Changing wallpaper at the flick of a switch – Carnovsky’s light changing wallpaper

Carnovsky's Light Changing wallpaper - sourced from jaguarshoes.com

Those who like to keep their interiors fluid with different styles may usually find that they are a little trapped by the idea of using wallpaper.  Whilst not for the faint hearted, nor probably for those looking to create a peaceful bedroom retreat…. Carnovsky,  a Milan based artist/designer duo comprised of Francesco Rugi and Silvia Quintanilla, have come up with one wallpaper, which at the flick of the switch evolves into something new.

The duo put together the design for a East London bar called DreamBagsJaguarShoes (try saying that after a few sasperellas). The wallpaper contains tropical fauna and animal designs overlayed in red, blue and green. When seen in normal light the paper is a rainbow of overlayed images reminiscent of looking at a 3D film without your special 3D glasses on. But changing the special RGB lighting system to red, blue or green and suddenly three completely different images appear as a clear outline.  The design has also recently won the UK magazine Wallpaper’s best wallpaper 2012 design award.

DreamBags - Jaguar Shoes - Sourced dezeen.com

Rainbow of images in the natural light.

DreamBags - Jaguar Shoes - Sourced dezeen.com

Change the light to red and the animals come out to play…..

DreamBags - Jaguar Shoes - Sourced dezeen.com

…Change the light to green and the plants begin to grow….

DreamBags - Jaguar Shoes - Sourced dezeen.com

…..Out come the Monkies to play in the blue….

On with the colourful journey……………..

 

Edible Colour – Emilie de Griottes’ Pantone Tarts

With two of my favourite things colour and food – I had to share this.  Emilie de Griottes  is a French food designer who, using Pantone colour swatches for her inspiration, has put together a selection of tarts which represent a few of the Pantone colours.  The pictures were included as part of a special food feature entitled “choose your colour” in the 6th issue of a French foodie magazine called Fricote.

A full page spread from Fricote Magazine – (sourced from griotte.fr, yellowtrace and the Fresh Exchange).  Each is made on a tart base which is iced and includes the colour match code for each colour represented.

Loving the edible colour…. let the colourful journey continue…………..

 

Smoke and Mirrors – Mixing business and pleasure

The Front Room - Images sourced from thedesignfiles.net

Debra Cronin is an interior designer with vision beyond most.  Upon retuning Sydney to after many years living abroad she set out to find herself a run down derelict Victorian house to show case her very unique signature style.

Whilst many seek perfection in their decoration.  Rather than covering up the marks on the walls and removing the old wallpaper remnants,  Debra embraces the history that each mark, paint layer or wallpaper shard holds. She allows them to continue to tell the stories of the history that they have seen pass through the doors over the years.

Not content with keeping the vision all to herself,  Debra has collaborated with ex Otto chef David Speck to showcase the eclectic space to create the Bite Club, where dinner parties are held for singles nights and private functions.

Debra describes the Bite Club house design “as a mixture of Alice in Wonderland meets The Addams Family.”

The Bite Club is referred to as an “underground venue”, with the address only being given out once you book on the website….. so I  feel very fortunate to have been able to visit for no other reason than to have a good old sticky beak!! Certainly from the outside you would not even know it is there, looking perhaps a little more fight club than Bite club, but once you are inside you are transported into a bygone era.  Hopefully one day I will score an invite for dinner!!!!

The Dining Area

The Dining Area - Images sourced from thedesignfiles.net

Old decanters have been adapted to create the lighting above the dinner table.

The Front Room

Front Room

Taxidermy and up-cycling are present throughout giving a vintage grandeur. It is hard not to feel nostalgic as you sit on the sofa.  You are just waiting for your great aunt to walk in with a home baked cake and a fresh cuppa.

The Front Room - Taxidermy

With its uneven over loved keys the Grand Piano sits as a talking piece, you can only wonder at the many tunes played and the conversations held.

The Grand Piano

The Bathroom

No shortage of storage in the bathroom

Bathroom

The all important (Herb) Garden

The Garden - Sourced thedesignfiles.net

The Kitchen

The all important kitchen for pulling together the Bite Club Menu’s.

The All Important Kitchen - Sourced thedesignfiles.net

Shhhh…. it is a secret. Although…….. the first rule of the Bite Club is that you must talk about the Bite Club – so I thought it best to do as I was told!!!!!

