My fantasy 1st dibs shopping experience...

(I adore this little french bathtub. It would look so sweet in my future laundry room. I don't know what I'd use it for - perhaps wash the dogs lol)(I've always fantasized with the idea of having beautifully detailed ironwork across my windows or Juliet balconies just like those in France - It's my favourite French architectural element)

(This painted settee is stunning. It would be my own little piece of Versailles)



(Again I've always dreamed of owning an antique French bakers table - someday I will!)

(Can't forget a sweet wire bird cage)

(Oh how I love chandeliers - especially antique with loads of patina)

(I couldn't resist these french scrolly floor lamps - Oh so gorgeous!)

(How fabulous is this concierge chair? I've never seen one for real before - I love it!)

(These pink apothecary jars are just too darling and would look perfect in my bathroom)

(I'll definately have this stuning blue commode for my entry foyer thank you!)

(Finally, my house wouldn't be complete without this heavenly old rusty french bistro style garden set for my future front courtyard complete with water feature and koi)

Have you ever visited the 1stdibs.com site? Nate Berkus from The Oprah show recommends it all the time. I'm sure most of you have but just incase some of you haven't it's where antique, mid-century modern and vintage furniture and lighting dealers from all over the world come together to one incredible online fleamarket and sell their unique wares.

Of course living in Australia as well as a humble working class lifestyle means any actual purchases for me are only a dream so in that case, wow did I spend a fortune last night lol.

We are slowly renovating our home therefore I am constantly looking for unique items to furnish it. I love pieces that will create a conversation about what it is, where it came from and why I love it so much.

If I had a platinum credit card handy, these are just some of the exquisite pieces I found for sale on the site. Head on over and have some fun. They have countless dealers and thousands of treasures. You'll love it!

http://www.1stdibs.com/index.php

A dedication to my favourite flea market finds...

(This is a corner of my room that is filled with some of my favourite treasures. Someday when our house is finished and rooms have been added, i'll display all these beauties the way they deserve)

(The stunning ornate Parisian style mirror - very similar to the one in my bathroom - I found in a thrift store for $20 last week while I was on holiday and the brass lamp with pink shade was $10 also found in a thrift store)

(This sweet water colour print of Paris was given to me as a new year present last week from my thrift store partner in crime and bff Brook. She found it at a salvage yard and gave it a little face lift. It's truly one of the nicest gifts I've ever received. I love it...thank you friend :)

(I found this cutie just this past weekend at a garage sale for 50 cents)

(I also found these two little darlings - which I am so in love with - from my local flea market this past weekend for only $1.00 each!)

(I have a lovely collection of pretty floral tea cups found from all matter of places)

(I bought this sweet child size boudoir chair for my daughters room for $20 from ebay)

(This gorgeous bread and biscuit barrel was was probably the best bargin of all as my husband found it laying on the side of the road during a council clean up day - finders keepers lol)

(This is one of my favourite purchases as I won this auction on ebay for only $300. Reproduction french armoires retail for around $2000)

And the link goes on lol... After posting the pic of my adorable pink tufted boudoir chair I found at the local fleas, as well as reading a few posts this week about several people's addiction to thrift stores, I decided to dedicate my post today on MY favourite bargin finds :)

My love affair with market stalls and vintage items started when I was a little girl. Spending almost every holidays with my family at "The lake house" there was and still is a sunday flea market in the local supermarket car park. I remember looking forward to it every week and riding my bike up there along with my sisters and cousins to find something fun and quirky to spend my pocket money on and come home to show off to my family. I think back then it was mainly items like costume jewellery, figurines and sequence purses that captivated my attention which really, when I think about it, are still some of the primary items I search for when treasure hunting lol. I guess the attraction was the fact that everything was so cheap and I could find something unique and grown up that I wouldn't normally be able to afford to buy in a store at that age. You know, once again that is still the general rule of treasure hunting even as an adult whether it be at a flea market, thrift store or yard sale.

Searching for that elusive bargin is the name of the game and oh what fun it is when you find it!

I'm not one to arrive at the fleas before dawn with a torch in hand, nor do I show up at garage sales before the opening time advertised. I go when I feel ready and I'm usually lucky and find some thing that will excite and thrill me. Rarely i'll come home empty handed and the best part is my purchases don't break the bank :)

Some days it'll be pieces of furniture and other days miniature french lady figurines. I don't care about imperfections such as small stains or tiny chips, as the old saying goes - one persons trash is another persons treasure :)

I'd really love to hear about your favourite finds or if you have already made a post about the same topic on your blog, send me a link, I'd love to read about it.

