Holiday

This is where I am off to tomorrow morning for Christmas. Can't wait. Thank you to all who have visited here this year. I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and every good wish for 2010. I'll be back, refreshed and ready for another year at Folder of Ideas in January.

Filling stockings

Today is my last child free day until the end of January (aaghh!) so I am racing around trying to get organised for Christmas before I have my two small boys in permanent tow.

Image: not known

Ribbons

Love this 'ribbons' cushion by Ponyrider. The fabric design is so clever. I'm thinking, why don't people buy beautiful homewares for people as gifts more often - especially something like this which would go with most decors and many rooms. I for one would be delighted if someone turned up with a lovely cushion as a gift.

Image: Ponyrider

Christmas books

Books have always been a big part of Christmas in my house - as children we were always given books and we still, as adults, exchange a lot of books as gifts. I have a lovely collection of Christmas books my boys have been given over the years which I put away each year with the decorations.

If I had one of these wall mounted book racks I could create a little Christmas library and then after Christmas put out all the new books to make sure they get well read. I think these are a lovely feature in a small child's room as so any children's books are works of art in themselves. These are from Pottery Barn in the US. I have not seen similar for sale in Australia but they would not be too hard to replicate.

Images: Pottery Barn, via Little Green Notebook

A gift for a hallway

These aren't terribly exciting photos but - as you will probably know most of Georg Jensen's products are beautiful to look at and hold and these instruments are no different so you just need to imagine the real thing. I have been toying with the idea of trying to find an antique barometer for my hallway but I am into old and new together (my house is 100 years old) and think I have now settled on a triptych of a thermometer, hygrometer and barometer by Georg Jensen for the hallway's Christmas list.

Images: Georg Jensen

Cardboard Safari

Aren't these pretty ? And all the more so when you find out that they are made from 100% recycled cardboard - should offset the mountain of toy packaging, wrapping paper and fuel we all consume in the Christmas gift extravaganza to a degree. And there is more . . . you can paint the cardboard pieces before assembling the wreath to suit your scheme. Cardboard Safari make a range of funky cardboard animals and wall decorations as well as this seasonal range.

Images: Cardboard Safari

Rachel E Foster

I love getting emails from the Keep Calm Gallery in London as there is always something new I like. I missed out on Rachel E Foster's first Kissing Checklist which I think would make a gorgeous gift for a loved one or a newly engaged couple. The good news is that she has brought out a second list in a limited run of 20, when I looked this morning there were only 9 left so get in quick and start kissing.

Galerie Monmartre

Regular readers of The Design Files will be familiar with Melbourne's Galerie Monmartre as there is usually some lovely vintage poster winking at you in the sidebar of Lucy's blog. This is my pick from their current selection. I met my husband in Zurich and we spent three years working there and walked past the big Bally shop on Bahnhofstrasse many many times.

Image: Galerie Monmartre

Designer stockings

OK, enough about sore throats and runny noses, time for some Christmas cheer and gift ideas here at Folder of Ideas. These very fancy Christmas stockings - many in Kelly Wearstler fabrics - are by Plum Cushion a lovely etsy shop you can find here.

Image: Plum Cushion

Rest cure

Poor show on the posting rate in November - this will bring me to a measly 13. It has been a busy term. I've just finished the first year of my interior styling course and in true end of year form have come down with strep throat. I had no idea strep throat was this painful, I'm waiting for the antibiotics to do their stuff and in the meantime addicted to Nurofen Plus.

I think I need to curl up somewhere like this for a few days to recuperate. Once I reemerge the plan is to include a few gift ideas this December in addition to normal posts.

via Weekend Host

Funky Munkii

This landed in my inbox a few days ago. I love things that have a twist. This is the Vintage bookcase designed by Singaporean designer Jaren Goh and it is available through Munkii. Have a look at the 'about' tab on the Munkii site - sounds like Vintage has been a labour of love.

Images: Munkii

Biedermeier bedroom

This bedroom is from the portfolio of long time favourite of mine Nathan Egan. The antique Biedermeier furniture takes pride of place and the plain white linen and neutral walls allow the furniture to star in the room. There is an interesting little piece on the Biedermeier era in design and architecture on good old Wikipedia. For those in the mood for a little history lesson read more here.

Image: Nathan Egan

Blue haven

I'm cracking through the bedrooms I've collected in the folder of ideas - I always find it hard to go past crisp blue and white bed linen. I don't know where this linen is from but it has a distinct Tord Boontje flavour . . .

Image: via Design Shimmer

Rapture and Wright

If only my weekend was going to be as serene as this bedroom looks but no. Beautiful fabrics from Rapture and Wright.

