Displaying posts from November, 2011

We received the following email from a reader named Franca: I’m one of your Dutch fans, and I would like to show my (little) home…I live in a very small apartment (only 60m2) with an amazing view. On both sides you can see the forest, which gives me so much energy and inspiration. I love to make the most out my space. To keep it a great space to live in with my husband and two sons (8 and 6). Franca and I seem to have a few things in common – an interest in neutral spaces, use of objects from nature like branches, and a desire to change up our spaces often. Lovely apartment!

37 days till Christmas… or is that 38? I hate writing a blog post that appears simultaneously in all time zones. OK just over 5 weeks till the big day. Too soon for Christmas ideas? Not in my part of the world. We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia so it’s a clear downhill run from now until the 25th. I thought I would ask one of Australia’s top stylists and author of the fab book Homelove, Megan Morton for a little help on how to make sure that Christmas in summer is cool. Please turn away and weep now Northern Hemisphere readers at the sight of Christmas on a gorgeous beach. We live in paradise in Australia!

The weather is hot for Christmas in the land of Aus but what is cool this holiday season?

GENEROSITY. Christmas Day is even more special when you know you have really dug deep in an attempt to make others day more bearable. Pick your charity – there are so many organisations needing good samaritans. I support as many charities as I can that deal with rehousing, accommodating people. As we all know, four walls and a roof is second to food and water. St Vincent De Paul. The Smith Family. Lou’s Shelter, Potts Point. Youth Off The Streets.
To tree or not to tree?

YES – most definitely a tree! Even when I was in an apartment I made room for a tree. This year mine is a huge wonderful olive tree in a large zinc pot. I am dressing him (olive trees seem male to me) with glass, crystal and mercury decorations and lots of small beads of garland. Its a respite from last years which was a fully loaded, all colour inclusive one.

It’s just over 5 weeks to Christmas and I’m starting to think Christmas table inspiration. (I know but I like to plan ahead.) What should I be doing?  

Best lunches (or dinners) are ones that have the foresight of a console or side table to handle the large plates of food. Even the most elegant of fare takes up table space. I like to leave the table some breathing room and have the food displayed, ready to go on a side table. We celebrate Christmas Eve as our major meal (part-Austrian, part-English husband) which includes traditional fondues at the end. This year I am buying up for the day at Pedlars Farmgate – pig and spanish doughnuts.

It’s the day before Christmas. I’ve done nothing. I’m panicking as I pick up prawns and wonder if I can just forget the turkey. What can I do for my Christmas table? Please Megan HELP!

A Christmas meal is never really about the food, more of the thought.

For prawns I make a pretty ice bowl by freezing some flower heads and herbs in between two bowls (one slightly smaller than the other). Put them in the freezer and remove bowls for your prawn serving bowl that will keep them perfectly cold. Speaking of freezer, Christmas isn’t Christmas without a vodka injected watermelon also laid to chill in the freezer. For the prawns, buy some lovely french proper butter (it really tastes nothing like “butter” as we know it) and serve with fresh Vietnamese baked rolls and aioli.

I would also would suggest huge jugs of rosewater cordial that can be put on ice for children and on bubbles for the adults. Put all in a blender – 1 cup of chilled water, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoons of caster sugar, 1 teaspoon of rosewater, a few drops of pink food colouring and 1 cup of ice cubes. Whizz it up and pour over more ice for kids and over bubbles for adults.

This year Megan has styled these wonderful shots for Freedom‘s Christmas. Just the perfect holiday inspiration!

As I mentioned in previous posts, my house addition plans have gone awry (putting it mildly) and my husband and I have got to get our asses in gear and start all over again. We’re thinking a tall, 3 storey structure now with the top floor being a media room/office – hopefully with exposed beams. I came across the photo below in my stash and immediately thought how cool it would be to have a hanging chair in a corner up there. Fun!!

via Hus & Hem

Lazy summer days at a beach cottage. If maximialism is your thing and comfort means overstuffed chairs, flowers, found objects and family clutter then how perfect is this shingle shack brought to live in all its intimate detail by photographer Thibault Jeanson. I can almost hear the surf, the cicadas and the rustle of the sea breeze in the trees.

The Mechanics Institute Hall that is. Think Victorian era guild or trades halls. Almost church like. This modern conversion plays with scale and height, positive and negative space, open and enclosed. Love the kitchen, the spiral staircase and the soaring grey ceilings, the clever use of half walls of storage to divide spaces and the privacy of the bedroom and bathroom tucked away in the mezzanine but a little confused by the large box like lights. The Old Mechanics Institute Hall 1857, South Melbourne. Link here while it lasts.