Martha Martha Martha

Perfect nests of perfect white bowls

Nesting heightens your focus on the minutia - the things that didn't seem important two weeks ago (like matching tea towels and rearranging my husband's shoes!) are suddenly critical! I love Martha Stewart - the images in her magazines and on her websites are so often something to aspire to - although sometimes they are so overwhelmingly obsessive in their perfection that they freak me out.  These images to inspire "kitchen organisation" are just a tad over the top....even in my nesting panic I can see that I don't have the time and money to devote to such crazy detail! 

Trays, strainers, tea towels and perfect custom joinery

A place for everything....storage trays painted to match the joinery.

Wow. Cutlery perfectly arranged.

Label makers are perfect for OCD sufferers. This stationery drawer is without fault. 

Who owns this many rolling pins????

This drawer is amazing. Enough said. 

Blockaholics Disappointed

Josh & Jenna's Winning Kitchen (via ninemsn)

My husband and I would certainly qualify as Blockoholics in 2011 - we have not missed an episode thanks to Foxtel IQ and series linking! We were so disappointed, however, with last night's results at auction.  I so loved Josh & Jenna and Katrina & Amie - were were hoping for better outcomes for both of our favourite couples! I hate to say that Polly and Waz didn't deserve to win but, well....I really don't think that they did!  In tribute, here are just a few of my favourite images of the houses that were passed in on Saturday evening (so sad!).

Katrina & Amie's Industrial Open Plan Kitchen/Living/Dining Room

Josh and Jenna's Kitchen

Josh & Jenna's Kitchen

Katrina & Amie's Winning Living Room

Maintenance

Source: Lonny via pinterest

It is easy when one's belly is getting larger each day to slow down, maybe get a bit lax and lose track of maintenance - both internal and external.  So...this weekend was devoted to a bit of up-keep - body stretched at yoga, hair coloured, legs waxed and nails buffed and polished.  At home, surfaces were dusted, linen and clothes washed and dried and furniture rearranged.  Forced inside for long periods by torrential rain, I've also managed to get a lot of reading done, lists written and plans forged.  I have three weeks of work left and what feels like an impossibly long list of things I need to accomplish before I walk out those doors in Martin Place for the last time. Rather than spend the weekend in the office, all of this 'maintenance' makes me feel more in control for the week ahead.

Distracted by Lonny

As always, the release of a new issue of Lonny heralded an afternoon (...and an evening) of distraction.  I poured over each and every page but my favourite space belonged to Lauren Gold, design director of Nate Berkus Associates (love Nate). Her taste is a lot busier than my own but she so expertly combines her possessions in her Chicago apartment such that none of the spaces seem cluttered. 

Small Spaces

We live in the inner city and because our house isn't enormous (it's not too small - about 100sqm in total I think), I often look to smaller, well designed apartments for design and organisational inspiration. This is one such apartment. Featured in House Beautiful, designer David Kaihoi's East Village apartment (shared with his wife and child) is only 64 sqaure FEET! Wow, that's small! I love this space - it's so brave and incredibly clever. In David's own words, the secret to living harmoniously in this space is "ruthless editing - one thing in, one thing out. A place for everything and everything in its place." This is an important lesson for me - I tend to be a bit of a hoarder. Time to clean out the closet! Another lesson that's worth noting is that you can still use big bold pieces (and colours!) in a smaller space. Often, I think, using smaller, bitsy pieces can make a space seem even smaller.

Beautiful bureau that folds away.

Dining room that doubles as living room....clever.

Wall of living room that houses library and entertainment.

 Dual usage - sofa and linen closet.

Imagine having such perfectly styled drawers!

 A place for everything and everything in its place.

 Stop it - this wardrobe is too perfectly arranged for a man to be responsible for it, surely?

What a pretty bedroom and the little fold out bed is so cute!

  Perfect bathroom cabinet - love it.

Australians tend to aspire to owning a 'big block of land', a large house with spare bedrooms and a spacious back garden. A lot of people have started to ask me where we'll move to once we have our baby and perhaps another in a few years, as though suggesting that surely we can't stay in our little terrace cottage once we have a family? I disagree with this sentiment somewhat. In most of the world's largest, most vibrant cities, families live in houses and apartments smaller than ours. These are cities where creativity and talent flourish - New York, London, Paris. I can't help but think that the children of these families have a perfectly good upbringing despite having perhaps to share a bedroom with a sibling. I also think that living in smaller quarters encourages a sense of community because people spend less time in their living rooms watching TV and more time out and about in local shops, cafes, parks and theatres. What do you think? Do you agree that, when it comes to real estate, bigger isn't always better?

Coffee Table

I love this coffee table - it is very similar to the coffee table in one of the the Leibowitz & Mclachlan houses. It's a nice modern shape but still looks quite rustic. I think it would be perfect for my living room. At the moment, we're making do with an old storage chest and it's about time for an upgrade!

From Jasmine & Will

Pale Sofas

Why do I do it to myself? I have a chocolate coloured pooch who, no mater how much I love her, will always shed her hair. I am about to have a baby which no doubt will cause even more mess. My husband has a habit of eating in front of the television sans plate or napkin.  Despite all this however, I still love the look of pale coloured sofas and lounge chairs. They remind me of summer, they seem more relaxing and very comfortable to me. Here are some of my favourite images of living rooms from Lonny via pinterest which tell the tale. Aren't they gorgeous?





Living Room

With our baby due date looming on September 3 as a deadline for finishing everything in our home (eeek!) there are so many things that I was to accomplish in our living room - a new rug, new slip covers for our two sofas, a new coffee table, maybe a console behind one of the sofas, a mirror above the fireplace and maybe some built in shelving/cabinetry to house the television, some books, and a lot more! 

Here are a few images from Sydney design duo Leibowitz & McLachlan to inspire me to get a move on! I have wasted many an hour already poring over the beautiful rooms photographed for their website. The combination of neutral colours, natural finishes, fusion of modern and antique appointments, perfectly styled accessories and all of that gorgeous Sydney sunlight streaming across the screen, make all of the interiors addictive - I can stare at them over and over again!