Through the lens of a camera a room comes to life on page and screen. No point and click can suffice to capture the beauty and personality of a well designed space though. It takes an eye and a gift to transport the viewer into the picture, to experience what a room is all about. We know it though as something else… room porn. Gorgeous snaps that make us dream, lust and covet. Welcome to the portfolio of photographer Robin Stubbert.

Original, creative, tailored, at times a little quirky. Soft furnishings are not often associated with these terms but then the work created by London-based Violet and George is not your average garden variety curtains and cushions. Their unique designs are born of their passion for textiles within interiors. Hairy goat ottomans, Spanish flamenco ruffle drapes, men’s tailored eames chairs and sexy lampshades are just some of my favourites from their portfolio. And for something completely out of the box (and definitely not for everyone) what I can only describe as a carnivorous bunny powder room. Now that’s quirky.

Perched on a ridge overlooking the sea at Seal Rocks north of Newcastle in NSW is an idyllic beach side retreat. A series of pavilions rises up the slope providing space to live, relax and escape from the everyday world. Simple finishes and fittings are stylish and forgiving but the greatest luxury of this house is the view. What a view. Miles and miles of ocean and coastline vistas to sooth the soul and recharge the mind. I could live forever sitting quietly on the deck watching the waves roll in, whales swim past on their annual migration and fisherman cast their lines. Seal Rocks House by Bourne Blue Architecture.

Gallerist Yuri Psinakis turned to designer Mark McCullough (unfortunately no website yet) when it came time to turn his 3 floor loft in the Soma area of San Francisco from cookie cutter new build into a stylish and sophisticated home. McCullough has created a number of intimate spaces within the box like space using a mature colour palette and rich layering of textures. Psinakis then added the finishing touches from carefully curating an enviable art collection to the smart tableaus dotted around his home. No sterile art gallery existence here but a rich still life for everyday living.

The photos by Lynn Kloythanomsup of Architectural Black. Wonderful!

3 levels of Paddington, Sydney terrace house redesigned as a luxurious inner city pad. Rough brick walls sit alongside velvet, leather, silk and crystal while in the kitchen Calcutta marble meets polished concrete. Rising through it all the star of the show is the glass and steel staircase. A house that needs more sympathetic photography to really convince me but oh my the staircase against that wall…. brilliant. Link here while it lasts.