Recycle - Old Is New Again

I love to recycle old pieces of furniture by recovering them in a gorgeous fabric, re-staining or repainting the legs and even changing some of the detailing like I have on the above chair. I decided to replace the gathered arm detail on this chair with face and piping detail - a little less fussy. Before you buy a new piece of furniture consider updating an old piece as I think it adds a little bit of difference to your home and the best thing of all is that you are bringing life back into an old piece which you may have otherwise disposed of.

Today I Love...

Here are some beautiful images from Shoot Factory...more white backgrounds with sumptuous 'things' hung on walls and placed on old bits of furniture!

Simply Pretty

Such a pretty image from Living Etc. I love the old white painted chest of drawers and the collection of special things on display. The old mannequin proves to be a great idea for hanging jewellery and accessories on and I just love the beautiful fresh flowers. So pretty!!

India Hicks

I never tire of seeing India's absolutely beautiful house so I thought I'd post these fresh images as featured in Domino. Clear evidence that white on white on white with bursts of colour here and there, mixing of furniture styles and collections of special things on display truly works!! Enjoy!!

Photo by Miguel Flores-ViannaJune/July 2007 as featured in Domino magazine

There Are No Rules...

I know Drew Barrymore's Flower Films 'un-offices' (decorated by Ruthie Sommers) have been featured by lots of other bloggers over the last couple of weeks but I just had to post this little snippet of the article which I loved...

When asked about her favorite piece in the office, Barrymore says, "I believe you can combine anything. I feel there are no rules."

Definitely a woman after my own heart!!

Photo by Stewart Shining April 2008 as featured in Domino Magazine

Mum's Kitchen Finds

My mum emailed me these Kitchen pictures from Southern Accents & Cottage Living earlier this week as I am about to re-do my kitchen at home. It's so lovely to have a mum like my mum - always on the ball. She really is the only person in the world whose sense of style I completely and utterly trust!!

Black & Spiro Today

Here are some photos of Black & Spiro today - lots of beautiful new pieces in the shop!! Oh and if you're wondering the flowers (bottom image) are fresh Australian native flowers (Banksia, Protea etc.) which I just arranged for our front table display late last week.

Portraits Found

Here are a few of the vintage portraits I have been collecting for a vintage lady portrait wall at Black & Spiro. It's so lovely to be bringing these ladies back to life. We are actually planning an exhibition of these and more at Black & Spiro. I'll keep you posted.

Happy Weekend!!

Wishing you all a very Happy Weekend! Here are some beautiful weekend cottages above from Nibs Blog. I definitely think I could have a happy weekend in one of these lovely cottages!!

Image 1 - Southern Accents

Image 2 - Cottage Living

Image 3 - Ralph Lauren's cottage Elle Decor

Charlotte's House

I have a lovely reader friend in Sweden who I actually posted about last year. Her name is Charlotte and she recently emailed me some pictures of her house which she has just finished decorating. I absolutely LOVE her children's rooms - so fresh, simple, stylish and homey! Charlotte loves vintage furniture and especially loves fossicking in flea markets for anything which catches her eye. She purchased the bed above on Ebay and painted it a crisp white - what a difference a bit of white paint can make! Swedish magazine "Villaagaren" recently featured a story on Charlotte and her tips on flea market fossicking. These images above were featured in the story and were taken by Photographer Martin Olson. I hope you enjoy Charlotte's menagerie of beautiful things!

Oh and I must thank her for including 'Absolutely Beautiful Things' in her list of inspiring websites which is published at the bottom of the article - very sweet!!

Sneak Peak

Here's a little sneak peak pic of a post I will be publishing tomorrow! Sorry, no posts today! My day ran out of hours!! See you tomorrow!
xx
Anna

Monkey Cottage

How cute is this little white cottage (originally a one room school house) completely refurbished and decorated by it's Interior Designer owner John Loecke!! There are more pictures to enjoy over at Country Living Magazine and on John Loecke's website! Thanks Urban Grace for the link!

