Spots and Stripes

Herringbone - Sale

2012-05-19T13:10:00.002+10:00

Regular readers know that I love herringbone. And this lounge suite combines two of my favourite furniture styles - herringbone and vintage cane. The suite is an original pretzel suite and comprises a 2 seater plus two 1 seaters. It has recently been reupholstered in herringbone fabric (imported from the US) and is ready for a new home. Since being re-upholstered it has been in storage so it's in pristine condition.

It's a one of a kind piece and can be purchased through ebay here.

The Block - Room Reveal - Week 3

2012-05-17T08:35:00.000+10:00

There were a few surprises this week on The Block which meant that the rooms became more interesting. Dan and Dani delivered a guest bedroom which had lots of drama. Navy blue walls added glamour, a designer knock-off pendant light added sophistication, whilst the artwork and linen looked expensive. And they were. Dan calculates that the bed linen cost around $3,000. Is this money well spent? We'll have to see as the show progresses.

Dan and Dani have won the lions share of the prize money, about $18k so far, so they've got more to spend than everyone else. Personally, I loved the bold choice of paint and thought their room was the best by far (even though they won by default using their bonus point).

Brad and Lara are still developing on the design front. But I'll give them a bouquet for their fresh looking bedroom. A brick bat for the powder room though, where functionality trumped design. The hand basin on top of the toilet seemed odd to me.

Dale and Sophie showed so much promise with their dining room in the first week but I've been disappointed ever since. Their Guest Bedroom didn't work (photo above). The twigs on top of the bed head looked like they'd been left there by Big Bird. The school desk was too small to be useful. The curtains were an unusual length. Would anyone actually use that skinny built in bench? Overall, a room that didn't function well.

But I liked their powder room the best. Their choice of basin was both stylish and practical (photo above).

The brothers, Andrew and Mike, won on points this week for their kids bedroom (photo above). This room would no doubt appeal to young brothers. From my point of view, the linen was too matchy-matchy. Less striped pillows and a print may have worked better.

I really liked the height ruler on the wall. It was designed by Mike and Andrew and created by sign-a-rama. Do you think this series is as good as the last one?

Desperately Seeking Sofa

2012-05-16T09:03:00.002+10:00

I'm desperately seeking the perfect sofa. The problem is I want something that's modern with a traditional feel. It also has to look good and be able to withstand the vagaries of small children. As you can imagine I've been looking for a long time. Let me know if you've found the perfect sofa.

(Photo 1 and 2 via fy2k.com.au; photo 3 via ozdesignfurniture.com.au)

Girl Time

2012-05-14T16:13:00.000+10:00

Recently, I had a weekend away with four girlfriends at Kyneton near Bendigo in Victoria. There were a few ground rules: no kids, no husbands and no cooking. The plan was that we would try the renowned restaurants in Kyneton as well as visit the Grace Kelly frock fest in Bendigo. What can I say? It was a fabulous weekend. We did a lot of eating including at the bistro of Annie Smithers (who is a protege of the great Stephanie Alexander), the turkish cuisine at Mr Carsisi and the Indian at Dhaba at the Mill.

You won't be surprised to know that my girlfriends are shoppers who could compete at the Olympic level, so we spent a lovely morning wandering around the Kyneton shops. It was lovely to find things you can't find anywhere else.

We also admired, a gorgeous florist called Prunella (photos above), where we found this table with garden pot feet. Isn't it great? We bought provisions from this French patisserie, Monsieur Pierre.

The result was that we didn't need to use our fabulously equipped kitchen back at our cottage (see the first photo at the top of this post plus photos below). The cottage is called, Eat Sleep Kyneton. And that's exactly what we did all weekend.

I thought these scrabble tiles in the bathroom were added a whimsical feeling to the cottage. Book at weekend away with your girlfriends, you'll have a blast. We did.

The Block - Week 2 - Room Reveal

2012-05-10T19:48:00.001+10:00

I've been slow to post about The Block this week, mainly because all the action around here this week has been on the "Real Block" (our renovation). In an exciting development, the slab was poured today. I feel as though we've started the real work now. And the pool will be tiled next week, so I'll post some photos then.
So back to Channel 9's TV Program, The Block. Are you feeling disappointed? I am. Even though I enjoy the show, the room reveals seem very bland. This week Sophie and Dale's master bedroom came in third place (photo above). Personally, I liked it the best as it continued their vintage style. And they used long, flowing curtains which upped the glamour. To be truthful, even though I love vintage and antique items, I felt the door bed head wasn't a good enough piece for a million dollar property. What did you think? Was it your cup of tea? I certainly liked the bird wall mural and thought that the french settee beneath it, added a glamorous touch (photo below).

