Papaya

Papaya is one my favourite homewares shops. Unfortunately for me (although fortunately for my wallet), it's in Sydney, I'm in Canberra. I have only made one purchase to date, one of the divine cardboard cut vases (last image, below), but mentally, I have spent thousands.

Next time I'm near Bondi Junction, look out.

all images Papaya

Winter is coming

I've been a bit naughty today. Temperatures have plummeted in the past couple of weeks - a strong reminder that Canberra's very long and cold winter is on it's way. So I've been getting winter-ready and purchasing some of the basics. I snuck out to Country Road this afternoon after Isobel went down for her afternoon nap and spent a little bit more than I should have. They did have a great deal on for card holders though. Spend $150 and get $50 off, or spend $300 and get $100 off. OK, so I was aiming for $150, but accidentally ended up spending around $300....so hello - a whole hundred bucks off! Hooray. One of my splurges was this beautiful pair of arm warmers above. Yummy yummy and so cosy. I'm ready for winter now....bring it on! Oh, although I may need a new coat and maybe a new pair of boots.....

image courtesy of Country Road

Pierre and Charlotte

I love the Tree Light by Pierre & Charlotte. The beauty of the American Oak 'tree' and the simplicity of the hanging shade. It's gorgeous in all it's forms - floor, table and wall. I am thinking of maybe getting the wall version for our entry way, as I really have no need for any more floor or table lamps. Although maybe I could think about the floor version for somewhere in the new family room/kitchen? In our entryway, right as you enter, we have the C-U-C-Me pendant light by Kenneth Cobonpue in cream (see image below). I think the wall light would compliment it nicely, placed further down the hallway.

C-U-C-Me pendant by Kenneth Cobonpue available through Kezu

David Jimenez

This is the fantastic Palm Springs home of designer David Jimenez. I am in love with the butterfly roofline and the mid-century simplicity of it's lines.

Display is such an art. I am always so critical of anything I put together. I know most of the basic rules, but sometimes it's hard to be objective when you are looking at your own work. David is a visual merchandiser, so I am thinking he is fairly good at his job seeing how all the objects on these floating shelves work together .

While David's interiors are really much more Hollywood Regency than is my taste, I am loving what he has done here.

All images www.djimenez.com

Bone china

Isn't this the most beautiful bowl? Not what springs to mind when I hear the term 'bone china'. Nope, there's not a single granny tea cup with pink roses in sight.

I stumbled across the Have You Met Miss Jones website after seeing one of their products featured in Real Living. I would love, love, love any of these pieces! Hint, hint......I have a birthday coming up....

O'Connor House

I adore this house. My husband Des and I lived in Turner prior to buying our house in Weston Creek. Walking and running around that suburb and neighbouring O'Connor used to give me such inspiration. Beautiful old brick cottages and timber weatherboard houses carried all the way in from Tocumwal. It was in a quiet little loop street at the very top of O'Connor where I spotted this beauty. I don't know what it is about it. It just speaks to me. Maybe because it was just a standard looking house that has been modernised so simply. I love the charcoal colour of the bricks, the grey masonry wall, the simplicity of the grass, rocks, bushes and maples. But most of all, the intriguing angle of the entry way, reflected in the small wall built to house the letterbox (sadly, not in this shot). There is a park directly across the road from this house, and I love to visit with Isobel - she swings and climbs and explores, and I just gaze adoringly at the house and daydream. One day I will knock on the door and ask them what colour they used to paint the rendered bricks. It's exactly what I have in mind for our house, and seeing this one has captivated me so, maybe it's the exact colour I should use!

L-O-N-G weekend

We are home again after a deliciously long Easter weekend away. We managed to wangle a day either side of the public holidays so that we could travel up to Nelson Bay and back (about a 6 hour drive) and still have plenty of time to relax, plus miss all the traffic. Des's mother has a holiday house high up on the hill, overlooking the Bay. She spends part of the year there while she visits her father (Des's grandfather) where he resides in an aged-care home. The remainder of her time is split between Norfolk Island and Melbourne. Obviously it's not surprising that I really enjoy visiting each of these places when she is around!

We had such a relaxing time. Unfortunately I picked up a stomach bug a couple of days in, but thankfully it didn't wipe me out completely, it just made sure I didn't indulge in too much Easter chocolate.....and unfortunately, it meant we had to cancel our lovely anniversary dinner at Zest.

