From big city rooftop gardens to high end homes, from boho and quirky collections to midcentury modern and ending up with the only faux fur clad rooms you’ll ever see on DTI. Welcome to the portfolio of photographer Bob O’Connor. Great shots that capture the character, the whimsy and the downright kitsch. The man not only has a great eye but a sense of humour.

And wait for it…. drum roll please…. faux fur and fabulous!…. OK maybe not fabulous 🙂 Thank you Bob for capturing these.

My head is racing with too many things. Work, the blog, home (maybe even a new house… there you go I’ve jinxed it… need to touch wood). Holidays in far off places with sunny climes and pure peace and simplicity keep popping into my mind. If only. La petite Bastide near the the village of Lourmarin in Provence. My sigh is almost as strong as the mistral.

A few weeks ago Zdenka sent pictures of her adorable pups for Pets on Furniture. I loved what I saw of her Croatian home in the background. Of course I didn’t go lurking straight away. No I only decided to snoop further today. I’m glad I did! Zdenka’s home is amazing. Simple, stylish, fresh and… you can stay there. It’s the House of Gold and perches in a steep winding lane in the medieval village of Motovun. I’m thinking of getting together a house party. Want to come? (If only it wasn’t a dream… I’d love to visit Croatia.) If you want to see what Zdenka started with and her renovation journey visit her blog. It’s not for the faint hearted. OMG what a transformation!

… and thanks for the long weekend!

Let me explain. It’s a long weekend in most (but not all) of Australia. We are having an extra day off because it’s Queen Elizabeth II ‘s birthday. Except that was back in April and I live in a country that is slowly moving towards a republic. Just a good Aussie excuse of a three day weekend. So happy belated birthday Liz, Queen of  the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. I bet they all celebrate your birthday on different days too! Does that mean 16 birthday cakes? For the rest of you welcome to our latest reading guide.

+ fotogénica – remember that name. They are the photography studio that has me so excited. There is something about Spanish design that is so hot at the moment. Their amazing interiors buy into the whole rustic trend so well but it’s a sophisticated interpretation. Stylish but real. Steeped in history but refreshingly modern. And + fotogénica, a collaboration between Carlos Yagüe and Pili Molina understand the Spanish look so well. They are more than just photographer and stylist. They are editors and journalists, a graphic designer and a lover of images and design, of light and style. It’s a holistic approach. No wonder their work appears in Interiores and Elle Deco. New photographer duo crush and I think I will have this one for quite some time.