Mirror ... mirror on the wall ...

What mirrors can do to a room ... add that elegance and style ... I would have just added the snap of my own home with my round mirrror ... but its not the same as showing you some great rooms ... with what mirrors do ... to make my point...

These rooms are fabulous... elegant and I go... woooow .... even as a designer ... ... it makes my heart skip a beat ... they sure have the uuumppphhhh factor about them ... :) ...and glamour too and ... well ,well , now ...let me tell you whose created them...

She is Jan Showers ,every bit the elegance that her rooms are. An interior designer from Dallas ,Texas ... and sitting here in India... I am inspired. I hope you get inspired too ... love the way she uses mirrrors...

Bevelled mirrors ... framed ... is just one of the many ways we designers ...innovate our designs.

My personal favorite thing to do...and probably the reason I decided to feature Jans' work ... the larger than life mirror... here too its a collection of bevelled pieces framed ... they create a lovely play of lines in a room ...a single huge mirror can be just as dramatic ...minus the line scape ... if thats not what clicks with you.
And finally meet the lady...creating these beautiful rooms ...now you know ,she is every bit the elegance and glamour her rooms personify ... visit her website ... http://www.janshowers.com/ and I am sure you'll love what you discover ...
And I can't believe I discovered someone who loves mirrors as much as I do... :)

Perfect Reflection

I hope you have a great weekend.
I am off to show my wares at a local market day. I will take some photos to show you during the week. Don't you just love this photo??
Ness xx

White Wonders...

This image above by the delightful Atlanta Bartlett sums up everything I adore.
White (of course), wicker baskets, Hydrangeas in tin bucket, wooden console, propped up mirror, text (and a D for Declan), wooden floors, beaded board and industrial light.

I thought of my own space in our hallway that has some of these elements. I promise I had done this before I seen Atlanta's picture. Which got me thinking about other elements I love and would like to include I our reno/makeover (which seems to never end)...

To find a vintage flour sack cushion like this. A real deal one!

Create a living space that welcomes togetherness, comfort and that kick off your shoes attitude. Not forgetting the 'don't worry if you spill something, there slipcovers' philosophy. I plan to make our slip covers soon.

I don't have stairs, but this space at Brooke Giannetti's house is gorgeous and I love the grey, white and wood, over sized clock face (I'm obsessed) and the whole feel she has created.

Something like this divine set of drawers, which I would paint a chipped duck egg green for my work room.

Me & Mo
Some beautiful pieces of silver, and mercury glass for a little shine.


You know how much I want one of these. This one has the perfect finish and fabric colour.

Cest la Vie

...and a statement piece for the kitchen like this delicious plate.

I could have carried this on for pages, but I will spare you all the pain of my lust list for another day. Ness xx

2 Birds...1 Stone...

Beautiful Living has challenged me to show you my kitchen and what I love about it. Yup, it's a challenge as it is still in it's 70's glory...bear with me. Here goes...
I love this little display which is above our huge fireplace in the kitchen. To have a look at the fireplace click here
The Apples aren't real, but I love them with this zinc tall bucket, Lavender and the huge clock.

This wonderfully simple chandelier I bought for $10.00! Excuse the candles. When the fire is on...they melt. It does give off great heat. You can see our new wicker roman blinds here. Oh, that thing next to the zinc bucket on the shelf is Declan's ant farm.

Another kitchen love of mine is our huge collection of ironstone and white serving ware. If it breaks it is easy to replace (no matching patterns). This Lasagne dish is the best $20.00 I ever spent I think and I use it for everything.

I received these for Christmas off my eldest Sister, Caroline. They came as a set of three with a huge buscuit jar as well. The pewter labels are lovely.

The pride of our kitchen is these 3 tall glass canisters. I always get comments on them and the contents match our palette beautifully.

Here they are under my canvases I painted to look like Sid Dickens tiles.

I bought these wooden wings at Christmas time and loved them so much they hang on the other side of our kitchen window.

Another love is this French newspaper pull out from 14th sept, 1902. It has never been folded, only rolled. It apparently is the piece the Ladies would get to read and has gorgeous patterns for lacework etc inside. It is a 8 page piece. I can only display 2. I got this for $10 off Ebay. I have questions to answer in this post...
1.What colour is the kitchen? Chalk white USA...but changing shortly, again.
2.Describe your kitchen? A mix of bad 70's wood, beautiful old world features, beaded borad ceilings, huge cook on fire and Tasmanian Oak floors.
3.Describe dream kitchen? This could take forever...I wont go there now.
4.Fave activity in kitchen? Cooking in winter
5.Name 1 thing it is lacking/missing? A brilliant oven.
6.Do you cook and bake a lot? Yep
7.What dont you like & what would you change? Really only the oven and paint the cupboards.
8.What do you love? The ceilings and the big fireplace
9.Worst kitchen activity? Cleaning oven and taking bin out
10.Tea or Coffee? Coffee
11. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate
12.Do you like to prepare food or eat it? both
13.Do you prefer to serve meals in the kitchen or dining? Depends what it is. Ultimately the kitchen.
Now I challenge...

