Category: not so boring.

January 26, 2014

Ring my bell.

The plan was to meet my friend at her house and then walk up King street together to grab a coffee.

Her house is located in cute lane way in Newtown (opposite the kitchen of Dominos Pizza).

Her house does not technically have a front door (the front segment is commercially-leased out and is currently a beauty salon).

Her house does have a high back gate (comes complete with tangled barbed wired).

I scanned her back gate for an electric doorbell. An intercom. A old school bell. There was nothing.

My phone had died. It was 30 degrees.

So, I began yelling out her name…loudly. I repeated this for 3 minutes. No response. I decided to change my strategy and commenced thumping the gate, first with my hand….then with my foot. No response. I then decided to try and climb the fence. I did a running jump (spider-man style). But there was nothing to grip onto. I fell to the ground. My skirt was up near my face.

The domino’s pizza delivery man came out of the kitchen, looked at me quizically and asked; “what the hell are you doing?”. To which I responded, “my friend lives in this house, my phone is dead, I’ve tried calling out and I’m not sure what to do next….”. He told me to try and walk through the beautician. Genius.

I entered the beautician and awkwardly explained my ‘situation’. She allowed me to shuffle through the salon. I smiled at a client who was getting her laser treatment done and exited into my friends back garden.

Still…there was no doorbell or sound mechanism to alert her attention at her back door. I yelled her name some more. Finally after 5 minutes….she came down, “Nix, you are late…where have you been?”.

Sweating. Frazzled. Thirsty. I just stared at her…”No coffee, we are getting a bottle of wine”.

I guess, this whole situation made me realise the way the mobile phone is increasingly replacing the doorbell. When waiting or aproaching a friends front door…you just call them. Alerting that you are out front. It is only when you go to a stranger’s house that you really need to have a door bell in place…otherwise you just call.

There are even phone apps which you can ‘answer’ your doorbell remotely.

It makes me a little sad. I remember when I was growing up (the days before phones), when people would ring the doorbell and my sisters and I would race to the door, so curious to see who it was. The suspense. The mystery. I also remember this one time, when my dad was tinkering with the door bell wiring and set it off….for 45 minutes (no exaggeration) our doorbell was on repeat. The dogs were going crazy. Mum was yelling at Dad. We were yelling at Dad. Poor Dad. Four girls just staring at him and telling him to fix it.

My guess is that it will not be long until even doorbells are completely redundant. People use their phones to call.

Doorbells are a part of the home that often get ignored and forgotten. Many homeowners simply inherit the doorbell choice by the previous owner or home builder and never think to customise or change it. Whilst it may seem like a trivial item, it can be embraced to reflect the homeowners personality or aesthetic.

The electronic doorbell was invented by an American Scientist, Joseph Henry in 1831. Doorbells have evolved from buzzers to musical chimes in the early 1900s. Musical chime doorbells even emerged as a popular fad in the 1930s! Today in Australia, majority of homes either use an electronic bell or a solid brassknocker. From a personal perspective, I prefer the look (and sounds) of old-style bells.

Whilst, they may not have the accoustic quality or technology to be ‘heard’ throughout the whole house, I believe they are the perfect addition to the front door. I love the simple mechanics that require exertion of human energy to create a rich and vibrant sound. In a world where we are constantly surrounded by gadgets, touch screens and electronics I believe that there is great value in the physical act and the ritual involved in ringing a bell. Admittedly, I am such a nerd…but I always get excited when I see a vintage cow bell or an East-Asian ‘gong’ instead of the stock-standard door bell. It is the perfect way to foster a positive experience when arriving at someones front door. It is a bit of a shame, that the traditional mechanical bells have increasingly been replaced with the electronic version over time.

Bells are beautiful. Aesthetically they embody such a strong form and shape. Vintage bells symbolically represent a certain historical period or culture. Without human touch, they remain silent. But with it…they come to life and create vibrations that sing!

Have a look at these beauties…

(Image via Habitat Design)

(Image via Worldsenz)

(Image via Pinterest)

(Image vis Bewitched)

(Image via Etsy)

(Image via Dreamy Whites)

(Image via Crushculdesac )

Take a good look at your door bell..what does it say about you?!

