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My Week in Sydney

Manuel canovas … my edit for spring 2454

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This fabric works perfectly in a neutral scheme .. a punch of colour for cushions on string coloured linen sofas … or as lavish curtains.

 

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Note the hint of lime.  Fabulous cushions for a lime sofa !!
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This elegant paisley is a statement.  Look how well the pattern and stripe work with it.
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A fabric which works beautifully on a feature piece of furniture or on mass as upholstered wall fabric.  Perfect in a charcoal room or with pristine white.
The supplier of Manuel Canovas fabric is Colefax and Fowler.
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My Design Tips

My tips for a cosy southern highlands winter 1952

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Winter in the Southern Highlands .. an easy 90 minutes south west of Sydney (out of peak hour) … is my favourite time of year.  More akin to a northern hemisphere winter and every bit as enjoyable, once you have geared up for it.  I have to admit that I did freeze during my first couple of winters.
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The first step is to invest in good quality blankets ..  and I don’t think you can go past  beautiful Waverley blankets.  They are always coming up with a new collection and the latest colours to feature rather than hide under a bedspread.
My very favourite thing to do when returning home to the Highlands after a trip to Sydney is to make sure that the wood basket is full to overflowing .. even if it means many trips to the wood pile .. quite a pleasurable task.  You never know what you will discover in the garden along the way .. so much can change from week to week.  This week it was the snowdrops …
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Of course a stylish wood basket is a must.  Dirty Janes is a your first stop for a traditional basket or Cloth and General for a more contemporary version.  Koskela in Sydney would offer something creative.
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It goes without saying that an inviting ambience is essential and this is all about cosy furnishings, the right fabrics and of course an open fire.  Don’t be afraid of a little glamour … a chandelier is never out of place.
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And I will end on a practical note .. always have curtains made with a bumph lining (layers of flannelette will do the job).  This will guarantee that the winter chills are kept firmly at bay.
There is nothing like a true winter in our beautiful Southern Highlands.
My Design Travels

Ham Yard Hotel London … modern British style 2722

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Firmdale Hotels has opened another hotel in London this month with Kit Kemp the designer working her magic.  She is renowned for her confident play with fabric patterns and bold use of wallpaper and artwork.
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Kit Kemp is also incredibly clever with the detail.  I have had the pleasure of visiting a number of her other hotels in London … the Knightsbridge, Number 16 and The Pelham and can say that I have loved all that she has accomplished.  She has a signature style … however each property, very much it’s own look and feel.
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At the Ham Yard Hotel in Soho, colour and pattern have been taken to a new level. Even though some of her pattern combinations I find almost too bold, they work and I can only marvel at the attention to detail.
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There are areas with schemes such as the Suite above, that for me, don’t work.  There is just one fabric too many !!! and there will be those who think it is fabulous.
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The drawing room, for reasons quoted above, falls into the same category.  However, I do feel that this room is probably a lot more appealing in reality, so will put it down to the photograph … I find it difficult to imagine the very clever Kit Kemp getting it wrong … or am I not fully appreciating modern British style.
My Week in Sydney

Indigo … the colour everyone is talking about 2654

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The colour indigo conjures up images of either the night sky or deepest ocean.
Indigo is a colour that is tranquil. It is not just blue … indigo is a particular shade of blue … it is sophisticated.
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The most exciting thing about this colour is how easy it is to work with. Indigo brings to life any shade of timber from the rich and golden tones to the bleached and lime washed.
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Indigo is at its most sophisticated when paired with chocolate brown, tan or bronze.
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It goes without saying that the combination of Indigo with .. crisp white .. rich cream .. soft dove grey or cappuccino shades, is perfect no matter what the season.
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Introduce indigo into any room that takes your fancy.  Pottery Barn have embraced indigo this season as has William Yeoward with his latest furnishing collection.
My Design Travels

Parisian fabric houses to peruse 1958

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To stumble across such jewels … only in Paris.  The cobblestoned streets of the Left Bank lined with the prettiest shop windows.
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Jim Thompson … one of my all time favourites.  What a joy. These windows were a spectacle.
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Pierre Frey … always so smart and shades of colour to die for.
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Nobilis is pure elegance.
Just take the time to explore at leisure … fabric houses for more than just fabrics. Cushions, trims and throws to play with alongside antiques and designer furniture. Shop after shop … names you have only glimpsed in beautiful magazines.
And when it all gets too much, just pop into Laduree for a restorative pot of tea and delicate macaron.

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