From its red front door to the beautiful red fluff of the bottlebrush trees in the courtyard this North Fitzroy, Melbourne single storey terrace brings a smile to  my face. Love the dining room, the alfresco eating in the side courtyard and the small sitting room next to the kitchen hub. One last thing. Would the gardening gods please give me that espaliered “whatever” tree it is. I have a spot next to my garden shed that would be perfect for it. Real estate stalking…. again. Link here while it lasts.

Portuguese architect João Rosado Baptista, emailed us a recent project. This office/studio renovation saw Baptista and interior designer Ana Maças Nogueiro, create a dynamic and streamlined space from a rundown two storey building and neglected courtyard. Light, bright, modern yet firmly anchored in its historical past. A warren of rooms was opened up to provide versatile spaces enabling the office to be used in multiple ways. The completely rebuilt courtyard extends the interiors and provides a private retreat. No website as yet but Baptista can be reached here.

I miss the retro posts I used to do. Scans of rooms long gone but living still in the musty pages of the retro design books I would find on foraging trips to books fairs and thrift stores. Sadly they came to an end. I had seemingly exhausted Brisbane’s supply of “oh so bad they had to be good” interior design publications from the 50s, 60s, 70s and even the 80s.

Imagine my delight when I found this time capsule for sale Cheltenham, Sydney. The Hawkins Residence designed by Philip Cox and awarded the Wilkinson Award in 1969, the highest accolade of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. A tweak here, a slight change of furniture there and I know many readers would happily move right in. This fabulous piece of Australian domestic architecture could be yours. I wish it was mine. For sale by Modern House Estate Agents, I found it while real estate stalking here.

I hope, dear readers, that I didn’t leave you feeling down with the dark and moody styling of Hilary Robertson. No, no do not despair. Her work presents another face that is fresh and bright and young. My heart does little leaps with these lovely shots. Enjoy.

P.S. Mrs. Robertson has a shop for those lucky enough to make it to Brooklyn. A wonderland of the old and beaten up, patina and passion. 88 South Portland Avenue, Brooklyn.

Almost a year ago a late afternoon storm had me racing to wax lyrical about interior stylist Hilary Robertson. Roiling clouds and a darkening light seemed a good match to the moody, limited palette of the work I featured back then. Today the sky is full of smoke, grey and once again menacing. The thick air sits heavy on my chest and the edges of my mind are picked at and bothered by news of fire not far from home. Once again I seek solace, no, inspiration in the moody tones of Robertson’s work. Dark and deliciously distracting. So here’s to you Mrs. Robertson for brightening my day.