A tuft encore...

Miss Claudia Strasser from The Paris Apartment unknowingly led me to this enchanting picture from Frette Linens. Considering it featured this splendid tufted ottoman it absolutely captivated me and I had to post it.

Claudia's title for this picture said "I'd love to live here". Can you seriously imagine living in such a place or palace I should say? *sighs* As they say, it's all in the details...

A love dedication to tuft...

(The Paris Apartment)

(Finola Inga via Desire To Inspire)

(Flickr - little miss flirt via Desire To Inspire)

(The Paris Apartment)

(Mary McDonald via Desire To Inspire)

(The Gramercy Park Hotel via Desire To Inspire)

(Miles Redd)

(Miles Redd)

(Jan Showers via Desire To Inspire)

(Sera of London)

(Charlotte Moss)

(Betsy Johnson via All Things Bright And Beautiful)


(Milano powderoom via Desire To Inspire)

(realestate.com.au)

(Homes & Gardens via Desire To Inspire)

(Shabby Chic)

(The beach studios)

(Paris Hiltons bedroom from her Hollywood Hills mansion courtesy of Australian's Womens Weekly)

(My own boudoir chair)

The gorgeous room from Noel Jeffrey with the stunning duck egg headboard inspired me to dedicate a post to one of my passions in life - tufted furniture!

There is something ever so elegant about tufted furniture. No matter what your interior budget, adding something tufted will definately add an element of glamour, and anyone can afford tufted furniture as I bought my pink boudoir chair from a flea market for $30 :)

They are so pleasing to the eye with their depth and texture. I just love running my hands across the bumps lol. I vow that someday when I become a working interior decorator I will try my best to incorporate a piece of tufted furniture whether it be a headboard, chair, couch, chaise, floor pillow, bar stool, office chair or ottoman in every space I work on lol ;)

I HEART this room......

While I was surfing around my favourite blogs this evening I almost fell off my chair when I saw Felicity of All Things Bright And Beautiful's post about the master designer Noel Jeffrey.

The duck egg blue tufted bed head was the first thing that took my breath away but this whole room is filled with so much beauty. The colour scheme of duck egg and pale grey are two of my favourite colours. The suede like carpet, the stunning glass bubble lamps, the framed pastel map is fabulous, the chandelier and even the smallest touch of the fresh white roses. This room is sophisticated, elegant and heavenly!

As I head to bed now I will have sweet dreams as my imagination dives under that crisp white bedding.

If you haven't already, please have a peek at Felicity's post and Noel Jeffrey's website...

http://creativeflairchic.blogspot.com/2008/01/elements-of-my-dream-dining-room.html

http://www.noeljeffrey.com/

The Lake House...

(Sunset on the lake)

(Will searching for his golf ball lol)

(The resident ducks)

(This is an older pic of the front of the house. The planter boxes are now painted charcoal and the plants and trees have matured)

(This house has the perfect neutral background for any design style)


(This is my mum's bedroom complete with a lovely old brass bed she's had forever)

(The view from the balcony is the perfect frame for the blue and white colour scheme)

(This was originally my grandparents room and now one of the three guest rooms recently damaged by the storms)

(This house does host a sleeping curse lol. Anyone who visits is affected)

Last week Jim, the kids and I joined my mum for a wonderful short summer break at her lake house up the central coast of NSW.

I am truly one of these blessed people who have gorgeous homes to vacation at during both winter and summer as my mum owns a gorgeous home on a lake, 5 mins from the beach and my dad owns a farmstead and acreage down south in one of NSW most beautiful rural areas - the southern highlands. I'll blog about his place another time.

My mum's home, is in a small but developing town and the property itself backs onto a beautiful grand lake. My family built this home almost 30years ago and to my mum's credit and clever design skills, I feel it really has stood the test of time and hasn't dated.

Since my grandparents death 2 years ago we really haven't felt the need to get rid of any of their 50's/60's furniture as it's still good quality and with brand new accessories, looks quite modern.

I'm only posting a few photo's at this time. A few months ago there were some ferocious storms up there and the house got quite damaged. We are still having rooms recarpeted and painted but once they're done I'll do a complete photoshoot of the house room by room. I love it so much I can't wait to show it off :)

We had a fun and relaxing time but I'm happy to be back to my blogging world :)

I can't wait to catch up on everyones posts.