Designing rugs

Posting has been a bit sporadic lately as I am head down on coursework to try to get up to date for the start of term next week. One of our assignments is to design contemporary rugs for Designer Rugs ( purveyors of amazing rugs by amazing designers . . .). This is one of my entries - Ned. Its a bit tongue-in-cheek, the idea being that you think you have a big plain rug with a splash of colour in it but really you have a big Ned Kelly head on your floor. I had just done this when the first issue of Lonny came out - check out this great online magazine if you have not done so already and I saw a NYC apartment designed by Ron Marvin that would suit my Ned rug down to the ground (pardon the pun).

Images: Sheila O'Meara, Lonny

Storing cookbooks

I get so many fantastic ideas by browsing design blogs and this is one of them. I already own cookbooks that extend to well over a metre and a half on book shelves and the other thing about my books is that they are very heavy when you put them all together. While I do like shelves set into kitchen benches for books I thought this idea of using a vertical shelf in a pantry is genius. Whoever owns this pantry even has some cookbook series grouped together - very organised.

Images: via Fric and Frac, Aero Designs

Texture in pink

As I lived in London for many lovely years I am still on Habitat's mailing list and they have definitely increased their digital marketing as they are sending out lots of inspiring emails. Always into a splash of pink (I grew up with all boys and now live with all boys so I have to make some mark in the house) I spotted the Tempe throw folded on the sofa here. It's well priced and I like the colours and pixellated look which makes it quite a masculine pink throw.

Images: habitat

Keeping it real

As an aspiring interior designer I keep an eye out for creative solutions to practical decorating challenges. Out in the real world when people are decorating their homes there are always pillars and beams and columns to contend with. Here the stylists FriedaMaria have made a feature of this quite large column in a very understated way which addresses the column but doesn't overly emphasise it in the room. The wallpaper makes it look like an artwork. An old post from last year here shows another column idea.

Image: styled by FriedaMaria via Emma's design blog

The Smell of the Sea

I first saw this print at the Young Blood Designers market earlier in the year where the Bespoke Letterpress Boutique was selling its beautiful letterpress cards and prints. Loving the fish I hopped from foot to foot, will I? won't I? and because the market was really busy I thought I'd better keep moving and decided - I'll get it online.

So I checked in from time to time but it was never there until yesterday I got wind of The Bespoke Illustrators Project and there it was. 'The Smell of the Sea" is by Ines Fernandez, all the details of this great initiative are there if you follow the link and if you leave a comment you get a chance to win the prints including the fish.

Images: Bespoke Letterpress Boutique

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

Tip of the day

Reading one of those '500 designer tips you you should know . . ' type of articles, one suggestion was to paint the wall behind a collection of pictures or objects in a dark shade for added impact. Especially good if you have a collection of black and white photos to display.

Images: Heiberg Cummings, via Mrs Blandings, David Prince via Desire to Inspire