Swanky Style

All images are via Elle Decor

It's nice to see how those with bucketloads of cash fit out their homes.  Hilary Swank's New York apartment is a light filled, sleek and stylish abode.  Fitted with lots of Calvin Klein Home furniture pieces, it refrains from being ordinary by the delicate and special touches.  A silk lined wall in the bedroom, travertine tiles in the bathroom and rustic, reclaimed wood planks in the living room are all features that make this home stand out.  I love how they have created arched window treatments in the lounge - something you don't see that often and no doubt a result of custom furnishings (thanks to the bucketloads of cash mentioned earlier!).  Ahhh, one day it will be me but for now I'm happy to lust over these pictures.

Creative Lighting

Cartoon Hanging Pendant

Folded Paper Drum Shade

Sheet Music Hanging Pendant



Soda Tab Hanging Pendant



Straw Hanging Drum Pendant

Cocktail Umbrella Hanging Pendant

All images are via Zipper 8 Lighting on Etsy

Lighting is a passion of mine and when I stumbled across these quirky shades, I just had to share them with you.  They are the wonderful creations of New York based Allison Patrick and you can find them on Etsy which is a fantastic web site featuring hand made products.  I love the sheet music pendant and the soda tab drum shade and I adore how simple the idea is.  It just shows that with a little imagination, you can create lighting out of virtually anything!

Divine Drawings - Inslee Haynes

The reminds me of my pretty neice and her youthful style.
It is simply called Evening.





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I have purchased this one for my sister (Striped Skirt).
It captures her beautifully.



  

This drawing is called 65 Degrees. 
I like that you can't see her face.





This drawing is called Two Designers and I had a little chuckle
thinking of Kylie and myself as this stylish duo, running our own busy
design business!

This calendar is simply spectacular. 
I would love one in my study for daily inspiration.

I'm in love.  I'm aware that I can go on about things, blabbing that they are awesome, yadda yadda yadda, but seriously, this artist has my heart.  Her ethereal drawings are simple, incredibly stylish and they just capture a mood.  Based in New York, Inslee draws inspiration from the sophisticated women in the fashion capital.  Christmas is just around the corner and these would make the perfect gift - I'm snapping some up for friends and for my sister.  If you want something extra special, you can commission Inslee for a custom illustration.  Visit http://www.inslee.net/ to check it out for yourself.

A quick dash with Elizabeth Bauer

All images are via
Elizabeth Bauer

In the continuing story of my New York design journey, I have to mention Elizabeth Bauer.  We were on our last day in the city that never sleeps, trying to find a deli for my mother so she could buy some nuts (it's a long story you don't want to hear - why would you want nuts when you can have Magnolia Cupcakes?) when we stumbled across Elizabeth Bauer's divine little store.  In our frantic search for a healthy snack, I would have completely missed it, if it were not for the vibrant colours and eye catching designs calling out to me from that little slice of heaven, her retail store.  It was the visual attraction and the fact that I had slowed the pace down as a Jonathan Adler store is a few doors down.  Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, on Greenwich Avenue, make sure you stop in for a look when you are there.

The shop just makes you feel good.  The gorgeous colours, patterned fabrics, varied surfaces and exotic glamorous vibe of the store means that you will want to stay and potter for a while.  Unfortunately, on this trip, all I could afford was a quick dash, but this is one place that I will definitely revisit on my next trip.  Last year, Traditional Home magazine labeled Elizabeth Bauer as one of 20 Young Designers to Watch and I suggest you take a good long look.

New York's Most Decadent Spa

Some of you may recall that I was surprising my mum on her birthday with some treatments at the Trump Soho Spa.  In a city that oozes money, this spa was recently billed as New York's most decadent spa by Gotham magazine and it certainly lived up to its new tittle.  Handel Architects designed the hotel with the interiors by the Rockwell Group and custom furnishing by Fendi Casa.

The gods were smiling on me as the spa had a student discount special that week and so my sister and I were also able to join my mum.  The glamorous modern Middle Eastern inspired interior of the spa was breathtaking.  My favourite element had to be the stunning abstract chandeliers in the bar area.  Reminiscent of enormous twisted shrubs with glittering lights, they were perfect for highlighting and reflecting the many tiled areas of the interior, particularly the pearlescent tiled roof.  Situated in front of the windows facing the pool area, the abundance of natural light ensured that these show stopping light fixtures are a feature all day and night.