Happy long weekend!

January 1, 2014

#Rewind2013

2013…what a year!

For me, it was defined by a massive amount of discovery.

Self Discovery. Discovery of new places. New people. New interests.

Throughout the year, I was continually pushed outside my comfort zone.

Without getting too cheesy (ewww- the thought of cheese actually makes me feel slightly nauseous…had way too much cheese and wine last night!), here is a list of 27 things I discovered in 2013…

I discovered….

1. The deliciousness of kale chips & coconut water & PILPEL hummous (I did a quick calculation and I have literally eaten a 300g tub per week which roughly equals over 15kg of hummous)

2. The chocolately smoooothhh voice of Frank Ocean. I also got obsessed with ‘Thinking about you’ and have proceeded to discover every ‘cover’ of the song on Youtube.

3. The functionality of the ‘video’ on my phone….from ‘caroke to bedroom dance floor sessions. Hours and hours of entertainment. Here is a sneak preview of ITEM 2 & 3 combined. ENJOY…yes, I am using a hair straightner as a microphone….

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4W39JOqypE&feature=youtu.be

4. My NEW favourite design website Trendland – I think stalked them & now contribute to their site!

http://trendland.com/sentosa-house-by-nicholas-burns-associates/

5. What it is like to live without a TV for a year.

6. That I am a ghetto gangsta gal…they call me ‘brown suga’ (who am I kidding, I didn’t just discover that this year, I’ve known it since I was a child). A definite highlight this year was seeing Jay-Z & JT concert in NYC and then Queen Bey when she came to Sydney.

7. The beauty of fresh succulents.

(Image via Pinterest)

8. The sport of tree surfing

(Image via Pinterest)

9. The art of fishing and drinking…. simultaneously. In 2013, I entered my first Fishing Derby.

10. What it feels like to be a performance artist – I was part of a performance art piece in the MCA

11. Appreciation for all things handmade – this discovery was definitely inspired by my friends Franni & Alicia.

(Image via Red Bubble)

12. Sometimes dressing ‘hipster’…isn’t always ‘cool’. AKA the night I looked like the lampshade.

13. The feeling of scoring a soccer goal (took me 5 years but got there)

14. My new hobby – WEAVING. It is my goal in 2014, to improve my weaving….especially now that I got a magnifiying glass for christmas (thanks mum). I am officially a 27 year old stuck in an 80 year old body.

A beauty in the making by my favourite House of Maryanne.

15. The feeling of being able to do a yoga headstand – took me 12 years…

16. New beautiful people through volunteering for Achilles visually impaired running group & Inside out kitchen

17. That ‘space’ movies aren’t that bad. In 2014, I am going to be more ‘open’ to more movie genres.

18. What it is like to live near the beach

note: this isn’t my house…

(Image via Gardenista)

19. How cool it is to collect glass bottles…wierd I know.

RE-DISCOVERIES

Here are somethings I re-discovered….

20. My spiritual side …. through meeting some inspiring people….learnt a lot about the ‘Moon Cycles’. It’s my dream this year to go to the Observatory.

21. Rediscovered the world of dating – speed dating, app dating (yes, tinder), blind dating, bootcamp dating (it was called Fit2date…wish I was joking…would rather erase this from my memory altogether)..I tried it all.

22. New York City – actually this was a rediscovery….but I spontaneously booked a ticket 5 days before leaving. Was one of the most spontaneous things I have done…ever.

(Image via Word from Bird)

23. My love for everything related to Design & Architecture

What a beauty!

(Image via Blood & Champagne)

23. Certain ‘life’ events, made me re-discover how nice it feels to be surrounded by my family and friends.

24. How much I love spending time by myself – this year I really felt content in my own company…I even went and saw a couple of movies by myself.

25. How lucky I am to have a family home (with 2 beautiful puppies) to go ‘home’ to…

AND FINALLY….my family discovered…SELFIES.

