Poulier + Poulier

I saw a teensy little piece on Poulier + Poulier in the August edition of Real Living and got very excited. I've been wanting an old tram roll for our house for an eternity, but as they are over $1,000 each, this is the next best thing to keep me happy in the interim. Poulier + Poulier are a husband and wife team, Mark & Lisa Poulier:

"Having met at university while undertaking degrees in Graphic Design, we discovered a shared enthusiasm for authentic typography, which we have since fostered through design and advertising careers in London and in our hometown Melbourne.

Our latest venture however is into the world of screen printing, with the simple design philosophy of creating timeless, graphic pieces with wit and charm."

I contacted Mark through their website and was very excited to receive my two tea towels pronto in the post today: the eyechart and the St Kilda tram roll. I'm off to IKEA this weekend on our way back from Nelson Bay, so will pick up some frames for some instant artwork! Poulier + Poulier also do prints for framing, but I love the look of the linen tea towels in the frames, they have a bit more character.

all images Poulier + Poulier

Stools

I saw this house tour on Apartment Therapy today. Looks pretty schmick. A tad more minimalist than my taste, but I love what they have done with the bones of the place. I also found myself admiring the stools. I think they are from IKEA, or at the very least, these IKEA versions are a ripoff of a more expensive design:

Sebastian stool, IKEA - $69.00

I went out and saw one of my old CIT teachers yesterday. She is a designer for a kitchen company. I've arranged for her to come out and see us and help me refine my design for our new kitchen and family room, plus give me a quote so I can really start working towards this. Very exciting! Part of the new layout includes four stools at the island bench. The above is definitely a contender, it fits into the white/oak scheme, plus how can you go past $69 each when working to a budget? Below are some of the other contenders:

Eric Buch stool, Great Dane Furniture $795 each

or a replica version from Matt Blatt, $325 each


Hoopla sled barstool by Stylecraft, $?
(in $300 - $600 price bracket I'm thinking)

Babar by Stylecraft, $?
(with a gas-lift, would be in the $500 - $700+ range)

Stella by Plank, through Designcraft, $755 each

Limes

Some very good friends of ours have just moved to Brisbane. This means we now have a good excuse to visit, and the Limes Hotel is the place I want to stay! Situated in the Fortitude Valley, it's pretty much right in the heart of all that is groovy that is going on in the city.

"I wanted to make Limes a design experience, however stripped of the associated design ideals of something unattainable. I shifted the design focus to make the guest feel special, yet not afraid of jumping into the bed like it was their own." Alexander Lotersztain, designer.

All images The Limes Hotel

Another beautiful kitchen

Check out this gorgeous kitchen. Not sure how practical the glossy black cow hide under the high chair is, but who cares? This is the copper Tom Dixon pendant I was originally considering for our kitchen lighting. It's making me reconsider!

From Purple Area.

Inspiration

I love this room from Inside Out. The colours, the typography, the timber, the furniture....all of it! And there's another one of those Union Jack's..... :)

Dry Spell Gardening

My favourite show has returned to the Lifestyle Channel for a second season. Hooray! I fell in love with Brendon Moar's work in Season One of Dry Spell Gardening. Not only is he a completely likeable (and easy to look at) guy, but he is so creative. It amazes me the way he can bring a garden to life, using colours, materials and fabrics that it would never have occured to me to use in an outside space. He has a very clever way of making the hardscaping an integral part of the garden, almost like it's an extension of the home itself. Which, I guess, is what creating a successful outdoor living area is all about. I feel so inspired when I watch this show. The other thing I like is that this is no Backyard Blitz type arrangement. These are real people, with real budgets and real timeframes.

Here are a couple of snaps taken from Season One's gardens:




















Check here for more information and some before and after shots.

Union Jack

I've been wanting a Union Jack cushion for a long time now. I've had my eye on a couple on the David Met Nicole website, but they are around the $300 mark which is a little beyond my current budget. So you can imagine my excitement when I came across one (of sorts) at the Style Emporium last week. No, it's not made from a vintage flag like the David Met Nicole versions, but I am still loving it. It's actually denim, and funnily enough, designed for a children's room - but who cares? This one was only $85!

A weekend away

Moona Moona Lookout

It's been a busy start to July. School holidays (looking after my nephews), appointments and a nice little shopping trip today. Tomorrow, we are off on a long anticipated long weekend at Jervis Bay with friends from Sydney. This is where we are staying. If only it were summer! I'm sure it will be fantastic just the same, but alas, no swimming in the lovely pool.....

The White House

One of my favourite things in the world is a unique and luxurious getaway. I am always seeking out new places for weekends away, and I keep a little wishlist just in case we ever get the opportunity. The White House at Daylesford, Victoria is right at the top of my list. It is a brick miners cottage from the 1850's that has been brought to life by Lynda Gardener of Empire Vintage fame. It doesn't look like somewhere best suited for small children, so this will be filed away for a special occasion involving my husband and I plus any like-minded special friends - sans children!

All images The White House and Gardener & Marks