Drama, symmetry, classicism, modern art, order and sex appeal. Yes an unusual combination but we are talking about the high art interiors of Madrid interior designer Luis Bustamante. A sculptor and painter in an earlier career his interiors are passionate and with an artist’s eye for the balance of volume and shape and colour. Definitely not for the minimalist. High points for me? The black and white luxury of the dressing room, the art and that library! We have been keeping it simple on the blog for a little while. It’s time to step it up.

If only I could climb through my computer screen you would find me on this deck sunning and relaxing. I can hear the water in the kettle softly tumbling as it boils. Join me in the soft Swedish afternoon sun? Tea or coffee? A good photographer can always transport you to another place, another space. Mattias Tiedermann via Agent Molly & Co.

Three interiors from Honolulu/San Francisco based interior design firm Philpotts. The first, a loft in SF with a distinct industrial vibe, dare one say, perhaps leaning a little towards steampunk. The second is a teenager’s room where every inch of the small space has been considered and put to use. Love the clever bed nook. Change the colours and accessories to suit your style because this design is a winner or should that be a pinner? Finally an Asian inspired show house room where the firm’s Hawaiian roots are subtly present.

A simple family holiday home at Shoal Bay on the rugged coastline that is New Zealand’s southern Hawkes Bay. An unpretentious bach, the beach side shelter that the kiwis do so well. This is a holiday home where sand is trekked in and wet swim suits are the norm. Sliding screens provide shelter from the changing winds and decks between pavilions allow the sun to shine in and cosy spots to be in yet out. A house that has a sense of place, of past, of person, of purpose. A house by Wellington-based Parsonson Architects.

A house with definite ideas on inside out living. A series of cubes that almost tumble across the small inner city block. Open plan living with a separate bedroom pavilion. I’m stalking a townhouse in Prahran, Melbourne. Love the change of levels and the courtyard. Link here while it lasts.