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.

Moreton Bay and Islands Discovery Centre

This week I visited the site for a proposed environmental learning centre.  While discussing the brief with colleagues I was reminded of a design concept which I worked on this time last year; a Moreton Bay and Islands Ecological Discovery and Information Centre combined with a refurbished public swimming pool.  The site was the existing Manly Baths beside the Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club at the Manly Marina.  The above design was developed in collaboration with Lucy Jeffries, Matteo Dalla Valle and Oliver Barker.

Another Drum Stool

Although seemingly we are fast running out of clear floor space, I couldn't go past the opportunity to acquire this second vintage Chinese garden stool.  Similar to the first purchase it is also in my favourite blue and white style ceramic.  This one is lovely with its gold highlights and peony and bird motifs.  This is likely to be the last garden stool purchase for a while but I have offered to continue to keep an eye out for Oi Lai which I admit is probably really an excuse to keep looking for them.  They are just too attractive!  

Island Escape

A refreshing getaway to cap off summer.  We escaped to Couran Cove on South Stradbroke Island for a few days after a busy start to the year.  Despite our misgivings the weather held up during our stay for us to enjoy long days at the beach.  Upon arrival we hopped on a couple of bicycles and made our way across the island through native bush tracks to the sandy dunes flanking the ocean.  Diving into the cool waves and going for runs along miles of deserted beach it certainly felt like a seachange given the bustling city surrounds that form the backdrop of everyday life.  In the evenings we enjoyed sumptuous dinners by the marina watching the sun set over the cove.  The perfect place to relax with Campari and soda and a good book.

Moët and Macarons

So we decided to celebrate the Chinese New Year with... you guessed it, macarons!  Chatting with Anton and Oi Lai over Friday night dinner we decided it would be a good challenge to attempt to make these notoriously temperamental pastries together over the weekend.  Armed with Hisako Ogita's I (Heart) Macarons recipe book we combined our efforts to create quite a respectable first batch.  Pistachio macarons with bitter ganache filling enjoyed with a chilled glass of Moet.  An auspicious start to the Year of the Tiger!

Happy Valentine's

James gave me these long stemmed roses for St Valentine's Day.  I love the foliage and berries complimenting this stunning dozen.  I'm thinking of taking them to work tomorrow so that I can enjoy them during the day.  How spoilt!

Utilitarian Architectures

Today I spent a little time surfing to try and find some more photographs of Santiago Calatrava's projects.  I have been thinking about his work almost daily since Helen gave me a book on his works for Christmas.  Calatrava's work is centred around connecting people and places.  His forms are derived from humble explorations into human form.  So simple and yet powerful.  While surfing I stumbled across an interesting thread on SkyscraperPage Forum called utilitarian buildings designed by famous architects.  I have always been interested in utilitarian structures, factories, bridges, infrastructure, etc.  It took a little more searching to find the source of the final three images; a water treatment plant on San Erasmo Island near Vennice, Italy.  I love the care and simplicity of the architecture surrounding what is essentially a hub of infrastructure.  Not only has the exterior been carefully crafted but the services themselves have a stunning regimented order.


Images from top:
Montjuic Communications Tower in Barcelona, Spain by Santiago Calatrava
NOAA Satelite Operations Facility in Maryland, USA by Morphosis
Seaholm Power Plant in Austin, USA by Design Collective Architects Inc.
Water Treatment Plant near Venice, Italy by C&S Associati
Image sources:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=170818
http://design.fr/architecture/water-filtration-plant-cs-associati/