Ultimate urban chic. That’s how the designers Spring & Mercer describe this Covent Garden show apartment. A desaturated palette, custom furniture, a nod to the mid century and a distinct masculine vibe. Ultimate urban chic indeed.

My second loft space is in South Melbourne. In, wait for it, a former biscuit and cake factory. Who wouldn’t want to live in a cake factory? A little warmer with a bit more personality than the first loft. I could see myself moving in and just adding a few more of my tchotchkes and a splash of colour. It’s a tad brown for me at the moment. There’s a cellar too. Perhaps a dungeon man cave for my husband? Link here while it lasts.

I’m stalking two industrial style lofts today. The first, in a former produce store in Richmond, Melbourne is mind blowing. The open plan design over several levels, the concrete and timber, the steel and the brick are all classic industrial loft riffs. The design stars for me are the two fireplaces. Oh my! I’d be lighting fires in summer and cranking up the air conditioning to cope! OK so it  needs some personalising. It’s like a cross between a bachelor pad and a half empty furniture consignment store. But the bones! Oh the bones! For when I win the lottery. Link here while it lasts.

Bright and fresh, young and playful. Whether soft pastel colours with whites and greys or rich and earthy with timber and stone these homes are stylish and luxuriously simple. Lean of line but big on impact. By Stacey Kouros Design.

P.S. I’ve included a couple of commercial images for their cool ideas.

Just as Australian architects and interior designers are creating fabulously stylish and liveable homes our landscape designers are reworking the concept of a patch of grass weeds and a few mismatched potted plants as urban garden. Our outdoor spaces are an extension of our homes. We spend almost as much time in outside in the warmer months as in our living rooms. The boundary between inside and out is blurred and the great outdoors isn’t way out in the bush. No it’s just a few steps from our back door. Whenever I need inspiration for amazing urban outdoor living I just head over to Secret Gardens. It’s no secret they are the best in the business.