Disappearing Act

I am still here.  I promise I haven't performed a disappearing act {although sometimes I wish I could!!}.  Just been a bit busy.  My dear friend Soph has declared that she completely dislikes the word busy and I have to agree with her but it really does describe my life!!  Anyway, back to beautiful things....I have fallen head over heels in-LOVE with Joel Penkman's painting above which I spotted on Design Sponge.  I think I will add it as number two million five hundred and sixty two thousand on my wish list!! 

I won't make any promises but I will TRY harder to post some more lovely things this week!!

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!

Dare Yourself

I love this quote and after chatting with a friend today I thought it was perfect to post.  I dare you to dare yourself to do something out of the ordinary this week.  Do something you have been wanting to do for sometime.  Find the courage and just do it.  I am going to...

image via coco & kelley blog

Fabric Loving

I took this photo at Black & Spiro before our sale last month.  The reason I am posting it is because I love the fabric we used on the antique chair pictured.  It's always so exciting stumbling across a fabric I haven't seen before.  It inspires me and gets me thinking about the possibilities of what I can do with it and what other fabrics I can mix with it.  Even though this chair has now sold I think I might need to have something else covered in this fabric...

Thank you

Thank you Loni for featuring Black & Spiro in your latest issue of Adore Magazine.  There is so much work that goes into producing these online magazines and most of the time the team behind them is quite small so I would really like to encourage a round of applause for Loni.  Her latest issue is a cracker!!

Click here to read...

Black & Spiro Today

I quickly snapped this photo as I was leaving the shop tonight of our front desk.  Today we replaced the black and white ikat desk skirt, which we've had on the desk since our re-opening last year, with a new gathered navy and white ticking skirt.  This photo gives a very small indication of our new look for the entire shop which will hopefully be in place within the next 3 weeks.  There is going to be lots of red {I am very into red}, navy, pale blue, green, yellow and a softer/warmer pink than the one I am normally known for. 

I wish that all of our lovely new things would arrive sooner as the shop is a little bit empty due to our recent annual sale.  However, as I keep telling myself - beautiful things take time to come to fruition and as my mother always says - good things come to those who wait!!

It's Fire Time...

I think we have lit our fire every night over the past few weeks.  We are actually a little bit obsessed with lighting the fireplaces at our house.  Even on nights when it hasn't been very cold, we have lit the fire.  Brad chops the wood and Harry collects the smaller bits and Max and I watch.  It is a big family event every single night!!

We just received some beautiful paper mache pots into the shop last week as pictured below and I think I might need to take one or two home as they would be perfect to hold the pine cones and sticks.  And then when Winter is over, I think they would look wonderful with our Christmas tree placed in one...I love things which have varied uses!!!

Fresh as a daisy

You might notice I have a new look.  I think it was well overdue.  This little vignette was one I put together at home last Summer.  I was inspired by it's fresh and happy vibe this morning and I thought what a perfect picture to post for the start of a new era here at ABT....

image - elouise van riet-gray

Second Choice

The floral patterned fabric above wasn't my first choice colourway for the curtains in our bedroom at home.  My first choice was the lavender colourway.  However, like so many fabrics we have ordered over the past 12-18 months it was out of stock and not available.  Has this been a problem for other decorators out there too?  With only a few weeks to go before Christmas last year I made a very rushed decision and went for the green colourway instead.  I must admit when they first went in I had regrets because I am not usually a huge green lover.  However, they have grown on me and now I absolutely love them.  Has anything like this ever happened to you?  I'd love to hear your stories!!!

xx

Anna

image 1 - anna spiro bedroom photographed by elouise van riet-gray

No!

Our first born child knew the definition of No well before he ever got himself into too much trouble.  A simple No would always result in him moving away from something I didn't want him to touch. 

Over the years I've had many clients ask me how I am able to keep all my books and bits and pieces in place on our coffee table with a little one in the house.  I have always been a firm believer in leaving all my precious objects around the house and teaching  my children to respect my things which will eventually become theirs {whether they like it or not}.  

HOWEVER, I have to say that I have entered into a completely new way of life with our Max.  Ever since Christmas I have had one very tall pile of books perched right in the middle of our coffee table.  Not because this is a new way I am experimenting with arranging my things.  It is the result of a child who seems to have determination which rivals my own.

Late this afternoon I had an appointment at Betty's lovely home and as I was leaving I spotted her big old amazing tree bearing lots of fruit.  She very generously offered me a few which I brought home and placed into one of my vintage blue and white plates.  I bravely placed it on our coffee table amongst my other things.  It took Max about 5 seconds to arrive at the coffee table.  He snatched his very own lemon out of my lemon bowl and then proceeded to put it into his mouth.  I said no and then I said no again and then again...I think I am starting to sound like a broken record!

