Displaying posts from February, 2013

A simple family holiday home at Shoal Bay on the rugged coastline that is New Zealand’s southern Hawkes Bay. An unpretentious bach, the beach side shelter that the kiwis do so well. This is a holiday home where sand is trekked in and wet swim suits are the norm. Sliding screens provide shelter from the changing winds and decks between pavilions allow the sun to shine in and cosy spots to be in yet out. A house that has a sense of place, of past, of person, of purpose. A house by Wellington-based Parsonson Architects.

A house with definite ideas on inside out living. A series of cubes that almost tumble across the small inner city block. Open plan living with a separate bedroom pavilion. I’m stalking a townhouse in Prahran, Melbourne. Love the change of levels and the courtyard. Link here while it lasts.

My husband read about San Francisco based interior design firm O + A in an issue of Fast Company magazine. Their focus is workspaces, and let me tell you, I’d give anything to be able to spend my days in environments like this (instead of staring at row upon row of dreary cubicles and industrial carpeting). Lots of cool ideas here that can translate to residential spaces.

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!

I’m enclosing a photo of my two beloved dogs Siga (Lurcher) and Grikis (Italian greyhound/Whippet cross) sleeping on our couch.
– Lina

Scott, sleeping… he was 9 pounds when we first allowed him in bed, not thinking that one day he would be 65… featuring my Hay quilt
– Helene (Montreal)

Lulu, a blue Chihuahua, looking like the Great Sphinx on her favourite chair.
– Bruce

Our newly adopted pup enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon soaking up some rays on our freshly washed sheets.
– Ashley (Philadelphia)

This is Bruno our French Bulldog… Sitting pretty on our modern white chair. Everything looks better with him on it 🙂
– Danielle (Los Angeles, CA)

I send you a photo of a “rabbit on a sofa”. Her name is “MOG”. She loves the sofa very much. So, she always lies down on the sofa which wore the cloth of the paisley motif. The portion of a gently-sloping arm is her fixed position.
– Shusaku (Tokyo, Japan)

This is Jake. Always ready to bark at anything that might not be quite right in his world. The fuzzy zebra blanket is his favourite.
– Lisa

Milly the boxer, in San Francisco, waiting patiently to go for a walk.
– Sarah

This is Wee Joe hanging out in his favourite vintage sweater on his favourite turquoise retro rocker.
– Cindy (Prince Edward County, ON)

This is one of my boss’ dogs, Lucy, sitting on his chair in his office.  Where I work, iOffice, Inc., we bring our dogs to the office with us, which creates such a joyful environment!  Lucy may be the smallest dog here, but she definitely runs the show!
– Kaitlan (Houston, TX)

This is Oliver. I was house sitting him in our furniture showroom/studio and he was in a little bit of shock when I started moving around our furniture. He’s here under the prototype of our Concentric Coffee Table.
– Tamara

This is Lady and we saved her from under a house. She has the softest personality.
– Deon

The home of Hellen van Berkel, photography by Marjon Hoogervorst, styling by Tatjana Quax and Susanne Kennedy. Bright, fresh, white AND colour. Great home, great photos and styling. What’s not to love?