Saturday Musings

I find that I am constantly intrigued by the collections of things people have in their homes.  It's so interesting seeing what people surround themselves with.  Home to me is the most important and special place on earth.  Home is where I find solace, rest and happiness and home is where I surround myself with only the things I love.

The more I help people decorate their homes, the more I try to impress upon them that it's not about having the latest and greatest.  It's about filling your home with things you absolutely adore, cherish and hold close to your heart. 

Photographer Oberto Gili's New York home was recently featured on NYSD and to say I was intrigued by his collections is an understatement.

Throughout the article he talks about his idea of home and I was particularly interested in this quote which he said a landscape gardener friend of his once said -

“Unless a home becomes a love affair, it is not a success.” You have to love every single little thing—if it doesn’t have a memory, a story, it doesn’t count.

An Inspired Day

Earlier this week I posted about my thoughts on inspiration and what inspires me.  I was thrilled to read that a few bloggers were inspired by my thoughts and words. 

I couldn't stop thinking about inspiration this week and not only what inspires me but also about my lack of inspiration at times. 

To say that I have been a little bit uninspired lately would be letting you in on a big secret because in my job I need to be inspired all of the time and I need to be coming up with wonderful, exciting things which are different and unique.  However, it does, at times become very hard to keep on coming up with the goods so-to-speak.  That's when I think I need to step away from my crazy life for a few days and appreciate all the beauty and inspiration around me. 

So this morning I declared this a day of finding some inspiration.  As I was driving to work I saw this beautiful tree cascading pretty pink flowers over the roof of an old run-down shed.  I had never noticed it before and yet I drive passed it every single day.

Then as I was waiting for a truck to arrive with some furniture I was installing into a beautiful old home in New Farm I sat on the front fence and noticed all the Jacaranda trees are starting to flower.

Inspiration really is everywhere.  It's just how you interpret it and apply it to your own life which counts.  As Daryl Wark said earlier this week in response to my post,  find what it is that inspires you and run with it.  Don't follow the pack.  Trends will come and go.  Personal style is eternal. 

And on that note, I will retire for this week.  I am off to find some more inspiration in my garden.
xx
Anna

What Inspires You?

Many people ask Designers the age old question - What Inspires you?  To be honest, I find it a very hard question to answer.  Pin-pointing exactly what inspires me is never really something I can put into words. 

However, in saying that the more I think about it and the more I learn and the more experiences I have there is one word which seems to ring around and around in my head.  It is something I strive for every single day and it is something I truly admire in successful, innnovative people.

The word is originality which is defined as - The capacity to act or think independently.

I once read a quote by John Mason which said - 'You were born an original, don't die a copy.'  To be an original, to be an innovator, to create something you can call your own.  Isn't that what we all strive for in this life?  To have full confidence in your own ability to create something wonderful is when everything falls into place.  I hope that when I look back on my life I will be able to say I was an innovator and I was always true to my original self.

I was recently extremely inspired by a book on Celia Birtwell which was given to me as a gift.  Her beautiful prints are unmistakable and it has been said that her work does not date.  So true in fact that her Mystic Daisy pattern, as worn by Kate Moss in 2006, was a sellout for Topshop and yet this very same pattern was worn by Jane Birkin in the 70's. 

In her own words about the process of collecting her thoughts for her book, Celia Birtwell says - 'that my life has been a patchwork of happy accidents without path or planning:  and how hugely privileged I am that my prints have a language of their own that people really enjoy and understand.'

Her work stands out on it's own full of confidence and originality.  There is nothing like it.  Celia Birtwell is an inspiration.

Inspired By

I save so many images in my picture files to keep as inspiration for co-ordinating different colour schemes. It's often the combination of different colours in a picture or different products or different textures which can inspire me to put together a scheme for a client's home. I love the colours in these two product images above. The first image is from Jean Brown, a Brisbane fashion mecca, advertising some of their latest offerings {I adore the bangles by Paula Bianco} and the second image is a product editorial from House Beautiful. I just love all the wonderful colour and patterns and textures in these images. I find them very inspiring.

Tidbits

Here are a few little tidbits I am inspired by this week. I think it's the colours and the patterns and the wonderful mix of things I am loving!! The multi coloured floral fabric is one which we will be using in our windows soon at the shop....I love the little pops of orange in this fabric!! We will also be hanging the pink peony fabric in the bottom image in our front windows at Black & Spiro in coming weeks {this fabric is so me!!}. Oh and also in the bottom image you can see my absolute favourite Nina Campbell candles which we also sell at Black & Spiro!!


image 1 - amy homey's photostream @ flickr, image 2 - bella foster artist, 3 & 4 - marie claire maison, image 5 - fabric from black & spiro, image 6 via that chair has buttons, image 7 via that chair has buttons

Past Inspiration

Look at this seriously beautiful sofa Grace Kelly is lounging on...

All you would need to recreate this look is a vintage sofa, a roll of black and white ticking, some black fringing and a good upholsterer...I am inspired are you??

More Flowers

Following on from Tuesday's post here are some more flower images we have been using to inspire us at Black & Spiro lately.

