Antony Todd

Interiors by Antony Todd

A cannot believe Antony Todd is originally from Melbourne. Can you believe it?? His incredible classic, decorative style seems so American... and he just seems like such a New York character. I'm sure he's much more well known over there than he is here. He's the perfect example of an Australian ex-pat success story. It is a bit sad though, to be reminded of just how many talented folk leave the relaxed Australian lifestyle behind in search of something more.

Ah well, I bet Mr Todd has no regrets. Maybe I should see if he'll have a coffee with me when I'm in NYC!

LOVE the interiors, events, and even the flowers. Check out his client list too - ridiculously impressive. I want his job.

Events by Antony Todd

Events by Antony Todd

Events by Antony Todd

Interiors by Antony Todd

Interiors by Antony Todd

...love that signature black and white woven fabric popping up in so many of these shots.. is it ikat?

Craigslist gem

NYC apartment for temporary rental on Craigslist

Did I tell you I am planning a trip to NYC in June?! Oh the excitement! (wish I could go a little earlier for design week.... but work doesn't permit unfortunately).

Anyway... After suffering a bit of a heart attack looking at NYC hotel prices... (what recession?), I've been hunting on Craigslist for accommodation. Found this gorgeous pad in the East Village. Alas, only available in March. :(

But isn't it lovely?

Skona Hem

My detective skills lead me to believe that Skona Hem is a Swedish interiors magazine...? Perhaps someone knows and can fill me in...?

Anyway, a visit to their website is super fun - it's all in Swedish (I think?), so navigating is a bit of a mystery lucky-dip... but there's so much stunning interior-design eye-candy to discover!

Love all the white walls, the 'lived-in' feel of the homes they feature... and the eclectic mix of modern and vintage furniture. Not so crash hot on the the polar bear though. Sorry about that. :(

March/April magazine round-up

Vogue Living's feature on a Sydney harbour-front apartment designed by Blainey North. Photos - Anson Smart.

Have you guys seen Vogue Living this month? It is amazing. Inside Out is also pretty great.

Mind you... whilst the pictures are nothing short of stunning.... don't go reading the copy too closely - unless you're seriously immune to lifestyle jealously. If you can handle the charmed life and incredible new home of Sydney stylist/fund manager(?) Shannon Fricke (Inside Out).... then I challenge you to read Vogue's article on the home of 28-year old UK interior designer Fiona Barratt without raising an eyebrow. Her impeccable apartment in London's joozchy South Kensington was renovated in just 11 weeks - Ms Barratt living out of the third bedroom all the while, as she 'had nowhere else to stay!" Ouch.


Vogue pulls together a really interesting round-up of surface patterns and textures which appear eroded, faded or aged... LOVE this! So original.

Vogue rounds up playful, colourful splattered patterns and homewares. I spy the work of Miss Bizys!

The aforementioned home of UK interior designer Fiona Barratt. Painfully perfect. Photos - Ditte Isager.

LOVE these painted metal sculptures by Melbourne artist Robert Owen, on the exterior wall of a Victorian terrace house in Sydney. (Vogue Living, photos - Marcel Aucar).

Vogue Living shares the eclectic NYC rooftop of NZ artist Mark Welsh. Photos - Ditte Isager.

Gorgeous contemporary kitchen in Inside Out. Photos - Richard Powers.

Also loving this patterned wall panel - it's Florence Broadhurst's Ink Blue-on-Flat White from Signature Prints. Inside Out again.


Love this classic, sleek contemporary fit-out of a Victorian terrace in Melbourne... Inside Out, photos - Sharyn Cairns.

Inside Out. Love the classic LC3 chairs by Le Corbusier in white on white.

The eclectic home of designer and artist Tigger Hall in Melbourne. Inside Out, photos - Sharyn Cairns.

Painted lace floor

This gorgeous painted floor has been doing the blog-rounds in the last week or so... but I just couldn't resist sharing it too!

The stunning painted lace pattern was created for a guesthouse in Marrakesh, using a custom-designed stencil by Royal Design Studio.... More info here and here.

Ps - your can buy the stencil yourself here!

via. Design*Sponge

Melbourne Homes!

A collection of 200 shell necklaces line the walls of Victoria's gorgeous apartment in Elwood.

The lounge area - featuring mainly retro furniture finds, including that stunning bamboo coffee table which came from the set of Australian TV series MDA.

Soooo I decided that The Design Files could do with a 'Melbourne Homes' section. I would love your feedback on this dear readers! What do you think? You see, photographing people's houses takes quite a lot of organising and time etc, so you have to convince me that you would love to see more Melbourne homes, so that I muster up enough time and energy to keep it up!