But the winner this week were brothers, Mike and Andrew (photo below) . I've started to call their interior design style "Hilton Hotel". The "Hilton Hotel" style is where every stick of furniture looks like it came straight out of a standard room at the Hilton. There's lots of neutral colours, everything works, and there's nothing offensive to anyone. In short, a perfect room for the attendees of the annual Accountants Convention. But is it inspiring interior design? Not to me. I'd love to know what you think. I'm not going to comment on the other contestants this week as there wasn't much to say. What was your favourite room this week?

The Block - Week 1

2012-05-02T12:26:00.002+10:00

If you're watching The Block, you know that the first rooms were revealed this week. Don't worry if you missed it, you haven't missed much. The rooms were pretty ordinary but it's the first week so let's give them time to develop a style. The brothers incorporated a flip out bed into their office so it can convert into a guest bedroom (first picture above). It was in the style of Maxwell Smart. So I guess other guys will think it's a cool idea but for the family who eventually buy the Terrace House I don't imagine it's a big drawcard.

Brad and Lara have not sorted out their design style yet (picture above). So this week their sitting room looked like they went down to their nearest furniture store and asked for one standard coffee table, one standard couch, an armchair and a light to add some interest. The result was a one-way ticket to Snoresville. But I haven't given up on this couple, I think they could pull a rabbit out of a hat. I liked how they kept the period features of the room.

Dan and Dani presented a guest bedroom (picture above and below). And amazingly it won the room of the week. Personally, I thought it lacked personality. And I'm not a big fan of mirrored doors. They're so 80's. And it's curtains on the curtains I'm afraid. These curtains are like wearing a dress mid-calf. It doesn't work. They need to use full length curtains and place the rod well above the top of the window. Long, flowing curtains will add some elegance.

And finally, we have Dale and Sophie's Dining Room (picture above and below). This was my favouite room as it had a sense of style about it. I love the restored fire place (although I would have used marble on the hearth). The mirrors above look great. They also made a good choice with the dining table. Sadly, the chairs are the real low point in this room. They look like they found them in a skip from the building site next door. They really have to go. Probably a modern set of chairs would look good. I also liked the light that Sophie made. It reminded me of the ceiling of Mrs G's in Potts Point which was designed by Sibella Court.

What can I say about the curtains? Well, nothing really, except see my comments above. I hope that all the couples take a few more risks this week.

The Real Block - Part 1

2012-04-26T10:14:00.002+10:00

It's been a long time coming, but we are about to start building. Regular readers (thank you for persevering) will remember that we moved a cottage off our block and then moved a Queenslander onto the block in August 2010 (Moving the Cottage). Since then we've been busy getting all our Council approvals and thought we were ready to build in September 2010 but we hit a brick wall. In January this year, we finally got our development approval. Since then we've also obtained our final building approval, a driveway approval, pool approval and a plumbing approval. Phew! So now we've got all the paperwork and spent $20k on the paper trail, we are actually ready to start the real work. Stumping has finished, the pool has been dug and the builder will start next week. I'm watching the new series of The Block on Channel 9 and thinking that the contestants have go it easy! We have about 100 times the amount of work to do at our place (which I'm now calling the Real Block) and there's no way it's going to be finished in 10 weeks. The builder has said 6 months if the weather is good. I don't really mind if it takes longer as long as I'm in by 1 December, that's my absolute deadline. I can survive in our decrepit rental house with no dishwasher, a dodgy bathroom and boxes up the ceiling until then. No doubt there's going to be bumps along the way!

Herringbone in the Kitchen

2012-04-24T08:37:00.002+10:00

Isn't this kitchen gorgeous? Love the herringbone blind. So sunny and fresh.

(Photo from TradMagazine, design by Grant K Gibson)

Console Table

2012-04-23T08:47:00.003+10:00

I like this. The large picture behind the console table, the metal lamp, the cane tray holding bits and pieces, the metal vase. It looks pulled together. By the way, I'll have an update on our house renovation later in the week.

