Beautiful HB

Receiving my digital copy of the December issue of House Beautiful this morning was like a breath of fresh air.  I loved this house above in particular.  Absolutely beautiful...

xx
Anna

New Things at Black & Spiro

I thought you might like to see our current front window display at Black & Spiro and also a fabulous new ikat armchair which arrived last week.  The chest of drawers in the window is a little antique French chest and the lamp is a fabulous old lamp I found.  The new shade has certainly given it a wonderful, new and uplifting look. 

xx

Anna

White & Wander

Just wanted to give you all the heads up {if you don't already know} that the extremely talented and creative Emma Clements from White and Wander and her mum have launched their amazing online store.  It is filled to the brim with antlers and globes and all sorts of amazing collected things. I really think their store fills a void in the market {here in Australia} for stylish vintage treasures and in their own words "it is a discovery of time worn treasures and imperfect luxuries." 

Click HERE to start fossicking through their wonderful collection...

The S.A. Crowd & Home on Sunday

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I must apologise as I didn't get a chance to post before I left for Adelaide a few days ago.  I am working on a house in Dulwich which is such a beautiful area in lovely Adelaide.  Whilst visiting I had the absolute pleasure of catching up with The S.A. Crowd - Kimberlee from Brown Button, Emma from White & Wander, Kate from Polka Dot Pantry, Pippa from Tres Dodgeois and Alex from French Navy Stationery.  What a lovely group of positive, happy, inspiring, funny, encouraging and creative girls.  We had a fantastic dinner at Sparrow Kitchen & Bar on Friday night and then went out and hit the Antique shops on Saturday together.  I was amazed by Adelaide's history, wonderful food, pretty tree-lined streets, old stone houses and fantastic Antique shops.  It really is a place worth visiting and I can't wait to head back down there mid-year to catch up with the girls again.

After such a busy few days away, today I loved being at home.  I spent the day with my boys pottering around the house and the garden.  We recently put in a kitchen garden or Potager as the French call them.  Our lettuce is growing beautifully.  I picked one today to make a salad with tonight along with our tomatoes which just seem to be sprouting up everywhere in our garden.  Although all of this rain we've had has done some horrible things to our state, our garden is just so green and full of flowers which I have been picking and placing in vases in the house.  There really isn't anything which makes me happier than arranging flowers from my own garden to place around our house...simple pleasures!!

xx
Anna

Out & About

A great set of postal scales. I love the colour they are painted.

If only I was decorating a ski lodge as that deer head would be perfect!!

The old pub which is directly across the road from this fabulous little Antique shop.

Today I went to visit one of my clients in Toowoomba {a country town 1 1/2 hours drive from Brisbane}. Toowoomba is such a pretty place. The houses and all the amazing trees are just so beautiful. On my way home I stopped in at Marburg a little town along the highway as there is a fantastic little Antique shop there. I thought I'd show you some pictures of some of the lovely things they had. All there is in Marburg is this Antique shop, a little newsagent and a humongous pub across the road. It was definitely worth the stop!

Another Windmill

A week or so ago I posted an amazing windmill one of my clients found and had hung on her verandah wall. I was looking for a piece of furniture today for another client on Miguel Meirelles website and stumbled across this gorgeous windmill which I thought would look wonderful in a table vignette. It's available for sale on Miguel's website if anyone is interested...

Wallrocks

I have had a long association with Brisbane Antique dealer, Nick Wallrock in that my parents collected most of their Antique pieces from Nick over the years. I was thrilled to recently hear that Nick's daughter Jessica has joined the family business. I think it will be lovely to see some of the pieces selected by Jessica for sale at Wallrocks. I am sure she will add a new perspective to the long running and well regarded Wallrocks.

Not only have Wallrocks had a new addition, they have also moved from their old location over at Woolloongabba to Clayfield. Nick's old store was housed in the lovely old building which Crosstown Eatery now operates in. I remember often going there on a Saturday with my mother to inspect the latest shipment Nick had on offer. He always told the best stories about the pieces he was selling and still does I must admit!! One piece I am admiring in their latest shipment is this beautiful 19th Century Eastern European lidded Antique bench seat with it's original paint which can be viewed on their wonderful new website...certainly one of Jessica's suggestions I am sure!

Room Scheming

I would love to be asked by a client to prepare a room scheme around these two beautiful pieces above. They are simply breathtaking, in my opinion.

I could imagine an {almost} all-white colour palette with recycled European parquetry timber flooring and beautiful blue and white patterned fabrics on cushions and possibly on a couple of accent chairs here and there. I think I would use white slip covered sofas with frilled skirts {like the ones Joni posts}. Oh, and of course I would fill the room with blue and white ginger jars.

What would you do if you were given these two beautiful pieces to work with?

Woodblock painting by celebrated Australian artist Cressida Campbell and beautiful French antique mirror from Baran de Bordeaux in Auckland.

Brisbane Antique Fair

I thought I would remind Brisbane readers about the Brisbane Antique Fair which is being held this weekend at the RNA Show Grounds. I am heading off to the opening tonight which should be fun. I always love seeing what treasures are at the fair as most of the dealers have been saving up their special pieces for months to put on show.