I am excited for what 2014 will hold & what new discoveries I will make…

I have decided 2014 is the year of DIY. My main NY resolution is to embrace the ‘handmade’…I want to make things, rather than buying them. Will be the year of ‘Crafternoons’. Other resolutions include:

1. Wait 1 minute to try and use my brain to remember a fact, rather than automatically ‘googling’ it on my phone.

2. Wear less mui-mui’s (my sisters had an intervention…apparently it just makes me look frumpy, not boho-ethnic-hippy chic that I was aiming for)

3. STOP wearing a high bun so much (yes, this carries on from 2013).

AND ofcourse I will be stick to my mantra of ‘Treat yo’self”

Happy New Year & all the best for the year to come.

December 28, 2013

Tandoori Turkey.

Without fail, each Christmas…a plump tandoori turkey is placed on our table.

100% fusion. 100% delicious.

We take tandoori chicken to the next level.

We also sprinkle garam masala into our fruit cake. And make hot chilli prawns instead of the traditional cold pre-cooked ones.

We slightly ‘indianify’ everything. We can’t help ourselves.

This year was no different. The tandoori turkey was one of the best yet. Marinated and cooked to perfection (Great Team work by the Panch & Susie combo – aka my parents) See below….

Aside from the delicious fusion feast that inevitably puts me into a state of food coma, my second favourite part of Christmas is setting the table. Coloured tinsel, Christmas-shaped confetti, an old painted plaster funhouse piece, ‘borrowed’ Christmas bush from the neighbours garden, mum’s assortment of indian-inspired lanterns…there is no consistent ‘theme’…but rather an eclectic, random mix of everything ‘festive’….

This year, i decided to whip out my watercolour paints and create handmade place cards. They turned out ok. Actually…in retrospect they were pretty mediocre. I wrote personalised quotes in each. Very cheesy, but the old folk loved it.

It really made me realise how fundamental the dining table is in a home. It is mums best trick – she cooks our favourite meal and no matter what plans we may have…they get dropped and we come running to the table. So many of my memories revolve around our family dining table. It’s a place where deliver a debrief of the day. Tell stories. Share (lame) jokes. Reminiscence. Dispense advice. Announce achievements. Discuss world events (and celebrity gossip). Laughing, crying…so many pivotal moments have occurred on our dining table.

We invite old friends. New lovers. Sometimes even randoms (yes, mum has invited a few random people to our dining table over the years – like the man who came to the door trying to sell us ‘green’ lightbulbs and ended up staying for dinner). Drunken dinner parties. Impromptu get togethers. No two nights are the same.

But… it is quite funny….in all honesty, no matter who is sitting on our dining table with us…we don’t change. We still misbehave. Tell awkward personal stories. Pay each other out. Some people (actually probably the majority) think we are slightly crazed. A little nuts. A family of fruit loops.

(Above: I recently invited my good friend Alicia over to experience the Sheth madness. My sister Alisha and my Papaji are getting ready to eat….and yes, my sister, Priyanka is using the pendant light as a hat….)

If you have ever eaten with my family….I guess you would understand.

Dining tables possess a rare power. With the help of food, they bring people together. A place to share. A place to converse. A place to unwind and relax. It is no wonder, that for many, the styling of dining tables is such a carefully considered practice. People want to take pride in their dining tables. From adding in themed props for a dinning party to careful placement of floral arrangements…it is a place which embraces and encourages creativity. It is essentially a ‘blank canvas’ which can evolve into a comfortable and inviting place.

Thought I would share some truly inspirational table settings….

(Image via Pinterest)

(Image via Modern Hepburn)

(Image via Southern Belle Wedding)

(Image via Local Milk Blog)

(Image via Nenna Nenna)

(Image via Pinterest)

(Image via Green Like Bathwater)

(Image via Style-Files)

(Image via Wendes Grey)

OK, I am over and out…all this talk of dining tables & food is making me hungry…

Hope you are enjoying the festive season.

December 21, 2013

My Highland Fling.

I was a prefect.

I never got a detention.

I played sport. I debated. I was in mock-trial.

I actually loved…. school.

And yes…I was not a loner, I did have plenty of friends.

I guess you could call me a nerd. A teachers pet. I just loved the rules. The routine. The familiar safe environment.

One of my greatest memories of school was being in the choir for 13 years.

Yes…for 13 years I was a high soprano.

