A bach, two books and a gentle reminder

Friday already?  Where does the time go?  I hope everyone has had a great week and is looking forward to a fun & relaxing weekend, whatever you're doing! 

Wishing this was my weekender! I'm a huge NZ bach fan and dream of having my very own one day ....
House by Carnachan Architects.  Image via archicentral

Did you know that, according to the font of hugely unreliable information (Wikipedia, of course), the name for this type of NZ weekend or holiday home came about as an abbreviation of 'bachelor pad', or is it from the Welsh word for small ....

Anyhoo, I digress ....

If you've got a project or two in mind for the weekend, you could do a whole lot worse than grab a copy of a GORGEOUS new book that has just hit the shelves to give you some ideas. 

Last night I was lucky enough to be at an informal 'launch' of the book New Vintage, by Interior Stylist/Decorator/Writer Tahn Scoon (great name, or what?), with stunning, at times ethereal, photography by the very talented Anastasia Kariofyllidis.

Purchase online from Mary Ryan's or contact Tahn for a signed copy

This book is brimming with gorgeous photography, tempting interiors and how-to projects that will help you inject soul and spirit into your space.  Congratulations on such a beautiful work, Tahn & Anastasia ....

Tahn studied Interior Design & Decorating at the Beaumont School here in Brisbane, just as I recently did.  (I now work for Tracie, the owner of said school, and her own Interior Design group - hence the invite!)  So last night got me thinking about what's possible .... for me, for you, for all and any of us ....

Andy Goldsworthy sculpture - an all time favourite artist of mine

And it's anything.
Anything at all. 

There was a time when I simply wouldn't have believed that.  I believe it now, and I experience it too, but from time to time, I forget.  From time to time I still find myself letting the thoughts of obstacles and limitations get the upper hand ....

If you have never read the Art of Possibility by Ben & Rosamund Zander (amazing folks), please, please, please get yourself a copy and prioritise some reading time!
And make sure you check out Books & Jackets for more amazing works from Anita Francis

So this weekend, as I come and go and do this and that, I'll be taking a leaf out of Emily Dickinson's book, or just a line from her beautiful poetry, and 'dwell in possibility'.

Couldn't resist another AG ...

How about you ..... ?


Til next time, Nx

Back to primary ....

Last night, unable to find anything worth watching on the ridiculous number of channels I can access with my remote, I started to wonder ...

"Why do I even have a television?"  

With yesterday's inspiring words from A Tranquil Townhouse (about making reading a priority) ringing in my ears, auctioning off my TV on ebay started to feel like a really good idea and ... imagine being able to design & decorate a house without having to find the right place for the big black box!

Then I stumbled across a little gem on the Studio channel and even though the idea of getting rid of my TV still has some appeal, I am really glad I did ...

Yellow 1999 (via marcovanlenten)

Years ago I stumbled across some works by an artist called Anish Kapoor - I must have been at an exhibition somewhere in the UK in the 80s or 90s, though I can't recall exactly where or when.

A Thousand Names collection (though I have also seen this listed As If To Celebrate) 1987
(via C4gallery)

It was love at first sight. I had never seen anyone use colour (pure colour, i.e. pigment itself) like this ....

A Thousand Names collection (via hildadeschutter)

 It took my breath away.

A Thousand Names collection (via urbantaster)

And still does.
 

A Wing At The Heart Of Things (this was in the Tate Modern the last time I was there - AMAZING!)
(via British Council)

 It was pure joy to watch the one-hour special last night ....

Not sure on the title of this one, could also be from A Thousand Names collection
(via anishkapoorinbrighton)

To revisit works I'd seen ....

Untitled 1990
(via nouveauricheclothing)

 And so many others I hadn't ....

Yellow 1999 (via marcovanlenten)

 Oh my.



Til next time, Nx

The promise of what's to come ...

It's September 1 and Spring has sprung!

Of course we could get into lengthy discussions about why Australia marks the seasons with the first day of certain months, and why it's not about the solstice and equinox Down Under, or the recently read (and quite fascinating) fact that "in Australia, there are five named and identified seasons in the Kimberley, six in the Darwin/Kakadu area and the Wik people of Cape York have eight".

Be that as it may, there's no doubt whatsoever that today is a beautiful day here in Brisbane and standing out in my backyard with the sun on my face conjures up all the notions that Spring brings with it.

Like blowing away the cobwebs, real and metaphorical, and opening up our windows to light and fresh air ....

An interior from Kevin McCloud's Choosing Colours

Of decluttering, getting rid of what we no longer need (responsibly of course) and organising ourselves to tackle the start of a new phase in our lives ....

One of many fantastic shot's from Apartment Therapy's Hot House tour of Kelly Reemtsen's LA loft apartment & studio.  Delicious photos by Vanessa Stump

Or not!

From Moroccan Interiors

A bit of  'spring cleaning' perhaps ...

I have now discovered Kelly Reemtsen's very cool art thanks to the Hot House tour above.  I'm pretty sure this is called Cleaning is Addictive (photo from Kelly's website). 

And a chance to brighten up our homes with fresh colours and patterns ....

Fabric and a vintage thermos - my best holiday buys from Rumah Bebe in Singapore.  The drink bottle caused some problems at airport security until I eventually poured out the contents!

So now's the time to get that outdoor space looking good for summer ....

Entry #7 in the Re-nest Small Cool Outdoor Spaces contest

And get those summer dresses and shorts out of storage ....

Taken from Pattern by Orla Kiely

But don't forget - most importantly of all - Spring is the perfect time to stop and look around us, in our gardens or nearest green spaces, the time to really take notice of what nature is up to.

The promise of what's to come ......

A budding yellow Kangaroo paw - taken in my backyard on the 'first day of Spring'!

Happy September 1 everyone.

Til next time, Nx