Design Bloggers Challenge...

Am I up to Maison 21's design bloggers challenge? I'm not sure, let's find out...

It all started with this little beauty...the style has been called everything from "mosco mafioso" to "bordello chic". I was actually kinda suprised that it didn't remind me of either of these things when M21 first posted it. I actually thought it was quite cool as far as chandeliers go - which normally aren't my thing. So, where to start? I think, like Mrs Blandings, it definitely needs a double height ceiling. I was originally thinking it would look a bit fab in an entry, and I know that's already been done, sorry, but here is my take on it!

I would love to see this in a room with white walls, using a framing technique I posted about last week, here. The frames around the walls definitely need to be in black, like the picture above. Oh, and a few of those black candles and chic sconces would be nice too - perhaps on either side of the entry to the main house. (Image from Vogue Living Australia, May/June 2006).

The floors would be black high gloss stone or timber - whichever you prefer - inlaid with chrome in a geometric pattern - like above. I think to stop the chandelier taking over and looking all a bit too much it needs a room thats a bit masculine looking and a little architectural. (Iimage from the book "Frances Elkins" by Steven Salny).

Then simply add a few choice pieces to the space, like a pair of these stunning Austrian Biedemeier chairs either side of this De Coene Frères console like so. Just add a big bunch of red roses for colour and voila!

What do you think?

The dream holiday house...

Sorry for the lack of posts this week folks. I don't really have an excuse. But, I will leave you for the weekend with these pics of a Hamptons home by Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz - I think I've found my dream holiday house!

It's the perfect blend of modern and traditional, don't you think? I wish I was spending this weekend laying around that pool....

Bond & Bowery

There is a collective conciousness of bloggers it seems. I've been meaning to do a post about Bond & Bowery for weeks now, and while I procrastinated and racked my brains on what to write about Bond & Bowery I was beaten to the puch by House of Beauty and Culture, AND Alkemie. So go check out their posts for the scoop. But to put in my 2 cents worth...

This TH Robsjohn-Gibbings chair at $1800 is a steal.

And this? This is exquisite.

Another Kelly update!

Okay, I guess I'm officially a stalker now...

After finding those new fabric designs I checked out the KWID website to see if there were any updates there and I found these...I totally loved this apartment when it was published in House & Garden (US) September 2006, but these photos are much better quality, more detailed, the colours are clearer - and there are extra shots that weren't featured. Yay! What an exciting morning I've had so far!

Kelly Wearstler sneak peek!

I was searching through the Lee Jofa website looking for fabrics for a project I'm working on and discovered these...

Sea Urchin - Ivory/Bone

Bengal Bazaar - Graphite

Katana - Mocha/Cream

Confetti - Cream

Some of the new designs by Kelly Wearstler due to launch this Fall/Autumn (for the Northern Hemisphere). So what do you think folks....do you like them? Better still, do you think they'll soon be as ubiquitous as good old Imperial Trellis??

Thank you!

Thanks to Betsy Hendrikx from the From Betsy With Love blog for passing on the Brillante Blogger award to me!! How sweet!

Apparently the “rules” for the brilliant award are (this is all new to me):
1) When received, you may post the premio to you blog
2) Link to the blogger you received it from
3) Pass on to 7 blogs
4) Link to those 7 blogs
5)…and leave those seven bloggers a comment about receiving the brilliant premio.

So here are my picks:

1. The Peak of Chic
2. Habitually Chic
3. Maison 21
4. All The Best
5. Mrs Blandings
6. Absolutely Beautiful Things
7. Decorno

Cheers!

Framing a room

I'm a bit of a fan of bright white mouldings - I think they make a room look fresh and bright - especially those with period details and high ceilings. Adding glossy black doors and a narrow border in the cornice to a room makes all the difference, it adds a modern graphic touch to what could be an otherwise traditional interior. I love how these designers have used borders in the mouldings to literally frame the room.

Two wonderful examples by NY based design firm Marshall Watson - the black border inside the cornice, along with pale coloured walls is such a great look. Photos from House Beautiful.

The technique, used by Steven Gambrel with perfection, looks fantastic in the entrance of this very smart gentleman's apartment.

A very grand room by Eileen Katherine Boyd in a NY showhouse. She has elaborated on this technique by adding a border to the corners of each wall, and along the skirting - truly framing the walls of the room. A stunning result.

A similar concept - Suzanne Rheinstein frames the entrance to her dining room with red grosgrain ribbon. How fabulous! Photo from the Elle Decor book, "Designing Women".

Now, if only my ceilings were this high...!

Books!