We went on ‘Choir Tour’ singing in churches and streets all over Europe – UK, Austria, Hungary & Wales. We sang for the Chinese President when he visited Sydney. We sang in Spanish, in Latin, in German. We sang on airplanes. We sang on the streets. We just sang. A lot.

There was something magical about singing the choir. I loved the vibrations that were created by the voices surrounding me. I loved the feeling of belonging to something so special. Where every single person amounted to a beautiful collective sound.

This time of year I always reminiscence about my years in the choir. Hearing Christmas carols as I walk down the aisles of Woolworths…I can’t help myself…I quietly hum along. Growing up, every Christmas my Aaji (my grandmother) would make me sing ‘Amazing Grace’ to the whole family. I pretended to get embarrassed…but I loved it.

HOWEVER…I remember the Christmas of 2005 clearly, I was 19 years old and cleared my throat in preparation of my annual ‘Amazing Grace’ rendition…BUT…it sounded horrible. I honestly think my voice broke. I have never recovered. Ask anyone in my family…I now can’t sing for peanuts. I officially suck. Sometimes I get really sad about it. I try to sing ‘my best’ in the shower. In front of my mirror. In my car. But, I guess I really need to start accepting that my ‘golden singing days are over.

One of my favourite experiences of the choir was when our choir was part of the “Scotland the Brave” performance in Sydney Opera House. It was a night filled with bag pipes, drums, tartan and lots and lots of singing. We trained for weeks…working on our Scottish accents.

For some reason, on this past week I have was sucked down the ‘Youtube vortex’ of scottish songs. I just had this urge. I have literally listened to Scottish songs for hours this past week. At work. In the car. At the gym. I put on all the Scottish songs that I had learnt during my years in the choir. The lyrics had obviously been lying dormant. As soon as I heard the first chord of the song, the lyrics just flowed….and so did my Scottish accent. It has genuinely made me so happy this week.

With reference to my ‘Scottish themed’ week and to my school uniform (I wore for all my choir performances ), I have a new found fascination with tartan. Plaid patterns are not reserved for the kilts of old scottish men or for picnic rugs….instead they can subtly add warmth and richness to interior spaces. Upon my research, I actually learnt that “plaid” is actually derived from the Scottish Gaelic word plaide, which means blanket. Tartan can inject a sense of history and tradition. I believe plaid can look really good when combined with timber, leather or even raw concrete. It doesn’t need to be over-bearing but can be used in subtle, unexpected ways – wallpaper, blankets, upholstery,…

Don’t believe me? Check out the images below…

Love the bright colours against the raw backdrop.

(Image via The Rug Company)

(Image via Pinterest)

Can even be used as a wallpaper pattern…it works perfectly in this space…however, I would definitely be careful not ‘over do’ it.

(Image via Design Indulgence)

The plaid pattern even works in an industrial or rustic design style. It can immediately inject some warmth.

(Image via We Are Design Bureau)

(Image via Paloma 81)

Strong. Textural. Masculine. Who said tartan was out-dated?

(Image via Pinterest)

(Image via Design Sponge)

OK, I best be off…my ‘HIghland Fling’ playlist is awaiting…

Have a great weekend.

September 15, 2013

Breaking News.

It has happened five times in the past 3 weeks. No exaggeration.

Two iphone screens. Two mugs. One antique bottle (which I bought from NYC).

Glass seems to be breaking all around me.

I know I am clumsy. But this feels like a joke. I am starting to wonder whether I am carrying around some bad ju-ju vibes or something.

The theme of glass re-emerged on Wednesday night. But this time in a more positive way. I had a dinner date with my grandfather (Papaji). He was to ‘fit me into his packed social schedule. He is actually the coolest (to find out why – read this)

I love the predictability of going to Papaji’s house for dinner – A glass of red, a vegetarian Indian meal, bailey’s ice-cream/strawberries & cream for dessert. In that order. Always.

However, after dinner this week instead of immediately tucking into dessert, he started showing me ‘objects’ and some of my grandmother’s things he had found after she passed away. One of which was a gorgeous blue glass vase….