Let the colourful journey continue………….

 

A Touch of Teal

Whether you are counting down the days to summer in the northern hemisphere, or mourning the end of summer in the southern hemisphere you will probably be ready to fantasize about a warm beach resort.  Whether it be a tranquil ocean surrounding the shores of a tropical Island, or a stone in a fine piece of jewelry, Teal or Turquoise is a colour that most people respond to in a positive manner.  Inspired by a blog about an “enchanted house” on the blog site Fun and Fabulous, which had a fantastic happy go lucky door colour.  I have pulled together some inspirational interior images from all things Teal.

The Bedroom

Add a “pop” to a neutral toned bedroom

Add a pop of teal to a neutral bedroom

 Or for those who like it a little bit more dramatic you can team it up with the Pantone colour of the year Tangerine Tango. The Teal and Tangerine Chinoiserie bedroom below is by San Francisco interior designer Kendall Wilkinson who said she designed the room with the idea of a woman who is a jet-setter with a passion for fashion.

Living Room 

A more relaxing space with a cooler palette.

Or a little bit more of the quirky Jonathan Adler Interior below.

The Dining Room

A subtle addition of the teal glass vases in a neutral natural setting, providing an understated talking piece.

Kitchen

Or turn back the clock with a little vintage Teal.

However you Teal…. let the colourful journey continue……

 

From Fashion Boutique to Boutique Hotel

Martin Margiela, a graduate of the Royal Acadamy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, has an enviable resume including being an assistant to Jean-Paul Gaultier, through to artistic director for the Hermès women’s collections.  In 1988 he set up Maison Martin Margiela, a fashion house known for it’s embrace of white, from the walls to the cotton covers on the furniture, white muslim on the chandeliers, all mixed up with a little surrealism through contrasting proportions.  His minimalist style is joined together with a curious quest for anonymity, with clothing brand labels simply a blank white label, and his models embracing masks on the catwalk.

Maison Martin Margiela

La Maison Champs Elysee

In 2010, Maison Martin Margiela, was chosen to put his design and fine art skills into the world of interior design.   Maison Martin Margiela was appointed to design the historical part of “La Maison Champs Elysee” building in Paris. rethinking the space to create  seventeen rooms out of the existing 57, a restaurant, a smoking room, a bar and a reception area.

To carry out the project, Maison Martin Margiela worked jointly with other artists including a landscaper and lighting designers. The result is very much a culmination of Maison Martins simplistic penchant for white and a clever mix of modern and historic with his trademark surrealist twist.

“With the help of Maison Martin Margiela, [la Maison Champs-Elysées] wanted to offer clients in search of different experiences, new concepts of living space by redefining the rules and offering a luxurious but relaxed atmosphere, where minimalism of forms is served by incredible attention to detail. Moreover, this hotel is located in the centre of a district which brings the most prestigious French couture houses together.” Bernadette Chevalier, la Maison Champs-Elysées

Hallway

The walls are entirely covered in wallpaper made from black and white photographs taken of the golden salon on the second floor of the property. The net curtains are printed with these same patterns, ensuring the historic is fully integrated into the Modern.

Suite

Suite - WC magazine spines adorn the walls

The Corridor - Playing on light and texture

The Lounge Bar

The Cigar Bar ( which as it’s name suggest is exclusively for that one purpose) is like a photographic negative of the bar, in which that which was white has become black. It still keeps with the traditional, by incorporating the traditional French panelling and very darkly stained oak parquet floor. Although it has a little bit more of a English men’s club feel, with gentle ceiling lighting and black bottle-lamps. And of course big dark brown leather armchairs to create a more intimate atmosphere. 

The Cigar Bar

The Cigar Bar

For those who prefer a little darker sleeping quarters there is the Curiosity Case Suite, which has a wall dedicated to curiosities abound.  Where colour is so flat their is a need to inject texture.

Curiosity Case Suite

Curiosity Case Suite

And when you need to inject a bit more of nature into your day you can move to The Patio, where black and white still sneak in with the chair covers and the salt and pepper pots!

The Patio

A really interesting take on how ideas from fashion merge so well into the interior spectrum, with a simple palette making the most of playing with textures.

