Pretty Apartment #3...

Finally we have apartment #3 and I think I saved the best for last. This stunning apartment is in New York city and decorated by Margaret Elman, the founder and owner of Chair Couture.

From a feature in the May 07 issue of Home Beautiful - Chair Couture is a business based on the idea of 're-dressing' vintage French and Italian pieces in bold, modern fabrics to "take classic antiques out of the dusty drawing room and shabby chic country house and make them work in contemporary interiors".

While the other two apartment's beauty were soley based on pretty muted pastels, which I adore, I feel they are the kind of interior I would have if I were living alone. This complementary mix of bold cheerful colours and pastels are really more appropriate for my lifestyle at this moment having a family.


There is so much I love about this home. Like I said I love the mix of bold and muted hues aswell as the blend of various patterns and mish mashed chairs. Vintage treasures such as the swan print, floral tidy bin and that hat collection!


Lets not forget the stunning variety of chandeliers! *sighs*


Margaret Elman describes her favourite colour and style - "Everything from the palest robin-egg blue to sky-and-sea aqua to Tiffany box blue to full-on, whipping bright 1950's-dinner turquoise".
"My style right now is kind of Marie Antoinette meets flea market meets a few items from the 21st century".


This is certainly a woman after my own heart! If I were ever asked the same questions my answers would be almost identical.



Look at this fabulous kitchen! Small and intimate. I LOVE the booth at the end. I'm such a booth person lol. Although alot more modern than my usual tastes, I love the idea of the magazine rack on the wall. I also think that lemon painting really sets off the gorgeous aqua fabric on the seating.

(All images were taken by Ngoc Minh Ngo)

What can I say about the bedroom?! INCREDIBLE!!!



That brings me to the end of my little apartment series, Thank you so very much for the lovely comments you wrote. Discovering and touring stunning homes like these just make the days so much brighter :)

The images of all the apartments featured were courtesy of Taverne-Agency.

Pretty Vintage Apartment #2....

Many Aussie's will immediately recognise this heavenly space as it's been featured numerous times in various shelter magazines and television commercials. I am always thrilled when I discover styled variations of her feminine paradise. I've also posted a few times, here and here about this former mattress factory turned amazing warehouse apartment and famous store owned by the Vintage queen herself, Lyn Gardener.

This bed/bath, I would have to say is just about every girly girl's dream! I can only imagine how spectacular it would look at night with a log fire, dim chandelier and candle light.



This is a very non pretentious home with plain white painted brick and exposed plumbing and yet all Lyn's lovely preloved treasures make it fit for a princess.



I've seen a few different shots of this corner but I hadn't seen this one of the armoire doors open exposing Lyn's divine collection of vintage linens.

A very basic but beautiful kitchen. Perfectly functional.

So inexpensive, who says you need to spend an absolute fortune to create a pleasureable workspace? I suppose in a large open warehouse space you could get away with such simplicity however in my 70's red brick perhaps not lol.

That sumptuous daybed looks ever so inviting. A glass of wine, a Jane Austen novel and I'm set!

Again, it's alluring pretty accents such as these that transform an ugly old toilet block.

(All images were taken by Mikkel Vang)

Obviously the key here is to have a completely blank canvas and allow your worldly possession's to come alive.


Thank you Lyn for yet another spectacular tour :)

I hope you enjoyed apartment 2. Apartment 3 will follow tomorrow and it's something a little different ;)

A French gem in suburban Sydney...

I'd have to say realestate stalking is an Australian national pastime and with the age of the information super highway it's taken it to a whole new level. I remember as a child it was an occasional sunday ritual to go with my parents and grandparents for a boring drive around the streets admiring all the pretty houses. Now as an adult I LOVE to do just that and I'm also a regular visitor to display home villages just for the fun of it. I too now drag my kids along lol.

I know alot of you do the same as evident in wonderful driveby posts such as this from sweet Melissa of The Inspired Room and This from lovely Joni of Cote de Texas.

I still haven't found the guts to actually photograph my drivebys but I'm sure that confidence will come soon. In the meantime my other stalking passion is via the net.

My latest find is a dream come true. This home is in a lovely old suburb of Sydney with plenty of traditional homes and only 30mins from the city centre. The land blocks are massive, well suited to a large home compared to the itty bitty size blocks of land people purchase for their McMansions today. Stunning mature gardens, large room sizes, minutes from a beautiful reserve, plenty of privacy.

I love the high pitched roof and the long pebble drive to the garage at the back, through the perfect hedging and pergola.

This formal diningroom is absolutely stunning! The only thing I would change are the lights. I'd have to hang a chandy in there. Oh and perhaps a painting over the buffet in front of the mirrored wall. The beautiful arched french doors leading out to the parterre garden are spectacular. I would host the most fabulous dinner parties in this room lol ;)

I also love the way the dining room flows through the arched walkways from the living room and as you can see, still admire the garden from within this room.

