Something For The Weekend...

If you live in Brisbane and you're wanting something to do on the weekend I would highly recommend checking out the 'A Day On Earth' closing down sale. Lots of great vintage pieces, artwork and accessories at fantastic prices. They are located at 18 Arthur Street, Fortitude Valley. If you're after a bargain I would definitely head over there!!

Note Paper Love

I'm loving this personalised note paper from Paper & Ink! It matches my new look in my office. Oh, I can't help myself I am going to order some right now...

My Office Sneak Peek

A little while ago, well no ages ago I told you all that I was re-decorating my office at Black & Spiro. Well of course it has taken longer than I had anticipated. Client work has had to take priority of course and that meant my office project was put on the back burner!! Well, I am thrilled to say that my little project is almost complete with the last piece (being my desk) due in by the end of this week. I am so happy with the way it's looking and I just couldn't wait to show you some pics of my artwork cluster wall as above. I will of course post pictures of the entire room hopefully by next week but here is a sneak peak. Hope you like it!!

NB. I would like to give credit to artists/crafters Anne Harwell, Samantha Hahn, Variegated Inc. as some of their pieces are included in this wall.

Absolutely Loving...

I've been obsessing over Pippa Holt's London apartment since it appeared in the March/April 2008 issue of Australian Vogue Living. I know you've all probably seen it but I just love how she has mixed modern with old and thrown in collections of treasured things including some Australiana to remind her of home. This image above is currently on my inspiration board for my new kitchen as I am going to have a wall in the new kitchen wallpapered in this paper. If you haven't already seen this article click HERE as there are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure!!

Tia Zoldan Says Hi

Today it seems the inbox was overloaded with lovely emails! Another exciting email was from US Interior Designer Tia Zoldan. Tia had recently stumbled across ABT and whilst browsing the archives found the post I did a few weeks ago on her GORGEOUS house!! She was so kind to send me an updated picture of the house which I was thrilled to see. A few changes are noticeable but the character of the house lives on!! If you haven't already visited Tia's website do so, it is well worth a visit. Her work is stunning!! Click HERE to visit. Thanks for saying Hi Tia. I LOVE your work!!

Image 1 from Tia Zoldan

Image 2 from My Home Ideas

Tracey's Vintage Art Clusters

Today I received a lovely surprise in my inbox from Tracey who lives in Sydney and is a collector of vintage paintings among other things. I couldn't wait to share the pictures of her clusters with you and here's what she had to say about herself;

"I am actually a part-time collector (my husband says accumulator!) collecting mainly antique paintings of roses (for my dining room), vintage art deco paintings of women (for my TV room) and vintage paintings of flowers for my daughter's bedroom (which she doesn't want anymore!) I also collect antique French fabrics (which I have made into cushions and trim on blinds for my formal lounge), antique silver and cranberry glass and antique sewing items. Of course, that is just scratching the surface. Full time (my real life) I am actually a Maths Teacher! One day, I will live my dream and open a shop selling vintage and antique items and one off pieces of furniture (I have more sofas than rooms!)."

Thanks for contacting me Tracey I love your vintage artwork clusters (my favourite being the top one) and I'd love to see some pictures of your other collections too!!

Another Week Begins

I love filling my blue and white ginger jars and vases with fresh pretty flowers just the way Meg Braff has done above - so pretty!! I hope you all had a great weekend! To start the week here at ABT I would like to thank Grace over at Design*Sponge for featuring my 2 wing chairs in her before & after series - thanks Grace for your continued support. I'm looking forward to lots of great posts here this week so stay tuned!!

Image via House Beautiful

Rustic Chic

Loving these rustic images from Toast - wouldn't it be fabulous to have a long hot bath in that old tin bath out in the middle of nowhere!!

Happy Weekend!!

Hope you have a great weekend! See you next week!!


Image via Point Click Home

Sex & The City

Sex & The City was fantastic!! I absolutely LOVED it! The clothes, the hand bags, the shoes were all divine but I especially loved Carrie's apartment!! The turquoise blue walls and the mismatch of furniture was gorgeous! Elements of Style has done a fantastic blog post on the interior of Carrie's apartment so if you would love to try to re-create this look for yourself or if you just want to have a sneak peek head on over!!

Image 1 - via Hollywood.com

Image 2 - via Chicago Tribune

Girls Night Out

Hi Friends, sorry I have no post tonight as I'm off to the preview of Sex & The City with 5 of my girlfriends. I can't wait to see Carrie's shoe closet!!! Oh BTW - this beautiful shoe illustration above is by talented artist Leanne Shapton which I found via Ez over at Creature Comforts.

For The Library...

Just in at Black & Spiro are these two gorgeous books - Bazaar Style by Selina Lake & Joanna Simmons & Chinoiseries by Bernd H. Dams & Andrew Zega. I absolutely love the bohemian styling in Bazaar Style - so pretty. Chinoiseries is also wonderful on a completely different level - the illustrations are beautiful and the information it provides is fantastic! Two more great books to add to the design library wish list!!

Black & Spiro Today

We've got lots of lovely things in the shop at the moment. Here are a few pictures which I took today. Lots of green and yellow coming through as you can see.

Etsy Love...

Loving these little cuties from My Folk Lover @ Etsy...wouldn't they be gorgeous hung in a child's room!!

More Mollies

A few weeks ago I posted a beautiful picture of a room at Mollies Boutique Hotel in Auckland as a link to a post This Is Glamorous did on Mollies. I recently stumbled across these images of the exterior of Mollies on Trip Advisor and felt I had to share them. Such a pretty building!! Enjoy!!

It's the Weekend...

Thank goodness it's the weekend! Unfortunately the weather here is a little different to the weather in that glorious picture above. It's cold and rainy here today and I believe this weather will continue into the weekend. To be completely honest, I'm thrilled as I can't wait to spend the weekend snuggled up with lots of magazines and possibly a bit of cooking for my boys on Sunday!! Hope you all have a great weekend!! See you next week. xx Anna

Image from Martha Stewart via gorgeous blog A Room Somewhere

{Current} Favourite Things

Personalised Stationery from Whitney English


Sunshine Pillow from Hable Construction

Moroccan Key Table from Burke Decor (via Creature Comforts)


Love Heart Map Scrap Art from Bombus


Pair of Vintage Cane Armchairs from C. Bell


Chinnoiserie Cushion from Thomas Paul


Vintage Pagoda Chandelier from C. Bell

Xi Li Chair from Burke Decor

Here are a few things I have been obsessing over lately...

Happy Birthday Avril!

Today is my gorgeous, beautiful, happy, organised, best in the whole wide world Design Assistant's Birthday. Happy 20th Birthday Av! If you all remember back a couple of months ago I posted a vintage brass chair which I was about to get recovered. Well of course things got a little hectic around here and the precious little chair got pushed into the back room. Av has always loved this little chair so the girls and I decided to cover it in her favourite fabric and give it to her for her birthday. She was beside herself this morning when we presented the chair to her! I hope you have a wonderful day Av and I hope you treasure your special vintage chair always!! xx Anna

Colour Connections

Just a quick post today friends as I am a little pressed for time but I couldn't go to bed without leaving you a little piece of inspiration. I know, I know I keep on posting Chloe's hallway but how wonderful it looks with these three new images I just came across a couple of weeks ago - green, white and natural is today's Colour Connection!!

Image 1 - My Home Ideas - Coastal Living, Image 2 - My Home Ideas, Image 3 - House & Garden, Image 4 - Saipua Flowers