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Celebrity Snoop – Anna Sui……….

Posted by deardesigner in Celebrity Snoop | Interior Design - (1 Comments)

A touch of dark glamour to get us all in the mood for Halloween.

The New York home of fashion designer Anna Sui.

It may be monochrome but it’s still ultra girly.  And dramatic and glamorous.  I love the combination of the antiqued glass wall, the black wallpaper and the ultra glossy floor.  And who doesn’t like an inlay chest and rococo mirrors?  I might however,  have to draw the line at a taxidermy peacock!

This is Anna’s second apartment in this Manhattan block where she has lived since 2000. She decided it would make a great spot for spreading out to work on book projects and by the look of the next photograph to cope with the overflow from her wardrobe.

Pretty much everything in the space is black or white with touches of gold since Anna subscribes to one of Dorothy Draper’s decorating tricks “if in doubt paint it black”.  I couldn’t agree more.  It’s a great way to get furniture from different periods and different sources and even different woods to go together.

Anna’s apartment appeared in Elle Decor in 2009.

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Inspiration – Halloween……….

Posted by deardesigner in Inspiration | Interior Design - (0 Comments)

It will soon be

Poppies at Play

And just in case you need a little inspiration, here’s a few ideas for how to utilise those pesky skulls that you no doubt have lying around the house.

Pottery Barn

BHG

My Home Ideas

Martha Stewart

Pottery Barn

Etsy

 Pottery Barn

Be afraid!

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Take me Away – Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali……….

Posted by deardesigner in Inspiration | Travel - (3 Comments)

Just how amazing does this place look?

Normally I’m all about the interiors but this cool contemporary cliff-hanger resort on Bali’s rugged Bukit Peninsula has just blown me away.  The panoramic views over the Indian Ocean are just jaw dropping and each of the 61 pool villas, have serene, minimalist interiors with personal butlers on tap.

I’m already dreaming of days spent gazing at that vista with no worries, no emails, no texts and no twitter.  A refreshing dip in my own private pool every now and again and a cocktail every half an hour served by my very own Jeeves.

As the sun goes down my significant other can wine me and dine me by candlelight while the cool evening breeze ruffles my perfectly tousled hair.

And I can dream on.

Mr and Mrs Smith.

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I Spy – 91 magazine……….

Posted by deardesigner in I Spy | Interior Design - (3 Comments)

At last, another digital magazine for us British design junkies.

91 magazine is published by Patchwork Harmony, a very popular and stylish blog about the homemade home.  The magazine is an extension of that blog, with lots of lovely features from a selection of  writers, bloggers, photographers and illustrators.

If you love craft and all things vintage you are going to love it!

I absolutely drooled over the photographs by Alla Pimm in the Etsy Seller Spotlight feature.  You know how much I adore photographs of flowers?

And I love the styling ideas in Style notes from a student room and A space of my own. I might not be a student but I can definitely use some of these ideas.

 

Not only that but there are lots of crafty projects to keep you occupied during the long dark winter evenings.

And when you’re done reading and feeling oh, so inspired you can pop over to the online shop and buy something gorgeous.

I’m off now to check out Alla Pimm on Etsy…

I Spy – Terzani Lighting Sculptures……….

Posted by deardesigner in I Spy | Interior Design - (0 Comments)

I was absolutely blown away by this company at Decorex recently.

Terzani began as a creative design and production laboratory for lighting objects, with roots in the most noble craft traditions of wrought iron, carved wood and Murano glass.

STREAM

Then in Paris 1985, Sergio Terzani met Jean François Crochet, who had experience as a creative Parisian designer. Together they updated the craft culture background, presenting it from a contemporary design angle.


STREAM DETAIL

Thus the philosophy behind Luce Pensata was born: lamps and objects as lighting sculptures, no longer accessories or cold technical supports but the animated, vital protagonists of living areas, with a completely original and identifiable character.

SOSCIK

The STREAM shown here uses seven kilometres of metal chain which appears to flow down from the undulating nickel-plated frame.

SOSCIK DETAIL

The SOSCIK, is again a nickel-plated frame, but this time with interlacing metal chain which creates a dramatic and romantic effect.

SEA URCHIN

The SEA URCHIN features over 1500 translucent crystal pins which seem to be suspended around the bulb and which create amazing shadows.