It had the most beautiful story behind how it had come into his hands (see below) (NB:- Aaji what I called my grandmother):

I have a fascination with coloured glass vessels. I have decided to start a collection. I purchased two (one broke) in NYC from the most remarkable man. In a nutshell, Scott Jordan grew up on Long Island. As a bored kid, his dad made him a sieve and he spent is afternoons and weekends ‘digging up treasure’. After finishing school he followed his passion and became an Archaeologist. He spends his time transforming discards of New York City into artifact art. Read More Here (http://www.newyorkartifactart.com)

Each of his items comes with a handwritten card outlining where the piece was found & the time period it came from.

I love the ethereal nature of glass. The transparency. The buoyant quality. The simultaneous reflection and absorption of light. I have decided to be very discerning with my glass vessel collection. Each piece must have an engaging ‘story’ – whether it be the process of which it was created, a past owner to the historical context in which it derived.

Have a look at the images below…they are my point of inspiration for my ‘collection’….

(Image via imgfave.com)

(Image via antiquebottles.com)

(Image via Vmburkhadt)

(Image via Hannah Roberts)

(Image via The Great Gracie)

(Image via decor8blog.com)

(Image via Herebewitches)

Hope you have a great Sunday Night.

N x

June 30, 2013

Concrete Jungle – where dreams are made…

I came face to face with concrete very early on in life. And not by choice.

At age 2, (in true ‘red bull’ spirit) I attempted to ride my tricycle down a flight of stairs …. and laded face first onto the concrete landing.

I split my head open and still today have a scar on my forehead. (No.. its not cool like Harry Potter’s…its actually blue in colour and just acts as a daily reminder of my early battler days).

Concrete is commonly perceived as dull, cold and drab. It is often associated with depressing industrial buildings that lack any emotion or soul. I beg to differ. I believe that when applied thoughtfully, concrete can be very poetic. Some of my favourite buildings have been created purely out of concrete – creating strong lines, which command attention. There is nothing soft about pure concrete.

Every building in some way or form utilises concrete for structural purposes. I just love the way concrete can step out from behind the (metaphorical) ‘walls’ and become the main feature. The architectural underdog prevails!

Concrete fits perfectly with an Industrial design style. Exposed concrete combined with timber and copper creates a distinctly urban feel.

Whether it is polished or finished, I love the rawness of concrete.

Concrete is not loved by all. Treehugger blogger Llyod Alter argues that; “Concrete is just about the worst material going; it is heavy. And in a world where we worry about our carbon footprint, the manufacture of cement is responsible for 5% of the Carbon dioxide produced every year”. It is an interesting take and reinforces that every material has its own pros & cons when it comes to application. (Read More Here)

However, of late, concrete seems to be transcending the realm of architecture and sweeping the world of fashion and accessories. Concrete is inherently a very versatile material. Subsequently, from bags to jewellery to vases, concrete is increasingly being used as a form of artistic expression.

My friend Mel’s family owns a chain of pubs in Melbourne and they just renovated their fifth Melbourne venue ; “Prahan Hotel’. Designed by Techne Architects, it is a concrete lovers dream – 17 concrete pipes, weighing between four and seven tonnes each, climb the side of the pub’s classic 1940s facade. Read more about it here on the Cool Hunter. I must to book my next trip to Melbourne ASAP – I need to see this!

“The use of large stacked concrete pipes for the street façade of the addition struck a chord for multiple reasons,” state the architects. “They have a depth and can be interactive, they have a dramatic, sculptural quality, they reference existing internal circular motifs and they suggest stacked kegs or barrels.” (Via Domus).

In anticipation of my visit to the world’s concrete jungle (aka NYC), I want to spread my love for concrete it is many forms.

Concrete is sweeping the lighting world. MInimalist designs with clean lines. I love the above lighting – Heavy is a collection of thin-walled, cast concrete lights by Benjamin Hubert available as a pendant, desk or wall light.

(Image via Freshome)

A Douglas Friedman creation! Love, love, love that concrete staircase – although you wouldn’t want to stack it…

(Image via Pinterest)

(Image via Freshome)

Concrete tiling adds texture to a space. The above Concrete Collection is designed by photographer Tom Haga who photographs raw and refined concrete walls, raw cinder block walls and even graffiti, in locations right across Norway. The high-resolution images are then transformed into wallpaper.

