Finding Everywhere

In this digital age most of use store our pictures in the virtual zone only, plus the odd favourite one or two on the fridge door, but not these great makers and creators, they have taken their pics anywhere and everywhere for your viewing pleasure.

Finding Everywhere - photo print, image items, pictorial pretties.

1. Art-inspired wooden knobs by Chocolate Creative Homewares with landscape and beach designs
2. Norway Fjord Fogged In Ombre throw pillow cover by Loud Waterfall Photo on etsy
3. Navy Wave Small Canvas Pouch - Dezso by Sara Beltran Tulum available at www.shopstyle.com.au
4. For the lumber jack in your life or in you the Malaka 4 t-shirt from DADADA studio
5. This, believe it or not, is a dress for a doll. When I first saw it I saw just the dress and imagined what a fabulous wedding dress it would make for someone so it really could/should be upscaled. The dolls are more characters than dolls and all are by Le train fantôme
6. Carousel Photography Embroidery Hoop Art by Juillian Audrey Designs on Etsy - I love this application of a photo for framing and may have to give it a try myself.
7. This sweet leaves print bag was featured in the online gallery of Edit, the Woolahra based store of the former editor of Vogue Vogue Living Sharyn Storrier Lyneham
8. Meadow Print Dress girls dress by Next in the UK
9. Red Lake English Romantic Cushion also by Chocolate Creative Homewares
10. Last but oh my word not least Marianne carved french country bed upholstered in dandelion field fabric by Chair Couture

Are any of these your picture perfect?

Found Friday

There is definitely a theme this week.
Continuing on from the pastels of this weeks Finding Everywhere look at these pretties I found.
I do love a nanna coat-hanger!

I also wanted to share with you some other, more virtual, finds discovered this week on my pastel journey.

The beautiful blog and work of textile designer Hermine Vandijck. Her exploration of colour and texture are truly inspiring.

Lastly the amazing work of French design duo Isabelle Gilles and Yann Poncelet that are Colonel.
One look at their online folio of work and shop and I wanted it ALL!

I hope you discover lots of colour this weekend! Happy finding.

A painterly apartment

I have long been a fan of design blog Yellowtrace - part of my morning ritual involves a check of my inbox to see what new inspiring goodness they have to offer. Rarely disappointed, today I was utterly compelled to share it with you.

Upon seeing this apartment I was in interior's heaven - but it also instantly made me think of something.

I have decided that if the 17th century dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, he of the Girl with a Pearl Earring fame, had been a modern interior designer this is the apartment he would give us.

A selection of Vermeer

Then

The most amazing Old Chalet Refurbishment by Bergdorf & Nick Ruef // Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, as seen on Yellowtrace today, stunningly photographed by Martin Guggisberg.

What do you think?
Do you think living here would feel as enveloping as the faded and delicately colourful charm of a Vermeer painting?

There are many more beautiful photos of the apartment - make sure you check them out.
http://www.yellowtrace.com.au/2013/04/30/old-chalet-refurbishment-by-bergdorf-bernese-oberland-switzerland/

Bathroom Brights

Today I came across and pinned this yellow bathroom to my 'For The Home board' on Pinterest

I like the idea of being woken up by this smack of colour every day when you take your morning shower.

I also realised it's not the first time I have been drawn to the idea of a brighter than bright bathroom delight.
Here are some others I have seen and loved

I am torn however as I do also love the idea of a muted tone sanctuary of relaxation as well.
What to do?

I will have to wait and see which way I go later this year when it comes to our own reno and whether I have the colour courage. Though as we plan to move on from this place I might save that sunny dose of colour for our dream home.

Would you be so bold?

Scissors - So Styled_ish

Scissors are a stylists best friend it seems (note to self).

Not only are they a handy little tool but they are the perfect form to give life to many a vignette or display - here is but a few lovely examples of style me happy images that made the cut

Paper - The Perfect Pendants

Sorry once again for my hiatus on the paper parade - I have been temporarily waylaid by a flu like lurgy and a had a few busy days.

One of my busy day activities yesterday took me on a photo shoot to gain some work experience with a fantastic stylist and see how it all comes together - an amazing opportunity and a great day.

Paper lamps and lanterns have indeed been on my 'Paper' to do list and as it turns out the beautiful home in Palm Beach where the photo shoot took place featured a large and beautiful Noguchi paper pendant, much like this one below, over the dining table.

While leading up to this post I have researched and gathered many beautiful paper light, lantern and lamp creations to show you seeing this reminded me that the beauty and simplicity of a simple white round paper pendant, especially on a beautiful scale like this in a space with high ceilings, or a grouping of simple white shades on mass is often all the statement that is needed.

I have pretty much always had smaller scale cheaper versions of white paper pendants in my home and while this started out of necessity due to their affordability I think I will now give them a little more respect. I hope you have enjoyed their simple elegance too. I promise I will save up some of the other paper lamps and lanterns I have discovered on the way for another post in the not too distant future - you can never have enough lamps I say!

