Home Improvement Blog Improving Your Home And Your Life

Sam emailed us with the following predicament: "I have a dilemma. I just got new curtains for my bedroom whose pattern consists of gold and navy blue. I therefore want to change the design of my room to match (right now I have a green bed frame, white table, lavender carpet... big mess). However, seeing as my bedroom is in the basement and therefore has small dingy windows with limited natural light, I don't want to fill the room up with dark colours to match the curtains. So I was wondering if you would succeed where I have failed in finding inspiring images of bright rooms with touches of gold and navy. It is not a current or popular colour combination, but a pretty one nonetheless, if you ask me. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!" It was a little tough Sam, but here are some photos for you that have some navy and a little bit of gold/yellow (ok, most do), to inspire your bedroom redo.

Chicago Home + GardenMetropolitan HomeSköna hemRaji Rm & AssociatesGreg NataleAntoine BootzCigolle X ColemanGregga Jordan SmiesznyTodd OldhamDominoHomes & GardensMetropolitan HomeNina AssamDomino

Jo and I have mentionned time and time again that Greg Natale is one of our favourite designers. I took a peek on this website in the hopes there was new work featured and to my ultimate delight, there was! Here are a couple that I fell in love with, of course.

This first one is in Greg's typical style, modern and full of colour. I think this green is one of his favourites. It's a 1950's house located in Sydney, that included a new extension, full renovation and furnishings. (OMG, all those white Panton chairs...)





This project was the furnishing of a harbour view apartment. It features white walls which isn't normally Greg's style, but with such ornate and colourful furnishings anything but white would have been too much. It doesn't get much more glam than this!

Geoffrey A. Blatt tailors his rooms. They are restrained and elegant, stylish and not at all fussy but they are always livable and inviting. It helps if you have a view like the first picture but even here Blatt designs with understated elegance and instead of trying to match the vista he embraces it.


Images from Geoffrey A. Blatt

The firm Stanley Saitowitz | Natoma Architects is located in San Francisco and is hugely successful, having been featured in countless publications and won dozens of awards. Beautiful raw but slick modern spaces basked in light from soaring windows. The sense of openness is mesmerizing...

It seems like so long ago that we were guest bloggers on design*sponge. Kim featured the work of Canadian photographer Stacey Brandford. I recently revisited her website and knew I just had to showcase her amazing portfolio here as well. The top photo is one of my all time favourite interior shots. Love it and I know Kim does too.

Images from Stacey Brandford

Architects Guard Tillman Pollock specialise in elegant, functional and modernist design. As their website says, "Drawing inspiration from the work of the early Modern Movement, the practice believes that good design should do more than merely resolve the brief; it should inspire and enhance the spirit." Take the time to view their extensive portfolio and marvel at their clean, crisp design solutions. I love the bed that slides on floor rails for those times when you just have to sleep under the stars. (P.S. Great barn conversion too.)

Images from Guard Tillman Pollock

If I wasn't so busy tonight (it's Monday as I type this - I get posts ready the day before) trying to get my posts done so I have enough time to make a zucchini loaf from the giant zucchini my mom yanked out of her garden, I'd ramble on and on about how wonderful a photographer Ed Reeve is. Instead you can just see for yourself.

Andrew Suvalsky is a phenomenal interior designer based in New York who creates such dynamic, glamourous and visually stimulating spaces. Gorgeous dramatic colours (those royal blues are fabulous) and bathrooms so beautiful it's like he plucked them from my dreams. I bet that ultra-glam bedroom above would evoke quite a few unmentionable dreams... ;)

What do a Kylie Minogue video, fabulous furniture for Cappellini, home accessories, the Venice Architecture Biennale and jewellery have in common with this amazing Swedish home? Super talented design trio Claesson Koivisto Rune. Originally an architectural practice they soon developed into a design studio where they creative bent takes their design vision far and wide. This gorgeous home is just one of the design jewels they have created. Their website is a must.

Images from Claesson Koivisto Rune

Jo and I would like to welcome the folks of scandinavian.modern, based in Winnipeg, as our new sponsor. I just love being able to promote Canadians who know a thing or two about great furniture. If you love the mid-century variety, you MUST check them out. I have never seen so much gorgeous rosewood in one place. I think I've changed my mind about teak - rosewood is just stunning!!! Here's a bit about their shop:

"We hand pick and make available primarily original, vintage, mid-century modern, Danish and other Scandinavian furniture. We admire and stock pieces from such designers as Hans Wegner, Arne Jacobsen, Finn Juhl, Børge Mogensen, Kai Kristiansen, Arne Vodder, Ole Wanscher and Hans Olsen. We also stock pieces that may not have been designed by a well known designer but were crafted by elite danish cabinetmakers and are unique and showcase scandinavian functionality and appearance."

