Oh how I love to dream...

(image via charm hill Interiors)

Thumbing through one of my old Veranda issues searching for colour inspiration I was reminded of this absolutely exquisite kitchen designed by Jack Arnold. Mr Arnold is famous for his surperb luxury country French designs. He nails the authentic French look down to the finest of details.

To me, kitchens just don't get much better than this. The black cabinetry with gilding and ironwork is ultimate feature. The countertops, sinks and wall tiles are all Carerra marble. The antique chandelier is from Avignon, France.

Here is another view of this heavenly workspace from the Bentwood Kitchens website. What makes me happy while viewing the luxurious details is that I have been able to copy somewhat some of the design principles for my own kitchen on a far more modest budget. I have white cabinetry with a black stone countertop therefore kinda sorta the same lol. I have iron hardware and scrolly bakers stand, copper pots, vintage pottery, goose neck faucet, greenery by the way of potted herbs on the window sil and beautiful recipe books on display. What I do need now is a wooden wall plate rack, new oven and french style rangehood, a glass canister filled with lemons and definately one of those apple bowls!

Well a new year is around the corner, who knows what adventures it will bring.

Have a wonderful weekend and good luck trying to find parking at the malls! ;)

My celebrity moment...

Last week I mentioned my home when I was a little girl was featured in a couple of magazines. Well here are the images I promised. It's very 80's now but back then I thought it was a palace lol. The formal lounge we could only look at and not actually enter lol The white lounges were from Peter Meyer Interiors and the soft furnishings were Laura Ashley. This room came complete with cream shagpile carpet, apricot paint and fabrics and maiden hair furns lol :)

I do however still love the colonial double hung windows.


This was the breakfast room looking out over a small courtyard. this room featured old brown vinyl bentwood chairs, pine buffet and hutch, matchstick blinds and navy gingham valance. As you can see this is where my love for blue & white began.


My mum still has many of the items such as the persian rug, cane chairs and country paintings.




The little table and chairs also still exsist and get used by my children and my sisters.

Here is me and my sister Sarah in our terry towelling jumpsuits modelling in our country style kitchen my Pa built. The flooring is vinyl day tiles. I still love this kitchen, especially around the window.

It was very unfortunate that back then half the images were colour and the other half were black and white. The room above was our family room. We used to place our christmas tree in front of the copper fireplace. The wingback lounge you can just see at the bottom right I still have and plan on recovering for my bedroom. My mum still has the cane etagere's in her current family room. I love them and feel they are a timeless piece.

The formal dining room had more shagpile, a travertine marble base and glass top table, malacca cane chairs with apricot Laura Ashley fabric. The curtains were the most STUNNING black chinosiere pattern with hints of green, blue and more apricot and I WISH my mum kept these. She also had a single wingback chair covered in the same fabric which is also long gone :(

This was a beautiful home, it was rendered white on the outside with all the classic features I love so much. I wished we still owned this house. Nvm.

I hope you all enjoyed my retro moment and trip down memory lane :)

Feeling Green...

I don't know what has come over me. I'm usually such a blue person but lately I'm seeing green. I have a heap of colour schemes to put together for all three clients and two of the homes I can see a predominant green theme for their formal living/dining areas.

One a muted olive/sea grass type hue and the other a more forest green, like the green in Mz Wearstlers Imperial Trellis pattern.

One of the homes had a very formal and sophisticated living/dining but VERY outdated, however while walking through I was immediately thinking of an image I saw in a book I have at home called Hollywood At Home by Architectural Digest. It was the home of the late, great Danny Kaye.



I can barely describe the love I feel for this dining room, which still amazes me considering it's so different to my usual prefered style. Decorated back in the 50's I feel this room is absolutely timeless and truly captures that feel of old Hollywood glamour with a contemporary edge. The wallpaper, the chairs, the oak sideboard in the colonial bay window, the oriental tureens, the bowl of yellow tulips - It all works so beautifully and epitomizes elegance and comfort.


Another reason for me thinking about this home was my client had a rosewood pedestal with a vase of silk flowers that were tired and ready for the rubbish and she asked me what could replace them. I noticed she had a couple of oriental accent pieces around so I thought a beautiful white orchid would be a classic way to go with a distinct oriental flavour.
Notice the orchids in the Kaye's living room? :)



I also love the orange cushions in the Kaye's family room. I'm now thinking key colours - green and white with accent colours orange, blue & white.



Especially now after seeing this stunning entry room of the home of Mary McDonald via my favourite blog and yours, Cote De Texas.

I know you're probably all thinking pffft it's all been done before but this is my first time building a concept with the challenge of selling it to the client and I'm excited! :)