Anyway, without further ado, read on for a peek into The Design Files' inaugural 'Melbourne home' - the gorgeous apartment of my friend and fellow props buyer Victoria McKenzie!

A 1950's apartment with art deco detailing, Victoria's place truly sets the standard for rental decorating! Set in a beautiful leafy st in Melbourne's bayside suburb of Elwood, this large 2-bedroom apartment has great bones - high ceilings, timber floors, huge windows, and a fantastic layout in which both the loungeroom and the master bedroom both open out onto the garden. Lovely!

Vic's unique sense of style and meticulous attention to detail shines through in every aspect of her beautiful home - from the incredible collection of shell necklaces hanging side-by-side along the dining room walls, to the colour co-ordinated kitchen implements(!), and of course that beautiful lush garden which Vic looks after so well!

Originally from New Zealand, Victoria describes her style as 'Pacificana' - that is, influenced by the aesthetic of the Pacific Islands surrounding NZ (such as Samoa and Rarotonga). This is where the shell necklaces, handwoven basket collection and hula girls come in! She also loves her collection of vintage / retro furniture - many pieces were snaffled from TV productions and films she's worked on. (I've got to get better at that!)

Oh and she loves orange. Can you tell?

Loungeroom and balcony. Victoria's cute collection of hear-shaped pebbles!

View out to the garden

Dining area - framed by that incredible collection of shell necklaces

V for Victoria!

Isn't the kitchen beautiful!? Love the mix of new and vintage kitchen cabinets and furniture. Also love Victoria's policy when it comes to kitchen implements - only orange will do!

Washing up would be so much more fun if everyone had a beautiful big window like this above their sink! Also love those little glass jars... Industria, I think?

Victoria's little tiki man on the wall protects the kitchen.... love the turquoise blue front door and vintage map in the hallway (just visible).

More of the lovely sink area. Vic's tropical plants outside the window make such a difference!

A little Australiana just to balance things out!

Victoria's bedroom, adjoining the balcony and garden - love the deep red walls and soft green bedlinen... what a great combo!

The Pacificana room - aka second bedroom! The handwoven basket collection is so beautifully displayed.... and how about those hula girls...? Cute!

The bathroom - beautiful mint green / black deco tiling... more shell/seed-pod necklaces, and more tropical plants outside the window for that real 'island living' feel! Also love Victoria's collection of green glass containers on the window ledge. Perfect.

Victoria's balcony looks into the shared garden. Look at that lovely colourful vintage bench!

A HUGE thanks to Vic for sharing her home with us! - and for feeding me fresh Lemon Verbena tea and Tim Tams during the photoshoot ;)

ps) Victoria has just started her own photo blog (with a friend) entitled Light and Victory - still early days, but I'm sure she would love you to visit!

Christmas in print

Inside Out - special Christmas issue

Shots from the beautiful (and slightly Christmas-ified) home of Sydney stylist Lynsey Fryers.... ahhhhh... love. it. Photos - Petrina Tinslay.

I know I know... Christmas is just another marketing ploy to make us buy more stuff. Possibly... but Christmas is also such a good excuse to indulge your creative side - its a stylist's heaven, and needn't be all about the $$$. Both Inside Out and Real Living have special Christmas issues out at the moment... and before you pounce on me for perpetuating the Christmas PR machine, both these issues are really, really good!

Both mags offer some seriously stunning content and photos to drool over... really gorgeous and carefully considered stories that certainly don't feel like the left-overs from previous issues (as can sometimes be the case with 'special issue' publications). Inside Out shares some beautiful Aussie homes all dressed up for Christmas, some incredible food spreads, as well as simple DIY decorating ideas from the likes of fashion designer Lee Mathews and stylist Lynsey Fryers.

Real Living has a more level-headed, budget-conscious approach to the holiday season. They offer a really great, thorough article on how to 'give back' at Christmas time (volunteering, mentoring and fundraising etc), as well as the obligatory gift guides and creative, cost effective decorating and wrapping ideas. Of course, there's also a great collection of gorgeous Australian homes to peek at.

Go and get 'em.

Christmas wreaths from Inside Out. Styling - Vanessa Colyer Tay, Photo - John Dennis.

Bohemian-esque Christmas party at the studio of Sydney artist (and Inside Out favourite) Lisa Cooper. Photo - Sharyn Cairns

Gorgeous Christmassy prop styling from Inside Out. Stylist - Glen Proebstel, Photo - Sam McAdam.

Real Living's summery Christmas cover

Love this retro-style living room with Christmas flourishes from Real Living. How about that gorgeous little couch? Styling - Rachel Brown, Photo - Amanda Prior.

Real Living round ups the best in wrapping papers

Real Living cute, inexpensive gift wrapping ideas