SEA URCHIN DETAIL

Not for your average semi I guess, but WOW what a statement!

 

I Spy – Vanessa Arbuthnott……….

Posted by deardesigner in I Spy | Interior Design - (0 Comments)

A breath of fresh country air from Vanessa Arbuthnott.

 Vanessa has established a reputation for designing and producing enchanting ranges of fabrics, rugs and wallpapers inspired by her great love of the countryside. 

Not surprisingly she lives and works in a gloriously evocative environment in Rural Gloucestershire where she and her architect husband have a created a beautiful home out of an abandoned late-Victorian farm-building.

Having painstakingly transformed the dilapidated U-shaped single-storey wreck from a cow-byre and piggery into the delightful bucolic idyll it is today, it’s not surprising that Vanessa now uses her home to showcase her pretty wares.

Every day must feel like summer here.

Isn’t it beautiful?

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I Spy – Jennifer Collier……….

Posted by deardesigner in I Spy - (3 Comments)

Mesmerizing!

I can’t get over the attention to detail, the perfect stitching, the chunky satisfying heaviness of them……and they are paper!

“My practice focuses on creating work from paper; by bonding, waxing, trapping and stitching I produce unusual paper ‘fabrics’, which are used to explore the ‘remaking’ of household objects.

The papers are treated as if cloth, with the main technique employed being stitch; a contemporary twist on traditional textiles.

The papers themselves serve as both the inspiration and the media for my work, with the narrative of the books and papers suggesting the forms.”

Jennifer Collier

I just can’t stop looking at them.
 

Strangers Bearing Gifts……….

Posted by deardesigner in Dear Designer's Own - (8 Comments)

It’s not every day that you get an email inviting you to be the subject of a photo shoot.  So when I received an invitation to be just that I had to investigate a little further.

Manasi Kashyap calls herself a Lifestyle Photographer but that doesn’t even to begin to describe the talents of this interesting lady.  She prefers to shoot with film saying that she prefers the colours and warmth that it conveys and she is so right because her photographs are simply beautiful.

She is fascinated by the way in which people occupy the spaces where they live and work.  She doesn’t want to shoot just the objects in a room – to her it’s the people who are more interesting.

And so it came to be that Manasi and I spent a few hours together last weekend at my home and I’m just delighted with the results.  It was interesting to see my familiar territory through the eyes of a stranger and believe me she missed nothing!

I wish I’d smiled more, but that’s not Manasi’s fault, I’m just not that comfortable in front of the camera.  I hope you like the few I’m sharing here.  If you want to see more, you can find the whole series over on Manasi’s blog here.

And as if that weren’t enough.  I was also interviewed this week over on the Freshome blog by the lovely Ronique.

Thank you ladies, you have made my week.

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I Spy – Jonathan Adler UK……….

Posted by deardesigner in Interior Design | Shopping - (3 Comments)

I must confess I haven’t yet had a chance to visit the new Jonathan Adler store in London.

I’m saving it for a rainy day.

I have however, spent more time than is good for me on the website and here are the things that I just may not be able to live without.

I’m not a big fan of clashing colours and bright primaries but I think I’ve just convinced myself that I could definitely live with some JA in my life.

Don’t you just want to pick those sculptures up and hold them?

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The Worlds Most Glamorous Homes……….

Posted by deardesigner in Interior Design | Interior Designers - (2 Comments)

According to Design et al

A Beach House in Nantucket – Kathleen Hay

“Describing her style as eclectic and sophisticated, Kathleen likes to get a balanced mix of materials, wood, metal, stone, wool and glass in each room.”

London townhouse - Joanna Wood

“I think that British designers are still up there with the best, pushing the boundaries all the time.” JW

Southern France – Hill House Interiors

“A glamorous house on the French Riviera which combines the essence and spirit of the past with a contemporary style of the present.”

A Balinese inspired estate in Barbados – Carolyn Quartermaine

“I always mix modern and 17th century baroque, here the unique beauty is the addition of Indonesian style.”

Georgian Colonial style new-build in Connecticut – Tocar

“They were very chic and sophisticated people, but also very friendly and we wanted to reflect this in their home.” Christina Sullivan

 Second home in Portugal - Carolyn Parker

“The clients wanted open space without it feeling empty, and wanted to take advantage of the beautiful outdoor lifestyle that Portugals climate has to offer.”

If money were no object – *sigh*

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