:00

It's an overcast weekend here in Brisy (but it's lovely to have some rain) so I thought I'd share a bright pic of my walk in robe. The wallpaper is a chinoiserie style (and it matches the fabric on the bed head). The light fixtures are yet to be installed! I love this mirror as it has a nail head trim. I'm planning on stocking these so let me know if you'd like to order one.

Bed Head

2013-01-25T16:30:00.000+10:00

This post is a quick one as the kids are still on school holidays and getting 5 minutes by myself is almost impossible! So just a sneak peak at the bed head in our master bedroom. I designed the shape and had it custom made. It's padded so is very comfy when reading in bed.

The fabric is in a Chinoiserie style. I did a nail head trim to add a bit of something. Will post more soon, once the holidays are over!

2013

2013-01-16T19:35:00.000+10:00

It's been a long while in between posts, that's for sure. And I do feel guilty about it. Sorry about that. It's been a bit mad around here lately. So I'll recap - we've moved in to our Queenslander the week before Christmas.There were packing boxes, Christmas decorations, presents and crumpled packing paper strewn around the place. In my mind I was channeling Nigella's Christmas - all gingerbread and icing sugar, soft candle light and glistening gifts under the tree. The reality was more "Noel at Storage King". But still, it was lovely to be in our new house. Then there was New Year with friends who have an outdoor pizza oven - delicious. Followed by a couple of weeks of unpacking boxes. That just about brings us to up date. This photo is me in our office today as I'm checking out the fabric for a roman blind. For those of you who know me, the leopard print pants will be a shock. I've always been a bit scared of wearing leopard until now but its a new year so I'm trying new things. Will blog again soon, I Promise.

Bathrooms - Sneak Peak

2012-11-21T12:28:00.001+10:00

It's been a frenzy of activity at the Real Block over the last few weeks. Remember my 1 December move-in date? That was optimistic. It's looking morelike mid-December. And there's a few things that will just have to wait, like the driveway. I'm hoping that Santa won't mind and that he'll park the reindeers on the roof. As long as the kitchen's in, we should be fine.

In the meantime, I thought I'd show you a glimpse of how the bathrooms are progressing. We're about 70% finished in the bathrooms so there's still some debris strewn around! The first photo shows the downstairs bathroom. We chose a wall tile that has the appearance of "VJ's" or beadboard. The second photo shows the powder room. We used the same VJ wall tile but here we used a basket weave mosaic on the floor with a black border. Are you going to Coldplay tonight? If so, see you there!

Melbourne Cup Fashion

2012-11-06T18:39:00.002+10:00

The best word to describe the fashions on the field at Melbourne Cup this year? Experimental. The winner of fashions on the field is in the middle above. The feather ears were of concern to me. I actually preferred the black and white outfit worn by the lass on the right (a runner up). That white hat is killer.

Kate Waterhouse (above in lavender) experimented with the "no bra" look. If this is the way of the future, I won't be investing in Triumph shares anytime soon.

This lass is on the TV show, "Packed to the Rafters". By the way, Minnie Mouse called, she wants her ears back.

Jennifer Hawkins looks lovely in pale blue. But is the jewelled head piece sufficient for Melbourne Cup? Mmm, something to think about.

I always said that only Miss Universe could pull off a turban. I was wrong. Not even a former Miss Universe contender, Jessinta Campbell, can do it. But it seems, the turban was a popular choice. This lass (below) tried a blue and white number.

Thank God for Rose Byrne. That's how you do Melbourne Cup. So chic. And I loved the Chanel head piece.

All photos via Herald Sun

Off the Beaten Track in LA

2012-10-31T20:13:00.000+10:00

If you're going to LA, and you love to shop, then you probably know that you've got to visit Melrose and Robertson Boulevards for both fashion and furniture. Mel from Georgica Pond has rounded up the best shops here. In fact one of my favourite stores, Decades (vintage designer clothing), is on Melrose. I had one of those once-in-a-lifetime shopping experiences at Decades on this trip, when I bought a leather jacket by Burberry. I'm going to be wearing that jacket as soon as there's a cool breeze in old Brisy. Anyway, I thought I'd share with you a few shops that I discovered by accident.