I have also been tagged to show you my blogging space by Catherine and the Ladies at Porchlight Interiors.
This is about all it is...big 6yr old computer, glasses, coffee, diary, pen and colour charts. I will be getting a laptop soon so then it will be nowhere in this space (Mics Slot Car room).

I am suposed to tag others, but I think you have all done it. I would however love to see Brooke's blogging space. Ness xx

add height to your room with curtains...

If you are thinking about redoing your curtains ... here's a point you might find handy ,while you shop for your new curtains... longer curtains increase the feel of height in any room. Hang your curtains closer to the ceiling and if your room has just a few feet on the sides of the windows ... then you might want to think of extending your curtain rod or the channel (if that's what you'll be using)the whole span of the room.
This definitely allows uninterrupted view through the window ...as well as visually since the eye travels a longer length ... you have the feel of more height in a room ... wall to wall curtaining at the same time will make your room feel more wider.

Strawberries .... strawberries ...every where

The strawberries have arrived in the markets of Mumbai ... they seem to be every where ... I am so sure the strawberry crop this year at Mahabaleshwar, has again been very good.I can almost smell them in the air.
In our house, we wait all year for the strawberry season to begin.Guess, we are a very -berry family ... the first pack that arrives ... is completely devoured up... with no trace except for the loud clicking of tongue ... and sour taste glands declaring... cease fire.
Wonderful Strawberry recipes ... soon follow. Here is a very simple recipe to use your strawberries.
1.Chop your strawberries... (say a small container of medim size 15-20 strawberries)
2. Add sugar (1-2 tsp) add an extra tsp. if you feel fruit is still tart.
3. Allow to stand for 10-15 min.'s and its all done.
You have a wonderful strawberry mix... to enjoy all by it self.It tastes fabulous with chocolate icecream ... chocolate cake(with a dollop of fresh cream)...
Hope you enjoy some fresh fruits of the season and if like our family you are a strawberry buff... do let me know... share your recipes with us ... or write in to know few of ours ...

Jay Crawford and his Timeless Interiors





I don't know much about Jay Crawford other than the fact that he was a fashion illustrator and a founder of Quadrille fabric. But what I do know is that I love his style. I first saw some 1979 images of his Manhattan townhouse (the top two photos) a few months ago and was struck by how chic the rooms still seem as viewed by these 21st century eyes. And then last night I found photos of what I believe is the same townhouse circa 1990 (check them out below). To me, both versions have that certain Billy Baldwin/Albert Hadley-esque flair. Can anyone fill in the blanks and give me more information on Crawford?




(Top two images from Architectural Digest New York Interiors; 1990 photos from Manhattan Style)

Its Lily -G ... now

Oh ,Dear...I'm not quite sure whats happening ... but I hope this is not a trend... another one of my very new favorite blogs isn't going to be around... sadly have to say I will miss another source of graceful elegance ... and another blogger who loves Ralph Lauren ... just as much as I do. Do check out Lili-g ,the blog ... but you will still find a link to them on my blog to view the beautiful posts till now...
Rajee

the last post ... on lily-g............................

Outside Thoughts....

Now that our veranda is underway my thoughts have turned, naturally to the decorating of this space and the new garden beyond. I have been pouring through your blogs, Magazines and file photos to try and come up with a concept for it all. I have a rough plan as to how it will all go and have started sketching these spaces to keep me on track. We would love a place to sit with coffee and watch the kids and garden in the shade of our huge Sycamore tree.
Country Home Ideas
I am thinking more along the lines of padded or wicker seating as it would withstand our harsh weather here...and be comfy at the same time.

This is our little Crab Apple tree I planted out the backyard (Christmas 07, and it is triple the size now). We have decided to have a line of these down our driveway with a native grass (flax) or maybe Agapantha's. I has to be something low maintenance as our property is just over 3/4 of an acre. Underneath this tree I planted Lavender, Snow in Summer and Seaside daises, which have all done so well they will be making an appearance elsewhere in the new garden layout.