Not very comfortable…

(Image via Pinterest)

Studio Seilern Architects

(Image via backstage.worldarchitecturenews.com)

Gorgeous concrete rings (wouldn’t want to be punched in the face with one of these!)

(mage via designboom.com)

Concrete doesn’t have to be cold…

(Image via micasaessucasa.tumblr.com)

I am secretly in love with this concrete bag… Ivanka Design Studio. Gorgeous.

(Image via Design Milk)

Gorgeous application of concrete.

(Image via riazzoli.blogspot.com.es)

Israeli designer Shmuel Linski created an espresso machine called Espresso Solo using concrete as the primary material. He wanted to make a desirable consumer product for the kitchen from concrete to complement the other more typical uses of concrete in our kitchens such as walls or countertops.

(Image via design-milk.com)

(Image via edificecomplex.tumblr.com)

(Image via archdaily.com)

(Image via dzmitrysamal.com)

Yes, please!

(Image via Pinterest)

Hopefully I have inspired you to see concrete in a slightly different way. It’s not so boring….I could actually spend hours and hours doing this.

Officially obsessed with concrete. Yes…I am wierd.

Happy Sunday.

N x

June 13, 2013

My sister has gone bananas.

She may be younger to me, but in so many ways I look up to her.

She is ambitious. She has patience. She is disciplined. She is gorgeous (both inside & out…she is commonly compared to ‘Frida Pinto’).

And now, she has just landed her DREAM job – she is going to be a maternity & peadetrics dietician in one of the best hospitals in Brisbanel. QLD the state of Bananas. Quite fitting really.

Sounds 100% corny, but I am honestly so lucky that she is my sister/best friend (both my sisters are) & I am so proud of her.

We continually tease her for eating ‘air’ and running crazy distances…but secretly all that jest comes from a place of absolute aspiration. I know that I am secretly jealous that she doesn’t have a pet snake on her stomach (I’ve affectionately named my snake ‘Rollo’). I know that I am secretly jealous that she has the self-dicispline to stop at just a handful of peanut M&M’s whilst I can’t resist…tearing and NOT sharing.

It is this self control that makes her excel at her profession as a dietician. I have no doubt she is going to go so far. She is precise and committed (both emotionally and mentally) – (healthy) ingredients to a successful career. Any patient will be lucky to have her.

I love the way she gives Dad dirty looks when he reaches for the chilli chips. He definitely owes his lowered cholesterol to her.

I love the way she advises Mum on how to look after her digestive health. Her fibre intake has definitely increased.

I love the way she secretly replaces Alisha’s ‘sweet snacks’ with carrot sticks (Ali only notices when she opens her bags at uni). Her dental bills have decreased exponentially.

I love the way she is also a ‘Veterinarian Dietician’ – Mojo & Perry have the shiniest coat this side of town…..thanks to their protein intake.

We just love her.

We will miss her when she is living in Brisvegas. Without her guidance, I am sure we will all become fatty guju’s.

Check out her AMAZING new blog ‘Happy Mums. Happy Bubs’ here

Inspired by her dedication to healthy eating, I have managed to find some inspirational interior designs which integrate the famous Enzo Mari’s fruit prints (and a few other random fruit ‘designed’ items) I actually really like the bold shapes and saturated colours of these prints. Simple. Symbolic. A daily reminder that an “Apple a day…”

(Image via kitkadesigntoronto.com)

(Image via miluccia.net)

(Image via Scandinavian Home)

(Image via poppytalk.blogspot.com)

(Image via dotcomsformoms.com)

Yes, I have shown this image before in a previous blog post…but I love it.

(Image via HouHouHa)

(Image via Google)

(Image via finetingogsjokolade.blogspot.com)

I want to get this for my sister’s house one day!

IImage via Chairblog)

Now I have the guilts…I am drinking tea & eating a Cherry Ripe (it was in the $1 bin at Woolies) …but feel like I should be eating an Apple. Cherry Ripes count as fruit right?

N x

P.s. here are some amazing/random pics I came across…thought I would share!

Yes! Its a pineapple…

)Image via Google)

Cute!