(Picture from TradHome magazine, design by Nick Olsen)

Red Shoes

2012-04-14T16:57:00.003+10:00

These are my new patent red shoes. They're ballet flats so they'll be great on the school run. The brand is Walnut and they're made in Melbourne. I bought them on sale at DJs. Coco always likes to inspect new shoes. I think she likes them.

Sale - Chinoiserie Dining Table

2012-04-03T18:48:00.003+10:00

I've had such a great response to my super sale (everything sold except for a couple of cushions), that I've added a few more pieces to the sale including this dining suite from the beach house. It's in a Chinoiserie style and includes six gorgeous chairs. I love the woven detail on the back of each chair. You can find it on ebay here.

White Jumpsuit

2012-04-02T19:18:00.007+10:00

I recently had a birthday and as I'm on the wrong side of 35, I wasn't overly keen to celebrate. But my girlfriends were. So we went out to dinner at Sake. It was a great night. And I wore something I've never worn before - a white jumpsuit. It's from Theory (see picture below). It was a bit of a risk as I was worried that I'd be mistaken for Elvis.

No-one yelled out "Viva Las Vegas", so I'm pretty sure I got away with it. Although, Rose Byrne looks absolutely killer in hers. Truth be told, this is my second jumpsuit. I've got a black silk one from Witchery that is about to be retired. I've worn it so many times and loved it. Don't you hate it when a favourite item of clothing has to go? Do you dump it in the bin or hold onto it for old time's sake?

Notting Hill Gold

2012-03-23T09:03:00.003+10:00

BC (before children), the husband and I lived in Notting Hill. We had a ground floor apartment in a terrace house. Although our place was not as glamorous as this apartment (our bathroom had blue carpet on the walls), we loved it nevertheless. Some of my best furniture buys were from Portobello Market just a few blocks away.

Anyway, this jewel box apartment, also in Notting Hill, is owned by an Australian interior designer, Peter Mikic. Personally, I could move in tomorrow. And I love the gold/ brass accents.

(All photos from Elle Decor)

Pineapple Lamp

2012-03-20T19:39:00.002+10:00

Do you remember my lamps with the pineapple fabric shade? Well, the pair of them are going in the super sale too. The bases are white ceramic from Robertsons Furniture. And the shades are custom made. You can find them on ebay here.

Cushion Super Sale

2012-03-18T20:32:00.005+10:00

At the risk of sounding like Harvey Norman, the super sale continues. I've added these Pineapple cushions as well as some Ikat cushions in a spicy orange. Find all the sale items on ebay here.

Super Sale on Ebay

2012-03-15T08:32:00.004+10:00

I'm clearing the decks and am having a super-sale on ebay. There's American Vogue starting at $10, lights at $5, a pair of side tables (pictured) for $100 and whole lounge suites starting at $550. Here's a link to my ebay sale site.

Best Apartment of 2011

2012-03-11T20:18:00.006+10:00

It's been over a week since my last post but it's been a busy time both at work and at home. On the work front, I'm currently working on two apartments. The first apartment is a glamorous pad in the Riparian Building. The second apartment is an investment property at St Lucia. My inspiration for the first apartment is Kiane Von Mueffling's NYC pad. This is not the first time I've posted about this apartment (see my previous post here) but I thought it was the best apartment of 2011. It's a big call. But I love it. So today I'm posting different photos of the same apartment, this time from Vogue Living. Enjoy!

(All photos from Vogue Living, March April 2011)

Gabriella Crespi - Part 2

2012-03-01T07:55:00.001+10:00

Gabriella Crespi happens to be one of my favourite designers. Whilst her hey day was in the 1970s and 80s, I find her designs timeless.

I'm looking forward to using bronze, gold and polished silver in the house. I think you can mix different metals quite easily together.

Gabriella Crespi - Part 1

2012-02-28T17:44:00.004+10:00

Very few individuals make a lasting impression during their lifetime. Gabriella Crespi is one of those people. She's an italian designer who quit her career at the height of her fame (during the 1980s) to pursue spiritual interests.

One of her most famous designs is the Z desk which Aerin Lauder has in her dressing room.

This is Gabriella as pictured in the 1970s in Vogue Italia.

