Designalogue

A few months back Modern Home Magazine asked my tips on working with art in interiors.

This is the outcome of that chat:

Thanks Modern Home for featuring my work!

I do love a good apple and in our house we eat quite a lot of them. Personally I favor the Pink Lady but wont turn away a good Fuji. Each to their own, right?

So I assume its a world wide thing, but in case its not… here in the land down under our apples all have annoying stickers on them signifying what I thought was their batch or grower or something, but have just found out they are simply Price look up codes  for the markets to indicate fruit sizes etc. My version was more interesting, but what ever!

A while back, Fella read an article that he couldn’t seem to forget about how someone is employed at the sewage plant to scuba dive into the sewers and remove all the apple stickers that get eaten, and them um, come out again and collect in the pipes and wot not clogging up the sewerage system (oh I do hope that gig pays out sweet moolah)

Being the caring and sharing people that we are, we thought about this situation and thought about what we two could do to help ease the burden of these ‘shit divers’ and this is our solution: The apple sticker board!

I love it!

And credit where credit is due – this is all the handy work of the clever fella! He did it all from the design to getting all handy man and cutting, sanding and painting (my colour choice – naturally!)

I will pubicly admit that I have been quite bossy about the placement of the stickers, and have even ever so eloquently spouted the words “I am a designerrrrrrrr – do it MY way”  demanding that the stickers be placed neatly upon rather than randomly and messily all over and I think its fair to say again publicly – I was totally right – it rocks!

Ah, the 4130′s, what a tasty code that be!

So thats about as crazy as we get in this joint! Party on & seasons greetings people!!

I’m looking forward to checking out this exhibition of Melbourne artist Miso this evening at the Gorker Gallery in Fitzroy and then a super yummy dinner here.

Just saying. That’s all.

Images via The Design Files

Yep, I’m still horsing around here – Oh that’s bad, real bad.

um, moving on then…

The Melbourne Spring racing carnival is still a happening in Melbourne town -so on with the ponies!

Thomas Jayne Studio

Kathryn Scott

via House Beautiful

Pheobe Howard

Kelly Wearstler

Woodson & Rummerfeld

Via the Design files

Its been a while between posts. Quite a while. So sorry for the trouble that would have occurred if you were holding your breath between postings!

Instead of making excuses for my loooong absence, I shall just proceed…..

Now, once again here at Designalogue blog, the subject of today’s post isn’t the most original or ground breaking subject to the blogosphere, in fact only just last week ever the fabulous  Design Crisis did a post on this very topic – Scattered cluster art walls things. (yes, that IS the technical industry term used!)

But this posting is once again with purpose! The purpose being to show a lovely client of mine just how fabulous cluster walls of all different shapes and sizes can look! (and the double purpose of said lovely client then also feeling confident that its the right choice for her home!)

So, enough of my prattling and on with the eye candy:

David Jimenez

Via Dwellings & Decor

David Jimenez

Nate Berkus

Jeff Andrews Design

Peter Dunham

Jeffers design Group

Via Desire to Inspire

Andrew Suvlasky Design

David Jimenez

Miles Redd

via Desire to Inspire

Preston Lee Design

Miles Redd

Jeff Andrews Design

Via Ish & Chi

Kathryn Scott Design

Via Ish & Chi

Just a few pictures there to get the point well across!

Well thats all for now – I’m off to organize me a picnic! Fella & I are off for a loved up sunset cruise tonight on this!

So until next time peoples!

I have written before about my love for glass genie bottles in an obsession confession (see here)

Its a continued and long loving obsession of mine, so imagine my delight when I came across some more genie bottle eye candy for me to drool over!

It was like the clouds parted I tell you!!

Jonathon Adler via House of Turquoise

Nathan Egan

Christopher Maya

John Ellis Photography

Via Desire to Inspire

Via Simply Grove

Via Bahrainidiva

Brown Design

Brown Design

By the way, in my collection of many, I’m still yet to come across a genie, so no wishes have been granted.

I am quite sulky about this!

I have been a busy girl of late with quite a few installations happening almost all at once! So in the spirit of sharing, and to appease my guilt at not attending to Designalogue Blog much of late, here are some ‘crappy snaps’ I have taken of an apartment I have been working on.  

The scatter cushions sent some serious love chills my way and I have to admit when I picked them up from my brilliant cushion maker, I had to pull myself together, be strong to and stop them from finding a home on my sofa! Such is the trouble with this line of work…

The photos don’t do the fabric justice, The fabric and colours are just stunning and I love love! 

Once I have proper photos that do the art the justice they deserve, I will tell you more about the paintings. But in short they are Google Earth images of the coast line of our home town and surround and are a mix of resin and silver leaf and even have a diamond or two!! 

That is all!

The Cockatoo, for those who aren’t in the know; are an native bird to my lovely home land of Australia. But as this is a designed based blog, and not a bird fact forum, I will spare you from too many a detail of the pretties! Except, they are in some regional areas considered a pest, and in more city dwelling areas considered a pet! In captivity, they are known to live for up to 50 years.

