Design Conscience: Boatshed Chic

My blog posts are usually inspired by thoughts that occur to me as I am doing everyday things. This week, with all the talk about carbon taxes and people tightening their fiscal belts, my conscience is turning to getting real about design.

People I meet often ask me what it is like to see all the gorgeous houses I do stories on for the magazines. Most of the time the houses really are a labour of love or the culmination of a dream for the owners. Most of the stories are about very real families, some quite well off, some with more dash than cash.

Funnily enough, it is often the latter that excite me the most. Where the owners have had to be really inventive and creative to achieve a great looking house without a limitless budget. And it always amazes me how they pull it all together when they have young children!

Today I have recalled some of my favourites - there are many more of them which I'll save for another post.

Beth's Boatshed: These are photos I took ages ago of Beth from Boatshedchic's home near Jervis Bay, a short drive from where I live. It is a gorgeous little place, decorated with much love and ingenuity. It has changed a bit since these shots were taken but it still inspires.

Beth has great style and an eye for a vintage treasures. She has collected, restored and re-upholstered many of the old pieces in her boatshed.

House in Kangaroo Valley

This month I have a story in House & Garden Magazine about a property belonging to the Johnson family. The story is a little more special than usual as my husband designed the house.

The property, Binya Hill, is set in the most stunning spot in the northern reaches of Kangaroo Valley - just under 2 hours south of Sydney. There locality is called Barrengarry nestled just below Barrengarry Mountain which is the mountain that leads up to Fitzroy Falls and the Southern Highlands.

Rob designed most of the rooms to face the view and the sunny northern aspect. There is a brick gallery which runs like a spine linking all these rooms with the rooms at rear which is where the Johnsons hang artworks and photos.

The rooms facing south are mostly utility rooms like the laundry and garage.

I have included some more shots I thought were worth seeing as the magazine never has the room to show you every angle!

Paris Shopping

Blue and white at the Ralph Lauren Paris courtyard restaurant.

Merci's summery courtyard entrance was in need of some rain...

At Merci, a mix of natural and rustic textures, inside and out.

Chandeliers everywhere... with rough hewn wooden tables and antiques alike.

I did not spend all that much time shopping this visit but just enough to get a hit and test my husband's retail endurance.

First stop off the Eurostar was the chic Merci boutique (111 Boulevard Beaumarchais 75003) to see the cutting edge in French retailing.

It was not all that different to Anthropologie in its confident mix of eclectic, bohemian and textural pieces. Some of the merchandise is tempting, but the biggest attraction is the way its all put together - evidence of a keen stylist's eye.

The next must see was the new Ralph Lauren flagship store at 173 Boulevard Saint-Germain. Set over 4 levels in an historic 19th century building it is the perfect mix of American and French elegance.

While I shopped the various Ralph labels, each one on a different floor, the architect husband was kept well distracted looking at the beautifully considered restoration details. When I was starting to want to be thinner, younger and richer it was time to leave - via the courtyard restaurant which is decked out in blue and white banquettes. Heaven.

I would also recommend the loos on the lower ground floor. Must be the poshest in town.

A Glimpse of Life in Paris

The petit palais in St Germain en Laye I was lucky enough to stay in.

Aren't those shutters to die for?

The Saturday market in St Germain en Laye.

On this recent to Paris I did almost no touristy things, just hung out with my oldest friend Jennifer who lives there with her French husband and three daughters.

They live at St Germain en Laye, a lovely outer suburb with lovely tree-lined streets and stunning houses. They live in one wing of a small palais with shutters painted the most gorgeous shade of blue.

My friend's house is on the edge of the forest from where we walked to the former royal palace where you can look out across the Seine to the centre of Paris.

There is a wonderful, quite traditional market every weekend in the town square where I bought a lovely linen tablecloth and marveled at the fresh frommage and peonies.