Displaying posts from December, 2012

The mercury is expected to rise to 41 C today in my home town. (That’s actual not apparent.) A sweltering hot day. Just a few more weeks till Christmas! Thank goodness Swedish stylist and creative director Mikael Beckman has sent me his latest Christmas styling for Svenskt Tenn. Makes me dream of cold climes, open fires and snow. He even sent me a photo of his Christmas tree – an old apple tree in his front yard. Now if I could combine my heatwave 41 C and Mikael’s frigid 15 C below we would have a balmy 26. Now that’s just perfect!

Ohlhausen DuBois Architects have taken a 1950’s ranch house and integrated a new glass pavilion and landscaping to create a home that delights and welcomes. Indoor living spaces now transition easily to the outdoors through a series of terraces, gardens and pool. The house is about mass and volume, light and transparency, solidity and retreat while reaching out to its location. Simple. Elegant. Satisfying and inspiring. Milillo Residence, Sands Point, NY.

Is it just me or do Mondays get tougher to get through closer to the holidays? I’d rather be finishing my shopping or doing some baking, but instead I’m stuck in my cubicle WORKING. I am in desperate need of a distraction. I think the portfolio of New York photographer Michel Arnaud will have me thinking about fabulous interiors instead of all the other stuff I should be thinking about. 🙂

If you’d like to send me photos to include in next week’s “pets on furniture” post, please ensure your photos follow my basic rules: First, the pet must be on a piece of furniture. And said piece of furniture must be clearly visible in the photo, so it takes center stage rather than your pet. Think of it more of a photo of a great piece of furniture that you want to show off…and your pet happens to be sitting on it. And second, the photo must be of decent quality. If it’s dark or fuzzy then it may not make the cut. Photos, your name, location and a brief description can be sent to desiretoinspirekim@hotmail.comand PLEASE don’t send closeups of your pet! Thanks!

this is my sweet little Dante, an italian greyhound pup. He loves good design and sunbathing on his favourite Bertoia.
– Juan (Barcelona)

This photo was taken about six years ago of my greyhound, Ender the only time he ever got on my sofa! He never even tried to get on my sofa and he was such a gentleman. So I had to take a photo. Apparently he used to get on the sofa of his babysitter at her house and it was OK. This was my very first sofa and I don’t have it or much of the furniture in the photo anymore. But I wanted to post this because early Thanksgiving morning last week, I had to send my sweet (13-1/2 year old) Ender to the Rainbow Bridge. He was the gentlest, sweetest loyal spirit I have ever known.
– Sparky

His name is hank. 7 months old. Adler pillow. Modernica easy chair.
– Michael (Ottawa)

This is Walter, our 5-year-old bearded collie/terrier mix (?) who loves to sit here by the radiator and watch the squirrels. He is sitting on an antique stool, covered in a sheepskin to protect it. 
– Sarah (Massachusetts)

Here is Sadie the Boston Terrier resting on a vintage arm chair we found at a local thrift store. There are no markings on the chair and we would love to know more about it!
– Lindsay (Skippack, PA)

The attached photo is of our dog Molly, a chihuahua/terrier cross and she is sitting on our lovely chaise also known as Molly’s bed. 
– Robin (Victoria, BC)

The first photo is of Olivia sleeping in our bowl from AREA on top of our Ikea shelving unit. The second photo is of Olivia next to our crystal Atlantis liquor bottles.
– Teresa (Lisbon, Portugal)

This is a picture of my sweet little Lucy posing for the camera atop her throne.
– George (Alabama)

this is my boyfriends dog Ax, 1,5 year old Jack Russell Terrier. We do not allow him to be on a furniture, so I send you a picture of him in front my grandmas old vintage chair 🙂 We love old, new design & our cute dog :))))
– Andreja (Slovenia)

Please meet Rose, my parents’ persian cat, first lounging on the ottoman, and second trying to relax in a filing box a bit too small for her. Rose is the sweetest cat I’ve ever known. (Please note the awesome bookcase in the background of the first picture, entirely made by my handyman of a father of whom I am so proud!).
– Audrey (Montréal)

I couldn’t leave it any longer to share more work from Civico Quattro‘s Orietta Marcon. A private home by this designer/stylist that carefully balances rustic charm and subtle elegance. Nothing is “precious”. Where simple and everyday meets stylish and beautiful. To climb the stairs to that grey and white haven under the eaves would be such a wonderful way to end each day.