Saturday Musings

I find that I am constantly intrigued by the collections of things people have in their homes.  It's so interesting seeing what people surround themselves with.  Home to me is the most important and special place on earth.  Home is where I find solace, rest and happiness and home is where I surround myself with only the things I love.

The more I help people decorate their homes, the more I try to impress upon them that it's not about having the latest and greatest.  It's about filling your home with things you absolutely adore, cherish and hold close to your heart. 

Photographer Oberto Gili's New York home was recently featured on NYSD and to say I was intrigued by his collections is an understatement.

Throughout the article he talks about his idea of home and I was particularly interested in this quote which he said a landscape gardener friend of his once said -

“Unless a home becomes a love affair, it is not a success.” You have to love every single little thing—if it doesn’t have a memory, a story, it doesn’t count.

Flowers, Vases, Baskets, Fabric, Plates & Pots

I've had a busy few days fossicking around the garden, the markets and local Antique shops. 

In my travels I stumbled across these vintage vases which I couldn't resist.  They now sit on our chest of drawers in our entry hallway.  The vibrant orange of the larger vase makes me happy every time I see it and I just love the quirky bird clinging to the other vase/jug....it certainly is something you either love or hate.

I fell in-love with these little yellow flowers at the markets but I can't remember the name of them so please do tell if you know.  

I also picked up one of these baskets which I have been coveting along with this piece of fabric which I am thinking of making into table napkins for an upcoming event I have planned.



On Saturday I potted up 12 little pots with Succulents for my brother as he was having a lunch at his house over the weekend and needed something wonderful to place down the centre of his dining table. I kept a few for myself to add to my growing collection of pot plants.  {Correction to my post last week the little pots sell for approx. $1.20 at Bunnings and the succulents came from there too}.

It seems I wasn't the only one playing with flowers on the weekend. Mum just sent me this picture of the fresh Banksias she collected from the trees on their property at the beach.  I am hoping she might deliver some over to me this week.



And finally I added 18 mismatched vintage dinner plates to my blue and white collection.  We never have enough plates when we have the family here for lunch or dinner so now we will. NB. Mismatched vintage is so much less expensive than heading out to buy a complete set and so much more interesting I think and the best thing is that I can keep on adding to them as I see them.

A Child's Favourite Thing

I was recently reminded how important it is, not only for an adult, but for a child to have one or numerous special favourite things. Over Easter I read a lovely paragraph in the book Home by Anita Kaushal;


You’ll never know which thing will become the best-loved, can’t-do-without, the night-time necessity. It might be a hand-stitched hand-me-down, a bright new soft toy, or a well-used blanket. Whatever they choose, it will mean security to your children and bring a sense of personal belonging and wellbeing. And you’ll end up treasuring it almost as much as they do.

Our Harry has a special ‘can’t-do-without’ friend he affectionately refers to as Duckie. Duckie was found on Harry’s first Easter Egg Hunt when he was 1 and has remained his most-loved and most treasured cuddly friend who {not so much these days now that he is a big brave 7 year old} would accompany us absolutely everywhere. There has been many a tear-filled night when we have driven onto the barge to go to our house at Stradbroke for the weekend and it was discovered that Duckie was not on board!

Due to major concerns from all that Duckie might one-day disintegrate, he has only had 3 baths in his lifetime - a drop into the washing machine and then a dash in the clothes dryer – always fearful that the opening up of the dryer door might just reveal the absolute end of Duckie. The slightest sign of wear and tear anywhere on Duckie signals Brad’s mother to quickly whip out the sewing basket. Complete relief is thankfully restored once she has worked her magic on our special duck.

We have all {my parents and my brothers and brad’s parents and of course Brad & I} loved Duckie just as much as Harry…well almost as much as Harry!

I think it is wonderful to encourage our children to embrace the love of a special thing. Just like we have special things which we keep and hold onto {something I have talked a great deal about here on ABT}, a child should feel the comfort and re-assurance of having their very own special things around them. With this in mind, I think we should decorate a child's room filled with the special things they love and encourage them to collect, collect, collect!!

It makes me wonder what it will be that our next child treasures. What special thing can’t your little one live without?

Here are some little cuddly creatures I placed into a nursery I decorated for some clients a while ago. I wonder whether their little boy now treasures any of these little friends we placed into his cot before he was born?!

An old photo of Harry with his treasured Duckie...

image 1,2,3 - via children's spaces from zero to ten and babies rooms zero to three by judith wilson, image 4 - via interior divine blog

Displaying Collections

I often talk about collections and how to display them. Here a few images to inspire...

All images via skona hem

More Pretty Vintage Style

Another great example of pretty vintage style above. So many lovely things in this photo. I adore the red and white stripe armchair with the floral cushions and the white cane table displaying lots of gorgeous things is divine.


