Justine and Rachel are on summer holidays.
We wish all our readers and followers a very happy New Year
and we look forward to bringing you more wonderful, inspiring homes in 2011.

A slice of Europe (in Potts Point)

Jeanette Budak admits she gets distracted when watching Baz Luhrmann's films. We can't blame her though. Catherine Martin's gorgeous sets get the eyes wandering and the imagination firing.  We're not sure if this is a good or a bad thing for Baz's movies but Catherine's designs are certainly a wonderful inspiration for home styling. 

This art deco apartment is very much decorated with Jeanette's own signature style but amongst the antiques, cherubs, ornaments and art there are some nods to the Luhrmann-Martin collaboration in rather surprising ways....



We have to admit we found ourselves distracted from cake and conversation

by Jeanette's glamorous and fun take on home decoration. 

There is so much to look at in this richly embellished apartment!

 

The iconic Trash 'n' Treasure market in Canberra really does throw up some gems sometimes. Treasure hunters need plenty of dedication to unearth finds like this fabulous chandelier candelabra.

 

Biber loves his spot on the antique French dining table. Jeanette found the 1950s
dining setting from Canberra based dealer Fox Antiques.

See http://www.foxantiques.com.au/

 

You can barely see yourself in this large panelled acrylic mirror.

But we love the hazy weathered effect. And we love that it's from the actual set of Moulin Rouge!  Bought at auction for a mere $30, it's the perfect backdrop for Jeanette's opulent style.



Richly coloured velvets and Baroque influenced furnishings give Jeanette's

living room a luxuriously theatrical feel -  not unlike a set for a slightly quirky
period piece.



Several pieces in this room were featured on the set of Luhrmann's 'Australia'. 
The wardrobe and dressing table were used in the bedroom at Faraway Downs.
Jeanette even found a framed 'family portrait' of Nicole and Hugh in the dressing
table drawer. 



Despite some of it's furniture's origins, there's nothing cattle station about this
room. Jeanette has such a flair for evoking a sense of European romance.  




Overnight guests are treated to a French bed and Italian patterned chenille coverlet. The gorgeous shield cushion features the coat of arms for Florence. Pure romance!



 


 





We love a good foyer.
Potts Point, Sydney. 1929.

 Thanks so much to Jeanette and Biber for inviting us in!

Annie and Roland's perfect production



You could be forgiven for assuming a family of five in an apartment
would spell mayhem and clutter.  
But in this home, film industry couple Annie Beauchamp
 and Roland Gallois have created that elusive quality of
beautiful pared-back style with family-home warmth.
We think for Annie, a production designer, this inviting
apartment full of art and books and fabulous pieces might
be one of her finest productions yet.



The vast spaces, light and view in this rather grand apartment
make it feel more like a house.

There's an art to displaying (and storing) on open kitchen shelves.
Annie's collection of neutral toned crockery looks gorgeous.
An ecclectic arrangement of chairs surround the antique
Swedish dining table.  Roland found the green
chairs on the side of the road, the antique
Biedermeier chairs were originally sourced for a
film called 'The Well' and a STOKKE  high chair
adds its practical Swedish syle to the mix.

We adore this simple black and white kitchen!

The family's "surrogate dog" sits quietly on the sofa below
Annie's favourite painting of a wave at night. 
The Louise Hearman work was Annie and Roland's
 wedding gift to themselves.

Inspiration for Annie's work comes from books on art,
photography, film and architecture. But most inspiring
perhaps is Annie's Grandma whose photo sits amongst
the collection.
Annie's Grandma was the first woman in Queensland
to drive a car. She brought up her two children as a
single mother and ran a photographic studio! 
Like her amazing grandma, Annie loves photography
and majored in it at Art School. 
The glass plate camera sitting on the shelf was bought
on a film Annie worked on and she intends to learn
how to use it one day.

The striking piece on the wall is by the Strutt sisters.

The sheet music was made by Roland's old flatmate, Angela
Spring who used it as a backdrop for a woman's
clothing shopfront.
We love it's new home here.

This stunning light piece is by Tse Tse Associees, 
designer friends of Rolands based in Paris.  
Annie loves these lights and also their hand blown
wine glasses and ceramics.
We think this piece looks quite Christmassy.
See http://www.tse-tse.com/ for divine French
design (and a really cute website).

An original Bestlite shines on bedlinen which was hand dyed
by the talented Genevieve Blewitt who is a dying and ageing
specialist in the film industry. 

The multitalented Roland, a film and documentary editor,
painted the work above the bed.