I caught the moment with my camera and then I moved the lemons to higher ground.  It seems I need to work out a plan of attack as I can't keep this Leaning Tower of Pisa book arrangement thing happening... 

Any tips?xx

Great Cake

Today we celebrated Max's Christening and first Birthday at our home with our family.  My mum did her usual amazing cooking thing and my Aunty Jane cooked lots of wonderful sweets.  My job was the Christening/Birthday cake.  One of my client's told me about this rainbow cake and how easy it was to make.  I was very doubtful!  However, it turns out that it was a very easy cake to make and it is an absolute show stopper!  Thanks Charmaine for sending me the link to this fabulous cake which Meredith over at Count it all Joy featured on her blog.  If I can make it, anyone can make it.  And now Harry wants me to make it for his Birthday later on in the year.  I think it's going to become a family favourite!!

Thank Goodness it's Friday!!!

I've seen a few TGIF posts around Blogland this afternoon and I have to agree....THANK GOODNESS IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!  But, I have Max's First Birthday Party and Christening this Sunday so I'll be at it again running around like crazy.  Thank goodness it's just the family coming.  I am attempting to cook a cake one of my client's recommended to me tomorrow for Sunday so if it works out I'll be sure to post it.  I also think I need to do something with these lemons I've had sitting in this basket on our dining table for a couple of weeks... 

Have a great weekend! 

Max Turns 1

Max woke up this morning to red, blue, yellow and green balloons tied all around his cot.  This is sort of a little tradition in our household.  Lots of balloons on Birthdays that is.  He absolutely loved them.  However, I think he loved his new car even more.  And I think Harry loved it even more than Max!  It's been a perfect First Birthday. 

Happy Birthday Max

It's hard to believe that our little Max turns 1 tomorrow.  To celebrate his first year, Harry and I recently created this little chair for him for his bedroom.  Being quite small, it is actually the perfect size for him to climb up onto. I bought the vintage chair for a very small sum and then had it recovered in a plain white canvas.  Harry then drew all over it with fabric felt pens.  On the back I have written a special little note to him.  We also wrote his date of birth and a few of his favourite sounds on the chair too.  I hope it is something he cherishes and keeps forever.



PS.  If anyone is going to try this I would advise ironing the chair after you have drawn on it so as to seal the ink onto the fabric.

I Love Kate Lewis

I am totally smitten with the artwork of Kate Lewis.  I love everything she does.  Her paintings have a soft, smudgy look which I think is very beautiful.

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.

Black & Spiro Sale 2011

Mum snapped this photo as the beautiful pair of Antique chairs were loaded into the back of this truck.  They were headed to their new home in Byron Bay.  I was sad to see these chairs go as they were my favourite things in the entire shop.  These ladies drove all the way up this morning from Byron Bay...unbelievable!!

What a beautiful, sunny day it was today.  Perfect weather for a sale.  I arrived at the store at 7.15am to find the first two ladies lined up at our front door.  They had apparently been there since 6.45am.  To say I was surprised is an understatement.  By 7.30am my friend Faux Fuchsia had arrived and by 8am there was an army of happy, excited women at our front door lined up in an orderly queue around the corner into Browne Street ready and prepared for our 9am open. 

I have to say that every year I become more and more anxious about our one day only sale.  My thoughts drift from what if nobody comes to what if more people come than last year.

However, it seems that the latter is true - to my complete astonishment more and more people come every year.  Last year I don't think I was really prepared for the numbers we had on the day but this year we set in place some new procedures for our sale which I think made it so much better.  

I would like to thank everyone who supported us today.  I was absolutely delighted by the kindness, politeness and civility of everyone and it seems that everyone left the store not only with something they love but also with a smiling, happy face which makes me very happy and relieved!!

PS.  A huge thank you to my oldest and dearest friend in the entire world Sophie and also to Diana and Mum for stepping in and helping us.  I don't know how we would have done it without you!!!!  Oh and also the biggest thanks to my beautiful Black & Spiro girls - Kel, Liv & Eve.  You girls all worked tirelessly over the last week getting us ready for today.  You are THE BEST!!!

Mid-Week Tulips

These fresh tulips arrived at Black & Spiro today.  They were such a surprise.  I took them home and arranged them in the vintage bird vase I picked up a few weeks ago.  They have brightened my week. Thank you Janet!!

The Preparations Have Begun...

Yesterday we started preparing for our annual sale at Black & Spiro which starts at 9am this Saturday.  This is what our fabric remnant room looked like after I had stripped it of piles and piles of fabric which we are putting into our sale on Saturday. It's so nice to have some order in our remnant room as it usually looks like a cyclone has swept through it!!