November 8, 2011

Finding my feet again :(

I have been home for about 3 weeks now and the hype is slowly starting to wear off! I was going to say that I have finally come back to reality but the 'reality' is that London was the real deal! It actually feels so surreal to be home...like everything that happening in the last year or so was nothing but a dream.

My biggest fear, as I slowly started to make my way home, was that I was going to feel uninspired - that nothing could compare to what I saw in London. Yes, we may not be at the forefront of product design but boy can we style! I have seen so many amazing things in the short time that I have been home and I can't wait to share these all with you...

Stay tuned for the lastest from Craft Design Realisation and David Caon - my new found loves!

October 14, 2011

home coming

Today was my last day in the office before heading back to Australia. My amazing move to London is rapidly coming to an end and as sad as it is to leave this wonderfully vibrant city, I am looking forward to what is waiting for me in Sydney.

I am really going to miss this place...

October 1, 2011

September 16, 2011

Spacial Planning

I find that alot of my clients have difficulty with spacial planning. Whether you are working with existing furniture or introducing new pieces, it is always a challenge to get that balance and flow right.

On a visit this week, I wanted to demonstrate how much of a difference the slightest move can make...so I decided to rearrange my client's living room!

Here is what the room looked like when I first arrived. As you can see, everything seems a little disjointed and it doesn't really help when your windows are a different size! To anchor this living space I needed to create clear divides from the lounge and dining area.

And here is the finished product. By simply swapping the sofa's over so that I had the larger one under the window, I was able to make the windows less of a focal point. Each window now has a separate purpose (now that a chest has been put under the smaller one). Also, by bringing the sofa's closer together and having the coffee table now in front of the larger sofa, everything is better balanced.

For this room I will be introducing a green pallet with hints of aubergine that will lift the greens on the dark furniture and leather. I will also be papering the wall in a thick truffle stripe that will draw your eye as you enter the room.

I then did the same on the other side of the room. As you can see, my client thought that by pushing everything up against the wall she would create more space in the room. But in fact all she did was create the hassle of having to pull the table out every time they wanted to use it!

The key on this side of the room was regrouping all the of larger pieces of furniture so they all served a better purpose. By doing this, I was able to create an obvious division between the living and dining area which ultimately created more space overall. Here is the finished product...

Now all we need to do is dress the room with new accessories, artwork and wallpaper. Can't wait to show you the finished product!


September 8, 2011

No Boys Allowed

I am starting to notice a common food trend in my most recent posts so I have decided to get things back on track with some images of one of my most recently completed projects.

The brief for this client was to create a dressing room that would become a 'girls only' sanctuary - housing clothes, accessories, an impressive collection of shoes and a small section of dress-ups for her little granddaughter.

For this room I used a pallet of duck egg blue with accents of champagne and amethyst. I felt the room would need lots of different textures and patterns to break up the joinery when it came in so I decided to team this gorgeous floral fabric with a gingham that was then piped and buttoned with an amethyst silk.

To give the curtains a more tailored look, I used a double pleat heading and added a divine James Hare silk border.

My client was thrilled with the outcome of this room and says that her granddaughter loves coming to visit even more now that she has this special space to share with her grandmother. How adorable!

Dreaming of Paris

As I sit at my desk on a rainy old London day and start to feel that biting, cold wind come back through the cracks of the window again, I realize that it has almost been a year since I moved here!

This time last year though, I found myself in Paris...which is still my favourite city in the world, where I fell in love with design all over again.

I was reminded of this love when I opened my copy of the Australian Design Review this morning to find an article on this gorgeous inner city apartment located in the 10th arrondissement.

I am in love with this kitchen...so dirty chic!

September 3, 2011

The Folly

I have found a new London hot spot. Tucked away in the London Bridge area, this restaurant has been described as the 'city's secret garden'.

The interior of this place is my idea of styling...I love everything about it! Right down to the potted herbs on every table, the miss-matched fabrics and furniture and the terracotta pot pendants.

The restaurant also houses private dining areas, a deli, flower shop and garden lounge.

Now, for those who know me, I can't visit any restaurant without taking photos of the bathroom before I leave! I love the simplicity of this one and the way the lighting brings the curved tiles and metal objects to life.

To sample what The Folly has on offer visit them at:

41 Gracechurch St, London EC3v 0BT



September 2, 2011

The Colours of Carnival 2011

This time last year I was in Paris so I missed Notting Hill Carnival.

If you are not familiar with this iconic London event, it is the largest of its kind and has been running now since 1966 - transforming the streets of West London into a full-blooded Caribbean Carnival that attracts millions of visitors every year.

The streets were buzzing with free spirited dancers and rhythmic beats that had everyone in a trance.