A 1920's flapper dress was bought at the 'Banana Room' auctions
which is an emporium specializing in vintage clothing in Adelaide.
 Annie's friend Jo Thorpe, a costume maker, lovingly restored the
front beads and Annie then wore it as her wedding dress.
Displaying it like this is the perfect way to store a wedding dress!

A Bill Henson photograph is lit from above by a stunning original
1975 Pistillino wall light by Italian Studio Tetrarch. 



Who wouldn't be inspired in this work space?

Roland mounted a film poster for 'The Night is Young'

(or 'Mauvais Sang') on canvas which hangs in the foyer.

With arms wide open, Juliette Binoche welcomes and

farewells visitors to this wonderful home.

Thankyou so much Annie, Roland, Jack, Max and Oliver
for having us!

Christian's moody monochrome makeover

Justine recently took some photos for Sydney based interior design and architecture practice, Nextspace and we couldn't resist putting them on the blog. Designer Peter Martignago has reconfigured this classic Bondi bungalow into a sleek and sexy house and owner Christian Edwards has brought it home with a restrained palette and designer pieces. We commend the boys on their collaboration in creating a stunning modern building.  But don't be deceived by the minimalist overhaul. Christian's home is brimming with heart and sentiment. And just a little bit of mystery...


A few hits of citrus add zing to the moody black and white and grey. 
The concrete look feature wall is a product called Pandomo which
goes on like plaster. Christian admits it's "expensive but worth it."
We agree. It's a fabulous look and is a great contrast with
 the original pressed ceiling and ornate chandelier. 
The low-to-the-ground Japanese style bed is from Spence & Lyda.
See http://www.spenceandlyda.com.au/ for really sexy furniture.

This light fitting came with the house. 
We love it's eighties oppulence!

The original hallway at the front of the house hints at what lays
beyond and frames the old shed.

This bathroom is just sexy. Christian says keeping the parquetry
floor for half the bathroom was a great decision as it's
nice to have that link to the rest of the house rather than
stepping straight on to tile. 
And it's always a shame to lose gorgeous parquetry.

Sleek furnishings like the sofa from Koskela and minimal
accessorising keep this room simple and stylish. 
But there is an incredible warmth of sentiment here. 
The photo by Rosemary Laing and the floor light below it
belonged to Christian's late brother. Christian refers to
that part of the house as "his little corner". 
Christian says that after turning all the lights off at night the floor
lamp continues to light up the whole room as he makes
his way to bed.
see http://www.koskela.com.au/ for more great furniture.
(and a fabulous coast shack available to rent)

Christian admits he chose the black because he
"wanted the kitchen to be monolithic" and because...well...
his mum never used to let him have anything in black. 
"Ever," he says. 
The laundry is hidden in there and also doubles as a
butler's pantry so the messy day to day things like making
toast and coffee are tucked away. This is minimalism after all.

  Keeping the shed was important to Christian as
"it tells the story of the house." Apparently the shed used to
belong to someone who loved to tinker with motorbikes
and fix things, so it's well equipped with a bench and vice. 
Christian was pleased to find it also came with "some really
cool ladders and an old-skool plane". 
As well as being a keen carpenter, the previous owner was
also fond of security.  Every door and window was wired
up and the main activation switch was inside the master
bedroom. Christian supposes this was what served
as the panic room!
Christian really started to wonder about the history
of this house though when he found a bullet casing as he
was pulling up the carpet. 



The artworks are by Christian's good friends Guy Warren
(the large one) and Stu Bailey and were given to him while
 both of them were still at art school. Guy's work is painted
on two patterned curtains that Guy and Christian
found at an Op Shop in Canberra, so Christian can't
help feeling he had a hand in its creation.

The table was an ebay find which Christian bought
 for nothing but worked hard on to get the look right.
"It was covered in a horrible laquer and looked very country
 kitchen despite being made from recycled pine," he explains. 
Christian left it in the rain and elements for two years
while working on the house, which stripped it of the
shiny finish and gave it a lovely grey weathered look.  He then
lightly sanded it to get a mix of grey and raw wood.
But his favourite thing about it is a crucifix that had been
carved into it by the last owners with what looks like a
compass point. A bit like those desks at highschool!

errr...sorry mum. 


Thanks for sharing your wonderful home with us Christian. 
It pleased the eye, brought on a tear, made us smile
and left us wondering...

The crew on this project were;
design Nextspace http://www.nextspace.com.au/
build Jimmy Eltenn
landscaping and deck Tim Hewitt & Ben Sutton