Displaying posts from August, 2010

I’m exhausted. Exhausted but excited! But first things first. Isn’t this the cutest sandstone cottage? A mix of traditional 1880 house and contemporary refurbishment. I’m stalking in Paddington in Sydney so no need to ask the price because 99.998% of us won’t be able to afford it! Still we can dream. (Link here while it lasts.)

And the reason for my excitement? We signed on a house today! 1860 brick and cedar two storey house with original brick separate kitchen. Four fireplaces, well two in the main rooms, one in the kitchen with a wood burning stove and a tiny one in the tiny stables at the back. I have dozens of photos. Let’s call them the befores as there is a lot of work to do but I still have to upload them and I’m exhausted, physically and emotionally. In a good way of course. I’ll let you know when I have the photos done. I’ll even bore you with them on my page. Need a scotch and to put my feet up. Enjoy this house instead because at the moment mine is no where near as grand 🙂

I recently came across the website for interior design firm SemelSnow, based in Chicago and run by Arlene Semel and Brian Snow. Their look is seemingly contemporary but a second glance reveals some global and modern influences which counterbalance each other very well.

Pamela Makin has read my mind. How else would she know what I’d like in my beachside home? Hang that. How else would she know what I’d like in my home fullstop? The tribal artifacts, the smooth concrete floors, large striking artwork, views forever and natural textures including beautiful aged timbers teamed with cottons and linens. Les Interieurs is both Pamela’s interior design service and her Palm Beach, NSW store filled with one off pieces sourced from Africa, Thailand, Cambodia and India. Stunning interiors to match the breathtaking views. Sigh.

Chris Cushingham is a 24 year old recent design school graduate who emailed us to share his downtown L.A. loft – his recent project. He completed his loft in a hurry and on a really tight budget and I am loving the results. It’s modern, functional and industrial with unique furnishings. I am a huge fan of anything with an industrial vibe so I’m saving this one in my inspiration folder. Great job Chris!!! Might I add that Chris is part of the cast of a new HGTV show called “Design School” airing here in Canada, and is hunting for a job at a creative architecture or design firm so architects/designers – scoop this talented guy up! (Check out his blog here, and photos by Sean Stiegemeier and Dirk Mai).

A few weeks ago we received an email from Xenia Itikawa who works for Studio Guilherme Torres Architecture in Brazil. Xenia kindly offered to send some of their projects for us to publish. Clicking over to their website I quickly emailed back and said yes please! Xenia I couldn’t wait any longer. I’m so impatient to share more brilliant Brazilian design. What is it about this design scene that excites so much? Studio Guilherme Torres’ work is both reverent and irreverent. It pays homage to modern design but takes it further then lifts it up even more with wit and sexiness, serious sexiness. Hot, hot, hot!

Xenia just because I’m jumping the gun it doesn’t mean that we don’t want to see more photos. PLEASE send us lots of lucious and sexy Brazillian design.