Flower People

Want to see more and learn more about artist Harrison Howard? Head on over to Peak of Chic as she has the full scoop. I absolutely LOVE his work and am finding it a little hard to select a favourite!! Thanks for the introduction POC! BTW - Harrison's work is available for purchase on his website.

A Pretty Garden Party

This is so beautiful I couldn't resist posting it. I originally found the image on Brilliant Asylum who originally found it on Decor Amor - as BA said it looks like it's been torn out, folded and put away for safe keeping and was most probably from a 10 year old Martha Stewart mag! Love the old bentwood chairs (aren't they such a classic piece) and the tree is simply divine lit up so beautifully with hanging candle jars!

Today I Love...

I love this little mirrored stool covered in Imperial Trellis from C. Bell - wouldn't it be beautiful used as a dressing table stool!

Happy Weekend!!

Another week has passed us by so quickly. I have been working on a big installation this week at an inner city apartment which we have been completely refurbishing. I must say I am completely exhausted as are all the girls at Black & Spiro as they have all been working so hard with me to get everything done. We still have a lot more to finish off over the coming weeks and I am every excited about getting it finished. I hope you all have a lovely weekend and to Av, Mel & Sal I hope you have a lovely and RESTFUL weekend because you all deserve it!! Happy Weekend to all!!

Image via Monique B's photostream @ Flickr

A Pretty Little Cottage

I love this gorgeous little White timber cottage which has just gone on the market around the corner from where I live. Every time I go to the supermarket I drive past this house and I have always loved it and then just last week I drove past it and there was a for sale sign out the front of it. Unfortunately this house will have to be someone else's as we just bought our house late last year and we are about to embark on a large renovation and I know it is going to be beautiful but I love this house too! My poor husband married me knowing I had an obsession with pretty houses and I think he almost has a heart attack whenever I call him saying "Oh Honey, you know that pretty house which I have loved forever and ever it's just gone on the market......etc. etc. etc." Does anyone else out there have an obsession with pretty houses and searching on realestate.com because let me tell you I almost think I have a severe problem!!!

And Talking Of Windsor...

Windsor Smith's Kitchen

And while I'm on the subject of Windsor Smith I just have to post these updated images (thanks to Style Court) of my favourite kitchen in the whole wide world which Windsor designed for her own home....I know I've posted it before but it's like Chloe Sevigny's hallway...both are are in my all time top 10 favourite rooms file and whenever I see these pictures I sigh and look for ages and ages and ages and ages!! I don't think I will ever tire of seeing these rooms!!

BTW - for my Australian readers if you are interested we stock those beautiful white reproduction Chippendale chairs which Windsor has used in her kitchen above at Black & Spiro and we also sell the KW wallpaper as seen in Chloe's hallway below at Black & Spiro too!!

Chloe Sevigny's Hallway

Image 1 courtesy of Style Court, Image 2 via Windsor Smith, Image 3 via House & Garden

Mismatched Style

Peter Dunham images courtesy of Domino Magazine

The thing I really like about this room by U.S. Interior Designer Peter Dunham is that it is mismatched and looks lived in and even though he has used collections of things some people wouldn't dream of putting together it works and it creates a sense of personal style. Don't get me wrong there are some things in this room that I personally would never have in my own room but that's the point and that's what mismatched style is all about. Bringing together interesting fabrics, textures, furniture styles and accessories in one area or one room is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful and clever Interior Decorating styles. Anyone can pull together a range of plain linens and matching furniture pieces and in the right place I believe this look can be very stylish. However, bringing personality into a room and most importantly finding your client's personality and being able to create a room for your client which exudes their personal style is what only a very good Interior Designer/Decorator can do. What are your thoughts? What Interior Decorating style do you like? Who is your favourite Interior Designer/Decorator?

Windsor Smith Image Courtesy of Style Court

Another U.S. Designer who does this look so well is Windsor Smith as visable in the lounge room she created in her own home in the above image.