Ray Main

Posted on Wed, 26 May 2010 by midcenturyjo

Beautiful images of beautiful rooms. Strangely calm, restrained and elegant in their simplicity these photographs are by British photographer Ray Main. People often ask why we go on and on about the photographer and not the designer or owner. Besides the fact that we will always acknowledge the site where we find the images we use, it is the photographer that captures the beauty of the room for us to see and fall in love with. I’m sure that if we all traipsed through these rooms we’d love what we saw (after several thousand of us had trampled through) but because we can’t artists like Ray transport us there, we gasp and mentally note all we love and Ray’s job is done. He has captured all that inspires us. He has communicated the beauty.

  

  

  

Off the shelf retro

Posted on Tue, 25 May 2010 by midcenturyjo

I’m still flipping through the pages of Storage, A House and Garden Book, Melinda Davis, Pantheon Books, New York, 1978. Fab homes and fab ideas. I’d move right in to any of them. OK I lie. I just can’t do primary colours. Never could. So no red chairs and green walls and what I think is the world’s largest stack of Componibili storage units. I will however spend tonight dreaming of the Shaker room. Sigh.

Patrick Sutton

Posted on Mon, 24 May 2010 by midcenturyjo

Whether tailored and luxurious with sensuous leathers and rich woods and just a touch of refined masculinity or light and casually refined in that summer on the coast way, designer Patrick Sutton isn’t easily pigeonholed. Unless you call contemporary elegance with just enough luxe a pigeonhole. His work is at once glamorous as well as stylishly and deceptively simple. It’s romance and travel, luxury and layering. Life would be lovely in any of these rooms. As an aside I have a major design crush on the pink Murano chandelier married with those pink silk drapes. Love.

P.S. There’s a store too… oh my a very dangerous store. 

  

  

  

  

  

WINKS

Posted on Sat, 22 May 2010 by midcenturyjo

… just sitting on my coffee table

WINKS – weekend links. Here we list what has come in during the week, things we’ve found and things we think you’ll want to see. If you’d like to see your blog or website featured email us and if we think it fits with our readers we’ll link you. So what’s in this week? Everything from the over the top and luxurious to the simplest of crafty carry cases.

  • The Society Inc. ‘s Sibella Court has a new chalkboard paint range for Murobond Paints. Beautiful rich colours – black, blue, white, green, red and orange. So lush, so fun.

  • In Florence dreams are fashioned by artisan craftsman. Savio Firmino creates luxurious and at times over the top (no never over the top) furniture collections. Glamour and decadence, dreams and indulgence. Soaking in a tub with a vanity to primp and preen? If only!

  • Kim featured a video by Roberto Dutesco on her own page earlier this week. When his wife Fabiana Mortari emailed us I was captured by his photography of wild horses. Truly beautiful and incredibly powerful. And available for purchase. I’m dreaming of one over an aged wooden console. Simple but stunning.

  • Hide couture – amazing works of art for your floor by Kyle Bunting. The colours, the textures, the patterns. OMG I want to run my toes through these. But there is more! If these rugs have your heart pitter pattering then there are couture chairs and the richest coloured hide ottomans you could ever imagine. I know that some readers don’t like hide but I also know there are readers who swoon at the thought. If you love then go

  • I’ve been jumping through the pages of online outdoors specialist Home Infatuation. Thanks to publicist Erica I’ve been dreaming of summer fun from the simplest of plastic mats to stylish planters, cool loungers and the wild pop of lime green screens. Something for all tastes.

  • We’ve featured Parlor Textiles on WINKS before but when Angela emailed to let us know that Parlor Textiles is now selling pillows in addition to fabric yardage it was a good excuse to showcase their pretty patterns and colourways again. Initially they are offering seven styles, all in eco-friendly hemp/certified organic cotton and made in the USA. Angela tempted me with the news that they ship to Australia. Hmm… I might just have to change out my pillows… again!

  • And now for the simple, the bright, the fun, the crafty. Judy (of Kim’s recent reader’s request post) emailed back with thanks and a link to her cute decorated vintage cases. Kim loves this so much she thinking she might make it her own. Good luck with the auction Judy!

Friday has already finished for me. I’m 14 hours ahead of Kim. Sweet bliss to be finished with a working week and now I’m off to eat too much curry at a favourite local restaurant. Yum! So please excuse me if I just put together a quick stalking post. I’m still wandering the streets of Paddington in Sydney. Peering through virtual windows and daydreaming about how I’d rearrange things, a bit more colour here, a few more cushions there, change the rugs and art, more art. I do love the large blue artwork in the family dining room though and could easily live with that courtyard. Dream on girl! Go on… what would you change? Is it perfect in its calmly elegant monotones or would you throw it all out and start again? Link here while it lasts.