The spa was ultimate luxury with no expense spared in the fit out.  From the draping silk lights and leather Moroccan pouffes to the heated toilet seats and incredibly soft robes and slippers, it was all divine.  We were particularly spoilt on our day as I had told the spa when booking that it was my mum's birthday so we were treated to complimentary Prosecco (normally $25 a glass - eek! and definitely the champagne of choice in New York) and cupcakes to celebrate the day.  It was a truly wonderful experience that I was so lucky to have and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

I love New York - Anthropologie

If you go to New York, a visit to Anthropologie is a must.  Their stores are a visual feast.  They have some very talented visual merchandisers and/or stylists working for them.  The style is eclectic meets vintage with a dash of Moroccan thrown in, but however you describe it, it is definitely cool.  I managed to pass three stores whilst there, so you are bound to run into one.  The most popular is the one located across from the Rockerfeller Centre, however I prefered the one in Soho.  I think it was the small details that I loved best such as the cashier desks which where repurposed wooden school desks.

Loving New York Design with Jonathan Adler

Images of the Jonathan Adler shop in Soho

I'm finally back from my wonderful trip to New York and Hawaii.  I am so excited to share it all with you and there were so many beautiful things that it was hard to know where to start.  I've chosen Jonathan Adler as I really loved his shop and the people that work there were also lovely.  We had a great conversation about Australian design compared to American design.  My first impression with American interior design is all about colour and the wonderful way they use it.  They are not afraid!  My opinion is that a lot of Australian design (not all) is very neutral and reflective of our natural environment.  Perhaps because New York is very grey with all the buildings, New Yorkers love to use vibrant colour.

Jonathan Adler's shop in Soho (I also went past the one in Greenwich Village) is a joy to walk into.  His use of colour is second to none.  The bold retro inspired designs were refreshing and fun, yet still contemporary and sophisticated.  Take your cue from New York and have a bit of fun with colour - it can really lift your mood.

Beautiful Book

Sibella Court's Stylist's Guide to NYC

I have been waiting for my copy of this book to arrive and I was so excited to finally receive it this morning.  I have read a lot about this book and how beautiful it was and when I went to the book store to buy it, they had sold out so I ordered it online.  I love buying books online as it saves so much money (leaves more for other shopping), but the only disadvantage is that you don't get to thumb through the book so when this book arrived this morning, it was a total new discovery.

This book is just simply beautiful.  Sibella Court is a Sydney based stylist and she has created a masterpiece here.  The images, the page quality (I got the hardcover version), the layout and the design - it's all perfect.  Even if you are not planning a trip to the States, next time you are in a book store, take a look at this divine book.

New York Luxury

Smyth Tribeca

Smyth Tribeca

The London

The London

The London Penthouse

There are those of the opinion that money spent on luxury accommodation whilst on holiday is a waste of money as you don't spend much time in your room.  Whilst I agree that a good holiday is one where you do spend little time in your room, I do think that money spent on the best accommodation you can afford is well worth it.   For me, part of the whole holiday is the delight and escape of luxury accommodation.  I want to completely flee my normal life while I am on holiday and staying at a beautiful hotel makes me feel special.  At the end of an exhausting day of shopping and site seeing, I want to look forward to my beautiful hotel welcoming me with soft, ridiculously high thread count sheets, amazing views and glittering surfaces.  I want to have a quick lie down, recharge, and then head to the bathroom to glam up for the evening.

I am lucky enough to be staying at The London and the Smyth Tribeca when I go to New York soon.  The penthouse at The London looks spectacular, however the funds could only stretch so far so we will be staying in a regular room!

From a design point of view, I can't wait to see these hotels (and a few others I plan on visiting).  The London's rooms were designed by one of my favourite designers, David Collins.  He also designed Gordon Ramsay's restaurant, Maze, which is located inside The London.

New York Plans

all images are courtesy of Trump Soho Spa

I'm off to New York in two weeks for a girls trip with my mother and little sister.  While we are away it will be my mum's birthday so I have booked her in for a surprise spa day at Trump Soho Spa.  It looks amazing in the photos - wish I could get a treatment done too!  I hope she likes it as she thoroughly deserves to be spoiled for a day.  I have also made reservations at Buddukan for dinner so it should be a great day.  It's definitely something I'm looking forward to.  I can't wait to see some gorgeous interiors, artwork and architecture and to share it with you.

Lisa Dalla Rosa

All images are courtesy of Lisa Dalla Rosa

I think that artwork is a critical element of interior design and decoration.  We have been studying a lot of images in class and analysing them in term of the design principles.  This has prompted me to share with you one of my favourite artists, Lisa Dalla Rosa.  She is a wonderful Australian artist who is based in South Australia.  I love her dreamy masterpieces which, I think, perfectly capture the feeling of her landscape subjects.  I saw her work at Art Melbourne this year and I will be saving my pennies so that I can buy a piece.  Her work has been exhibited all around the world including Melbourne, Dubai, Toronto and most recently, in New York.  You can view her artwork at www.lisadallarosa.com