Wednesday, September 30, 2009
A Charmed Life & A New Book
Australian born Author and fellow blogger Vicki Archer seems to live a charmed life in the South of France, the place she has found and now calls home. Like many, I adored her first book "My French Life" and her new book "French Essence", continues to drag me into her dreamy world. The photography by Carla Coulson is divine and Vicki's styling is second-to-none. I have posted my absolute favourite page in her new book above. I decided on this one page as I don't want to spoil it for you. This book is definitely one to add to the Christmas wish list! Congratulations Vicki on another huge success!!
Nb. French Essence is available now in Australia & New Zealand and will be sold on Amazon later this year.
Do Something Different
Living room furniture in the kitchen, a BOLD back splash and a door turned headboards. All kinds of clever people with GREAT design ideas ! Look at your things in a new way!!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Black & Spiro Today
Here is our current window display at Black & Spiro {above}. It's very bright, I must say, even for me! It's been a crazy week here at B&S. Usually the September school holidays are a quiet time for us. It is usually a time we call the lull before the storm with the onslaught of Christmas coming! However, for some strange reason these September holidays have been crazy. Lots of deliveries arriving as you can see below. A few clients will be very happy at the end of this week once they receive their beautiful armchairs!!
A Summer Table
This lovely table setting screams Summer to me. I love the fresh green and white colour palette. I also love the little succulent arrangements. They actually reminded me of the lovely succulent arrangements Chelsea over at Frolic created recently as below.
image 1 - victoria pearson via brown turtleneck sweater,
image 2 - frolic
Monday, September 28, 2009
Bathroom Shelving & Stools
The concept of open shelving in a kitchen or lounge room is often talked/blogged about but I do also like the idea of open shelving in a bathroom. These images above, which I have saved in my files, certainly show this concept very well. I like the idea of soaking in the bath tub looking at my beautiful things in the shelving surrounding me.
Another great idea for a bathroom, if you have a bath tub, is to use a drum stool next to the tub to put a book or a glass on. We have some lovely blue and white stools {and other colours too} in the shop at the moment which would do the job. I use one at home next to our bath and it is fabulous. I often have a pile of magazines on mine...nothing like reading some magazines in the bath at the end of a long day!!
image 1 & 2 via the lettered cottage, image 3 - anna spiro
Sunday, September 27, 2009
We Are Back!
We are back from our yearly camping trip...having survived not one but two dust storms! Other than that, our week was quite enjoyable and we have come back ready and refreshed for work. I'm feeling inspired today by these images from Canadian interior designer Sarah Richardson! Love all the green accents! Tracey xx
Ormiston House Sneak Peek
I thought I would share a few photos of a job I have been working on lately for some very lovely clients at Ormiston. It's quite a funny story actually. When Brad, Harry and I lived at Ormiston a few years ago this house was one we used to drive past and comment on. The gardens were always so beautifully kept and the house was picture-perfect. I was thrilled when I arrived at the front door earlier this year at my first appointment with the clients to walk inside and see the house we had long admired and to be asked to be involved with the renovation and update of the home.
I helped the clients with the concept for the kitchen. One of my favourite things in the kitchen is the 3 vintage light fittings we found for above the island bench. I took them to one of my little vintage lighting haunts and we spent a good half hour there looking for the perfect lights. Two of the lights match and the third is slightly different. The clients were a little unsure of this at first but after my re-assurance they were happy to go with them. When I visited them at the house last week they couldn't have been happier with the lights. I actually love the size of them. Being smaller they don't dominate the kitchen which I really like.
We installed some of the furniture last week including their old sofas which we recovered in a plain pale blue linen with contrast white piping. The two Antique French gilt chairs I found for them and had covered in a beautiful pale blue and white stripe fabric to work with the blue/white/taupe floral fabric we selected for the scatter cushions. We are still working on a few more pieces of furniture including barstools, dining chairs, lamps etc.
Once we have completed the house in a few months we will be photographing it for our Black & Spiro website. I'll be sure to let you know once it is up on the portfolio page.
Oh, and look at the beautiful afternoon tea my client had prepared for me when I arrived to install the furniture. So lovely!!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Hello
Hello again. I thought I would let you know that I will be back to blogging on Monday. We had a lovely break away and I am looking forward to sharing some wonderful things with you next week including a few photos of a beautiful job I have been working on lately.
xo
Anna
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Viva Las Vegas
NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS!
Fashion Show Mall
3200 Las Vegas Blvd S Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
Lower level, outside of Neiman Marcus
shop 24/7 at www.chineselaundry.com
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Pottery Barn Christmas 2009 Preview
Yes yes, I know its not even October yet, but Pottery Barn has put up its holiday 2009 preview. They have some beautiful things and the picture of the living room above is very comfy and rustic. Click on the title of this post to take you to the Pottery Barn web site.
Mixing Patterns
I love a nice mix of patterns on a bed. I think it ads a nice focal point to a bedroom. Some people prefer a bed room very serene, thus wanting no patterns. I like both styles I suppose depending on my mood. I've seen some crazy stuff mixed together and thought, I shouldn't like this but I do ! Whats your preference?
Friday, September 18, 2009
Window Cheats
Ok, so these rooms are not particularly small, but I think it shows how the more natural light you have in a room the bigger it feels. I know not everyone is lucky enough to have a huge window or sliding door, but if you can put seating or a table near a window, DO IT !! My own kitchen is only about 10 x 12 but I have a sliding door that leads to a screened in porch. That visually makes my kitchen feel A LOT bigger. Move some furniture tonight, place a comfy reading chair by a window !
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Adding Jan Showers to Book Collection!
I just love adding a new Interior Design Book to my every growing collection and yesterday when I recieved my copy of Glamourous Rooms by Jan Howard, I was not dissappointed! Here are some of the gorgeous images to share with you!
Formal Living Room
Stunning Dining Room...
Fabulous Office...
and beautiful entry! Hope you enjoy these images as much as I do! I will be thinking of these glamourous living spaces while I am camping over the next week...nothing glamourous about that! See you all when we get back! Tracey & Hayley xx