Very much

Posted on Mon, 3 Jun 2013 by midcenturyjo

The morning draws on. The muffled thrum of a neighbour’s lawn mower provides the base note to the batting rhythm of a moth against the large window. There is someone somewhere in the house. A staccato of heels, the shudder of an old water pipe. A waft of coffee brewing. It cuts across the scent of gladioli. It is peaceful here. Beautiful. So beautiful. Time hangs still between the slow tock of an old clock. “Do you like my old house?” I turn with a smile and answer her. “Yes. Oh yes, very much.”

A lovely home via jj Locations.

Rethink: The way you live

Posted on Sat, 1 Jun 2013 by midcenturyjo

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot.   Photos – Mikkel Vang.  Published by Murdoch Books.

Day after day Kim and I bring you inspirational and aspirational homes. At times I wonder if we are peddling an unsustainable dream. The vast majority of us will not live in a large house, on a large block of land with interiors outfitted with a large amount of money. High end is not the real end for most of us. And there is nothing wrong with that. Most o f us will live in apartments. We will share bedrooms and facilities. We will not  have $450 a drop wallpaper or even brand new furniture. But we will all strive to create family homes that are beautiful and sustainable and real. In fact it is liberating to know that throwing money at a house isn’t necessarily the way to go or grow.

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

Amanda Talbot is an internationally renowned authority on interiors, style and design. She has worked for some of the biggest decor magazines and design firms on the planet. Think British ELLE Decoration and Livingetc to IKEA and WGSN. She’s a trend forecaster and the author of Rethink: The way you live. Published by Murdock Books in 2012, and know in its second reprint, the book explores and celebrates the way people are starting to live, to redesign and redefine what they need to live well (and well informed). Homes are were we live and create, where we struggle and strive, where we love  and where we celebrate. Ritual, dreams and design. But Rethink: The way you live isn’t a dry and crusty manifesto. Amanda travelled with Copenhagen based photographer Mikkel Vang to Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Paris, London, New York, Japan, and Australia to document global design trends within our homes and our communities. What resulted is a book of inspiring ideas and gorgeous images. A little subversive don’t you think? Beauty and brains and bucket loads of reality. Having already struck a cord with readers in the UK and Australia, Amanda’s view needs to be read by a wider audience. It’s inspiring. So if you can’t find it in your bookstore there is always Amazon 😉

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

Rethink: the way you live by Amanda Talbot. Photos – Mikkel Vang. Published by Murdoch Books.

P.S. The amazing book design is by Kate Dennis of This is Ikon and you can see more on Bettina Winkler‘s site.

Suite Arquitetos

Posted on Fri, 31 May 2013 by midcenturyjo

Two cool, or should that be too cool, spaces by Brazilian firm Suite Arquitetos. A stylin’ little apartment with a clever movable TV and a patio area with an amazing lighting system. The jury is still out on the astroturf 🙂

Rainy day, a lull between customers, the shop is momentarily empty, quick online real estate stalking, oops hop off the computer, say hello to new customer as they walk in. That will teach me. (Hi Megan nice to meet you today!) Found this warehouse in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Just about my favourite suburb in my favourite Australian city. Even better this conversion is actually two homes. You bet I’m taking the ground floor one with the courtyard, the trusses and the cool brick. But you can come visit and stay in the other one. I better stop stalking and get back to work. Link here while it lasts.

My house still wants to be this house

Posted on Thu, 30 May 2013 by midcenturyjo

Hooray! I found more photos of the house my house wants to be when it grows up (see here). Design by Strangetrader (Andrea Duff and Robert Schwamberg you are amazing!), photos by Prue Ruscoe for Vogue Living. I have the issue. It’s dog eared and has saliva from my drooling.