You can find the original source for any image that takes your fancy via my Pinterest boards 
Trip the Light Fantastic and Weddings Parties Anything

Rock My World - THE Rock Ladies

So I am not married - happily paired 14 years this week mind, however if I ever were to go there I am not necessarily one of those 'diamonds are a girls best friend' kind of girls, I am mad for rutilated and tourmalated quartz and, as it turns out I am partial to a raw uncut diamond especially paired with a beautiful pearl.

I also don't buy into the need for a ring to be expensive, it's what it represents that counts. I mostly think it should reflect the wearer in an impressive way.

I find these impressive. Just 10 of my favourites!

And don't worry I signed my partner up to receive my blog posts ages ago on his behalf (he would have done so anyway but I just made sure) so if we ever we both change our minds I have saved him some time - tee hee

Rock My World - Cliff Face House

I came across this house, called the Cliff Face House by Fergus Scott architects with Peter Stutchbury Architecture, in architectureau.com's announcement of the 2012 NSW Architecture Awards winners. I was checking out the winning entries at the same time as researching all things rock for this week - one of those serendipitous moments.

The house is built on a sandstone cliff face in Palm Beach, Sydney. It is not just built on a cliff face though it is actually built in a cliff face with the rock of the cliff forming one of the walls of the house (and parts of the floor). It is more than aesthetically pleasing as from an environmental position it also contributes to the natural cooling system for the house.

What impresses me most though is it's connection to place - a literal thing sure but also a feeling.

Images via
fergusscottarchitects.com.au
entry.housesawards.com.au/gallery/2012/2/225

Rocky My World - Kitchens

A kitchen is the heart of a home and these kitchens have a whole lot of heart.

I love the rustic charm of the stone but I also love the raw timber and the grand scale of them. The modern furniture and lighting in the first is a beautiful contrast (images 1 and 2) and I love the modern lines of the cabinetry in the second (images 3 and 4). These touches stop the stone from being too country twee and make the kitchens modern but still cosy, tactile and charming.

They make me want to cook up a huge roast with all the trimmings for all of my family and friends followed by apple and rhubarb crumble and homemade vanilla custard.

Now my heart just needs to find a french country farm house kitchen of its own.

Source of images
1 & 2 via pufikhomes.com

3 via e-magdeco.com 

4 via decordir.com

Rock My World Day - Zen Step

I came across this image below via www.dwell.com the website for the magazine. It features articles on all things design including houses.

This image is from a home north of Copenhagen. On seeing it I was impressed by the sense of grounded-ness this would give you in your home - especially to walk over it with barefeet several times a day.

I have always had rocks or stones in my home - small ones from my travels and some larger ones but never on this beautiful scale and as not as part of the 'furniture'.

The architects included this stepping stone as a nod to zen architecture. “In most traditional wooden houses and temples in Japan, the house is lifted above the garden, and the transition is always marked by a sculptural stepping stone”.

It is another element in the layers of meaning and feeling in the design of this house whose name "hygge", which has no real direct equivalent in English, in Danish describes the warm, cozy feeling that develops when friends gather in a room withsome open flames (candlelight, fireplace), alcohol, and plenty of time to enjoy the experience. I want a bit of hygge!

You can see the whole house and read the full article here. While the design doesn't necessarily translate to an Australian aesthetic, being all white Nordic appropriate for the cold winters, the use of space and atmosphere are nice to visit.

The Warm Fuzzy Cuddlies

I am inspired by different textures in fabric, nature, installations and furnishings. I think texture is what takes a room or a space beyond a two dimensional experience and let's us inhabit it in a particular way. Be it a smooth cool bathroom with gloss tiles, polished concrete and stone for a fresh summer shower or a woollen knitted blanket, velvet cushion, brushed linen couch in fleece pyjamas for a winter nap.

We are tactile beings and visual texture in a space makes it special to look and the relationship with that texture makes it special to live in.

Subsequently I am on the look out for what I call textural treats all the time. You can see some of the textures that have caught my eye via my pin board Textural Treats. Some of them are things that I was drawn to and am compelled to touch - given the opportunity, others are purely visual but convey a texture I find desirable in some way.

Today I hit the texture jackpot. I did what I often do and followed a link to an image I found on pinterest that was interesting in some way but like Alice down the rabbit hole it lead me to something else - very unexpected but amazing none the less.

I came across the work of Eunsuk Hur, rather late it seems as there have been no updates since 2009 and I found a lot of blog posts and commentary on her work. Both images are via www.pleatfarm.com architecture blog. The first image shown is from a series called Nomadic Wonderland. The textiles are adaptable from wearable pieces to interior pieces and can be reconfigured in a number of ways. How practical this is I wonder but how beautiful there is no doubt. The other image is from the For Fashion range and you can see more via her website it is among many incredible pieces with each more breathtaking than the last, I struggled with showing just two.
I would love to see what Hur's working on now as these are some of the most beautiful textural treats I have ever seen.

While we are talking all things texture the other amazing textural treat I had this week was an introduction to the felt wall coverings
of UK based Anne Kyyrö Quinn, they are incredibly detailed, tactile and reflect light in interesting ways. She also makes lampshades, cushions and ottomans which sadly are not featured on her website but I some found products via architonic.com

I am definitely now feeling all warm and fuzzy.