The latest design hunt by habitus living magazine

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As I glanced at my Habitus Living magazine March edition (online) I was particularly interested in the interview with interior stylist and author Sibella Court.

Sibella’s design favourites included the Sydney artist Anna-Wili Highfield, making wonderful paper sculptures of all manner of animals but predominantly birds and horses. Her impressive client list includes no other than Hermes who commissioned a series of majestic horse masks.

It is worth also looking at her sculptures made with copper piping….quite amazing the movement she captures.

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Without doubt my favourite of her paper birds is the owl in flight.  This may have something to do with the fact that we have a beautiful large white owl that visits our Southern Highlands garden at a certain time of the year …..sadly not every year.

For those of you that don’t know Sibella Court….she has a very interesting shop in Paddington and can be best described as being all about collecting and styling…..positively everything in sight.

  Her books Etcetera and Nomad showcase her talent beautifully….showing how to display your very own possessions and collections with style.  In the case of Nomad she works with the treasures and memories you have acquired while travelling…..so much better than poking them into a cupboard somewhere….the memories gone with them.

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The elegance of neutral bathrooms

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The simplicity of this bathroom is very appealing.  I am loving the neutral tones and finishes…..classic and elegant.

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Let the accessories tell the story and create the feel and mood…..what ever that may be.  Bring in texture, warmth and contrast.

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Natural materials have a natural warmth and texture and require little else. They provide their own contrast and variation within the material itself.

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Slick and contemporary or rustic and earthy …. neutral works best.

The White Company London stocks the most fabulous range of everything one needs for the bathroom….online.

images: the style files

Clever design for new baby

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This caught my eye when running through some favourite blogs.  So often impending parents get caught up with the boy/girl baby dilemma when decorating the nursery for the new baby.

For a start they are not babies for very long.  It can be a mistake to take the short term view and decorate a baby’s room with lots of baby colours and pattern….all too soon you are faced with a redecorating exercise.  This gorgeous room above, to me is very clever……both now and for later.  It is also rather clever if the sex of the baby is not known at the time you are decorating.

What could be smarter than a palette of soft grey and white where you can then add the appropriate splash of colour as above or pinks and reds for a feminine touch.

This scheme will stand the test of time and for an older child simply add navy, red, orange or even charcoal and silver.

I do love the horizontal stripe and these can be in any width.  It can be achieved by a painter, you painting or finding the stripe wallpaper you love.

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images: jessica comingore 

The sartorialist does navy, black and tan

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Image: The Sartorialist 

Why is my eye always drawn to these colours together.  I think it is just so smart to have the subtle black, navy combination with a luscious tan contrast bringing it all to life.

Tan has been big in Europe this winter but I love it anywhere, anytime.  I was thrilled when I did my dark inky blue woollen armchairs in our sitting room to then find divine tan suede Mulberry cushions to contrast. These, apart from the timber furniture, were the only colour in the room as the walls are the same inky navy blue.

I also love the colour that the natural IL Bisonte leather bags and diaries go after using them lovingly…..tan !!

One of my favourite projects recently was a Polo Clubhouse/Bar Lounge where I did large tan leather armchairs and sofas with brass studded trim ….. and chocolate and cream tartan woollen cushions.  It looked fabulous…..the building itself was spectacular….lots of dark timber rustic panelling, natural stone fireplaces and very large terracotta flagging.

I still miss the greatest source of woollen fabric ever ……. yes mainly shades of tan, coffee and caramel……Fabric Fantasy in Commonwealth Street, Sydney.  Sadly now closed.  It stocked bolts of Italian suiting fabric bought out from the mills at vastly reduced prices.  I couldn’t stop buying it to cover furniture, make bedheads and valances and even tablecloths.  The colours were a dream !!

Where it’s at……hotel 27, copenhagen

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I keep reading about Copenhagen and thinking what a truly stylish city it is. Danish design has always been at the forefront ….fashion, furniture, architecture and interiors not to mention the arts.

Hotel 27 is in the centre of the city…..a heartbeat from where it is all at…..both culture and shopping !!

As you know, I have more than a passing interest in hotel guestrooms having spent a large portion of my life as an interior designer working on their design or redesign.  Hotel 27 has the hotel guestroom sorted.  The timber floors underpin the use of colour in the furniture itself… so different to the standard hotel guestroom. So simple, elegant and so well designed.  The colours are gorgeous…..slick, young and fresh. The attention to detail is brilliant.

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Hotel 27 has the warmth and comfort factor so often missing in a lot of inner city hotels.  Designers put together a lot of hard finishes and think that opulent furnishings will be the icing on the cake…..so often the spaces may have the initial wow factor but are simply not inviting.

The Danes do timber well.  The use of either timber flooring, panelling or furniture (or all three) creates warmth and gives a space a certain character.

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And now for some really vibrant Danish design…..iconic furniture combined with gorgeous fabrics for the Bar….only in Copenhagen !!

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A new shipment at Parterre Garden

I was very excited to receive news from Parterre of the new shipment from France and Belgium.

The showroom/shop has been completely refitted to showcase all the new pieces and I can’t wait to see it all !!! Always looking magnificent….and such a temptation.

I love the mix of larger, serious pieces of furniture and mirrors with small decorative vases and other exquisite collectables.

Designers guild shop online

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I was thrilled to see that Designers Guild now have a fabulous online store for throw blankets, cushions, candles and floor rugs…..the quality of their fabrics is beautiful which I think you can see even from the photos.  Such a bonus to have the actual Designers Guild ready made cushions as I have spent years buying small metrage to have made into cushions for projects I have been working on.

These cushions, rugs and throws all co-ordinate with the various ranges of fabrics and you will find that Designers Guild will do a whole collection in a particular colour palette which makes it easy to put together a scheme for a room.

I did blog about their fantastic tote bags made out of smart Designers Guild fabrics a while back.

My favourite ever Designers Guild fabrics are their Royal Collection based on archives of fabrics in Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace…..in fact now that I am thinking about it….. I might just follow up with that story and show some of those magnificent fabrics next.

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More trade secrets…..designers little black book!

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Ondene ….. magnificent linen, cashmere, furniture, lighting and on it goes !!!  All so elegant and so beautifully presented. I adore their earthy colour palette… my real passion ….the Society linen. Tucked away in Transvaal Avenue you really need to know it is there.

Ondene   12 Transvaal Avenue, Double Bay 2028 PH: 93621734

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Paper2 is the only place to go for something totally different when it comes to stationary, cards, paper, invitations and much more.  This shop is all about beautiful design !!!  They specialise in personalised stationary and invitations…I have just loved everything they have designed for me.

Paper2  477 Crown Street, Surry Hills 2010 PH: 93181121

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