Today I’m stalking a bijou terrace in Darlinghurst, Sydney. Elegant, refined and loaded with style. A perfect space for a single (or couple). I have my usual gripe with real estate shots. I want to see more and I want to see it better. This house reminded me how much I liked upholstered walls in a room. here it is a very traditional look but strangely I don’t mind that at all although this room has me wondering if something has been removed. A daybed? Yes I’m fantasising about a small daybed, a bateau, a sleigh bed piled with pillows and using the space as a dressing room. Oh a desk. How about a desk? Link here while it lasts.

ScavulloDesign created the interiors of this weekender just steps away from the water in Stinson beach, California. Large doors and windows bring the outside in while the sandy colour palette and blue accents of course give the coastal vibe but the interiors are in no way cliched. Casually elegant and family friendly, durable and darling from wicker to waterproof fabrics. Finally, accents throughout reflect the relaxed feel and include the family’s collection of sea shells that they have found on the beach outside. What a lovely spot to get away to.

(Architect and owner Lewis W. Butler, of Butler Armsden Architects.)

In Hong Kong, where space is at a premium, the OnebyNine studio architects took on the challenging brief to help design this 35 square meter apartment. Lukasz Wawrzenczyk and Ewa Koter, originally from Poland but now in Hong Kong, reworked the configuration, removed walls and created a more continuous space for living, sleeping and entertaining. As a quirky linking element, “Space Invaders” mosaics appear in several rooms. A small terrace with tropical plants is a perfect (and welcome) retreat from such a bustling, overcrowded city.

“Ever wish you had a friend with a stylish house on a beautiful hillside in Tuscany, one who knows the best local restaurants, towns and vineyards? Well now you do.”

With a tag line like that you know have found the perfect holiday getaway. La Bandita is the creation of music executive John Voigtmann who had the crazy idea of ditching the big city and the celebrities and with his wife restore a derelict Tuscan farmhouse. It’s relaxed, comfortable, modern yet rustic, stylish and no fuss. Sheep wander past the perfect pool, views go on forever and I wouldn’t be surprised if lunch continued on till dinner. Down a long bumpy road is a slice of Italian heaven. The best things in life are always off the beaten track.

I had to go back. I just had to. Drawn like a moth to the flame. I clicked the link and took a look. Sucked right back into the portfolio of photographer Mark Gregory Peters. (You’ll find my first post on him here.) Then I took a closer look. A closer look at the home of Spanish decorator Serge Castella, first published in AD Spain and captured in all its moody, dark and broody glory by MGP. Dramatic!