Georgian splendour

I don't do a huge amount of real estate stalking but sometimes it can be very rewarding. Everyone will know that my homeland is really struggling economically. One outcome of this is that some pretty special properties are coming on to the market (not always for happy reasons) but at least we get to have a peek inside. I read the Irish Times online and this is where I found this great Georgian house. My parents lived around the corner from this house in a flat in a similar Georgian building when they were first married. They had to move out when I was born as children weren't allowed ! I love the way the owners of this property have allowed the architecture to sing and their impressive looking art collection to do the rest. The funky kitchen and orange table work well for me too. Lots more details here while the link lasts.

Images: via here

Perpetual Motion

So I am now back home in Sydney and have just about stopped nodding off in corners - must be my advancing years - have not been quite so jet lagged in some time. I am so lucky to be able to call two countries home and I had a truly fantastic few weeks in Ireland.

I have a massive volume of material to get on the blog and the usual time limitations but here goes. This sculpture 'Perpetual Motion' is by one of my favourite public artists in Ireland - Rachel Joynt. As you know when you are visiting family one is in perpetual motion and I sped past this milestone on the motorway west of Dublin many times during my trip.


It also got me thinking about black, white and yellow - a colour scheme that has been around for a while with Mimosa yellow being last year's colour of the year. This fetching apartment was featured in The Gloss - an Irish newspaper magazine. Love the fact that the accent colour comes from the National Geographic magazine and the original shelving for the china collection.

Images: Rachel Joynt, The Gloss

Florence's apartment in Paris

This months Inside Out features the Paris home of designer Florence Baudoux, beautifully photographed by Richard Powers. My favourite room is the bathroom - old beaded cabinetry combined with modern fittings. In my quest for this picture I came across a French article about the same apartment with more great photographs by Jean-Marc Palisse but no joy on a decent shot of the bathroom - hence the scan below. It is hard to see but the drawers have tiny spherical carvings that are repeated in the modern black and white painting on the wall and I think it was a clever move to paint the large old fashioned radiator in a dark shade also. The whole apartment is very inspiring - well worth buying a copy of Inside Out or flicking through the CoteMaison gallery.

Click to enlarge

Images: Jean-Marc Palisse, Richard Powers via CoteMaison and Inside Out

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

Favourite houses: James Robertson House

There are areas of Pittwater about 40 km from Sydney's centre where people live on bays and beaches that are only accessible by boat. Many commute by tinny or ferry to Palm Beach and on into the city to work. This house is one such house. James Robertson house is an award winning design by Dawson Brown architects on Great Mackeral Beach. It is built right into the rocks in a series of pavilions - this only a selection of the images available - google James Robertson house if you want to see more about the building. Love the views and reflections. The sculpture over the dining table is an aboriginal fishing basket.

Images: Architecture.com, Casey Brown, Belle Magazine

Ibizan style

I get a number of Irish publications mailed to me in Sydney which is a luxury I really enjoy. Even though I read a lot online the power of print still reigns and I love flicking through my Irish Times magazine (equivalent to the SMH Good Weekend) and Image Interiors.

This fabulous villa in Ibiza was featured on the cover of Image Interiors recently and deservedly so. It was designed by John Meagher of de Blacam and Meagher architects. It is minimal without being sterile, and not just a pretty face, really functional as a holiday house with separate guest quarters - along by the pool which are rented out and a master suite upstairs. List of favourite things - the colonnade, the lanterns in the colonnade and the ceilings which are based on traditional style in the area of exposed beams and terracotta tiles.

Photos: Peter Cook via www.worldarchitecturenews.com

Favourite houses: Amsterdam apartment

This beautiful apartment owned by fashion and interior stylist Peter Shaffrey was featured in the latest edition of Image Interiors magazine. There are so many things I like about it I had to include most of the photos here. The space in itself is fabulous - high ceilings and huge windows. My list of things to love about this apartment - dramatic hallway, the living room, sleek kitchen, the gorgeous art deco bedroom furniture. I also don't mind a bit of laboratory / vintage industrial in interiors - hence the close up of the little retort stand beside the bed. There is lots more to see on Peter Shaffreys website. His home page has an Oscar Wilde quote on it that I have always enjoyed:

"I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best "

Images: Peter Shaffrey

Clarissa Hulse

Clarissa Hulse www.clarissahulse.com is a British designer of fabrics, wallpapers and homewares. Many are based on a botanical theme and her colour palette ranges from very classic and beautiful naturals to a riot of colour and contrast.

Some of her designs are available here in Australia through The Selvedge Group. There is also a range of limited edition refurbished and reupholstered furniture available in the UK. My favourite is the blue chair in the first picture below.

Clarissa Hulse's own home has been widely featured in the media in Europe and I have included a few shots below. Love the study nook and the dining chairs (which look very like my favourites from Pols Potten). Finally I would also draw your attention to the colour palettes section of her website for more inspiration.

Tuath na Mara

A number of blogs I follow are covering Irish design this week which is lovely for me as being so far away it is hard to keep up to date with everything thats happening in Ireland. This house was featured by Apartment Therapy and I hadn't seen it before. Tuath na Mara is on Lough Swilly in Co.Donegal and is a prize winning design by Mac Gabhann Architects You can see why from the photos below. Its incredibly sensitive to its surrounding environment while offering its residents stunningly framed views from all angles. Yes, another for my 'if we ever build a holiday house' folder !

Images: www.macgabhannarchitects.ie

Vertical garden by Joost Bakker

Over a year ago on the ABC gardening programme I saw these vertical gardens used for a fabulous wall of herbs in a chefs garden. The herb garden was made from steel reinforcing mesh (see earlier post on wine racks using the same concept here).

And so I have kept an eye out for them ever since without any luck until .... Joost Bakkers house was featured in the latest copy of Vogue Living. As you can see from the photos below Joost - an in demand floral designer - has taken the vertical garden to the max, cladding his whole house in racking and terracotta pots. How you would maintain them I'm not sure !!

I think this a great idea for a feature in any garden but especially for small gardens and balconies. I like the effect of the corrugated silver behind the pots in the shot above - but as I'm not the worlds best gardener can't advise if a herb garden could take the reflected heat.

Joost Bakker has designed vertical garden systems for Schiavello and there are more images there. No details on pricing but I am going to find out.

Images: Schiavello, Vogue Living