On the way home on Tuesday, we did a quick fly-by of IKEA in Sydney. There wasn't much room in the car with all our luggage, but I snavelled a few goodies and eyed off many more for next time. Here is a quick peek at part of the haul:

Happy Anniversary

It is our wedding anniversary tomorrow. It's been a whole four years since we tied the knot. We are off to Nelson Bay for five days over the Easter break, and I'm so looking forward to it. On Saturday night, Des's Mum will babysit for us, and we are off to a lovely dinner at Zest, just the two of us. I hope to come home all relaxed, re-energised and raring to go.

To die for

Oh to be rich. There is the most perfect house for sale in Red Hill. Unfortunately it costs AU$1.3 million and is in need of total renovation. But the bones. Sigh.

Working in the interior design industry in Canberra opened my eyes to an unfortunate fact. There are a lot of people with a lot of money, but not many with style and taste. I cross my fingers that the new owner of this wonderful property treats it with the respect and dignity it deserves. Sadly I don't hold out much hope, but I'll be keeping my eyes peeled to see what they do.

all images Allhomes

More bedroom inspiration

Berry Black by Ferm Living

We've done a partial job on our master bedroom. We wallpapered one wall and painted the others, but really - it was just to get rid of the pink that was there, and it was not done with a great deal of thought in the bigger scheme of things. I am now starting to think of the house as a whole, and as we've been here nearly four years, it's all starting to come together in my mind. I am thinking about going grey and white in the bedroom (it's currently white/cream/neutrals). I love this wallpaper above, Berry Black by Ferm Living. It's very reasonably priced at $115 per roll (we'd need two), or $150 per roll for the groovy version where you glue the wall rather than the wallpaper (ahhh, hello! So much easier, why didn't someone think of this before?). Then I could keep the white bedlinen I already have and invest in a beautifully textured dark grey throw. Kinda like this:

via Desire to Inspire

Bed linen

Home Beautiful, April 2009

I just love the look of the hemp bed linen from Hemp Gallery. I am busting to see it in real life, maybe it's not as divine as it looks in this image. I am desperate for some new linen, but am adamant I will not spend anymore $$ until I find the perfect set. This is so simple and beautiful.

The other part of me wishes for something fabulous from Dwell Studio. I have admired their work for such a long time, but their linen would really be an investment. I'd have to love it.

Sketch by Dwell Studio

As you might be able to see, I'm really obsessed with grey right now. In fact I have been for a while. Am yet to really do anything with that obsession yet though! My favourite combo of the minute is grey with mustard yellow. Loving.

Bathroom Inspiration

Katin & Brandon's bathroom via Apartment Therapy

Both our bathroom and ensuite need serious work. Sadly, they are bottom of the list at the moment, but that doesn't stop me from posting this pic. I love, LOVE, love it.

Kitchens

Poliform Alea kitchen

OK. It's time for kitchens. I am despo to get our kitchen and family room renovated. We have a beautiful big space that lends itself to opening right up out onto a huge deck. We love to entertain, and like most other households - everyone tends to congregate in the kitchen - and because of it's current ridiculous design, we all end up standing up and looking awkward. Maybe this is just in my head? Anyhow, as a hostess, this makes me incredibly uncomfortable. I dream of having the perfect space, both entertainment-wise and aesthetically/functionally.

Here is a bit of my inspiration:

Poliform kitchen

These are the Kartell pendant lights I am lusting after. With a limed timber and white kitchen!
If the overhead cabinets were white - perfection.
via Desire to Inspire

via Desire to Inspire, Sarah Blee

I think this is the very same kitchen from the house in Yarralumla in my last post
House & Garden May 07

Inside Out Kitchen & Bathroom book

Living Etc

Too big? 550mm diameter
Tama pendant by Beacon Lighting

As you can see, limed timber and white is my thing. With the big Zuster table, divine. But what on the floor? And splashback? And where to have the timber, where to have the white. I have so many things running around in my head, but still many decisions to be made. Must draw up a kitchen plan.....

Zuster dining table

image from Allhomes.com.au

I found this picture in my files, and this is pretty much exactly what I had in mind for our Zuster table/benches. I remember Zuster had this upholstery at their DesignEx exhibition in Sydney way back in 2005, so the people who owned this house in Yarralumla must have loved it so much they said 'We'll have that!'. Not sure about the chairs at each end though, it will break up the 'streamlined' look of our kitchen (I can see it in my head!). If we want extra seating we can just bring in the transparent chairs from the study.