You and me, sitting in a tree... it may be the wine haze, or the excitement of a summer afternoon long lunch, but something like this, so beautiful, makes possibilities endless.
Epitomising modern luxury design and space, the stunning open plan living area of this penthouse is both practical and reflective of 1950-slash-modern decorative ideals. Situated on Australia's Brisbane river, Project Norman Reach Penthouse and its cool color palette is the perfect contrast to the warm Queensland weather.
Katie Thompson's website reads... “It is more comfortable to be mad and know it than to be sane and have one’s doubts.”
Is being creative mad? Or is seeing the world a little differently a more sane approach to being? It may be a stretch, but when you consider the jealousy many feel for those who like things a little bit more free and un-confined around the edges, maybe being slightly mad is a better way to live.
South African designer Thompson thinks so. Beginning her furniture, interior design, and consulting firm Recreate after graduating from Design Time School of Interior Design in Cape Town, her Suitcase Chairs are made from a classic tufted chair inside a beautiful and well traveled Samsonite shell. Upholstered in 100% white linen, these would be a beautiful, simple, unique addition to any type of room.
There is nothing more satisfying than flicking the elastic band close-all, smoothing out the sewn spine, and tucking back the ribbon bookmark, of a brand new Moleskine. I own more than a few and currently have 4 floating around the inside of my handbag, all used for a myriad of different things. The cream colour paper, and rounded corners, a dream to attack with notes, memos, budget workings, boys details combined with pictures ripped from magazines shoved in alternate pages.
Moleskine has jumped on the Pac-Man bandwagon, releasing a five-piece collection including pocket and large hard cover notebooks and a colorful set of 4 large Volant soft cover notebooks in celebrative packaging. Decorated with pixilated imagery including the main-man Pac-Man, fruit imagery and classical video game lines such as "Game Over", "Insert Coin", and "High Score.the books come in four limited colours (yellow, blue, fuchsia and red, and all are embossed with a silver Pac-Man icon.
The video to support the launch reminds me more than a bit of my favourite child time clip - the eggbeater ep of the Teeny Little Super Guy from Sesame Street!
I'll take a fashion risk if it's so overstated that people don't know what to say or so understated that its worthwhile when people notice. Like this shit hot hair from the Salasai show at New Zealand Fashion Week.
Gold foil carefully added down a razor sharp part is A+ and then some. Added to a mostly monochromatic colour palette with a touch of houndstooth and geometric pattern splattered across blazers, I think the best way to bring summer to the whole thing would be a splash of powder blue and blonde on blonde balayage ala Lara. Tick.
I had a conversation with my gorgeous friend Longy, about the creative direction that Sass&Bide have taken the last few seasons. Honestly, it wasn't all roses (though, it's ironic that i've dropped an easy $000 on pieces they've done over the last few months...) however there is no way I can fault their SS11 (nth) / AW11 (sth) 'papa sucre' collection.
It's a smart, sexy, 'designed' collection with what seems to be a move back to the simple elegance of great cut with a serious raw and organic edge shown in the prints, accessories and styling of their recent Fashion Week show.
The colours are so bang on - simply Australian, with a global attitude. I'm also in love with the front bun-slash-back-braid done by Renya Xydis and her talented team. My picks:
I can't remember for the life of me who shot these (but credit will be dealt if you contact me!) but found the shots and wanted to post anyway. Maybe it's a little freaky, but I'd love to decorate a playroom with something like this to make it okay to see the world a little wrong side up.
Sydney sauced over the weekend with the divinity of Summer shining down. Bleached out bliss, of rays on white white sands, and the twinkle of fun hitting the waves.
Brisbane label Vanguard makes me think of Australian summer. The colours, the casual hang, the simple, sweet things that let you sit, all complacent, without a care in the world, soaking up the best time of your life.
Stocked in 60 stores throughout Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Japan, Vanguard also just signed a deal with Bloomingdales and my good friend Mitch Beige Brown does a lot of design work for them. They also have a sweet little online store. www.vanguardfashion.com.au
You know what is ridiculous? Working so hard to be great, when you could work less hard and be yourself which is greater. It's such a simple thought but how many people actually follow it?
I walked into my office today and got sucker punched trying to do the right thing. Well two finger flat tires to that. If tomorrow wasn't a weekend, I'd throw on this FUTURE CLASSICS Goddess Dress in Sepia Magazine, some zip up clog booties, bed head ponytail, a fur and a kohl eye and I'd provide a blank face expression, that wearing a dress like this allows. (Unlined, 100% cotton with cut-out sleeves and a twisted slit at hem) $1406 USD.
I originally saw a Willy Verginer in *Wallpaper. A man, that went through the floor (or the ceiling) from one floor to the next in an advertising agency. And thought that it was a really interesting way to connect two spaces.
I think I want a pool. Rectangle. Surrounded by concrete. With a powder blue paint job, and edgeless lip, and a long, diving plank. And in the corner, by a fern and a spa (that is set aside, in a dark part, almost like a grotto), I want a Verginer man. Wearing goggles, all silent and still and cool, but with his little splice of colour, and looking over the still water, like a protector, as I lie in the sun. Hot concrete against cheek and the quietness of alone, and a closed eye red tint.
Sometimes it feels that in a whirlwind this year has whizzed straight past me and I've been caught up in it and dragged along for the ride. Except, I took a second to slow it down the other day and now, in September, I've realised that this year, I've been gifted with some amazing times, and people and events that I otherwise would never have lived if I hadn't made some choices that some days I'd rather forget and regret I had.
And I want to write it down. The lessons, and the faces and the laughs and the dreams and the realities. I want to look back on 2010 as the year that my life changed and have a reference to slap me in the face with the reality that its brought when I forget.
Maybe I'll start the story of my whole life in the My Life Story Diary. 1800 pages from now to treasure the story of my life. MY LIFE STORY £35.00
Focus. It's so hard to find. A steely eyed glare to the future to chase a dream that should have been a reality years ago. And that thin line, which is like a slither between one life and another, that if it manages to slice a little wider, and the shimmer gets a little brighter, will swallow you up and close over and in an instance you've gone from standing on a centuries old street, to a state of being that you've seen every day for your entire life. It's funny when you try and take control of your own destiny. And remind yourself that you need to run the whole way and not stop until you reach the top. And find yourself gasping for air but looking out on something that many only dream of.
Diana Kruger for Marie Claire UK - April 2010. Determined focus.
Sometimes, I wish that the world was designed. That everything was stylized and refined and clean and ordered. Until the world becomes that way and then I get a little full moon on myself and need to break free. I do feel however that I could be guided 1984-style with beautiful sports propaganda. Or whipped into shape by Alan Clarke's proposed posters for the for London 2012 Olympic Games transport. These are beautiful and equal to his tip your hat great LA Marathon t-shirt.
Deservedly so, Clarke's work has featured in Creative Review and Wallpaper* Magazine, as well as online by The Architects Journal, FFFFound, and Etre.