I found this self portrait of Karl Lagerfeld in the new Elle Decoration (UK) - along with a quote by Schopenhauer..."It would be great if you could buy with the books the time to read them". To that I add - and the space to keep them! Now that we're almost settled in the new apartment I finally have some more time to catch up on my reading, although it seems the list never ends.


Have a great weekend!

Today I'm loving...

the deco detailing of the Mayfair silverware from Ralph Lauren...

so beautiful!

more from Christian Lyon

Last night, whilst browsing through back-issues of Belle magazine for something else unrelated, I finally found this apartment by Christian Lyon. I've had it in my head since the last post I did about him - one of my favorite interior designers - almost a year ago. I promised to find some more images to share and now finally I can.

Inspired by luxury ocean liners from the art deco era, Perth based Lyon has created a stunning home for his clients in this massive 3-story mansion (which happens to contain a bar, dance floor, squash courts, gym, saunas, and a 21-seat private cinema). Sourcing trips to Europe and the US have provided much of the furniture and accessories that make this home so different from almost any other in the country. In true Lyon style, the furniture and colour palette simply oozes glamour.


A Christian Lyon designed armchair sits next to a table by Nancy Corzine on top of which sits a Donghia lamp. A very pretty vignette.


A mix of custom designed pieces in the living space. Apart from the acid green and cobalt blue curtains, the colours are very serene. I'm loving the stonework around the fireplace (to the left).


Chandeliers by Donghia in the dining room above a very glam crystal dining table. If that's not fit for a hollywood starlet, then I don't know what is!


A close-up of the dining room sideboard, from Nancy Corzine. The lamp is from Alexandre Biaggi (a gorgeous store in Paris that you should definitely check out on your next visit), and goat-skin covered cocktail set. The article doesn't mention it, but they look to me like they could be by Aldo Tura.

Another seating area, looking out over the informal dining area. I wish I had the space for one dining area like this, let alone two!


In the entrance, a deco era table and lamp with a 30's leather carved bas relief. Love it. Love it all!

The ocean liner inspiration is evident here with the grand spiralled staircase.

A very glamorous looking bedroom, and so luxuriously large! I love that chaise, and the dressing table, and the side chair...

I just wish the talented Mr Lyon had a website so I could get my fix of his work more often.

From Belle Australia December 2004, photography by Anson Smart.

If I had the space...

and the money...I would buy this stunning dining suite by Osvaldo Borsani...

but I don't...so maybe you should?

Our new apartment - after shots

Finally, I can share the after photos! Let me just preface this post with a disclaimer. I am in no way declaring that this space is a) finished, b) fabulous, or c) furnished! Of course it's going to look bigger with no furniture in it, but I am not quite ready to share those photos with you... So, in the meantime, at least take a look at the multitude of sins that a few tins of paint have managed to (mostly) cover up.....

Living Room - again looking from the front door. Yes, it still looks like a bowling alley, but I think the space looks more open and consistent. As you can clearly see, I opted for a light colour, rather than chocolate brown - which I had also considered. I didn't go the dark colour road because, while I think this space is a great candidate for a rich dark colour, we would've had to repaint the place once we were done and ready to leave. And while I had no idea just what a task was at hand when I was chosing the colours, I'm glad I took this path because believe me, I am not painting anything again in a long time!

The second major change is the sisal carpet we had laid wall to wall in the entire space. Mostly to cover up the ghastly tiles in the kitchen/dining, but mostly because as the spaces are joined I wanted them to feel more like one large (and long) space, rather than two smaller connected spaces.

It may be hard to see in these photos, but there were cupboards along one wall which we've converted to bookshelves (as seen on the left side of the below photo) - the doors came off easily and a few coats of paint have allowed us to open up the room ever so slightly, and to display the books my husband and I have amassed between the two of us.

This view (above) is looking back at the entrance from the living room. Those beyond ugly light fittings are still with us, temporarily, until I find a suitable replacement.

From the dining room looking back into the living room. Kitchen is to the left, but as a rental we weren't able to change that or the bathroom, so we have to live with those as they are. Barely visible are the wires for the surround sound system (the black speakers were expelled) that will be installed at some stage (with small white speakers!).

This photo to me shows the greatest amount of change. The front bedroom before was so terribly ugly, and now its actually one of the nicest brightest rooms in the apartment. This photo doesn't show much, but to me its what is not there that makes it so nice (the old bed and built-ins the landlord removed for us).

There is still a bit of work left to do, and lots of cleaning. I'm still finding areas to touch up with paint, and paint spots that need removing. But we're getting there. Next on the to-do list is to get a few pieces recovered so I can perhaps share some real after shots, fully furnished...