Morton House

It's always so rewarding once you have finished a job and the clients are happy with what you have done for them.  I think being invited into a person's home to help them create a beautiful place to live is so special and I always feel very priveleged to work with my clients.  Afterall there is a choice when it comes to Decorators and Designers and for a client to narrow it down to me is certainly something I am always very thankful for.

Last year I finished a project which I had been working on for approximately 12-18 months with my clients Paul & Hayley Morton.  Their house has been featured in a wonderful 10 page spread in this month's Home Beautiful magazine.  I have posted a couple of the pages here.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with Paul and Hayley.  They wanted a very classic look and we achieved this by selecting beautiful antique furniture, beautiful fabrics and lots of layers.  The other thing which I think was wonderful about this job is that they didn't stop when the sofas and chairs and cushions went in.  They continued and added all the finishing bits and pieces in a beautiful refined way which I feel certainly makes the overall look so appealing. 

Thank you Paul & Hayley for asking me to help you create a lovely home filled with all the things that you love and cherish. 

xx

Anna

Story - Catherine Sheilds, Photography - Simon Kenny

Pretty Bedroom

Here's a very quickly taken snap of a pretty bedroom in a divine home in Sydney which I am currently working on.  I was so thrilled when my client asked me to make her a patterned bedspread as we've mostly been doing white French quilted bedspreads for clients these past few years {which I also love BTW}.  It was just such a refreshing change being asked to do a traditional patterned bedspread.  I can't wait to install the curtains which will bring the entire room together...

Hope you're having a wonderful Monday.
xx
Anna

PS - Yep, I've joined the Instagram craze!! 

Country House Part 2

We still need more books for the bookcase but we are gradually getting there.  You wouldn't believe how many books it takes to fill a bookcase of this size.  Every time I visit the house my client has a few more boxes of books ready for me which I then place into the bookcase for her. 

If you have been following my blog for a while you will remember that I have posted pictures of this lovely house in the country before.  It is one I have been working on for a year or so.  Just before Christmas we installed a beautiful large built-in bookcase which covers the entire wall in the lounge area.  We built it around a pretty window which looks out to the garden.  

Late last week we hung 44 family photographs in a cluster wall in the same room.  We also delivered a pair of traditional white cane verandah armchairs and a pretty garden table which we filled with pots of orchids and succulents and candles.  We placed the table on the verandah at the front door.  Next stage is the dining room and then onto renovating the bathroom and redecorating the main bedroom, guest bedroom and the children's rooms.  I'll be sure to post pictures as we go along.

xx
Anna

More Photos

Here are a few more photos which I took yesterday as promised.  My photos certainly don't do it all justice but I thought I'd share them anyway as this will be a beautiful cookbook once it is released.  I'll be sure to post about it's release date and further details as soon as I know. 

This is one of Marcia's mother's very old cookbooks above.  Her name is Mary and she is so beautiful. 

YUM!!!!

Marcia cooking in her kitchen.

3 Generations - Marcia, her mum Mary and her daughter Samantha.

Mary and Sam admiring the cake which Marcia made.  It is actually an old recipe of Mary's.  When they cut the cake later in the day Mary announced it wasn't as good as hers!!

It was a beautiful day surrounded by beautiful people.  Thank you Marcia for asking me to help you.  It was my absolute pleasure.  I can't wait to get a copy of the cookbook once it is released!!

Hope you have a great weekend.

xx

Anna

Marcia Georges' Cookbook

I feel very fortunate to have met Andy & Marcia Georges all those years ago.  I have been working for them in their home and in their very well-known and respected Brisbane restaurant, IL Centro, for.....I don't know how long.  It seems as though it's been many, many years. 

Today I was one of a team of people who came together at their home to style a very large number of family-favourite dishes Marcia had tirelessly prepared over the last 2 days which will feature in her upcoming cookbook.  We used lots of fabulous heirloom tablecloths, napkins, cutlery and china.  The cookbook is going to be full of their family history and the wonderful dishes they have shared throughout their lives.

I will post some more photos tomorrow but here's a sneak peek above.

Oh and if you didn't know, Marcia and Andy are opening a beautiful new bar which will be called Mr & Mrs G on the river in a new building in front of their restaurant in the next couple of months.  I have been very lucky to work on the interior of the bar and let me tell you Brisbane you are in for a big treat.  It will be something very special.

More pictures tomorrow, I promise!!

xx
Anna

Almost There...

We are getting there slowly but surely even though the days just seem to be racing by.  We only have a few more jobs to install between now and Friday thank goodness!! 

Today we installed a job which we've been working on all year and although the builder's haven't quite finished I had to snap this photo of the ensuite to show you.  It's just such a gorgeous house.  I will get some more photos to share with you in the new year because the kitchen is to-die-for!!  We painted all the cabinetry pale green...so pretty!