Image - Country Homes & Interiors via Brambourne Farm

I Love...

I love this beautiful collection of things. Maybe I love it because there are some pretty blue and white pieces and pink and white pieces {my favourite} or maybe because the collection is just so imperfectly compiled. I'm not really into a big matching set of anything. Yes, that's why I think it appeals to me so much...it's mismatch heaven!!

Image via Brabourne Farm Blog

Friday Flowers

I just arranged these pretty flowers in a little blue and white delftware vase which was recently given to me by a lovely reader who came to Brisbane to visit Black & Spiro. What a lovely surprise it was to have received such a beautiful gift! Happy Weekend Everyone!!

xx
Anna

A Passion for Beach Hats

India Hicks has stacked a collection of beach hats on a shelf in her house in the Bahamas above.



Another trait my mother has passed onto me is collecting beach hats. She has always had a passion for beautiful straw/raffia beach hats. I remember her often popping on a new hat ready to head to the beach. Over the years she has collected many, many hats...favouring the designs of Helen Kaminski, Annabel Ingall & most recently Axel Mano.

In a similar way to using baskets as decoration, stacks of hats can also be a great look in a beach house. I often stack my hats on old hat blocks on tables and sideboards. I love the way India Hicks has placed her hats on a shelf in her bookcase as pictured above!!

If you look closely at the picture above you can see my small stack of hats on my sideboard at Straddie.

By incorporating usable, everyday things like hats and baskets into the decoration of our homes, whether they are at the beach, in the country or in the city, we are able to achieve a very personal, simple, cost effective yet stylish look.

Image 1 - via Shelter Blog, Image 2 - via Style Court, Image 3 - via Cote de Texas

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!!

Loving

via Dan Marty Designs

Via Country Home

These pretty bottles...

Nb. Anthropologie have some bottles like these available here...

Loving!!

I'm loving this beautiful vintage teacup & saucer artwork by Hennie Haworth!

Blue & White Plate Collection

You all know how much I love Blue & White and I know so many of you out there love it too. I was recently excited to find this image of a Blue and White vintage plate collection displayed so beautifully in a kitchen by US designer Darryl Carter.

A Pretty Bedroom

I love this pretty bedroom - a mix of vintage furniture and lots of soft pretty colours. As the article states, the bed is actually metal but is painted to look like bentwood. A French Provencal cabinet and a Swedish writing table both serve as bedside tables. Flower paintings by late Australian Artist Justin O'Brian sit on each side table. I LOVE this room. Click on image to enlarge.

Image taken from Australian Vogue Living Sept/Oct 2006

A Pretty {Kitchen} Collection

A collection of pretty French metal tea pots and coffee pots creates a gorgeous focal point in this kitchen via House Beautiful.

Recycle - Old Is New Again

I love to recycle old pieces of furniture by recovering them in a gorgeous fabric, re-staining or repainting the legs and even changing some of the detailing like I have on the above chair. I decided to replace the gathered arm detail on this chair with face and piping detail - a little less fussy. Before you buy a new piece of furniture consider updating an old piece as I think it adds a little bit of difference to your home and the best thing of all is that you are bringing life back into an old piece which you may have otherwise disposed of.

Kitchen Love...

I recently added these two pictures to my Kitchen Love Files which I thought I'd share with you. As you all know an all-white background is always one of my favourite things with small injections of colour in accent pieces such as artwork, collections, cushions etc. These accent pieces are the things which create interest and personality in a room - even a kitchen. The images above are examples of this look.

Image 1 - Moon Angel's Photostream @ Flickr

Image 2 - Jessica19's Photostream @ Flickr

Displaying A Child's Collection

I love this little wall shelf from Cox & Cox - what a gorgeous piece to display bits and pieces in for a child's room and what a great concept - encouraging children to collect their own special things!

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.

Vintage Vintage & More Vintage

I love this beautiful image of vintage pieces placed so perfectly imperfectly - yes that's right perfectly imperfectly (one of my favourite little sayings). Oh and I spot another portrait in the top right hand corner but this time it's a man!!

Soulful Adornments

I'm absolutely loving these beautiful things which Lorie has posted on her gorgeous new blog Soulful Adornments. I am a huge fan of vintage lady portraits and the one she has posted as pictured above is one of the nicest ones I have seen. The Antique fabric sacred heart is such a great find - I would love to make a cushion out of it and the small Antique locket Ex Votos would be gorgeous to give to your loved one for Valentines day with a special love note inside!! Thanks for sharing such gorgeous bits and pieces Lorie. I can't wait to see what you have in store for us next!!