Here is a little peek at some of the (*drool*) items they've got in stock. LOOOVE the first one pictured - it's a table and a planter!

Brendan Kwinter-Schwartz's interior design firm in New York is all about creating sophisticated and warm spaces with little touches of glam here and there to spice things up. She clearly loves lucite, animal prints, velvet and mirrors. All I can say about that is YEAH BABY!!!

Time to put the spotlight onto minimalism again. Founded in 1991, New York based firm David Hotson Architect is all about manipulation of spatial volumes, the positive and the negative. Clean minimalist lines are impeccably executed. Nothing is extraneous, nothing jars. Take a closer look at their residential portfolio where slideshows unfold their clever storage solutions.




Images from David Hotson Architect

We're still flicking through the pages of House & Garden Guide to Interior Decorating, The Conde Nast Publications London, 1967. It's a treasure trove of retro looks. I'm fascinated by the lattice outdoor rooms and the bravery of pattern on pattern from the era. Most of all I wish I had that playroom as a kid.

I have been cleaning the house and doing laundry for a couple hours now and I guess due to my level of boredom, I decided to go find a photo of my younger sister Jen. Today is her 27th birthday, and I thought it would be fun to embarass her with a photo from her youth, but all I could find were photos of her with other family members, or with my twin sister and I. So Jen, happy birthday, and looks like now Julia and I can share your embarassment. :) (Oh, I am almost positive I'm the one on the left).

I was poking around the 2Modern site this morning, and came across the furniture line Offi. "Offi & Company, based in Emeryville, California, was born out of a love for great design. Offi satisfies this passion by creating simple, beautiful and practical furnishings that address the modern urban lifestyle. OFFI products are created to be multifunctional, comfortable, and at home in any modern home in the world." Their furniture is for sure modern but I love how the majority of the items have curved lines, that removes the typical harshness of most modern pieces. (And as an avid fan of Karim Rashid, I was pleased to see that some of their products are designed by him). They also carry kids furniture and it's incredible. Most of the items are marketed as easy to put together and something kids would enjoying helping with. Brilliant! Here's a taste of what you'll find at 2Modern from the Offi line:

Marén Wirths (Matahina) sent me a Flickr mail when the blog run away. I clicked on her profile and found that she is a lover of beauty, interior, architecture, design, furniture design, art, photography, tiki, midcentury modern, illustration, organic design and architecture. More importantly I found her website Mata Hina. Home staging, decluttering, illustration and photographic styling. What I love about Mata Hina's interior styling shots shown here is that they are fresh, vibrant and fun. More importantly don't these look like the sort of simple stylish home we'd all want?

Just wanted to add my thanks to Kim's. We received so many emails when the blog was missing in action and I was blown away by how much what we do means to all of you. I didn't realise how many interior design junkies there are out there ;) Of course Kim and I were pulling our hair out with worry until the blog was fixed but I must admit that I started daydreaming about a weekend off. It's been so long since Kim and I had a weekend off. So ... I hope you don't mind if I don't wink this weekend. I have new design books to devour and a wonderful dinner to plan and execute. I have a whole fresh fish and chinese vegetables waiting to prep so forgive me if I hurry off. I'm not leaving you without a design fix though. A little later I'll be posting the work of a woman who emailed me with her kind words and concern. I followed the link and found a wonderful website. More of that soon.

Yes we are finally in business. Something happened to a handful of blogs out there and although it took 2 days, Blogger people finally fixed whatever the problem was. Thanks for all your patience and to everyone who emailed to let us know there was something up.

Not only did I come home from work (in the pouring rain) to find the blog working, but I found a package inside my door too. The following photo is of the new print I bought to add to my chick wall, from Etsy store BrandyKayzakianRowe. It's going to be a good day after all!

Hampton's Cottages and Gardens magazine said this of New York interior designer Marcy Masterson: "Though her interiors may be based on Russian Neoclassical, slick Modern, or Nantucket American, all are carefully researched, intellectually focused and user-friendly." She has such a classic contemporary style that is somewhat glamourous and has such a presence. Love her use of bold colour and patterns.

I'm out. I'm loud. I'm proud. I real estate stalk! Truth be told one of my favourite forms of exercise is to walk (stalk) the neighbourhood checking out homes. If the curtains aren't drawn and the door open even better :) Today's stalk is a church conversion in Sydney. This is one apartment but although beautiful it leaves me a little puzzled as to why they thought they had to maximise floor space while losing the majesty of full height windows. (Developer vs. designer?) The light well cut outs seem a little "twee". Still if someone bought it for me I wouldn't complain.

realestate.com.au