My posts may be a bit light on now this week but I will be posting a final post for the year towards the end of the week in which I will be sharing some very exciting news so stay tuned for that!!

xx

Anna

A Happy Ending

From one happy ending to the next....

Earlier this year I was contacted by Jo & Brenden Conolly after their beautiful inner-city cottage, which they had just finished renovating late last year, was completely inundated with water during the horrendous Summer floods.

As I drove away from the house after our very first appointment I just couldn't believe what they had been through.  It was just so incredibly heart-breaking.  I had never met the Conolly's before that first meeting with them at the house that hot, muggy Summer day however, upon meeting them I instantly knew that they were very special people and I wanted to put all my effort into making their house beautiful again. 

The job only took a few months to complete and it was the most rewarding job I have ever worked on.  I don't think I will ever forget this house.  It certainly has a special place in my heart along with it's beautiful owners who are now expecting their first child.  Things are definitely going to be sunny for Jo & Bren from here-on-in, I just know it!!

I wanted to share this inspiring story of Brenden & Jo's house so I contacted Loni from Adore magazine a few months ago as I knew she would love it for her beautiful online magazine.  She did love it and so it is featured in the fabulous December/January issue of Adore magazine which hit the virtual newstands earlier this week.

If you would like to read the story and all the other wonderful stories in this month's issue then click on over to Adore Magazine HERE.

xx
Anna

Parties, Weddings, Installations...

Over the weekend I met a reader from New York at a party for my soon-to-be cousin-in-law.  She said that one of the things she loves about me is that I always let my readers know when I am going away from the blog or not going to post for a few days.  Well, I must apologise to her and to you as I seem to have been missing in action since last Wednesday with no such notice of absence.  I'm unsure where all of those days have gone to...

So, what have I been up to you might ask?  Well, I won't delve into every single detail however, here's a snapshot of a beautiful bedroom I just finished for a lovely teenage girl.  It was an absolute delight working with her and her mum.  I think she is the most polite, effervescent and happy teenager I have ever met. 

The day we installed the furniture into her room, I took her some dahlias from my garden which we arranged on her antique bedside table I found for her.  On the other side of the lovely upholstered antique French bed we placed a Stuart Membery chest of drawers.  I love the mix of furniture we chose for her room and I must admit I found it very hard parting with the antique bed.  However, I know she will cherish it and that makes me very happy!! 

I wish I got some better photos...I seem to be always saying that but I'm always in such a hurry.

This week is a very big and exciting week for my family as this Saturday my cousin is getting married to his beautiful fiance Phoebe at the most divine property in northern NSW.  We have family flying in from Canada, Sweden, New York, Holland and interstate.  Everyone is coming together which is just so exciting.  I have been given the lovely job of arranging the flowers for the tables.  I am using  the beautiful dahlias and zinnias from our garden which is very exciting.  I can't believe how many flowers we have.  It's quite amazing and so thrilling to be able to use my own flowers for my cousin's wedding.

Oh and tomorrow night is Chanel.  As an update to my post from the other week, Chanel called today to ask for Brad's last name.  Maybe they read my post!!xx

Anna

x

City Apartment

I thought I would share some photos of an apartment I have been working on.  This beautiful apartment occupies the entire floor of a building in the city.  I have been working with these clients for many years.  I actually think they were one of my first clients.  They are so loyal and supportive and just the most beautiful people I could hope to work with.   It is always a pleasure working with them on the projects they have me help them with.



It is quite obvious that my work in this apartment is slightly more sophisticated and probably more modern than the other jobs I have posted on the blog in the past.

I designed this armchair which we had made in a bold, bright patterned fabric.  I wanted the chair to have a high back so that it contrasted against the very low slung modern sofa.  This chair really does become such a feature in their formal sitting room.  I can't wait to place the 2 upholstered ottomans we are about to have made into the room as I think they will finish it off beautifully.  I also need to find a beautiful lamp to place on the table against the wall behind the sofa.

This is the t.v. room and sitting area off the kitchen.

Here's a corner in the master bedroom.  It was very interesting getting that large chair in through the doorway of the apartment!!

A very special photo wall which we hung in the master bedroom above an antique roll top desk and a vintage chair we had covered in a beautiful embroidered floral fabric.

Here's a little snapshot of their outdoor terrace.  We incorporated some citrus yellow and taupe in this very comfortable exterior sitting room.

I should have taken some more photos of their main bedroom as we made their bed head out of a beautiful silvered linen and then wallpapered the wall behind their bed in a matching silvered plain wallpaper.  It is divine.  Maybe when I'm there next I can get some more pics to share!!

I hope you enjoyed this little sneak peek...
xx
Anna

Today

My morning started in the garden collecting some bougainvillea which I plonked into a vase and packed into the car along with a full load of lovely things.  I headed off on my journey down to Broadbeach on the Gold Coast where I spent the day installing new furniture at an apartment I have had the pleasure of working on over the past few months. 