Some of her designs were custom made for the glitterati including Princess Grace of Monaco and the Shah of Iran. As you would expect her pieces are highly sought after now. To me bronze and gold seem very now.

Green

2012-02-22T18:56:00.009+10:00

Blue and white be damned. Green is my colour: bags, clothes, jewels, interiors. A shot of green adds a crisp feeling to a room. This bathroom looks fresh with green fern wallpaper and an interesting mirror. US magazine, House Beautiful, have featured green rooms this month.

Green and black are a great look. This patio is striking with a green lounge suite against the black and white backdrop.

And this emerald green bathroom by Kelly Wearstler is on my list of all time favourite bathrooms.

Regular readers will recognise the beach house loungeroom with it's green couch.

Lacquered green cabinets (by Miles Redd) look zesty in this New York apartment.

Another shot of the lounge at the beach house with aqua cushions.

This green Kate Spade bag was a perfect Christmas present from my husband.

A green kitchen for those who are dare to look beyond a white kitchen.

This powder room has been a favourite of mine for a while now.

Does blue make you blue too? Is green your thing or is that just me?

(Photos 1, 5 8 and 9 from housebeautiful; photo 2 patio by Steve Gambrel; Photo 3 bathroom by Kelly Wearstler; photos 4, 6 and 7 from spotsandstripes.com.au;)

Herringbone

2012-02-15T20:13:00.005+10:00

This is not the first time I've said it, I love a herringbone pattern. Especially on chairs.
Like these.
And remember these dining chairs? They've been reupholstered in black and taupe herringbone fabric. You can buy them here.
The orange and taupe herringbone is retro cool.
You can buy this loungesuite here.

(Photos 1 & 2 via fschumacher.com; Photos 3-5 by AJ Hawkins for spotsandstripes.com.au)

Kitchen with a dash of wow

2012-02-10T09:03:00.002+10:00

Not many kitchens have the 'wow' factor. This one has it in spades. The architectural features of the brownstone building provide a pretty amazing framework to start with. The owners have sloshed white paint over pretty much the entire room. The added some really elegant pieces like the antique cupboard and the Louis ghost chairs, which you can just see if you look really closely near the table.

(photo via elle decor via metropolitan home)

Princess Mary at 40

2012-02-08T08:08:00.003+10:00

Is there a more glamorous 40 year old woman than Princess Mary? I don't think so. These photos were taken to celebrate her 40th birthday.
Princess Mary with Ziggy. Aren't those parquetry floors gorgeous? I love the interiors of the palace and was surprised how modern her office was (first picture above).
The Princess said,"At 40 years old you simply know what life is about. I am happy to continue with my journey through time."

For more photos of Princess Mary, see hello magazine.

(Photos via hello magazine)

Walk in Wardrobe

2012-02-05T20:11:00.009+10:00

Some people dream of Ryan Gosling as they're drifting off to sleep, whereas I dream of the ultimate walk in wardrobe.
I picture my shirts ironed, on wooden hangers and organised by colour from light to dark. There's another area for my jackets, another for my trousers, two spaces for dresses, one for short dresses and a larger area for long dresses.
I love the idea of handles to hang up the clothes I'm planning to wear that day like this photo (above).
I'd also need compartments for folded items like t-shirts and jumpers neatly stacked like this photo. And if I'm really going to go for the full banana, I'd need perspex drawer inserts to organise my socks and jocks into neat little boxes.
And just like Aerin, I like wallpaper and my dog in the WIR too.
And it goes without saying that shoe racks are required. What would you have in your ultimate WIR? Did I miss anything?

Animal House

2012-02-01T11:45:00.004+10:00

Animals in the house. Are you for or against? I like the look of these sheep in Delphine Krakoff's house but I don't want them at my place.
Although I would like this elephant console table from Ruthie Sommer's pool house.
And a dog portrait is a must have for me. Just like this one at the Crosby Hotel in New York. Admittedly, the Westie painting which I have is only the size of an A4 page.

These goat chairs that featured on Kelly Wearstler's site are a bit too realistic for me. I'd pass. What about you? Is there any animal influence at your place?

(Photo 1 from vogue.com; Photo 2 via Chinoiserie Chic; Photo 3 Crosby Hotel; Photo 4 via myvibemylife)