(Image via fun2video.com)

Fruit + Veggie = LOVE.

(Image via sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net)

May 27, 2013

It just wanted a hug…

I stacked it.

Big time.

I hit the pavement….HARD.

It was on one of the busiest streets in Surry Hills.

Let me recap the events: It was last Sunday night. I turned off my gangsta tunes and parked my car. That’s all I remember…..the rest is a blur. It must have occurred somewhere between opening the door and my feet landing on the pavement. Except that didn’t happen…

My face hit the pavement. Not my feet.

My boot buckle must snagged my lanyard that ia on my keys and my body projected onto the pavement.

I let out a shrill-pitched gurgling sound.

My location did not help the situation. I was parked right outside ‘The Clock’ – a popular Surry Hills establishment with alfresco seating.

My car did not help the situation. I drive a mustard yellow jazz. It is hard to miss.

To my embarrassment, a lot of people witnessed my extravagant display of failing limbs.

I lay face flat on the pavement for a few seconds. I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole.

A few onlookers rushed to my aid (as they attempted to stifle their laughter). One even helped me ‘brush down’ dirt from my backside….it was a little creepy.

I laughed awkwardly and said “I am fine….the floor just wanted a hug”.

I managed to escape with only a ladder in my stocking and a grazed ego.

With my face literally on the floor, it made me reconsider how we often overlook the importance of flooring within a space.

Beautiful tile motifs.

(Image via interiordesign.net)

From the darkness, beautiful tiles emerge.

(Image via remodelista.com)

Polished blue cement….it looks like water!

(Image via pinyourhome.com)

I would lock myself in the bathroom and cry on this floor any day.

(Image via lovelylife.se)

(Image via citified.blogspot.com)

Only one word to describe this floor – Raw.

(Image via studiochristensen.goodsie.com)

(Image via 4.bp.blogspot.com)

(Image via media-cache4.pinterest.com)

(Image via Pinterest Mobile App)

(Image via casadolcecasa.com)

(Image via thatkindofwoman.tumblr.com)

Next time you enter a building, bar or work space….take a good look at the floor. You never know what beauty it may hold.

N xx

November 26, 2012

Hideaway…

At times I believe that my love for interiors started way before I even knew how to tie my shoelaces.

As a small girl, my younger sisters & I loved cubby houses. My mum would help us create these diy sancturies out of old sari’s and indian blankets – drapped acoss chairs, couches and tables…..we would crawl belly first and spend hours inside the labyrinth of mattresses, pillows and stuffed toys. We would demand to eat dinner in there. We would demand to sleep in there. Using as an escape from the world outside.

It was a simple pleasure – one which allowed us to transcend reality and depended heavily on our imaginations.

Inside the cubby houses it always felt safe, comfy and warm.

Mum & Dad took it one step further in the summer of 1991 – creating an actual wooden cubby house in the back of our garden. We spent countless hours, running in and out of the cubbyhouse – pretending it was a shop, a restaurant and even a hairdressing salon. Creating signs ‘keep out’, ‘girls only’…

One of my favourite memories, is during a sudden summer hailstorm – my sisters and mum stood inside our (actual) house, noses pressed against the glass window as we watched dad crouched in our cubbyhouse. He had gotten caught in the hailstorm. He was sopping wet. The cubbyhouse his only shelter from the plummeting ice.

Writing this a wave of nostalgia has overcome me. I secretly wish I could build a cubby house right now and escape this ‘adult world’ – one full or responsibility, stress and sometimes heart ache (not all things are bad though!)

Ok…here is some cubby inspiration (just incase you want to build one for yourself…don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul!)….

(Image via pinterest)

(Image via handcraftedinvirginia.tumblr.com)

(Image via p interest)

(Image via mokkasin.blogspot.fr)

(Image via dailyimprint)

(Image via Contemporist)

(Image via http://theplatformexperiment.tumblr.com/)

(Image via freepeople.tumblr.com)

Have a great night

N x

August 5, 2012

I like it on top.

I’ve spent the last 3 weeks immersed in the world of google sketch up. I’ve cried. I’ve smiled. I’ve wanted to punch my screen. It has been an emotional journey.