Image 1 - book source, Image 2 - Vogue Living

I Love...

The bow detail on the sleeve of this dress.

Image - via Mary Ruffle

Breakfast Inspiration

If you haven't already seen this blog, Simply Breakfast written by photographer Jennifer Causey, then you must right now. I adore her recent Paris Breakfast. Such a simple yet beautiful pleasure to enjoy and yet if you're anything like me in the mornings I just don't spend the time. Jennifer has inspired me. Maybe I should prepare a special breakfast for my boys this Sunday morning.

Today I Love...

These very pretty images by Lobster & Swan.

A Little Bit of Aqua

It seems I am inspired by touches of aqua. Scrolling through my picture files I notice I have lately saved quite a few aqua interiors as inspiration. I thought I would share a few with you.

Image 1 - via Interior Divine Blog, Image 2 - via Mrs Blandings Blog, Image 3 - via Patricia Gray Blog

Inspiration for 2009

We've all talked about Inspiration Boards before...they definitely aren't a new topic in Blogland! Probably like most creative people, I usually like to start each year with a new board to get myself inspired and excited about the year ahead. However, I have to be completely honest I haven't started my new 2009 board yet. My Black & Spiro Girls keep trying to nudge me to just put one picture on my humongous linen covered board in my office but I just haven't been able to do it.

Last night however, when I was looking at Diane Bergeron's awe-inspiring board I started to get in the mood. So, tomorrow I have some time free in which I plan to get started on my latest board and today's purchase {for Black & Spiro's new stock} of a very beautiful old circa 1900's Chesterfield sofa in original floral linen with box pleated skirting, will be just the thing to get me going.

I'd love to pose some questions to you, my readers...

What have you added to your inspiration board lately? What and who are you inspired by at the moment? What colours are you loving for 2009?

A Soft Palette

Last week I predicted a softer colour palette for this year over at Coco & Kelley's Crowning the Colour of The Year week. Here are some softly spoken rooms I'm loving and am inspired by.

Image 1, 2, 4 - House Beautiful

Image 3 - Shoot Factory

Bathroom Furniture

James Michael Howard

I am very fond of placing small pieces of Antique furniture in bathrooms. I think it adds an element of coziness. It also adds interest and personality to a room which we usually don't think about furnishing.

Whether it's a small table {like above} to place some towels on & a beautiful tray with lots of perfume and lotion on for your guests or a lovely old chair upholstered in a pretty fabric, I think it's a great look.

In the Gumdale house I have been working on I suggested this concept to the client and she went with it. We painted the old pieces we found for her bathrooms white and they look fantastic.

So, if you have room for a lovely little old table or chair or even an old mirror in your bathroom my advice is...go for it!

Oh and while we're on the subject of furnishing bathrooms - I also love little paintings in bathrooms too!!

Happy Weekend!!

These beautiful images, taken by photographer Hugh Stewart, of Collette Dinnigan's Sydney home were featured in Vogue Living a while ago. I absolutely adored her home. Her beautiful pieces of Antique furniture against an all-white background with books and flowers...perfection! I hope you have a lovely weekend.

More Paul Costello Loveliness

I think I may have saved every single image from photographer Paul Costello's website in my 'I Love Files'. His work is so beautiful, fresh, pretty, colourful and youthful. Last week I posted a few of his photos and I couldn't help sharing some more here today. How dreamy is that beautiful white house in the top image?! Love the cane furniture on the grass! My mum puts her cane furniture out on the grass under the shade of the trees at her house at Straddie in the Summer. It's just so lovely to sit with your bare feet in the cool grass on a hot Summer's day!!

All images - Paul Costello

Outdoor Showers

After a long morning at the beach there's nothing quite like getting back to the house and having a cold shower to wash off all the salt and sand. I have these gorgeous outdoor showers saved in my files as inspiration for when we build our little outdoor shower over at Straddie one day...I'll just continue to dream and to collect more inspiration images for now as this little project certainly isn't on the priority list at the moment!! As my mum always says, good things come to those who wait...so wait I will.

Images 1,3,4 - Cottage Living Magazine

Image 2 - via Elements of Style

Pretty Pink

Oh, that lamp, that mirror frame, that wall colour - love it all!! But then again it is Ruthie Sommers...my favourite designer of all time!!

I have the perfect spot for this gorgeous Made By Girl Poster!! Loving the red and pink combo!! Wouldn't it look gorgeous in that beautiful white mirror frame in the top picture {mirror removed of course}!!


Tuile frills get me everytime!!

Here are a few pretty pink pictures I'm mad about!


Top - Ruthie Sommers via Stylecourt, Middle - Deeply Madly In Love Poster from Made By Girl, Bottom - Rachel Popo Photography via Oh Happy Day Blog.

Rita's Gorgeous Apartment

This image is an older one of a vignette in Rita's apartment which I continue to love

I really love these new pictures of Rita Konig's chic apartment which is featured in this month's Domino. I particularly love the all-white walls with the pops of colour in the furnishings! It's just so pretty, lived-in and GORGEOUS!! I could move straight into this apartment without changing a thing!!