On with the colourful journey…………

 

Interior Bohemia – From Russia With Love

From Russia with Love, Jan Kath

“From Russia with love I fly to you

Much wiser since my goodbye to you

I’ve travelled the world to learn

I must return from russia with love”

(From Russia With Love” Matt Monro)

Flicking through the latest coffee table magazines, my eyes were drawn to a rug from Jan Kath’s range called “From Russia With Love”.  In his usual manner Jan Kath takes traditional styles and exotic bohemian influences, and mixes them up with a modern sometimes psychedelic twist.  Jan himself likens his work to the equivilent of a DJ sampling in music, taking an old tune and giving it a new lease of life with an added beat or modern sound.

Jan Kath - "From Russia With Love" Rug

This rug instantly took me back to playing with russian dolls and an old Gypsy caravan we used to play in as kids.  The carefree and colourful style of the traditional bohemian cultures, which allow a home or room to move away from the perfection of a Vogue styled interior, to a more practical, fun abode. I mean if you dropped a few drops of red wine on this rug, yes you might cry, but would it detract from the aesthetic??

With this in mind I have put together a few styling ideas for the home.

The word “bohemian” once referred to a lifestyle, but today it tells the story of a type of interior decorating in which vintage items are reused, giving them a new lease of life next to new pieces. A good reason to upcycle.  It allows you to mix various styles of patterns, rich and bold colours as well as a vast array of textures such as velvets, and silks through to knits and crochets from grandma’s closet. To avoid looking a little to overdone and like an episode of “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding” they should be set against a more neutral colour palette.  You should also not forget the true essence of a bohemian is to be a little bit “hippie” and “at one with nature”,  so don’t forget the plants and natural objects, also a good excuse to bring out the candles to provide a dusk-like glow.

 

Matryoshka Dolls

Otherwise known as the Nesting Dolls, they can be used in a whimsical collection way to bring together your family treasures and photos in a “nesting fashion”…..

Let the colourful journey continue………………….

 

Pantone Fashion Colour Report Autumn 2012 – The interior Influence

For nearly 20 years, Pantone, the global authority on color, has surveyed the designers of New York Fashion Week (held in February this year) and beyond to bring us what they feel are the season’s most important colour trends. This report previews the most prominent hues for Autumn 2012.  The catwalks invariably influence the colours that we choose to place into our homes, albeit in a more subtle way through accents.

Pantone have noted a number of influences on the catwalk “From love potions and the magical hour of sunset to witches and warlocks”.  The catwalk and it’s designers are centred around transporting the consumer away from the stresses of the current economic climate to a place of fantasy and illusion  There is a mix of the autumnal trends with a mix of darks and neutrals, with a little splash of the brighter hues to bring out a bit of confidence in the wearer. “They cleverly manipulate reality to transport consumers to an enchanting place, free from the stresses of everyday life.”

“By playing to consumers’ practical side with versatile neutrals, and boosting their confidence with bold, spirited hues, this skillfully balanced palette has something for everyone,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute^®.

Below is an extract from their report

As the season transitions from the heat of summer, Bright Chartreuse, a vital yellow-green, pays homage to a typical spring shade and creates a bridge into the cooling days of Autumn. Reminiscent of bright green foliage, it provides a perfect accent to every colour in the palette.

 

Like the name implies, Pink Flambé is a delicious, vibrant pink with a bit of heat to it. Pair it with vivacious and enticing Tangerine Tango (Remember the Pantone Colour of the year) for an ongoing retro feeling. Or, to bring a calming element to the mix, combine these vibrant warm tones with Ultramarine Green, a deep, cooling blue-green. Ethereal Rhapsody is a grayed-down purple that also encourages comfort and serenity with its quiet, muted tone.

                          

Honey Gold, a mellow, burnished yellow, suggests the soft-muted tones of sunlight to brighten an autumn day. Pair it with sensible and strong Olympian Blue, a patriotic blue that will surely make its way into autumn and winter athletic apparel.

                                                              

Rich and robust, French Roast is a tasty, sophisticated hue that is a great alternative to the black and charcoal basics typically worn in the fall. Other staple neutrals include elegant and versatile Titanium, the quintessential cool gray, and Rose Smoke, a veiled rose tone that pairs well with Rhapsody and Titanium.

For more detail on this report click here

It will be interesting to see these influences of enchantment and mystical potions transpose into interior palettes….. let the colourful journey continue……..

