Interior Design Sense

Dahlings, check out this wonderful structure in Bath (in the county of Somerset in South West England) that was designed in 1790. Somerset Place spectacular example of Georgian architecture (designed by John Eveleigh) is about to be restores into a series of luxury residences (ranging from 3,100 to 5,700 sq ft). The grandeur of those windows is to die for, and I’d absolutely want to keep as much of the original finishes intact as possible – LOVE the walls with all that history showing through. I wouldn’t even paint! This is my dream home. (More info on the local estate agent’s page if you want to snap one up for yourself!)

A big thanks to one of our readers, Kris from Vancouver, who just got back froma month in Europe (hate you!). Kris spent a bit of time in Copenhagen and stayed at this incredible hotel called Hotel Alexandra. It’s filled with classic Danish furniture and is an absolute dream for anyone out there like me who has a soft spot for anything Danish. I’m talking about the Pelican chair by Finn Juhl, Arne Jacobsen – clocks, Swan + Egg chair, Hans Wegner Teddy Bear chair, Børge Mogensen chairs, a Verner Panton suite…and SWEET vintage posters! 

I just wanted to say thanks for dropping by each day. This blog has taken me on such a wonderful journey and given me my creative moxy back. So much so I have done something very exciting and a little scary. I have opened a new bricks and mortar store in my home town of Ipswich, Queensland with my good friend Kerrie. Faded Empire, Shop 2, 17 Ellenborough St, Ipswich in fact. A contemporary shop with an old soul. Fashion, furnishings, flowers and of course interiors. I promise there will be pictures to come but we are still tweaking a few things. (What am I saying! The doors are open but the new lighting isn’t in. We are still awaiting some stock and the cabinets for the jewellery are in pieces but we are close, very close.) Here are just a few of the flowers I put together for Mother’s Day last week. They may be a few days old but I hope you don’t mind

An eye for it. That’s what we say. He has an eye for it. And photographer Nik Epifanidis does. A graphic eye, an eye for colour. Beautiful shots of beautiful spaces but with a natural eye. No fuss just substance but what substance! An understanding of the architecture, the interior design. An eye for it you’d have to say!

Marleen wrote us about a shop in the Netherlands called Dutch Design Year and while we try to stay away from blogging products, these shots are fantastic so I thought I’d break our rule this time because I love me a great photo! (P.S. I want this pendant lamp!)

Marleen wrote us about a shop in the Netherlands called Dutch Design Year and while we try to stay away from blogging products, these shots are fantastic so I thought I’d break our rule this time because I love me a great photo! (P.S. I want this pendant lamp!)

I am in awe of this weekend home submitted by a reader named Margarida. Here is a bit of info she included: Its located 13 kms from the little village monsaraz & alqueva big lake in the region of alentejo (Portugal). Its our new weekend and holiday family house but its concept was done to be rentable by other families so we are building the new site for it. The Architecture project was done by João favila Menezes. He is very talented and conceptual artist. The interior decoration was done by myself and there is still a lot to do  it accommodates 12 people and it took us 3 years to finish this project and the idea was to have a piece of modern land that would allow us to go free on modernity but respecting the landscape and the traditions of alentejo architecture. the next step on this family investment is the building of a garden, its a project made by an amazing award winning architecture Teresa Barão. It is absolutely beautiful in its surroundings, and perfection in its simplicity. WOW!

Barefoot luxury. That’s what the owners, a young family, wanted when they asked South African based ANTONI ASSOCIATES to design the interiors of their recently purchased home. Stone and marble play off beautiful timber floors to provide texture and soften the clean lines of the contemporary architecture. Rough formed concrete is balanced by smooth white bulkheads and soft recessed lighting. Warm, tactile, inviting and definitely a home for entertaining. Open bar anyone?

Shipping pallets and containers. An outdoors art space temporarily created for the 2012 Brisbane Festival.  A performance and exhibition space where the building materials were borrowed from sponsors and returned at the end of the festival. Now I’m not suggesting for you to “borrow” pallets to define spaces within your backyard but what a cool idea. Designed by Brisbane architects A-CH (Atelier Chen Hung).

Naturally, my first thought was, ‘oh, another box.’ Oh, what a well-designed box! The skylights, the openness and light throughout, the level changes, the upgraded floors (excellent), the sight lines — this is worthy stuff. Sure, I’d bring in color, but this design allows the scandi touch – yay! I’d change the rooftop aesthetic, something more food-friendly, but otherwise, this is a dream house. I’m pure urban, so I love the neighborhood too.