I perhaps would have kept the timber floors flowing through the living room instead of the carpet with some exquisite oversized aubusson rugs for warmth and definition. I would make the walls and ceiling a little more ornate and of course another chandelier.


My french settee sofas would be white linen and the ottoman would be tufted. My scatter cushions again would be pretty aubusson tapestries. The fireplace would be stone and I'd have venetian mirror above.


The kitchen has a great layout and lovely size, however I think it's a little overdone. Mine would be more rustic with a lighter island counter top. I'm madly in love with the windows and the french doors leading outside.



Who wouldn't want a bedroom this size? Look at those romantic doors leading out to the stunning ornate juilet balconies! Of course the walls must change to duck egg blue, perhaps a wallpaper feature wall behind the bed and where's the chandelier?! ;)

Another aubusson rug and a sumptuous sofa would look great in here at it would soak up the mass of floor space.

What an immaculate garden! Thats my dream swimming pool right there.

I could never tire from that view. what a perfect space to entertain or simply relax and forget about the world. Who'd need to go on holidays?!

And Finally, wait for it....

A spot of tennis anyone? ;)

As you can see from the floor plan this home is almost too big (well for my family anyway). Ample space yet not ridiculous. OOh I could live VERY happily here lol.




All photo's are from realestate.com

Pammy's home...

(images courtesy of Bountiful and OK magazine)

I know these pics are as old as god and I know most of you have already seen and admired them but for my own personal record I just had to make this blog entry dedicated to Pamela Andersons California home. Absolutely beautiful comes to mind when I view these pics. Her home, to me, is a dream. I adore all her pale distressed furniture and accessories along with the floral accents. The cane swing in the sitting room, the seagrass stair runner, the exquisite chandeliers and omg THAT BED! *sighs*

Even rock chicks recognise and appreciate elegant girly beauty.

I always was under the impression Pam's home was decorated by Rachel Ashwell of Shabby Chic but now I'm led to believe it was the Bountiful company. I'm a little confused, if someone could clear it up for me I'd be forever grateful :)

http://www.bountifulhome.com/home.html

http://www.shabbychic.com/index.htm

Dragonfly cottage....

(images courtesy of The Inspired Room)

This post is just a little dedication to my friend Brook who is feeling a little under the weather these days. She has a passion for Dragonflies and I found these two ADORABLE pics on the ever wonderful Inspired Room blog. Melissa - the author - found this darling cottage locally while she was out and about on one of her famous neighbourhood drive-bys, searching for blog inspiration. It's like something out of a Disney movie....so enchanting!

I love to drive around and sticky beek at beautiful homes also. Especially in neighbourhoods I can't afford to live in lol ;)

Ok my turn...."I want to live here!"

(All the pictures are courtesy of realestate.com.au)

While I was on the subject of fantasy furnishings I just had to post about one of the most heavenly and awe inspiring homes I've ever seen. The kitchen of this completely exquisite house adorns the cover this month, of my favourite Australian home magazine - Country Home Ideas Vol. 6 No. 9

The opening paragraph to the article accompanying the beautiful photographs inside reads:

It's no wonder that Kieran and Ngarie, the owners of this property, have cut more than one holiday short to come home to this magnificent abode. "When we travel, we can't help but compare where we're staying to what we've got at home", says Kieran, "and usually find we cut our trips short, as it's so much better here than any hotel!".

This immediately resinated with me as I feel any person who's as passionate about creating their dream home as I am, would want to feel exactly the same way about their ultimate result.

As most of you know, my dreams usually reside in a "french box" and this home is a southern Greek revival mansion, modelled on the grand southern American plantation homes. The interior though definately has a French feel to it. I LOVE IT! I love that it's situated on 30 acres in one of the most beautiful rural areas of NSW. About 30 mins from where my dad lives. I love the Symmetry of the house and the gardens. I love grand french doors and windows. I love the pretty decorative mouldings. I LOVE the provincial blue and white kitchen. I love the supremely luxurious marble bathrooms. I love the guest quarters above the seperate 4 car garage. I love the sweeping views over the stunning country side of the southern highlands. I love the lush rose gardens. I love the Laura Ashley custom window coverings and I LOVE the beautifully ornate ironwork on the balconies and staircase.

This castle is truly a masterpiece and if I had a cool 5 million I'd buy it in a heartbeat. This property could potentially become a heavenly spot to host weddings and special functions. My personal interior would consist of more pastel colours but remain equally as opulent.

Thank you to Kieran and Ngarie, Country Home Ideas magazine and realestate.com.au for allowing me to wander through and marvel at this absolutely unforgettable place!



http://www.countryhomeideas.com.au/p/magazine

http://www.realestate.com.au/