 

For Arts Sake – A Boutique Hotel in Vienna

Altstadt Vienna Hotel - Junior Suite one with an original Bösendorfer Piano, one with a fantastic roof top terrace.

On a trip through Europe in 2008 we decided to stop off for a few days in Vienna.  Flights booked all I needed was the accommodation.  With no knowledge of Vienna I entrusted the faithful Google with the ultimate challenge of finding me a hotel.  Given this trip was over four years ago, and the place still sticks with me as one of my favourite stays I would say “Google” did us proud!!

Otto E. Wiesenthal

Matteo Thun Designed Room

The uniqueness of the hotel is driven by the fact that the owner Otto E Wiesenthal, an art collector purchased the property in order to show case his very own collection of art.  A collection which includes Andy Warhol, Marcus Prachensky to name but a few.  Even the 42 rooms themselves are not immune to a little bit of famous design touch, with one bathroom containing the touches of Philippe Starck, and nine of the rooms being designed by the prestigeous Italian architect Matteo Thun.

In show casing the art works so central to the hotel,  not one of the 42 rooms, or numerous connecting corridors over the 5 floors are the same. Each are individually styled to compliment to works that they hold.  You can also sense the passion and thought for the interior from the owner through the intricate descriptions on the website.  They do not merely refer to a room by it’s name, but by it’s design, concept, feel and incorporation.  For example the Mateo Thun designed rooms are described by the dark parquet floors, ornate chandeliers “and sumptuous wallpapers with damask pattern present[ing] a fresh and modern intepretation of the turn of the centuries.  A seductive journey back to Vienna’s “Belle Epoque””.  A description which certainly beats the normal hotel description referring to some fluffy robes and a spa bath!

POLKA Designed Room - The POLKA Room

They have also recently created two new rooms which were designed by two viennese furniture designers named POLKA.  Their brief was  to “express comfort, transparency and elegance”

The building itself was built in the “Ring-Street” style in 1902, and was the palace of an industrialist from the Austrian – Hungarian monarchy.  He used the palace to showcase sanitary products from his company which was one of the biggest companies in the Industry at the time.  As a result, over the years, a number of factory halls were built into the court of the Patrician house and eventually these became lofts.  The building, then changed purpose in the 1950’s to be come a boarding house before being purchased by the current day owner.

Entrance

Even the lounge and dining areas and leading corridors are well thought through with little seated nooks that you can just stop and survey the surrounds.

Corridor at The Alstadt

Corridor at The Alstadt

Well if the description does not have you, the service certainly will.  Matched with the thought of the design the service is perfect, right down to the eggs which are boiled to perfection to start you on your day of touring the sights.  And when your weary legs can carry you no further, then you are welcomed back to afternoon tea with a perfect home baked cake.  All this is included in the rate…. The perfect colourful home from home.

On with the colourful journey………….

 

Interior Upcycle

Jonas Design Kettle Lamp

Whether it is a desire to be a little different, quirky, or mindful of our contribution to rebuking the throwaway society, upcycling is a growing trend in the home and interior design world.

Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value. In other words “poshing up” the trash!

I recently went to a workshop held by a Sydney stylist, taking us through one of her Sydney based clients bars.  One of the key things that came through, aside from the importance of starting off with a good solid colour palette, is taking an object and thinking outside the block about how that object can be used in a functional way, for example taking an old tin trash can and making a light out of it.  Of course the ultimate secret is to have a good network of tradies who are able to help you realise some of those ideas!!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the beauty of a blog is it also becomes my easy to access little black book of ideas, inspirations and places to go.  I am forever ripping out articles from magazines and jotting down names and addresses which just fall to the bottom of a dusty pile never to be found again when I need them…. So to try and upcycle my little black book I have put together a directory of some of the hidden treasures and recommendations of places to go in Sydney (and occasionally else where).  Here are a few of the good places to get you started.

Doug Up On Bourke

Doug Up On Bourke – Waterloo Sydney

Doug up on Bourke is one of the largest sources of industrial, commercial, rustic antiques and hard core collectables in Sydney.  You can spend hours in this store browsing at the ever changing vintage emporium.

Doug Up On Bourke

old printing blocks – Doug up on Bourke

All the stock is sourced in Australia and they specialise in mid 1800′s to late 1950′s. You name it you are likely to find it in this store from old pigeon hole units, filing cabinets, rustic kitchen tables and trestle tables, advertising signs and old road signs, to industrial work benches, chairs, old bakelite phones, lovely old suitcases and shipping trunks, rustic sawhorses, childrens toys and chairs, enamel buckets, early tram and bus rolls and not forgetting their extensive selection of more than 200 old watering cans. If that is not enough then perhaps some old medical instruments or taxidermy will be your thing!!

