Displaying posts from September, 2013

Chez Ric & Fer is a bed and breakfast in Coucy le Château, Northern France owned by Richard and Fernanda Gamba. The home is situated in one of the city’s oldest houses which was rebuilt with the castle’s stones right after the bombings of World War I. It used to be the village’s chemist’s shop during the 1920’s. Very unexpectedly, Richard and Fernanda gave the rustic accomodations a modern, mid-century vintage twist – who would have thought?! They have a phenomenal suite or a bedroom available if you’re looking for funky vacation digs. Sign me up! (I even speak French!)

I love a window seat.  I love an eat in kitchen. I love a reading nook. I love this extension by Carter Williamson Architects. The heart of the home but with flexible use. The wonderful spot to cook, to come together, to entertain, to relax, to read and perfect for the Australian climate and lifestyle. Small in footprint but big on ideas.

It was the chairs, those bus roll upholstered chairs. I’d coveted them for years. There couldn’t be two sets. Sorry I’ve started this story a little far into the timeline. Rewind. Email waiting in my inbox. A little teaser. “Thought I would share this house with you.” That’s all but like a terrier on a scent down the rabbit hole I went. Scroll, scroll. Bam. It was the chairs, those bus roll upholstered chairs. I’d coveted them for years. Email back. Gush thanks. Confess my thing for those chairs. “Are you the owner or the agent?” And the owner, or should I say soon to be ex-owner, wrote back. Yes the house had been in Living Etc. That’s where I had seen the chairs. That’s where my love affair with their house began. Strange that a number of years on and I’m talking to an Aussie in London who owns those chairs, who has just sold that house. It’s a small world full of wonderful coincidences and serendipity. I just have one more question for the owners. I hadn’t remembered when we were emailing, only when I found the house feature online. Do you still have the display case? I’ve coveted it for years….

And now the Living Etc pictures by Paul Massey and my own very humble homage to those chairs…

Enjoy some stellar bathrooms captured once again by Alec Hemer.

It has been years since we blogged the work of interior photographer Alec Hemer. He is one of those talents who can capture a space so perfectly that it makes you absolutely fall in love with it, regardless of the subject matter. When you realize you’ve been staring at his photo of a traditional space for several minutes and you snap out of it thinking ‘since when do I like traditional???’. It’s magic I tell ya. (I am in head over heels for the bedroom above and the kitchen below)