I love this tree and as it sheds to bare sculptural branches in Winter to let in the Winter sun, it is ideal....and it is oh so cute. I cant wait to be able to cut small branches of this to bring inside. I am a lover of formal gardens, although I do love casual wild looking areas too and would ultimately love a wild flower meadow somewhere.

Country Home Ideas
One of my Dads bird houses is being painted up to match the house. It will be hoisted on to a pole to sit in between our Hydrangeas. Although I am loving the Star Jasmine version too. maybe I will have one in the backyard like this also...

...this is for certain. I have already got my cross wire supports with jasmine growing up them along one of the back entrance fences. I have put skinny pines at intervals along them with Sea Side Daisies in the front. I want it to bush up like this....now!

Le Forge
An Architectural piece like these iron gates would be superb somewhere. I imagine them in a corner part of the yard, leading you on to another secret section, or with mirrors behinds the bars to reflect and open up a space, maybe hiding something ugly like the bins.

Le Forge
 One thing we want somewhere is a water feature. Maybe something formal like a beautiful Urn surrounded by clipped box hedges, or something more natural looking like a rock water fall...with hedges. I love low box hedging.
Mic has taken a photo of the Paul Bangay book I want to help with the garden makeover as I love how he he uses mainly green in the garden with out a lot of flowers. If I win the lottery however, Mr Bangay will be coming to do it all himself!!
Ness xx

absolutely beautiful things: Time Out

absolutely beautiful things: Time Out
It was alway a beautiful feeling to click ... and pop came up ..a beautiful pink blog ... I have to say I am addicted to Anna Spiro's ... pink blog ...just...just sooooooo..beautiful... Anna... I am sure we all have our moments and our reasons...but I will miss you terribly... loved you're posts popping up so many times in a day...so many beautiful things to catch up on ... I am soooo addicted to your blog ... well..........................................................
Wish the very best to you and will wait for your website to come up ...
Rajee


Baroque-en Beds




I'm a great admirer of people who have the guts to go out on a limb and do something crazy in their homes, even if it's not so very stylish. Didn't Diana Vreeland once say that it was better to have bad taste than no taste at all? One room that seems to really stir people's fantasies is the bedroom. And no, I'm not talking about those fantasies. This is a design blog after all.

Most of us have tailored, upholstered headboards and plain but appropriate bed linen. Can you imagine having one of these Baroque, bold, and over the top beds in your bedroom?? Probably not. But sometimes it's interesting to see what goes on behind closed doors.

(Image at top: I could say something cheesy like "Snare him in your web of allure", and I just did!)


Only a Hollywood actress would have an over the top bed like this. And that actress was none other than Mae West, famous for her risque one liners. When asked why the bed had a mirrored ceiling attached to it, she quipped "I like to be able to see how well I'm doing!"


Helena Rubinstein was nothing if not innovative and provocative. Here, she was photographed in her illuminated lucite bed designed by Ladislas Medgyes. The bed was only four feet wide by five and a half feet long to accommodate Rubinstein's short stature. Notice the footboard is etched with a vase of roses and an "H".


Yet another illuminated bed, c. 1936. What I want to know is...would the lighting on this bed create down shadows on your face? If so, that might not be so attractive.


Men are not always immune to the flamboyant bed syndrome. Cecil Beaton had this exuberant bed in the Circus Bedroom at Ashcombe. If those walls could talk...

Red!

For those of you who read regularly, you know I am a devoted white lover, but I do have a soft spot for a hint of red. So, today I thought I would show you some of my red loves and what can be done with this primary lovely...

I really like this room, especially the painting of jars of lollies, Humbugs and those all red ones. The little hints of red are picked up throughout this room in the soft furnishings to great effect...and it is not overwhelming.

Chic Shack
I really love red along side white and denim blue in a boys room. We are thinking that the boys rooms will be due for a makeover soon, and I have always loved this combination...especially with stars as a common theme.

Marley & Lockyer
...now lets not forget my little tags, which have now shown there heads on my shop again. These ones are new - and very cute.

Marley & Lockyer
A lovely little gift tag (set of 2), also available now.

Who doesn't like red and white Bakers Twine??? and with a multitude of uses and Kitchen and craft room staple I think.

Marley & Lockyer
As a punch of colour in amongst white cushions, this new design in my shop looks great.

Ivory House
A grain sack runner with red ticking stripe is a favourite that will never go out of style.

Vintage iron beds painted white and snowy white linen are a perfect canvas for red sheets, bear and little stool. I would love beaded walls.

Marley & Lockyer
So, you can see why I love a hint of red here and there. I will always love blues and greens, but every now and then the red part of my brain kicks in and takes over....never over the white part though ;)
Ness xx

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