Open

I'm thrilled to let you know that our back rooms at Black & Spiro re-opened late this afternoon with our new display of beautiful things.  All of the walls have been wallpapered in 3 of my new wallpaper designs for Porters and if you want to be one of the first to seem them then make sure you pop into the shop. 

We've had wonderful feedback so far and I can't wait to show you all through our new rooms.  They are truly beautiful and probably the most spectacular spaces we have ever created at the store!!

xx
Anna

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

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

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

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

New Things at Black & Spiro

I thought you might like to see our current front window display at Black & Spiro and also a fabulous new ikat armchair which arrived last week.  The chest of drawers in the window is a little antique French chest and the lamp is a fabulous old lamp I found.  The new shade has certainly given it a wonderful, new and uplifting look. 

xx

Anna

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...

New VL & New Office

It's always an exciting moment when our 2 subscriptions of Vogue Living arrive in the mail.  We get 2 so that I can have one at Black & Spiro and 1 at home.  We received the latest issue today and I have to say that it is jaw droppingly beautiful!  My favourite story is on Chrissie Jeffery and her redecorated Sydney apartment.  I remember when her apartment was featured in VL the first time around.  She is extremely clever and very inspiring. 

Talking about redecorating, I recently decided that I don't want to sit at a desk anymore in my office at Black & Spiro so I removed my desk and I have turned my office into my very own lounge room.  I now sit on my Peggy sofa with my laptop on my lap.  It probably isn't the most ergonomically suitable situation but I love it and I feel so much more inspired.  Here's a little snapshot of how the room is coming together.


Hope you all have a great day!  I have a huge week ahead of me and I am determined to get through it with all things ticked off my list by Friday!

What's Next

For me, creating a home with soul is the most important thing I hope to achieve for my clients and myself. 

No matter what colour or style preference you have, it's about selecting furniture, fabrics and pieces which strike a chord with you.  It's also about having your children's artwork on your walls and your grandmother's vase on your fireplace mantel.  It's about personal preference and the use of items which have personal meaning.

I have found that it's the most unusual pieces which stay within the walls of our family home.  For example the Antique Dining table we purchased just before we got married will never be replaced or sent to the shop to be sold.  Collecting Antique furniture does take time and money but I think it's worth waiting for the perfect piece and collecting pieces over time certainly helps when it comes to funding such items. 

Over the coming weeks we will be taking delivery of lots of wonderful new things at Black & Spiro including numerous Antique pieces which I have been collecting over the last few months from far afield.  There will be new fabrics and a wonderful new colour palette which I think will be fresh and exciting. 

I continue to put all my effort into sourcing and creating inimitable things for Black & Spiro and I am sure you will all be very inspired and excited by our new offerings...

I look forward to sharing photos in the coming weeks.

Work in Progress

I thought I'd share a couple of in-progress photos of a house I am currently working on.  The wallpaper in the powder room was just installed the other day and we also recently completed the main bedroom.  We are about to commence work in the formal lounge room.  The colours we have chosen for the lounge room are orange, purple, green and duck-egg blue.  Next time I'm over at this house I will try to take a photo of the outside as it is one of the prettiest houses I've seen here in Brisbane.

Working On

This afternoon I visited some lovely clients who I have been working with for quite sometime. We are just finishing off the final bits and pieces in their home like framing and lampshades.

You may recognise the green vintage lamp on their antique entry chest of drawers which they purchased from the antique shop in Marburg I posted about a few weeks ago. Although I love the colour of the old shade, we are making a new one as this one is a bit too vintagey and also has a few dints. We decided today that the new shade would look best made in a very similar vibrant green silk.

We are also having a set of antique copper etchings framed and hung above the chest of drawers. The etchings are actually of entry facades which is so perfect. We have selected a gold bamboo frame to work back with the gold detail on the lamp base and handles on the chest.

Throughout the house we have used lots of blue and white and we have also added some green. I love this fresh palette. The blue and white plates pictured above are from Black & Spiro. We are hanging them on a wall in their informal dining area.

My client was also inspired by the post I did on green leaf arrangements the other day and has used some golden cane palm fronds from her garden in a blue and white umbrella stand which she placed on the antique oval table in their sitting room.

I know I have said this in the past but sometimes, lately more than ever, I feel I am writing this blog for no reason and I also question my ability to continue to inspire with so many other wonderful blogs out there nowdays. However, when I see that my clients are inspired by my arrangements, selections and finds it really does make me understand why, after nearly 4 years, I continue to write this blog.

Ben & Phoebe's Daybed

I recently helped my cousin and his gorgeous fiance {they just got engaged on the weekend} with the cushioning on this lovely daybed which they purchased from Cotswold for their beach house. We selected an array of brightly coloured exterior fabrics for the scatter cushions and a trusty navy and white stripe exterior fabric for the seat cushions and voila this is the result. I just love it and apparently they do too!!

Thank you Canadian House & Home

I was so thrilled to be included in the just-released May issue of Canadian House & Home magazine and so taken back by the size of the article. Thank you House & Home for the lovely story. You captured my aesthetic perfectly.

PS. No doubt you would all be completely over seeing images of my home here on ABT {huge apologies!!} however, I just wanted to share my excitement about the article and, in particular, I really wanted to thank House & Home for the lovely story and their interest in my work.

images - simon kenny, story - catherine sheilds

Ashgrove House

Images above and below you may be able to spot the floor in the sun room to the left which we had painted in a green and white stripe. We will be doing some beautiful white cane pieces upholstered in lovely bright fabrics in this area in the New Year.

Here are some photos of a job I finished off this morning for a lovely, lovely client at Ashgrove. The brief was to create an area which was fresh, bright, colourful and family friendly. This is what I created.

Clayfield House

Here are a couple of photos of a job I have been working on over at Clayfield. I thoroughly enjoyed working for this lovely couple and their 2 young children. The floral armchairs we made are my favourite thing in this house and work beautifully with the colourful Chinese drum stool which we placed next to the slip covered sofa.

One More Ormiston Photo

Here is one more photo of the Ormiston house which I thought I would share with you. We delivered a pair of these beautiful blue and white armchairs down to the house late last week.