Design Classics

High on my design classics wish list at the moment would have to be the Warren Platner designed dining table and the Hans Wegner CH24 Wishbone chair.  I love the chair for it's classic mid-century Danish design inspired from traditional Chinese Ming chairs. The Bertoia chairs are also hard to go past.  So many chairs, so little time!

image source:

http://furniture-bagus.blogspot.com

http://blueantstudio.blogspot.com

Ivy Birdcage

I have yet to find the perfect vintage Chinese bamboo birdcage but in my searching I came across this brass one.  It has a lovely simple shape with some nice details.  We picked up some ivy last weekend on a wander through a bayside nursery and wound the foliage around the birdcage to green it over.

Mocha Jaffa Cupcakes

I made these chocolate coffee cupcakes to take to Caroline and Vinnie's Brazilian barbeque this weekend.  The barbeque is being held to celebrate Vinnie's birthday so these were made to match Caroline's blue and red picnic theme.  They're not particularly Brazilian but hopefully they will be a hit!  Pale blue vanilla buttercream icing topped with Jaffas.  I photographed them on a lovely cake platter Leonie gave me last Christmas.

Tea and Roses

Dad and Leonie popped in yesterday for a brief catchup over carrot cake and tea.  This arrangement of red, pink and pale yellow roses was perfect accompaniment.  They brightened up our apartment on a squally afternoon.  Dad brought us another little plant for our balcony. This one is a miniature jade plant which looks very happy in its little pot.  No doubt I will be showing it off soon!

Tracy Glover Lamps

               

I first came across Tracy Glover's blown glass lamps on Anthropologie.  The artist utilises Venetian glass blowing techniques.  The array of delicate jewel like colours inject a wonderful vibrancy to interior spaces.  I would love to eventually acquire a few from Glover's collection.

Bawa Landscapes and Courtyards

Ever since discovering Geoffrey Bawa's work I have found his architecture, interiors and landscapes continually fascinating.  Bawa was not only an architect of enormous talent and insight working in the tropical Asian context, but also meticulously designed the extensive landscapes and gardens surrounding his buildings down to the placement of every exact type of plant. The courtyard houses Bawa is most well known for continue to be relevant in the contemporary context of our desire to merge the line between the internal and external.  Bawa's interiors were no less meticulous with every item envisaged down to the last detail.  His drawings are artworks in themselves and a testament to his attention to detail as well as his grand vision and love for the Ceylonese landscape.


Image source: 
www.geoffreybawa.com

Music Matters

Again this duo features on my current listening list...  Music Matters is far more pop than previous dZihan & Kamien records.  Without having seen their name on the cover I wouldn't have recognised it as being d&K.  Having said that, it is still crafted with the same goodness.  dZihan & Kamien have successfully crossed into the mainstream pop song realm and for me this album will stay fresh for a long while.  Thanks Anton.

New Lamps

I came across these lamps while having a wander through Teneriffe on Sunday.  We hadn't managed to find any vintage lamps that were suitable after looking for several months and I finally resigned myself to purchasing new ones as I just miss reading in bed too much!  These have a combination of solid wooden cylindrical base segments with discs of clear perspex interspersed on a brushed stainless steel post.  I love the burnt red colour of the fabric shade.  They are larger than I originally envisaged for the room but they've proven to cast an excellent quality of ambient light in the room and light up the wallpaper beautifully.  I'm looking forwards to snuggling up in bed with a book more and more as the weather hopefully cools.