project: kitchen remodel

Progress report on the kitchen remodel: I've met with contractors, suppliers, et al. The demo drawings are drawn, the details are being hammered out... now for some more progress. The kind with some action in the actual space. I'm antsy for dust and hammering in the near future.

The way this project has started is the usual design consultation plus additional design time to pull together all the details and drawings for the client to approve and either decide to go on with it on her own, or keep me on to make sure the plans go forward as I see them.

The small intimidated voice in me says 'take them and run' but the larger adventurous side says 'keep me around I'll make everything easier!'

Everyone has to have a starting place. I've designed {or decorated before the degree} for 7 years now but have never taken on anything of this size. It's time to see if I have what it takes.

{as usual, photos pulled from everywhere}

I Wanted

I so wanted to stay home this morning so I could smell this rose.

And eat these raspberries.

And tie up the tomatoes.

And sip my latte.

And plant the exotic love bean and other goodies.

But then I remembered there wouldn't be a here for all this if I didn't go. So I went.

P.S. All was good and everything except my latte was waiting for me when I came home :-)

Trade shows

Anne Bronnenberg is our lovely sales agent in Germany and Benelux and this August she's taking Isak to Tendence in Frankfurt and to the autumn fair in Utrecht in September. Thanks Anne! :)

Tendence; Messe Frankfurt; August 27 - 31, hall 11, stand A55.
Najaarsbeurs Utrecht September NL 5 - 7, stand 7.C332.

And our lovely Marie is taking us to Formex this August. Good luck to her!

Formex; Stockholmsmässan, August 12-15, B18:42.

The house we built

I have just realised that it is nearly 4 years ago that we moved in to our brand new house. I remeber our first night so well, we felt like we were in a hotel! Carpet in the bedrooms, central heating, an ensuite and a TV in our room! It took us 2 years to design and what seemed like forever to build! It was at times extremely frustrating, but so worth it in the end. I know I could have been their most annoying client ever, but I like attention to detail. Things like toilet roll holders and door handles DO matter! More inside pics to follow later.

My beautiful boys!

Being the very proud mother I am I couldn't resist putting on these gorgeous pictures of my two boys Oliver (Ollie) nearly 5 and Thomas (Tommy) 3 and a bit! Photos were taken on our farm again by the talented Kelly, http://www.blacksheepphotography.com.au/ they are dressed in my favourite children's label by Adelaide Mums Freyr Lennon and Luise Geddes, Tiddles and Chich http://www.tiddlesandchich.com.au/

St. Patricks

First off, I want to thank all of you who were kind enough to email and comment with places to see and things to do while on the West Coast. I now have a full and exciting itinerary! I'm busy packing and wrapping things up before my trip, but I wanted to share a few pictures I took of the charming Irish Catholic church here in Downtown DC, St. Patricks. I love the little wooden tower room above with the leaded glass windows -don't you?

Two entrances to the church's school are still marked boys & girls -something you don't see anymore. Most of the old schools, even public ones here in DC, still have these seperate entrances (although they are now coed).

I remember the horror stories my dad told me about his childhood spent in similar catholic schools in the 1950s. I'm sure they were overly dramaticized but they scared me enough back in the day!

Luxurious interior Flat in Hampstead, London by Stephen Fletcher Architects

The Luxurious flat in Hampstead was designed by Stephen Fletcher Architects is located in London NW3, United Kingdom. The architects have recently renovated it, were commissioned to transform a large run-down flat occupying the ground floor and basement of a grand house into a spectacular contemporary residence. Stephen Fletcher Architects’ brief was to create a series of living and entertainment spaces at ground floor level, retaining the nest of the existing features, and a series of private bedroom quarters with a more contemporary feel at basement level.

The property was originally built for a gentleman artist in the 1870s who installed various features, including the gothic panelling and stained glass in the Living Room, taken from a French church. Since its conversion into a boarding house soon after the First World War, and then flats in the 1960s, hardly any remedial work had been undertaken, and the place was in a perilous state.