I was booked in for a blow-dry and whilst waiting for my appointment, I discovered a whole street of fantastic furniture and homewares stores. These stores are not in the guide books, but are definitely worth a visit. First up there's Rummage. It's been open about 18 months so is fairly new to the interior design scene although the owner is a well known interior designer, Kishani Perera. Next stop is Mosaik, next door. They have a high quality selection of antiques with a Morrocan or Middle Eastern influence. Loved it. There's other great shops all along this street (7374 Beverly Bve, LA).

Whilst wandering along Robertson, I walked past the Sydney Harbour Paint Company, known to Australians as Porters Paints. It's a gorgeous shop (photo above and below), with a lovely charcoal exterior. But check the photos closely, because you'll see that Anna Spiro's wallpaper collection is featured right at the front of the store. Go Anna!

The Hollywood sign in the distance. I took this snap whilst shopping at the Target on Le Brea. I just missed the Nate Berkus for Target collection but truth be told I probably would not have fitted a coffee cup let alone a lamp into luggage by the time I left LA.

And finally lunch and a cold drink at The Ivy.

(All Photos by AJ Hawkins for spotsandstripes.com.au)

Furniture and Fabric in LA

2012-10-22T20:44:00.003+10:00

Whilst I was in LA, I made a visit to the Pacific Design Centre (PDC). The PDC is a showroom for high end interior stores selling everything from fabric to furniture to art to garden chairs. Anyone can visit, although sales are only to the trade. I was captivated by the fabrics at Quadrille. It was my favourite store and I took a few photos to keep for inspiration for the house renovation.

I also got lots of inspiration from Janus et Cie which has the best outdoor furniture. I loved the entrance with a faux green hedge.

An LA local told me that Elton John hold's an annual post-Oscars party at the Pacific Design Centre. Everything in LA seemed to have a celebrity connection - even the furniture!

Garden

2012-09-18T17:07:00.003+10:00

The garden and landscaping are the next steps in the renovation of our Queenslander. I'd like a traditional garden with camelias, gardenias, magnolias and hydrangeas. There's also a lot of retaining walls to be built. Have you had your garden landscaped? Would you recommend your landscaper? Or your neighbours? Is there anyone you'd recommend in the Brisbane area?
(Picture from Perry Guillot, USA)

Progress

2012-09-13T18:34:00.000+10:00

We've still got a long way to go, but boy has there been some progress at The Real Block over the last few weeks.

We have walls and a ceiling in the kitchen and dining area! That's what I call progress.

Here's the office - with walls. The ceiling is coming soon I'm told. At least the insulation is in.

Here's the staircase. No balustrade yet, but at least we've got actual stairs. They sure beat the ladder we've been using to go upstairs. The stairs are made out of french oak but they're covered up with chip board to prevent wear and tear during construction. Prudent. The tilers are coming next. Yippee! I'll be able to show the bathrooms soon.

Weekend

2012-09-03T15:16:00.005+10:00

This weekend, being Father's Day, we did a lot of eating. We kicked it off on Saturday morning with croissants from a bakery in Morningside called Flour and Chocolate (read more about them here). They are the best croissants outside of France. Whilst the girls went with Dad to the park, I snuck off to the Black and Spiro Spring Flea Market.

It was so beautifully done, there were homemade cakes, fresh flowers, vintage items, paintings and lots of potted plants. There were so many people there, it had a country fair vibe about it. Whilst I waited to buy this colourful cushion (photo above), I did a lot of people watching. Then on Sunday, we set the table for a long lunch outside. It was a lovely weekend.

The Real Block - Windows and Doors

2012-08-30T19:03:00.002+10:00

The Real Block has been a hive of activity this week. We've had builders installing the weatherboards, painters painting windows and doors, carpenters installing windows and doors, and plasterers beginning to sheet the bathrooms. Plus the wet sealing was done in the bathrooms. All in all, a lot has been achieved. This photo (above) shows the double hung windows and part of a french door. As you can see, double hung windows are my preferred style of window. (Don't scoff, I've learnt about every window type over the past twelve months from casements to hoppers to double hungs to awnings.)

The outside is looking better than the inside at the moment. Here is the kitchen (above). Not very inspiring! The sink will be placed under the double window.

My french doors, with transoms, have been installed in the dining room (photo above). Due to the size, they were all custom made in Brisbane by Woodworkers. Lisa at Woodworkers has been on my speed dial for the last six months and has done a great job of turning my ideas into the finished product. There's nothing she doesn't know about windows, doors or Queenslanders.