D.I.Y.

I have a very small and dark hallway at the entrance to my home which needed a bit of a lift. The goal was to create an inviting space as you entered the house, without taking up too much room. I wanted to do so using existing furniture and on a pretty tight budget. 

The drawers were originally purchased in the 90s and had a distinct Balinese vibe going on. I used to hide them in the study and keep my CD collection (another relic of the 90s) in them. I painted the draws in a matt white and used my collection of odd handles to complete the look. The chair was bought for me by my friend Dana, from The Mill in Daylesford. It originally had a bright velvet green seat which I recovered in an Amy Butler fabric - Midwest Modern. 

The mirror colour was inspired by a post on  Absolutely Beautiful Things that Anna did awhile back. She included a stunning aqua mirror in her friend Jody's house, which I loved. To finish the look off I picked some roses from my sister's beautiful garden on the way home from work yesterday. Overall, I'm loving my new entrance/tiny foyer and it cost me around $50 to do it.

Oh so Pretty

I love this gorgeous setting by Australian stylist Sibella Court. Sibella is the owner of Society inc. in Sydney and one of the judges on Channel 9's Homemade. Her name has been popping up a lot over the last 12 months, and I imagine we will hear a lot more about her and her beautiful work in time to come.

Image: Sibella Court via Wisteria NYC

Painting the Enchanted Closet

Over the last few days we have been painting the shop floor and a few feature walls to add a bit of warmth and to lift the space. We're pretty happy with how it's turned out. It looks so bright and cheery but still very cosy, which is essential coming into the winter months.

N.B. We used Dulux Clay Pipe Full Strength

Shopping Japanese Style

    Window Dressing! Jewellery store in Ginza, Tokyo

Greeting cards from Kyoto. Available soon at the Enchanted Closet.

                    Beautiful lollies.

       Street shopping in beautiful Kyoto.

          Cute money boxes from Harajuku

One of the great pleasures of shopping in Japan is the exceptional service and packaging, even the smallest purchases are wrapped beautifully.

Japanese Homewares store in Kyoto -  amazing Japanese garden separates the two sections of the shop.

Supermarket shopping- the beautiful packaging on everday supermarket items made a routine visit to the supermarket an absolute pleasure, even if I didn't know exactly what I was buying!

Stationary from Tokyo, I could have spent hours in stores like Itoya buying cards, paper etc..

I stumbled across a couple of beautiful cosmetic stores in Kyoto. Though Im not exactly sure what some of the creams are, after using one of them as a moisturiser I have renamed it a miracle cream. It's no wonder the Japanese have such beautiful complexions- my skin has never been better!

My sister and brother headed for Japan this week for a short holiday mixed with business - Mia was looking for new products for the shop. They visited Tokyo and Kyoto and it was the first trip for both of them to Japan. My sister has travelled quite extensively and she absolutely loved Japan - especially the shopping and their attention to beautiful packaging and their exceptional service. Over the next few days I will feature more photos of their trip including the Japanese architecture and fashion.

Inspire Me!

I love a good inspiration board and I love seeing what others put on their boards that inspires them. My own inspiration board isn't as stylish as Jen's from Made by Girl or Desire to Inspire's, but every time I sit down at my desk it serves to remind me of what influences me and the directions I want to take in my own home, and with our businesses.

Image 1, 4,6 & 7 - Flickr

Image 2 - Desire to Inspire

Image 3 - Made by Girl

Image 5 - My own Inspiration Board

Kelly Wearstler - A Model Designer

                            Interior designer Kelly Wearstler

                       Image via Concerto Architectural Living

                                Image via Fashion Toast

                 Some of Kelly's commercial projects

Kelly's wallpaper used in the hallway of actress, Chloe Sevigny's, home.

                                  Gracing Harpers Bazaar

                                          'Modern Glamour' by Kelly Wearstler

Yesterday I ordered my first Kelly Wearstler book, Modern Glamour. So I figured a post on this L.A. based interior designer was on the cards, as this weeks style icon.  This is one busy woman. She runs a hugely successful interior design company, is a judge on Bravo's 'Top Design', designs everything from linen to wallpaper and is raising two young boys. On top of all this she always looks pretty amazing. 

How to Set a Table!

                        David Beahm Designs

                 Flowers, Sticks and Stones Designs

                                Colin Baer Events

                                Bardin Palomo Designs

                                               The Designers' Co-Op

I saw these gorgeous table settings while visiting Peacock Feathers. They are from the New York Horticultural Society's annual Spring Gala, where 20 decorators were asked to design a table each for the event. Elizabeth from Peacock Feathers was lucky enough to help her friend, Colin Baer, with one of the tables and by the looks of it they did an amazing job. For more photos visit Elizabeth's blog.

All images: Biz Bash via Peacock Feathers

Carrie Bradshaw's Apartment - Before & After

               The Chelsea McClaren print rests on the desk by the front door.

       The 'Parfum' print now resides in Carrie's bedroom.

I'm a massive fan of the Sex and the City series, loving pretty much everything Carrie Bradshaw wore, yes, even some of the crazier get-ups. I also have a soft spot for her old apartment. Those of you who have seen the movie will know that to get over her broken heart when Big jilted her at the alter, she redecorated her New York apartment. I'm in two minds about the new decor. There are certain things I love, like the cluster art, the mirrored dresser and the use of the Chelsea McClaren 'Parfum' print on her bedroom wall, that used to rest beside her front door in the old apartment. But I miss that truly eclectic look that was Carrie Bradshaw and New York. It wasn't over styled and seemed to suit the character more so than the new apartment. And what happened to Aiden's chair?

The Kaufmann House

I'm not big on minimalism but I love the Kaufmann House that was designed by Richard Neutra for Edgar J Kaufmann Sr, a department store magnate, in 1946. Kaufmann commissioned the house as a Palm Spring desert retreat to escape the winters. The house is often cited as one of America's best examples of mid-century modernist architecture and has featured in movies, magazines and advertising campaigns such as J Crews which you can see in image 4. What I love about this house is that even though it is minimalist in its design, there is still a warmth to it.