Doug Up On Bourke is a great place to browse, and take a trip down memory lane, “a place where surprises lurk and memories of the past come flooding back”.

The stock is ever changing and they also have a prop hire service.  All stock is available for hire.

The Heritage Building Centre

Door knobs from the Heritage Centre

Old salvaged Spiral stair case

“With displays including antique water features to statuary; entranceways, gates & doors from around the world; recycled timber with its natural that can be tailored to create that very special look for flooring, pergolas, feature walls, structural, custom-built doors, bench & table tops; chandeliers & lighting from around the world both period & country available as originals & faithful recreations; fully restored fireplace originals & recreations; pressed metal; architectural antiques & elements from Australia & around the World.”  If you are looking to restore a heritage property or just to add a little bit of history to your project this is a good place to start.

Home Furniture on Consignment – HFOC

This is the orphanage of all the designer furniture, looking to be adopted to a suitable home.  The founder found a gap in market based on his own experience of downsizing properties or simply moving to a new property where the style of the existing furniture no longer fits the new home the owner has chosen.  HFOC specialises in selling (and buying) good quality second hand furniture.  It is a one off place so if you see something you like you need to buy it as they don’t hold multiple stocks. So if you have a champagne taste, then you can satisfy this with a little reduction in the price tag if you hare happy go second hand.

David Met Nicole

David Met Nicole – Surrey Hills

A perfect nostalgia trip, stepping back in time amongst items sourced from the 1900′s through to the 1950′s… a shop brimming with hand sourced quality pieces with an industrial slant from the UK, France and America. From furniture, Jewellery to printer blocks.  All you need is the Gramaphone on and a warm cup of cocoa.  Situated just up the road from the 1950′s Argentinian restaurant Porteno – you should make a day of it!

Junktique

Junktique in Glebe proudly refers to itself as a “flea market”, they do not profess to sell antiques or retro furniture.  They source furniture from all over the world, once again it is a case of be quick or you will loose out.  They source unusual fun pieces at relatively reasonable prices, no pomp and circumstance.

They state “if it is a little mad we love it and we want it recycled”

Reverse Garbage

Last but certainly not least – saving the ultimate in recycle till last. Reverse Garbage was started by a group of teachers in 1974. They wanted to achieve two things; cheap materials for their classrooms and to divert industrial discards from landfill.

Almost 40 years later Reverse Garbage is the largest creative REUSE centre in Australia. They are still diverting materials from landfill (15,000 cubic metres or 50 football fields per year last time we counted) and run a variety of educational services in the process.  It is probably easier to list what they do not have over what they do have.

Happy Upcycling…… just remember for the perfect one offs you have to be persistant and quick…. the old motto you snooze you loose springs to mind, but you will have heaps of fun trying.  On with the colourful journey……..

 

Dulux Colour Awards 2012 – Finalists Announced

For 26 years Dulux has celebrated and rewarded creative use of colour in architecture and design. Their mantra is a commitment to recognising beautiful minds by rewarding those who share their inspiration in the 2012 Dulux Colour Awards.

Entries were accepted across a eight of categories;

• Commercial Interior 
• Commercial Exterior
• Single Residential Interior
• Multi Residential Interior
• Single Residential Exterior
• Multi Residential Exterior
• Sustainable Interior
• Student

The first round of judging was completed with the final 111 finalists being announced across all eight categories, and I am so very excited to be one of them together with six of my ISCD college alumni with my exterior palette for a vineyard.

Cowra Vineyard

The final judging round takes place on 27 March 2012, the judging panel has been announced as follows:

The award-winning architect, Peter Maddison, (Grand Designs Australia),talented colour guru at Colourways, Kim Chadwick, creative stylist and founder of The Design Files, Lucy Feagins, along with New Zealand-based architect, Jeff Fearon.

A full list of the winners can be found at the following Links

dulux.com.au, Architecture and Design,

The final winners will be announced on 28 March 2012 in Melbourne. What a great start to the year….. Just making it this far is amazing…. Good luck everyone ….. let the colourful journey go on……