My point is this, Cockatoo’s are not something that one should commit to lightly. And with this in mind, I am also thinking of the gorgeous limited edition Cockatoo rugs by Catherine Martin for Designer Rugs!

I’m sure many of you have seen the pattern of which I speak – its appearance on the front cover of the latest Issue of Australian Vogue living, has caused quite a stir in the world of late (and rightly so I say!)

Available for adoption to good homes: Limited edition rugs – three colourways, and only five of each.

Personally I think the adoption process for these lovelies is too lax. The ‘candidate’ should be subjected to at the very least a home inspection!

But alas, we know that’s not going to be the ca$e.

All I am saying is that I hope the people who adopt these lovelies, fully appreciate them and treat them with the respect that they deserve. To think of a coffee table upon, or even a baby spew incident…well that just breaks my heart!

Please. Give them a good home. I know I would make Cockatoo ‘yellow’ a very happy and long life together.

Personally, I cant think of a single thing better than a crystal horse chandelier in a castle. 

Ha! seems Stella McCartney cant either. 

But she has access to more castles than I do. And lets face it, the castles she can get her hands on in the English countryside are quite different (read um, real) than I can here in Australia! Infact the only one I can even think of here is Kryal Castle. (I suggest you click on the link so you can understand more of why this is always referred to with a bit of a smirk and extra glint in the eye!)

Anyway back to Stella’s and my shazam jinx moment (um, ok. Its all hers… I’m just on the bandwagon for effect! stay with me people…) Way back in the olden days of 2004, Stella created this horse chandy sculpture titled ‘Lucky Spot’ using lots of Swarovski crystals for a temporary exhibit for a fashiony thingy DOO at Belsay Hall! The outcry was immense (um, I’m going for effect!) so its back and galloping the great hall once again.

Clever things make me happy!  

pics via Bloomacious & The Cool Hunter

I was at a rather odd dinner party recently *, the dinner conversation went through some very awkward pauses and it got me thinking, should it be mandatory to invest in good conversation ‘art’ pieces to assist in dinner table chatter?!!

I went on the hunt for examples sure to break the pause:

Now this painting would surely conjure up a lot of different topics, though could be a bit of a political hot potato and maybe that’s not always the best topic at the dinner table!  (and i know that from experience!!) 

Katie Leede

Not wanting that hot potato in your lap, this could be the kind of thing to spruce up your dining wall. Its got me thinking all lovey and springy and stuff that makes the heart flutter.  This is very generous also, as if your guest isn’t into the fluffy lovey stuff, there is the option of dot counting, and wouldn’t that be a fun dinner date!

Philip Galanes

Maybe you are wanting a little more modern and groovy vibe at the dinner table?

This neon grid ticks my boxes and makes me wanna talk all things Blade Runner

(I could go on about that topic for a while!) 

Office for Word & image

Maybe you are more of a nature lover and want that kind of talk at your table?

(This butterfly freaks me out a little though! feels like its ready to attack!)

Living Etc

Of course Pop art is guaranteed to loosen some tongues. EVERY one has an opinion to share about that topic! -don’t they?  

Living Etc

Or maybe the conversation you want at your table is more of a monotone nature? Safe chat can only be good in some circles!

Living etc

Now this art option is either rude, or genius!! Simply plaster the days newspaper on the wall and:

A. you can simply read over your guests shoulder in those quiet moments, or

B. Select topics to discuss!! 

Living Etc

Hmm,  this could work for those international guests looking to improve their language skills?!! 

A is for apple…

Or those wanting a bit more brain teasing – find a word! (love that game – its got me through some tough times!!!) 

Living Etc

And now as this is MY own dinner table, I wonder how this reflects on me! These creepy people watching over our daily consumption of goodness! I can tell you it does get the conversation flowing, especially when people hear what the title of the piece is called “Gods contemplating the fate of the universe” and also when we point out the rips in the canvas due to the fella not fixing to the wall when he was given lots of ‘encouragement’ to do so.  (no, don’t read nagging into this!) 

Sometimes when its just me and the fella I read him the numbers. It annoys him greatly which I don’t quite understand -as he is a nerd and I thought nerds liked that kind of thing!!!

CMD

On the topic of dinner conversation art, I had to include an image (be it a bad one!) of a recent painting I had commissioned for a project I have been working on.  Being just a small and dainty painting at 3 metres, the piece is designed around dinner conversation!

While it may look just like a big wave to you, to those in the know its the story of Medusa and how the winged horse came to be -hmm, you totally see it now don’t you!!

CMD

And well, if a painting on the wall isn’t going to get them talking, surely a giant tree trunk in the corner would get even the most difficult of guests chatting. Surely? If not, well you tried your best and odds are they wont be making a return visit!!!

Suzy Hoodless

* – if you think this relates to you and the fabulous dinner we had – it totally doesn’t. You were great, fantastic, lovely AND hilarious! Its not you at all, it was totally someone else. for real!