Ormiston House in Veranda Magazine

Well, it's turning out to be a big week for us.  We just found out that the Ormiston house has made the front cover of Veranda Magazine in Poland.  I thoroughly enjoyed working with Paul and Hayley on their beautiful home and am overjoyed by this wonderful article.  The morning of the photo shoot I gathered lots of flowers and foliage from my garden at home and arranged them at the house.  My favourite arrangement was the one I did on their dining table in a collection of Hayley's mismatched antique jugs and vases.

Thanks again must go to Catherine Shields and Simon Kenny for their continued interest in my work and their beautiful coverage of these lovely family homes I have had the pleasure of working in.

If you would like to see more images of Paul & Hayley's house head over to Content's website HERE...

Gumdale House in AWW

Back in 2007, I was very excited when Sharnel & Perry Dollar asked me to help them with the interior of their new family home.  The latest issue of Australian Womans Weekly magazine features their alluring home.  It was lovely to look at the images and remember all the work which went into making it the special place that it is today.

Sharnel was a wonderful client to work with as she was very open to everything I suggested and recommended.  Catherine Shields & Simon Kenny's story certainly captures the ambience of the Dollar's beautiful family home.

As Summer Fades...

As Summer draws to an end here in Australia we are heading away down to the beach for a few days to enjoy what remains of this warm balmy weather.  I hope you have a great weekend wherever you are, whatever you do...

xx

Anna

PS - My heart goes out to all of those in Christchurch who have been affected by the terrible earthquake.  What is happenning in this world of ours?xx

images via madison magazine

NY Cushions

For a bit of fun we picked up some I love NY tote bags when we were in NYC a few weeks ago to make into cushions for the shop.  We selected a few different fabrics to put onto the backs of them.  We only have 3 left...we should have bought more!

Apple Tea Cake

Whilst I'm not a wonderful cook like others in my family, I don't mind cooking a lovely old fashioned cake every now and then.  One of my favourite cakes to cook is actually a lemon and coconut cake which is an old Woman's Weekly recipe.  However, I think my family may be a little bit 'over' my lemon cake so tonight I went in search of something new to cook.  I didn't have to search very far as I found a recipe I am going to try in the latest Real Living magazine.  My family and I are all heading away down to my cousin's beach house this weekend so I might just try my hand at this recipe tomorrow night.  I figure that if I post about it then maybe I will actually do it!!


PS.  Thank you all so much for the super kind comments you left me in my last post about my grandmother...Considering your interest in her, I might post more about her in the future.

I Love Her

This is my grandmother.  Her name is Ellie and this is what she was wearing when she came to visit me today at Black & Spiro.  She is one of the most stylish women I have ever met and I am so proud to call her my grandmother.  She has done so much for me in my life and I love her so much.

Black & Spiro Today

Today we changed our front window display.  It was a little overdue I must admit.  The fresh blue, white, pink and yellow in the windows is nice for a change.  Our Max range of furniture is now available in a console table which we have placed into this display in yellow.  The nice thing about this furniture we are making is that it can be made in any colour and it only takes a few weeks to have it manufactured and delivered.

Isn't it hot today!!  I can't wait to go for a swim when I get home this afternoon...

Friday Flowers

I took this photo at Dean & Deluca in New York a few weeks ago and thought it would be perfect to post today for Friday Flowers.  I just can't get New York out of my mind.  I think I am going to have return sooner rather than later...

Happy Weekend.  See you next week.

xx
Anna

What is James Wearing

I have been checking out James Andrew's blog - What is James Wearing for a couple of years now, on and off {it's quite funny seeing his poses} so I was excited to see his apartment featured on New York Social Diary recently.  I love his bedroom {particularly the navy and white ikat covered armchair} and look inside his wardrobe...so many beautiful jackets and all so neatly lined up.  To see more pictures {including his shoe collection} and to read more about James head over to the NYSD HERE...