I’ve been completing the module – ‘Apply Residential Processes’ – essentially I have had to fulfil a brief for an open plan residential living/dining room; source furniture, space planning and creating a 3D render in sketchup.

A key part of the assessment was to draw spacial & movement plans from a birds eye view. I love seeing things from this angle. The view from the top is like no other. It somehow puts things in perspective, yet creates a sense of being removed.

Here are my very first google sketchups….lots of ‘room to improve’ (excuse the pun!).

Menno Aden is a very talented artist who has creates a series of artworks, based on birds eye perspective of interiors. He installs a camera on the ceiling of various rooms and takes pictures downwards of the interiors. The resulting images lay out space in symmetrical compositions that look like assemblages stripped off any kind of objectivity.

Behind his work is the notion of surveillance which is systematically played out by the artist to hint at society’s voyeuristic urge that popular culture has made mainstream.

All image above via Menno Aden)

Looking at things from a different perspective – can be inspirational. can create art. can lead to clarity.

Give it a go.

Happy Sunday Night.

N x

July 10, 2012

Nothin’ but Net.

I’m not going to apologise, but in all honesty I am not sorry. I haven’t blogged for a few days & it may be a few more days before I can blog again (i’m posting this after hours at work!)

Our internet at home has been down. And will continue to be down for another week. Something about having to switch internet suppliers and…churning of information.

In all honesty, being internet-free at home has been quite refreshing. It has been good for my soul. I feel somewhat calmer. Instead of checking my ‘likes’, aimlessly google searching or going through the paypal ‘checkout’ – I have been reading a book, baking and to satisfy my intense cravings of beautiful design…. I have been flipping through magazines.

Net. The predominant meaning used to be aligned with bridal head wear, a little boys fishing equipment or threads loosely woven together. Nowadays mention the word ‘net’ and there is an instantaneous connection to the world wide web.

Following my theme this week of ‘bringin’ old skool’ back, I have explored ‘net’ the way it used to be. When times were simpler. And net was equated to mesh.

(Image via theluxhome.com)

(Image via google.com)

(Image via Tumblr)

(Image via designsponge.com)

(Image via ffffound.com)

(Image via myparadissi.com)

Ok, better be off….going to the theatre tonight!

June 24, 2012

Not so boring: Carparks

Grey. Lifeless. Boring. Cold. Concrete.

Carparks.

They are literally functional spaces. You park your car, you get out (unless ofcourse you are a pre-pubescent teenager…loiteringi n the carpark – drinking some bacardi breezers with the opposite sex!).

They are also a space which is unavoidably accident prone. Yes… I speak from personal experience. Last year, I backed my yellow car into a yellow column in my work car park – in my defense I thought the yellow column was an extension of my car…it was dark…it was a friday night….the impact smashed my whole back window – I had turned my car into a convertible. I can assure you – it WAS NOT on purpose.

I don’t even want to start on shopping mall carparks – whilst they have a little more ‘colour’…it is purely for symbolic purposes – to help you can (apparently) ‘find’ your car. That’s a lie – I always still lose mine…or see someone else looking for theirs.

But – I ask the question – do carparks have to be so boring? Apparently not – check out this cool car park

The latest in a spate of large-scale art installations by the New York-Sydney duo of Craig & Karl is the basement garage of a boutique residence in Sydney’s Darling Point, designed by Marsh Cashman Koolloos (MCK) Architecture and Interiors. The project objective had been to “breathe new life” into the concrete underground car park devoid of natural light, and the artful pair has accomplished this with broad dashes of color and clever use of geometry. An inexplicable manhole surreptitiously takes point in this floor to ceiling mural, posing as the center axis of a windmill or color spectrum chart with colored ribbons that instinctively lead in from the driveway, through the space, and out to the garden and beyond.

(Image via The Cool Hunter)

(Image via openbuildings.com)

How cool is this?! A makeshift library in a carpark (Located – Brisbane, Australia)

(Image via Pinterest)

So next time as your feel ‘carpark rage’ taking a hold of you…Stop. Breathe. And get inspired by the concrete slabs – if you could design a unique and innovative carpark…what would it look like?

Over and Out.

Happy Sunday!