Girl In The Greenhouse

It's stores like Anthropologie that get us going. You walk in the door or look at those catalogue images and get that feeling of inspiration and excitement and you just want to buy it all.

I even love the online version of the Anthropologie store and the image shots set in exotic places. They do it all so well.

These are some of my favourite images from two of this year's collections. I want a greenhouse and I want a bed in my greenhouse.

A Beach View

This week I have been distracted by entertaining friends and 18 energetic 3-8 year olds gathered for a birthday party at our Lighthouse beach house. After days of patchy rain the sun came out, the sea was sparkling and someone even spotted an whale swimming by, the first of the season!

Even though I was stressed out baking mini sausage rolls and quiches and filling up princess party cups, I couldn't help but feel how lucky we were to have that view.

It was a time to stop and just be in awe of the beauty of a deserted beach and the sound of the surf. The boys were barbequeing on the back deck and enjoying the views across the river to the navy air base in the distance.

The aerial shot shows how we are surrounded by water views here.

Pretty Vs Sleek

I have a theory which I was discussing with my friend Allison over at Pink Fibro. Whenever I do a post on something "pretty" or "decorative" I get lots of comments. I get, well, not much response at all when I post something that is architectural or ultra modern.

Personally, I prefer to live in an interior which is eclectic, personal and the opposite of minimal, but as a design jounalist I can really appreciate a fabulously sleek modern house. I just wouldn't want to live in it.

I think that most people - and most bloggers out there - feel the same way.

I often have this discussion with my husband who is an architect and is particularly good at designing older-style houses with generous proportions and details but feels architectural peer pressure to "do modern".

I'd like to hear what you think.

Avalon Coastal Retreat

I have been thinking about the travel experience a lot lately as I have been appointed to the tourism board in my region.

I have been swatting up on what amazing places there are to stay in the most out of the way places. The Avalon Coastal Retreat in Tasmania is an architectural indulgence on a piece of remote, rugged coast on Australia's southern most island, Tasmania. It's the sort of place that provides a truely contemporary Australian experience - that mix of wilderness and sophistication that makes this part of the world so unique.

It has even been written up by Conde Nast Traveller in one of their "Hot New Hotels" lists and appeared on the travel pages of many international glossies.

I would certainly like to take in the sunset over Great Oyster Bay sipping a crisp Tassie white...

In Bloom

The great thing about blogging is sharing news and discoveries about that thing we are all interested in - style! Shannon Fricke did a small post recently mentioning Danish homewares brand, Bloomingville so I had a look and found some wonderfully pretty shots from their online catalogue. The Bloomingville world is fresh, unpretentious and attainable. So Scandinavian.

P.S. just noticed the embossed silver metal storage box (pic 2)- I sell those at In My House!

Designers Guild Funky

If you have not already noticed I love a dash of retro in my interiors and the new spring fabrics and furniture from Tricia Guild are just the ticket (if one can afford the price ticket).

There are lots of similarities with what I am working on at the moment. I am doing retro standard lamps in bright prints and bobble trims as well as re-working old, over-the-top sixties and seventies cane chairs - you can just see one they have painted blue sneaking into the middle shot.

I am a little shy about posting my work and what's in the shop which is ridiculous I know but I promise to take some snaps in the next day or so.