Phillipe I by Casamina

Special Philippe I tables by Casamina.  Lovely combination of turned leg and dipped in paint effect.

Image: Casamina via Habitus

Arctic Pear - the big one

Technical diffculties in abundance at present but am trying to keep trying to use blogger in IE9 - not easy I can tell you.  I have posted the Arctic Pear lamp before, but not its very glamorous big sister.


Image: via Citified

Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta

This is a scheme I designed for the son of a friend of mine, he is just six but the brief was to choose furnishings that he would grow in to rather than outgrow. The print is a perfect artwork for a boys room - it has both the NATO and nautical flag alphabets and is very reasonably priced from my long time favourite Keep Calm Gallery in London (who will mail prints to Australia)

Click to enlarge

Images: Keep Calm Gallery, La Maison, Sheridan

The one large cushion idea

This New York apartment was the subject of an interesting post on Little Green Notebook about how much a decorator should be paid. I think the designer did a good job - you can see the before and after shots here. I'm clipping it in to Folder of Ideas because I really like the one big cushion idea. Especially in small spaces and if you have a compact elegant piece of furniture like that little cream sofa less is definitely more. Here is an earlier version of the one big cushion idea in a bedroom.

Image: via LGN

Benito

Clothes don't always maketh the man in my opinion but when it comes to chairs fabric choices count for a lot. This is the Benito chair from Temperature Design who custom upholster many of their products - but why would you want to change this ?

Image: Temperature Design

Agatha and friends

I'm travelling to Europe in June which is exciting as I have not been for over two years and am looking forward to checking out my old favourites from my years in London and Dublin. These little side tables are Tigarah and Agatha from The Conran Shop which is now open in Dublin as well. Very tempting. I keep telling myself that my shopping will have to be limited to soft light furnishings. Anyone planning a move to Sydney let me know and I would be most interested in subletting a spot in your container !!

Images: Conran

Missing out

I have missed having the time to blog - no proper excuse really, I just seem to be over committed at the moment. Even more though I have missed out on reading blogs and all the inspiration out there. So I finally got the chance to click through a few new spots yesterday and am reinspired by images like the one below from Greige. I will find the time.

Image: Skona Hem via Greige

Something green

I've been saving this one - for St. Patrick's day of course ! How cool is this green hide bench - I love it. Perfect for a contemporary Irish bar. I spotted it on Tracie Ellis's design blog which is well worth a visit. Happy Paddy's day !

Image: via here

Clubber

This is another of my favourite finds from the recent Furniture fair in Sydney. This is the Clubber sofa and armchair designed by Per Weiss for Innovation. I sat on both and they were very comfortable - often sofas that look good aren't quite right in the comfort stakes. Ideal for apartment living the sofa converts into a sofa bed and if you buy an armchair without the arms, you can fold it flat to make a chaise. And they are very competitively priced to boot !

Images: Innovation

All the fun of the fair

I went to the Decoration and Design trade fair today and this is one of my personal picks of the day. This stool from d-Bodhi also comes in a bar stool and is just gorgeous in real life. The top is reclaimed teak - you can read d-Bodhi's old wood story here - and the contrast to the Tolix-esque metal base works beautifully. I had a perch on the bar stool for a few minutes between stands and found it very comfortable indeed.

Image: d-Bodhi

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

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

Taking it easy

I have my eyes peeled for chairs similar to the small white armchair pictured here. Why? Because they are so handy to have around and are compact and elegant to boot. If you find the right one they can also be very comfortable. Personally, I like to have an arm (or two) to lean on when I am sitting down so big long sofas and modular settings don't really do it for me as - unless you get an end - you are sort of perched in the middle with nowhere to put your arms. Solution - a sofa plus collection of beautiful but not too big armchairs. ( PS nice textures here on the floor and cushions also)

Image: Homes and Gardens UK

Arabella

A little slice of elegance from Armchair in Crows Nest, this is the Arabella chair . . . The Armchair specialises in renovating vintage chairs. What sets them apart are the clever fabric choices and high quality upholstery finish.

Images: Armchair

Mensa

I don't normally go for glass topped tables but this I love. The base reminds me of David Trubridge's beautiful pendant lights - well, if one had been squashed slightly. I completely forgive the table it's glass top when you see the movement and shapes underneath. Only problem is I wouldn't want to put anything on it !

Image: Mensa table by Lazerian

Chaise longing

Some day I would like to own a chaise longue like this first picture. It looks so comfortable with its high back and snug arm rests - perfect proportions. I always smile when I see rooms with two chaises side by side as in the bottom picture. There is something very luxurious and intimate about having a sitting room designed for two - it says to me - we are going to suit ourselves here, just the two of us, nice and comfy side by side - to hell with everyone else !!

Images: via Fric and Frac, Homes and Gardens UK

Pale and interesting

Came across this UK based site which delivers on it's title admirably. Pale and Interesting does what it says on the tin and have a range of muted furniture, homewares and vintage finds to delight the white lover. The mirrors below are all antiques and I especially like the fluted pie crust mirror. It's inspired me to go to the next antiques and collectables fair I see advertised to pick through the old mirrors.

Images: Pale and Interesting

Egg basket

Busy busy with lots of milestone birthdays (not for me - but for others in my life) so have not had much time to spend here this week. The pressure is now finally off - and wouldn't I love to be curled up in one of these chairs looking at that view. I do love egg chairs but now that they are all over the place - ie poor copies in real estate agents lobbies, the wicker is a refreshingly different take on the classic.

Image: Nuevo Estilo

Edland at IKEA

I never have time to visit IKEA during term time and try to avoid it all costs during the weekend so I usually make time to go during the school holidays. This was quite a productive trip which is good - you never get those three hours of your life back again !!

One new range that caught my eye is the Edland series. It is a lovely soft grey colour, the drawer pulls are ceramic and a nice weight and the drawers are lined with a patterned fibreboard inside. The range is designed for the bedroom but I think it could be used in other rooms especially the dressing table and linen cupboard below. One comment I would make is that these are not heavy weight pieces and would only be suitable for light storage. I'm thinking pink and grey would be a bit different and lovely for a little girls room. More to share from my IKEA safari soon.

Images: IKEA

Embrace

I love this table designed by John Green. John Green is a recently qualified designer based in the UK with more than one prize winning design under his belt if you read his bio. Embrace is a new take on that oldie but goodie - the nest of tables. When the two tables are clinched in their 'embrace' the table is designed to hold books or whatever you like underneath and magazines on the sides. When you need two tables the you just slide out the bottom section and flip it over. Ingenious.

Images: John Green