Visiting Auckland - Part 2

Another lovely inner city suburb of Auckland is the historic suburb, Parnell. Whilst strolling down Parnell Road, set amongst many other lovely shops, galleries and restaurants, Mum and I stumbled across French Antique store, Baran de Bordeaux. This 2 story shop is filled to the brim with the most beautiful Antique furniture. Owned by Chrystelle Baran, who was born and raised in Bordeaux, Southwest France and her partner Nick Ferneyhough. The couple live between New Zealand and France collecting beautiful treasures for their Parnell store.

I spoke briefly to Nick when we were in the store over the weekend. He said they ship their pieces all over the world and he did mention that they do sell many pieces to Australian customers. Their website is updated regularly with their current stock.

I am so thrilled we found this lovely Antique mecca. We will definitely be returning to Nick and Chrystelle's store when we revisit Auckland later this year.

Images 1, 2, 3 - Via Life & Leisure Magazine

Flowers, Drinks, Pottering Around...

Yesterday afternoon I pottered around getting the house ready for our Black & Spiro Staff Christmas Drinks which I traditionally hold at home a few days before Christmas each year. I arranged lots of vases of pretty fresh flowers which I placed around the house. This one {above} was one of my favourites which I placed in a old crystal vase my grandmother gave me on the chest of drawers in our kitchen next to one of my most treasured possessions....a Herend tea set for two which was give to us as an Engagement present 8 years ago. Also on the chest of drawers are a couple of Antique spoons which I bought when I was in Paris earlier this year and lots of other special little things which I hold close to my heart!!

Gift Idea {For Me}

Just in case my husband is reading I would LOVE this original hand painted French salon mirror C 1900's {also from Elements} for Christmas!! But then again I really don't have anywhere to put it but it is just sooo pretty!!

Antique Hunting with Harry

Harry with his ship and the pink bentwood

Hello how was your weekend? Mine was lovely. Harry and I went hunting for vintage furniture on Sunday morning. As you may or may not know we are currently smack bang in the middle of a renovation. Stage one will hopefully be completed in about four weeks! Anyway, as we are extending our cottage we have the need for a few more pieces of furniture. I have been collecting old furniture and bits and pieces my entire married life and I think I may have a bred another little collector!! Whenever we go Antique shopping I always let Harry select one little thing for himself. I love watching him select his piece. This time he spotted this fantastic old ship in the back of one of the stores at Paddington Antique Market and I was so impressed! We bought it for his new bedroom. I spotted this gorgeous old pink Bentwood chair which I am going to add to my collection of mismatched Antique dining chairs. I also found a few more bits which I am thrilled with. Overall it was a very successful mission. I love that my son is learning to appreciate Antiques and vintage pieces and its just so lovely to have him give me his opinion on my finds too...even if we don't always agree!!

Happy Weekend!!

These beautiful images, taken by photographer Hugh Stewart, of Collette Dinnigan's Sydney home were featured in Vogue Living a while ago. I absolutely adored her home. Her beautiful pieces of Antique furniture against an all-white background with books and flowers...perfection! I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Obsessing Over...

Oh, I absolutely LOVE this vintage lady from Paris Hotel Boutique but I can't have it as I am going away next week and I have to save all my pennies for my trip!! I'll just have to leave it for one of you lovely readers out there!!

9 Days & Counting...

And today I couldn't resist posting two French inspired images - The markets in Paris!!

Images via Flickr

New @ Black & Spiro

Here's a new little piece which just arrived into the shop this morning. It's actually a very old piece which I had painted in a gloss white and upholstered in a bright green silk. It would be perfect placed at the end of a bed or in a wide hallway or even placed in an entry. The cushions, which I have named Tutu Cushions are a new design I am having made with tulle frills...so fun!!

Harry's Room

Over the weekend I spent some time sorting through a few things in Harry's bedroom. Wow, don't they collect a lot of things! I thought I was the hoarder in our family but it seems I may have bred another little one!! Harry seems to love collecting things...just like his mother!! He has snow domes which Brad & I always buy him when we go away to a new place, he has rocket ships, he has cars but I think one of his prized possessions is the photo of he and his father on a dirt bike which was taken down at our friends farm last year. After the clean through the room looked lovely again and I thought I'd take some photos to show you his little abode. I had the wardrobe custom built for him by my very talented cabinet maker when we moved into the house last year and his Antique bed and painting above the armchair were special things I purchased for him when he was a baby. I will pass on these two very special pieces to him when he has his own home one day...hopefully he will cherish them forever.

Find Of The Week

A rare 19th Century French Oak small Butterfly shaped table from Miguel Meirelles - this is my find for this week! Wouldn't it be adorable as a bedside table in a little girl's bedroom!!

Find Of The Week

I definately think this beautiful original condition Antique Regency Brazillian Rosewood & Birdseye Maple Inlay tea caddy c1820 is my find for this week from Hunters & Collectors Antiques (Australia). If you're after a little something special (at a great price) head on over to their online store as they are about to close down their retail outlet and are therefore offering 20-50% off all stock.