So glad that I got to tick this off my London list!

August 6, 2011

Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea

I invite you all to take a trip down the rabbit hole to a Mad Hatter's Tea Party...

The Sanderson Hotel in London had transformed their stunning Courtyard Garden into a wonderland-like setting where the logic of the traditional British afternoon tea has been toyed with, allowing guests to devour in an amazing selection of gastronomic delights.


On the menu:

Sweet Lollipops - The blueberry flavored ones turn your tongue from hot to cold while the hazelnut praline ice-cream ones explode in your mouth with a single bite.

Strawberry and Cream Mousse in the shape of a heart with 'eat me' scribbled over the top.

'Drink Me' bottles that change flavors as you make your way through the bottle - The first taste is apple pie, followed by lemon curd and finally english toffee.

Rainbow coloured sandwiches and of course traditional scones and lashings of jam and clotted cream.

And the fact that all of this is set in a hotel designed by the one and only Phillipe Starck made this the perfect afternoon tea!

July 12, 2011

Electric Dream

Over the weekend I celebrated my 25th birthday. Once you pass your 21st there really isn't that much excitement in getting another year older but on Sunday I was thrilled to find out that I was finally going to see a movie at the Electric in Notting Hill.

This has been on my London to do list for a little while now...and I must say that the wait was definately worth it!

Before the movie I was taken for Lunch...

On the menu - Oysters, avocado and crab toast with a roast chicken salad, steak tartare and lobster with chips...

After we devoured everything in front of us we made our way upstairs to the iconic theatre that still has many of its original features.

There was so much excitement when we walked in the room. Such an amazing atmosphere that it was hard to not get swept away!

The movies that screen here vary from the latest Hollywood blockbusters to classics so if this isn't on your London list I highly recommend you squeeze it in!




June 3, 2011

Pasta Maker

I recently visited Recipease - the latsest project for English chef Jamie Oliver.

The concept behind this amazing set up is to have fresh produce that is local to the community, conveniently prepared and packed for you to simply collect and cook at home.

The purpose of our trip there was to learn how to make and stuff pasta.

We had an absolute ball and I highly recommend this class to anyone who loves their food and wants to either perfect their culinary skills or perhaps learn something new.

May 18, 2011

Interior Inspiration - Pierre and Charlotte Julien

As I approach the end of my working week, I am in search of a little interior inspiration...

And I think I have just found it in the form of Pierre and Charlotte Julien.

Simplistic beauty at its best.

Their colour pallet has a muted vibrancy to it that I adore...


Bringing life to their furniture and interiors.

May 6, 2011

Pizza Night

I love the smell of fresh dough...and the satisfaction that comes with making something from scratch!

My homemade pizzas have always been a favourite amongst friends and family back home so the other night I decided to treat my London housemates with my potato and rosemary special...

And what's a homemade pizza without a bowl of fresh pasta covered in a light tomato and basil sauce...

April 21, 2011

Twist on an Egg Classic

On a trip to Harrods today I was drawn to a classic - the egg chair has had a makeover and I am loving the masculine mix of leather and steel that has been selected for this Andrew Martin creation...


April 3, 2011

Decisions, Decisions

I think we may have finally kissed winter goodbye in London...I do type this with hesitation though as the weather here is terribly unpredictable!


This morning I found myself on Portobello Rd sifting through leather bags and retro canvas art...contemplating what my next London purchase is going to be.


Will it be this leather messanger bag...

or one of these Banksy canvases?


March 26, 2011

Gaudi

Antoni Gaudi has perhaps one of the most unique and distinctive architectural styles the world has seen. He has been such a strong influence on Barcelona architecture - giving viewers a truly breathtaking experience as they wonder the streets.

Sagrada Familia would have to be his greatest work. Construction of this church began in 1882 but Gaudi didn't become involved until '83 where he took over the project and began to inject his signature style - combining gothic and art nouveau forms.

Construction for Sagrada Familia was slow as it relied heavily on donations and was later interrupted by the Spanish Civil War.

2010 marked the mid-point for completion with some of the project's greatest challenges still remaining. An anticipated completion date of 2026 has been set - which is the centennial of Gaudi's death.

March 25, 2011

Barcelona

After spending the last 6 months in grey old London, my eyes needed a little time to adjust to the piercing sun that woke me on my first morning in Barcelona.

I immediately fell in love with this city - especially the way each building looked as though it had been draped with an intricate piece of tapestry...

Even the pavement is so beautifully detailed!

Now of course it is impossible to visit Barcelona and not stumble across a Gaudi creation. As a former art history student, I am very familiar with a number of his works so it was amazing to finally see everything in the flesh!

I look forward to sharing my images with you soon...