Image: Rapture and Wright

Attention shoppers

Pop up shops and events seem to be the go these days and for Sydneysiders this looks like a great shopping event. See www.magnoliasquare.com.au for a full list of retailers which includes Heaven in Earth a favourite of mine for the garden. Starts today.

the shoppers

As always I had a number of favourites at this year's Sculpture by the Sea exhibition. This lovely blue and white pattern was on a large shopping bag, part of 'the shoppers' by Jie Qian. That's one of my little co-explorers with the blue hat to the left. 'the shoppers' had lots of small women figures scaling the bag on the sides - the artist asking the question will we gain satisfaction through material goods or end up lost in a life of luxury ?

Image: Folder of Ideas

Kitchen benches

These kitchens both have cleverly thought through seating. Simple tables with statement chairs are arranged for the usual number of family members but the side benches mean that when a crowd needs to be accommodated you can turn the table and seat everybody comfortably. The first kitchen is by Melbourne based interior design team Doherty Lynch whose broader portfolio here is well worth browsing through. In the bottom kitchen I also really like the cook book shelf over the bench seating. I love the colour and interest a line of good books adds to a kitchen.

Images: Doherty Lynch, not known

More is more

Personally I am much more minimal in the kitchen that this one which belongs to artist and director Mike Meire and his family. I kept these because the generosity of the whole room really appealed to me - the huge island and flower arrangement, the massive collection of kitchen utensils and copper pans. It is unconventional - with the three free standing drawer units each supporting a different appliance - but the huge windows and grand scale draw me in.

Images: via Desire to Inspire

Susann's kitchen

Things have been pretty busy for me lately hence the sporadic posting but with renewed energy I am committed to clearing out my inspiration folders and posting all the photos that have been hanging around all year waiting for the right mood to take me. So on some dasy there might not be alot of text - but hopefully the pictures will speak for themselves.

First off - kitchens. I have two favourite styles - soft modern (not too slick or shiny) and traditional - as I live in an old house. This kitchen belongs to Susann Larsson of Purple Area fame - I like it a lot, the doors and windows letting in light and air, especially the door by the fridge and the change in levels for the eating area - adding a bit of interest to the open plan space.

Actually Susann's whole house is amazing - see more photos here. Till tomorrow ...

Images: Purple Area

Dressing room chic

I can go on and on about how much I like Neisha Croslands designs - they are so elegant and understated. The header on my blog is Bird Tree by NC. The papers below are Clematis Flower and Firework Flower. They are quite 50s-ish but not overly retro which is probably why I like them.

Images: Neisha Crosland via Skonahem

High standard

No Chintz is one of my local lovely fabric shops. They have a design service making blinds and cushions etc and they also make custom lampshades covering them in the fabric of your choice. I really like this standard lamp shade - it is old fashioned and modern at the same time.

Image: No Chintz

Book Club

I'm off to book club tonight - although some would suggest that it is more a dinner and wine club but I beg to differ - I've read my book this month !! This is the Penguin Wine Hod by UK designer Steuart Padwick. The perfect little side table for those prone to leaving full wine glasses on the floor and then inadvertently kicking them across the room. The 2009 model shown first has four little wine glass slots which would be ideal for a small apartment or balcony.

Images: Steuart Padwick

Happy Halloween

Image: Helen O'Meara

China blue

Little Green Notebook is one of my regular blog reads and full of great ideas and inspiration. I do feel a bit slow and inadequate as Jenny flies through her home projects at alarming speed. This Chiang Mai fabric is a favourite of hers - in a brighter blue orange colourway so I had a look at Schumacher fabrics to see other colours as I love the pattern and here it is (a bit more me) in all the blues. Schumacher fabrics are available here in Australia.

Image: Schumacher

One Thread

Beautiful fair trade pillows from One Thread. These are made in India and come in jewel colours and silver and gold if you look through the site. One Thread's aim is to help marginalised artisan workers take their products to market in a way that is beneficial to the individuals .

Image: via BLTD

Kitchen classics - painted Ercol

As if I needed more classic chairs to consider for my kitchen area along comes the revival of Ercol style high backed chairs and armchairs to add to the mix. I already have Wishbones, Thonet and Eames on my list of possibilities. Although some people really hate seeing wooden furniture painted I am open minded on this topic and - if it means that fewer old chairs end up on the scrap heap, all the better. I think what I need to do is a comfort test for all my options as, after all, looks are not everything.

Images: Trent Bell via Desire to Inspire, Brown and Orange, Elephant & Monkey

Metafora

Look at this for a vanity and sink - its not big on storage with just one hidden drawer underneath but so glamorous, perfect for a powder room where really only a few hand towels are required. Metafora by Artelinea is Italian of course and is fashionably decked out in the Pantone Colour of the Year Mimosa Yellow. The vanity comes in black and white and you can choose the colour of the glass top.

Images: Artelinea