1950's Rattan Tea Pot

How amazing is this 1950's Japanese Rattan Tea Pot?! I bought it for my best friend for her birthday - and I REALLY do not want to part with it. I love it so much. The tea pot also comes with 4 matching japanese tea cups. I hope she is one happy girl!

Love at First Sight

I am on the hunt for a new pair of sunglasses - and saw these new Roberto Cavalli sunglasses over the weekend and fell in love. They are so beautiful! I am going to be posting on my beach essentials this week as I am taking a short break to attend a wedding in Airlie Beach this weekend.

Antique Mother of Pearl Chest

I am back blogging after a long long break. Anna will be proud! Look at this beautiful antique mother of pearl chest of drawers! I found this on topbananaantiques.com - what an amazing piece.

Nama Rococo Wallpaper

Sally found this fabulous Nama Rococo wallpaper via Kate Spade's website. Whilst I probably wouldn't have this in my own home, it is so unique and definetly worth blogging about. The particular print above is part of their couture and limited edition collection. Below is a small exert from their 'about us' page on their website.

"NAMA ROCOCO believes wallpaper can be musical. Sound is form. Tone is colour. We take flowing, lively shapes and knock them curiously off kilter. Colours, luminous and rich, are made to dance across the paper and into the living space".

Candles

This is my first post in a while. I have been very busy at work, and finding inspiring images is a challenge for me. I have been loving candles lately. We have a Designers Guild 'waterleaf' candle at work which is divine. It's scent is amazing.

Louise Tidd - An Inspiration

Today we said good bye to a treasured painting by Australian artist Louise Tidd, that we had in the shop here at Black & Spiro. She is a fantastic artist and incredibly inspiring. Above are some of my favourite paintings. Visit her website: www.louisetidd.com/

Paris Je T'aime

Last night I went and saw this fantastic French film, Paris, Je T'aime (Paris, I love you) with Lachlan. The movie contains 18 short films (with 18 different directors) that evolve around the central theme of love. Each story is set in a Parisian neighbourhood (some beautiful scenes as you could imagine). It was a lovely film and I thoroughly recommend it.

Venice in Black & White

Venice Bridge photographed by Connie Begg

Venice Canal photographed by Cyndi Schick

I LOVE VENICE! I think it is the most beautiful place I have ever been, and by far the most romantic! Not only does it look good in black & white, but in colour as well. The beautiful buildings painted in bright blues, yellows and reds make for a great colour combination.

Kelly Wearstler

Black & White plates on a wall at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica designed by Kelly Wearstler. I would LOVE to have a courtyard in my home like this. Kelly Wearstler never fails to impress!

Black & White @ Black & Spiro

Above are some of the beautiful black & white items available at Black & Spiro. The couture cushions come in a variety of mismatched Black & White fabrics. The chest of drawers, wallpaper and black vintage candle sticks above are also available through Black & Spiro. They come in a bone inlay or mother of pearl inlay. Email me or Anna for details.

Black & White @ Sass and Bide

I am so in love with this dress. Available through Australia's Sass and Bide.
If I could have absolutely anything right now, I think this would be it. The design of the neckline is so striking!

Quotable Quotes

These are quotes complimented by black and white. I have a magnet and a book from the collection. I particularly love the first quote. They are so inspirational and make an excellent gift. There are cards, mugs, canvases, journals and much more. Have a look www.bobangles.com

Special Moments

I LOVE these two images, both taken in France! They are so romantic and it makes me want to be them! Isn't it beautiful when you do have these 'moments' in life? If only we had photographers following us around to capture them. My friend Maz actually has the bottom one (Le Baiser de l'Hotel de Ville, Paris 1950)framed in her room, and it looks beautiful! I would love to frame one and have it in my home one day...I just have my bedroom at the moment and there is not enough wall space! Enjoy x

My Obsession - Black & White Photographs

Cecilia Hammond 1976

Photographer: Terence Donovan

allposters.com

As you may know, I am absolutely in love with Black and White photographs. They are my all time favourite thing, and I just can't get enough of them!! The photograph above is of Cecilia Hammond. Stunning jewelry as well. This week I will be posting lots and lots of Black and White photographs! So if black and white is your thing... Check each day for a black and white boost!

Beautiful colours

I love this collection of chocolates. The colours are definetely me. I love clusters of little things in different colours and shapes and sizes. There is something magical about it.

Little Treasures

These three images are beautiful. Little treasures like these are so special, and make a house a home. It's an interesting idea to drape your jewelerry over a decorative peace or maybe even a tea cup. Might try it when i get home.