My grand plans of arranging the big bunch of pretty pink bougainvillea in a vase on my clien'ts new sideboard went down the drain about halfway there when the bunch and the water fell out of the vase as I was going around a corner.  By the time I arrived at the Coast the poor flowers had dropped.  I had to improvise.  I found a native bush in the front garden of the apartment building which I cut a few branches from.  They looked great arranged in the glass vase on the sideboard along with the other new bits and pieces I organised for her.

It was a full day of unpacking new furniture and placing pieces, cushions, lamps and accessories.  The owners of this apartment actually built the building way back in the 60's.  It has a divine view of the beach and the breeze is sensational.

I didn't want to leave.  I could have stayed on for days and days.  Unfortunately B&S and my boys can't survive without me so I reluctantly left my client so that she could enjoy her beautiful new things.  It's so rewarding seeing a project come to fruition and especially when the client is a happy one at the end of the day.  Phew!! 

I wish I took more photos but I only had my phone with me so I quickly snapped these as I was leaving...

xx

Anna

Today

I can't believe it's almost October again?!  Where did the year go?  I have no idea.  We seem to be smack bang in the middle of preparing schemes and quotes for clients for pre-Christmas work.  Before we know it we'll be racing against the clock to get everyone's sofas, cushions, curtains etc. installed before the 25th December.  We've also been working hard finalising our Christmas window displays and our Summer/Christmas online vignette which will go live early November.  Gosh I have no idea how we seem to get it all done!  Crazy is one word you could probably use to describe life at Black & Spiro.

I thought it would be fun to post a few photos of things I worked on today.  The pretty vintage yellow lamp is one I found for a client.  We were playing around with a few fabric options today for the shade.  The fantastic zebra print wallpaper is one I am using in a sun room for a client {I have been wanting to use this paper for so long}.  The pretty blue and white cushion is one we are having made for the shop along with lots more. 

I can't forget my last vase of ranunculus for the season which I picked from our garden over the weekend.  Good-bye pretty flowers.  I can't wait for you to flower again next year!!

That's all from me this week.  Short but sweet. 

Hope you have a great weekend!
xx
Anna

Hello Again

Hello!  I'm back again.  I thought you might like to see some photos of a beautiful family home I've been working on for the past year or two.  As I say to my clients - homes decorated over time always end up being the most beautiful.  This house is one of those houses which we have added layer upon layer and to be honest, I could work for these clients for the rest of my life.  They are always so happy and kind and thrilled with the things I do for them.  It really is an honour to have helped them turn their house into a home which is filled with very special things they love and cherish.

This is their sitting room.

This is their family room and dining area. 

And below is a snapshot of the main bedroom. 

Next stage is redecorating their son's bedroom and the upstairs sitting room and study nook which we will take our time to work through.  Slowly but surely is definitely the way!!

xx

Anna

Pretty Country House

It really is such a treat being able to work in beautiful houses.  I am currently working on a house out in the country which has a big fabulous barn, horses and very pretty gardens.  It is an old white Queenslander and it really is something very special.  I love it so much I had to share it.  Here's a little snapshot of the front garden.  I've also posted a few photos below of the beautiful sofas, cushions and rug we delivered there this week.  Next on the agenda is a custom built-in bookcase which will cover an entire wall floor to ceiling.  I have also been asked to find a beautiful Antique dining table and chairs and the best part of all is that the clients are so kind and so easily pleased.  They love everything I show them which makes my job so easy and at the end of the day I think it makes the look so much more beautiful too...

{sorry about the smudgy photo above...not a great photo!!}



City Cottage

I thought I would share a few pictures of a very cute and tiny inner city cottage I recently worked on for a gorgeous young couple who are expecting their first baby in a few months time.  We decided to leave the old kitchen in place instead of ripping it out.  We painted it a fresh white and added the black and white checkerboard floor as there was a chipboard floor in that section.  We also added a big cabinet to the the left of the kitchen which now houses food and other kitchen items as the little kitchen was just a bit too small.  We made black and white ticking roman blinds which we installed on all the windows in the cottage and added pretty cushions and other quirky items to create a fun, happy space.  Oh and this cottage just had to have a red door so we painted the back door bright glossy red!

Pale Yet Colourful

Sometimes I think people are under the impression that I only create very bright and colourful rooms however, this isn't the case.  I thought I would post this room today as it is one I recently finished for a client who wanted a bit of colour but also wanted a more formal and sophisticated look.  I love the palette we selected for this room and the curtains with the orange banding turned out just as I had hoped.  We worked with all of the existing pieces of furniture and just added cushions, curtains, lamps and recovered the ottoman.  It's amazing how these few things have completely changed/improved the look of the room.  Now we just need to hunt for a beautiful painting for behind the sofa...