Brown Packages

The bounty of goods we purchased in New York has started to arrive.  Today we received our first deliveries.  One of the things we opened was the wonderful HUGE vintage one-off Chanel poster we purchased along with some colourful fabrics.  I was suprised to see these things arriving so quickly.  I am looking forward to the next delivery of special things we went to the other side of the earth to find for our clients and customers.

Comfortably Cluttered

This morning I received my digital copy of the latest Canadian House & Home magazine.  I did my usual quick flip through and then happened upon this article with the title - Comfortably Cluttered.  I liked the sound of it.  When I read articles about people who live their lives without clutter and are neat and tidy I feel like I am such a mess but I'm not a mess.  I feel most comfortable when I am surrounded by the things I love.  This afternoon I took a photo of the pile of fabrics and trimming sitting on my desk here at work which I am currently working on   {bottom image above},  That's how it is for me and I don't think I will ever change...I am comfortably cluttered!!

Today

Today I received pretty pink and orange flowers for Valentines Day from my husband which I arranged in a vintage blue and white willow patterned teapot.

Today I obsessed over this fabric and contemplated it for a new project.

Today I cooked Spaghetti for dinner.

Today I did a guest post on my brother's new blog HERE...

\

Grow old with me, the best is yet to be.

 {Robert Browning}

For Bebe

Look at these darling little handmade elephants by Fern & Feather.  I'm always on the lookout for beautiful baby gifts.  With two friends having babies soon I think I might just have to order one in but it's so hard to choose which one!  Click HERE to see the current selection available.



Friday Flowers

It was lovely to return home earlier this week and walk in the door to see fresh flowers from my garden arranged in a vase on our entry chest of drawers.  They all know how much I love my flowers.  It's nice the week has ended.  I'm looking forward to a lazy weekend at home with the boys. 

See you next week.

x

Anna

Pink Issue

I picked up the latest House Beautiful just before I left New York earlier this week.  It's such a great issue and full of pink inspiration which was lovely.  It seems pink is the new black although it's always been my favourite colour.  I don't really like it when something I love becomes a trend...it's kind of annoying in a way.

I particularly loved this room which was decorated by Ellen O'Neil.  The divine sofas have been slip covered using vintage faded red and white striped fabric.  It's such a great lived-in looking room.  I could move right in.

Have You Met Peggy?

Peggy is our new family member at Black & Spiro.  I designed her with space and comfort in mind.  We have had increasing requests over the past few years for sofas which are a little more compact for apartments and small space living so I decided to create this sofa which is compact yet extremely comfortable.  Thanks to the Ivy & Piper girls for featuring her in their mag this month. 

PS.  She looks even better when scattered with lots of our mismatched Black & Spiro cushions.

Memories of NYC

These chairs were for sale at one of the flea markets we attended...we spotted John Derian buying at this very same market.

Bits and pieces collected on my bedside table.

 Fresh flowers at The Crosby Street.

I loved this little artwork near the lifts at The Crosby...the fluoro{or neon as the Americans call it} Lucite frame was very cool...you know how much I love fluoro!

The beauty of The Crosby {above and below}.



Just a little sneak peek at some of the lovely textiles we purchased for Black & Spiro {above}.

The Matchbook launch party {this photo {from Coach's photostream} is like Where's Wally...can you spot my head...a hint...black, lower right corner}

I'll stop boring you about NYC after this post, I promise.  If you ever visit New York I highly recommend staying at The Crosby Street Hotel in Soho which is owned and was decorated by Kit Kemp.  I have loved her work for quite some time.  A couple of years ago I stayed at her Haymarket Hotel in London and both hotels are divine.  They tick all the boxes for me.  Nothing is spared.  Every detail is thought through and delivered with perfection.  Also a huge thanks to Georgie for making our stay so wonderful!

After such a whirlwind week it was so comforting to see my 3 boys at the airport when I arrived home...there's no place like home.