My Dream Bedroom

This is my dream bedroom, decorated by Kelly Wearstler. Sorry about the poor quality. I had to scan it and it is over two pages, but I'm sure like me, you can still see the beauty of this bedroom. I love the mirrored bed side tables and wardrobe, I love the white bed spread, I love the big white bedside lamps, I love the carpet, the chairs, even the pink flowers!! This room is so luxurious! And one day, I hope I have one just like it!

White

I wanted to post some more white rooms but our scanner isn't working so it will have to wait till tomorrow. I think white is my favourite colour. It is so pure and clean, pity it can get so dirty!

Moo Business Minicards

What a great way to market your business! It gives a quick insight into who you are and what sort of things you do, fantastic for the design field. You could have images of jobs you have done, or favourite pictures...I found these images of moo cards on flickr. Have a look at moo....

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to everyone! Above is one of our silly bunnies, made from vintage fabrics! Aren't they adorable? I am going up to the North Coast for the easter weekend and cannot wait! I hope everyone enjoys their break.

Vintage Find

Yesterday Anna took me to some Antique stores around Brisbane. Can you believe that? I get to do that as part of my job?! I could have spent all day amongst the vintage treasures. One piece that caught my eye was this vintage screen. The geometric print reminds me of something Kelly Wearslter would use.

Relax, have a cup of tea

I love tea. Always have, always will. A cup of tea soothes the soul and warms the heart. My obsession with tea began back when I was about 6, and my Dad always asked me to make him a tea in the morning. I was a terrible at it, and after a few sips of his tea here and there I too became a tea lover. A cup of tea can take you to another place. I love to ponder my thoughts with a cup of tea in one hand.

A beautiful place to have tea is at Tlicious at Southbank. They have over 150 varieties of tea, caramel being my absolute favourite. The Tea Centre in the Brisbane Arcade also has some beautiful tea cups and pots, with over 185 tea varieties, mostly imported.

Liberty New Collection

Manzi Stripe

LOVE Liberty's new collection 'MANZI'. The houndstooth is to die for, as is the stripe. Would love to see the stripe on a sofa. As always the picture doesn't do the fabric justice. So if you can, get your hands on it!!

Josh & Louis

You must have a look at this new collection: Josh & Louis. The 'Salon Chairs' above come in 5 different colours, and in my opinion, are beautiful. They are very unusual, and would make a fantastic focal point for a room. Have a look at their website: http://www.joshandlouis.com

Kelly Wearslter

When I started here at Black & Spiro, one of the first things Anna told me about was her favourite interior designer, Kelly Wearstler. She gave me one of her most treasured books, Kelly Wearslter's 'Modern Glamour: The Art of Unexpected Style' to have a read of over the weekend. I was amazed by her work, quite suprised actually. I had never seen work like hers before. So sleek, so Hollywood, so out there. I have come to love and appreciate her work already, noticing the little detail in her work more so each week as I learn new things.

It is so unique, so different and I now see why she is such an inspiration to Anna. I didn't even realise I was a fan of Wearstler's work until I found a picture in her book, one which my Mum and I loveee and had already saved and put it in her 'collection' of pictures at home. . It is of the courtyard in the Viceroy Hotel, Santa Monica. I will post a picture of it later this week.

Wearslter's ability to combine perfection and imperfection in the same room is amazing. She also mixes different patterns, colour, shape and texture to create masterpieces.

The quotes in her book are also very inspirational.

"Inside a room I want to be
moved - I want to feel the
drama."

"Instead of settling for less than perfect, I create
something special."

"There is always possibility for
sophisticated spontaneity and the elegance of the unexpected."

Beautiful Words

Thought I would share with you some beautiful words:

"Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt. Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth." - Mark Twain

I love this quote. It makes me want to enjoy life, be me, and forget my worries. Sometimes it isn't that simple though!

Inspiration - David Bromley

I love David Bromley. Sally introduced him to me today. I cannot express how much his work inspires me. I want to paint and paint and paint. I haven't felt this inspired in a long while, and it is a fantastic feeling. It makes me want to discover new things, and express my emotions through painting. It makes me feel motivated. I want to go and buy a million blank canvasses....

"I find it interesting to write about my work... I weave through my thoughts and feelings searching for words to parallel the visual. As a presenter of images I express myself through paint and I don't always have a verbal explanation for my outpourings on canvas – perhaps this is why there is some ambiguity in the narrative in my paintings. I don't always like to reveal a definite outcome to the scenarios in my works and prefer the viewer to make their own decision... We all attach different meanings to things based upon our own experiences, opinions and desires. I don't want to eliminate other interesting possibilities..... The sea has its own personality, the horizon itself has romance. You look at it and wonder what lies beyond."

-David Bromley May 1997. Source: http://www.aar.com.au/art/davidbromley.htm