Once upon a time there was a cool dude ( I’m making this up as I go along so I hope he is cool) who took a warehouse space and made it his own. Its first incarnation was as a dark and pseudo dingy but über stylish man cave. The cool dude wrote some copy, snapped some pics and submitted it to Apartment Therapy. It went down a treat with the AT crowd as did his mix of self deprecating humour and grandiose ideas. Follow the link and you can see why or if you are lazy scroll down and you’ll get the idea.

Fast forward 3 years and I’m real estate stalking as is my daily want. Oh look! Sexy warehouse apartment say I. Bookmark. Move on. Email drops into my inbox from the cool dude who owns said sexy apartment. Serendipity. Synchonicity. Weird co-incidence. Did I know it was for sale? Hell yes and I would buy it in a flash if I didn’t live in another state, have bad knees and find ladders to mezzanines just a little beyond me at my advancing years. Damn but it’s hot and the position in Surry Hills in Sydney couldn’t be better. AND the dark and über stylishly dingy man cave has grown up. A light, bright and seriously sexy inner city pad. Wonder if the owner has got better with age too? Link here while it lasts.

I couldn’t help it. I was drawn back to photographer James Braund‘s portfolio. Just as full of life and light as last visit (here) with new photos of great homes and inspiring spaces and places. Images tell a story, a picture can be worth a thousand words, pure poetry perhaps? OK I’ll quit with the cliches and just leave you with the great shots. After all the pictures are what it is all about.

Welcome to my new stylist crush. I’m smitten. Besotted. Bowled over. Love the work of Brit Marianne Cotterill. I’ve seen the shots, poured over the spaces in magazines but have not quite known who to blame for my room envy. Marianne Cotterill. Bold and colourful, new and old, fun and quirky, refreshing, funky and fabulous. When my house grows up it wants to look just like these homes.

There is nothing like holding your favourite magazine in your hands. Nothing like spotting it on the shelves when it first goes on sale. The little leap of joy when you see a new cover staring back at you. You’ve waited weeks. It seems like months. You’re a junkie and you need your fix. Well that is what it is like for me at least. My drug of choice? Inside Out magazine. I cannot get enough. Inspiring, practical and brimming with stunning homes, the latest trends and clever ideas for your home and garden.

Thanks to Lee Tran Lam, managing editor of Inside Out we get a sneaky peek at the September/October 2012 issue, on sale tomorrow. The cover story no less. The home owners are Lucy Fenton and Josh Markey, who run Fenton and Fenton. The story is by Anna McCooe, the photographs by Felix Forrest and the styling by Jason Grant. The whole thing is… in a word… Yum! I’m itching to devour the rest of it tomorrow. Tomorrow! I have to wait until tomorrow! Not fair!

Before our non-Aussie readers bemoan the fact that they can’t get Inside Out where they live the good news is that you can subscribe through Zinio. Not quite the same as leafing through those pages but definitely the next best thing.

Run away, far away to an exotic land. To a magical beach and a magical house. To Morocco and Essaouira. To a traditional Dar but one with a difference. Retro and funky, modern and quirky. Bespoke yet family orientated. You’ll find me by the open fire with my toes buried in the beni ouarain. Sidi Kauki via Airspace locations.