Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show

I am off to the Melbourne International Flower & Garden show tomorrow and word is it will be quite amazing. I love to see what is happening outside, the interior and exterior of a space can't (or shouldn't) exist seperately but rather they are symbiotic and often one will inspire the other. I hope to have lots of inspiring shots to share with you over the next few days (or longer depending on how great it is!) so stay tuned! Till then...


Have you met miss jones?

I have a love of ceramics, and I seem to have created a collection of them in white without really meaning to, in fact the shelves in my dining area at home have now been dedicated to various white vessels and objet d'art. I just love the way white objects rely on texture to create depth and interest and there is a pureness about white that other colours can't replicate. So have you met miss jones is a site I am immediately excited by. Not only do they have gorgeous bone china (the bone china feathers are a favourite and check out the milk can from the paper bag collection) and unique pottery that is quite unusual but the prices are so reasonable - I don't know where to start with the list of things I would like to add to my home. Here are just a few of the things that I think are design eye worthy. For more details or to order any of these lovely goodies visit have you met miss jones.
Above: bone china feathers.
Below: sea urchin cup, origami swan, paper bag vase, orrese lamp base, milk can vase & leaf vase.


serve up some baroque glamour

Continuing the animal & ‘forest friends’ trend that we have been seeing so much of are these beautiful ornate trays from Ibride (Paris). These gorgeous trays are almost too good to use but are totally practical and if you can't bear to serve morning tea on the amazing designs they also come with a wall fixing bracket so that they can be wall mounted. Not completely new to the design world but now available in Melbourne from one of my favourite retail destinations 4M. Shown here are characters that captured my heart, other designs include birds, a polar bear and images of vintage women. Each design is a different size and the core material of the trays is recycled wood. For prices and availability contact 4M.

p.s check out the Ibride website, its quite gorgeous and fantastical!


showering in a box

For a long time we have been seeing our bathrooms transform into larger spaces that are more about 'me time' and less about practicality. Once quite utilitarian, the bathroom has become an all important space and one that expresses design equally as well as the other rooms in your home. In Australia, the dilemma of all this has been the conflicting ideas of spending more time in your bathroom whilst fiercely saving water [how many of us have buckets in our showers just so we can water our favourite plants?]. There is also the problem that most homes just don't have the luxury of space to create the spa style bathroom.
I think the trend is on the move, luxury is still all important but design isn't good design if it doesn't function well, so in answer to this we see designers creating new solutions. Here are some examples of clever preening products & spaces...


Avec Toi is a shower 'cabin' designed for two. Its simple aesthetic of lacquered aluminium and glass complements the luxury features including touch screen controls and hydro-massage jets. Designed by PS+A - Palomba Serfini Associates for Kos, PS+A also designed the Dora armchair for Zanotta [one of my favourites]
[image from Kos Website]

The worlds first beauty shower, Methven's Satinjet Maia gives you a chlorine free, pure water experience with a multi-functional shower head that provides a body massage and a gentle face massage. The shower is fitted with a vitamin C canister that eliminates the chlorine in your water, preventing your hair and skin from over drying. Maia provides a luxurious spa experience with impressive water saving technology and its streamlined design is easy on the [design] eye. All this and it is designed in New Zealand - almost local!
[image from Satinjet Maia website]

Another shower 'cabin' with your personal wellness in mind is the Anthropos designed by Claudio Papa for Glass. This shower box can be customised to include hydro massage, steam bath, aromatherapy, chromotherapy, radio and the luxury of a heated compartment for towels and robes.
[image from Glass Website]

Of course all of these luxury bathing designs come at a cost but we seek to inspire those of you who are more cost effective...


pretty in print

You may have already read or heard about Lara Cameron of Lara Cameron Design and her gorgeous limited edition hand printed textiles [pictured here is houses in teal and bicycles in chocolate]. Lara has recently embarked on a new business, Ink & spindle which will be producing hand printed textiles with an environmental focus. Co founded with Tegan & Bianca, fellow lovers of art and design, Ink & Spindle will be a company to watch for inspiring new Australian made designs. To follow the progress of thier new business you can read thier blog Ink & Spindle which keeps us up to date with thier adventures creating the new Ink & Spindle studio in Kensington's Younghusband Wool Store building.