Displaying posts from July, 2014

Normally, after an establishing shot of the exterior of a house, I can’t wait to drag you through the interior spaces. Today I want to linger in the outdoor rooms. Pool, patio with fire place, the site itself, the views. Breath it all in. Now it’s time to go inside. Earth, water, fire. Napa Valley House by Steven Harris Architects.

If you are ever in the Woodstock, NY area and looking for a funky place to stay, you should give Hotel Dylan a try. Designed by my favourite decorating family The Novogratz, it was a tribute to the Woodstock Music Festival of 1969, embracing sophisticated boho chic and vintage elements. Love all of the colours and patterns against the white background. 

Jo shared the work of Sydney interior design firm Decus last year, so I thought I’d share just a little bit more. Principal Alexandra Donohoe seems to get her hands dirty in all sorts of style – modern minimalist, mid-century, traditional… Underpinning much of Alexandra’s work is a sense of eclecticism; her interiors celebrate bold contrasts, whimsy, luxury and exquisite detail.

What’s that hiding up there in the roof? You can’t see it? Scroll down to the end of this post then you’ll discover the delightful little secret this Victorian era house and its contemporary extension contains. East West House by Rob Kennon Architects.

Ever wish you could actually step inside the houses in your favourite magazines? Take a tour? Get the low down on how and why and what? Now you can with Inside Out magazine’s “Open for Inspection”. I’ll let managing editor Lee Tran Lam explain.

Thanks to Circa Home readers will be able to buy tickets and go on a tour of a Melbourne house with our editor-in-chief Claire Bradley and style expert Lisa Koehler. The home not only rates highly as a place you’d be very happy to live in, it’s also got impressive eco-friendly credentials. It belongs to Sven and Dawn Maxa, who run Maxa Design, a company that specialises in sustainable and energy-efficient building projects. Their residence is not only a great family home, but it’s a testament to their environmental dedication. The place features low-voltage lighting, solar panels, smart insulation, rainwater tanks, reused and reclaimed material, and “healthy” glues, paints and products that pose no threat to their children Abby and Oscar. They made the renovation as green as possible, holding out for the most suitable products, even if that might have made them temporarily unpopular with the people working with them!

The home is even more spectacular when you consider what it was like originally. When Sven and Dawn first saw it, they were reluctant to even go inside for an inspection. “It had no street appeal, whatsoever,” says Sven. “Had the agent not been on the doorstep looking at us, we probably would have driven off!” Now readers can walk inside and see the transformation on our “Open For Inspection” events on August 26.

Here’s a sneak peek at the story in the August issue of Inside Out with words by Joanne Hawkins, styling by Ruth Welsby, photography Martina Gemmola and don’t forget you can read along on Zinio, Google Play and Apple Newsstand.