Let them have their "wedding" cake and eat it too!

Aren't these wedding cakes magnificent? Creations of Cakework in San Francisco. Yummy yummy...

Visitors from the past

I love how an antique portrait can bring so much character and history to any room. Each of these rooms convey an air of importance without been intimidating.

images from top, Elle Decor, unknown, decorology and girl learning along the way.

A dream Kitchen

I love everything this kitchen has. Coming from the Caribbean, I grew up with stone floors, cane chairs, wood beams and antique wood tables. So every time I see an interior including all or some of these favorite things of mine my heart suddenly starts to gallop.

images from Veranda.

Home of the Year judging

Entries have now closed to our Home of the Year awards, and we've been really pleased with the response: this year we had 34 entries, certainly the most in recent years and possibly the most ever. Of these, we've chosen 11 for the judges to visit in person. We'll then choose five homes (including the Home of the Year) to feature in the August/September issue of the magazine. The winning architects receive a $15,000 cash prize, presented in conjunction with BMW, our awards partner. We'll be on the road visiting the shortlisted homes in the first week of May, a journey that will take us from Rawene in the north to Queenstown in the south. We'll keep you posted about our trip and the houses we see on the way.

Things I wish for you

A fabulous big fat ice cream on a cone.

A space/time for yourself, to reconnect and to be in the moment.

And a serious beauty nap. Regardless what your plans are, have a great weekend.

images: unknown, Desite to Inspire and Daniel Farmer.

Venturi house

Architectural preservation can take many forms, but this is a particularly heartwarming story about the relocation of a New York home by the architect Robert Venturi. It ran a couple of weeks ago in the New York Times, but the story and slideshow with it are well worth revisiting:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/14/nyregion/14lieb.html?scp=1&sq=venturi&st=cse

Style Safari Wellington

A few times a year, HOME New Zealand takes groups of readers on tours of design stores in Auckland and Wellington. It's usually a fun day - each store provides a presentation of new items they have in stock, and we try and mix up the itinerary to visit an eclectic variety of shops. We also have a boozy lunch. Numbers are limited to 30, so it's also a good chance for us to get to know some of our readers. Our next Style Safari is being held in Wellington on May 8, and we still have a few tickets left. They include transport and lunch (and a goody bag) and cost $80 for the full day. They're for sale here: http://premier.ticketek.co.nz/shows/show.aspx?sh=HOMESTYL09&searchId=cf83c6d9-4e7e-4daa-a8c4-c0cffce84cf4

What to keep?

Renovations are always a question of what to throw out and what to keep. Some architects seem to advocate a sort of scorched-earth policy that negates almost all the aspects of the original building. But sometimes the most successful projects are the ones that incorporate aspects of the original structure, giving a home a rich combination of old and new aspects.

A good example of this is a renovation by Stephen McDougall and Lauren Wong of Wellington's Studio of Pacific Architecture in our latest issue. The home is located above Oriental Parade on Mount Victoria in what is designated a character area by the city council. The original 1950s concrete building was already very different from the timber villas that surround it, and it took the architects a long time to persuade the council that it was more appropriate to continue this modernist aesthetic than to make the building look like the villas around it.

Inside, though, much debate ensued over whether to keep the home's strong concrete columns and ceiling supports. The original idea was to create an uninterrupted open-plan space, but the structural solutions required to create this turned out to be highly complex. Retaining the columns and beams initially felt like a compromise, but now everyone involved with the renovation thinks it was a terrific outcome, as the columns and beams provide a helpful delineation of the different living zones.

Paul McCredie's photographs give a good idea of how the columns and beams work in the space:

Thanks to the retention of the columns and beams, what could have been a blank space belonging to any era now carries a strong sense of its 1950s origins, and the home is better for it.

The blue box

Sneak preview time again: this is a home we'll be featuring in our June/July issue, designed by the late Czech architect Vlad Cacala. The photograph is by Florence Noble.

Attic rooms

Who needs master bedrooms with attic rooms like these?

images from Elle Decor, Atlanta Bartlett.

Its Raining Yellow Curtains

Isn't it beautiful how these gorgeous puffy curtains add some kind of glam and sumptuousness to these rooms? I particularly find myself drawn to the beautiful sight of that magnificent curtain hanging on the bedroom.  By the way it seems like yellow is slowly coming back.

Coffee and Flowers in bed

Oh...how I would love to sleep-in on the weekend and wake up with a cup of coffee and flowers in bed. But, back to reality. It's not up to me anymore what time to get up, it's up to a small but determined 6 month old baby boy. Have a fantastic weekend.

Dining al Fresco

Although today is a very rainy day here in New York.  I couldn't help but dream of the summer days ahead to come. I don't have a big outside space like one of these, but I have a deck and I'm determined to make it as cozy as possible.  Coming from the tropical I love outdoor eating and entertaining. Enjoy!

top image from Garden Room. others from village rentals.

Scott Laslie

I love how Scott Laslie combined many different elements together, such as the Asian armoires, Lucite and glass table, modern painting, Murano chandelier with those one of a kind bamboo chairs.   I could live in any one of Scott's interiors happily and comfortably.  Enjoy!

Things I love and why

The way a vintage vase holds fresh flowers is, to me, a small representation of what it is in home decor mixing antiques/vintage pieces with new ones. This beautiful Austrian vase with gorgeous and very affordable Ranunculus flowers has been in my family for more than 20 years and I never get tired of it. Even in my difficult moments back in 2007 was I able to find some time to place some flowers in a vintage vase and relax and feel hopeful just by looking at them.

And the winners are...

 Each and every one of the contestants were so original and exited, describing how they would use the chinoiserie book cover in an original way. I picked Becky from Memphis and Joy from of Amity and Allure because I love their ideas on how they would use it. Below is what they wrote.

I had to think a lot about this one but here goes:

I would actually use the print (if I could) as upholstery on antique french dining chairs around a distressed shabby chic dining room table or I would use pieces of the wallpaper, framed in cute frames as a wall display in another room possibly. But then I would use the colors as a color scheme for the whole room.... soft cream on the walls, pale turquoise on all the trim and mouldings (usually it's the other way around but I think this would have more punch) and of course huge pink roses or poppies maybe as a centerpiece for whatever table is in the room.... oooh maybe this pattern as a huge are rug in a little girl's bedroom (also with the above color scheme!! And sheer white or lacy curtains at the windows are also a must!!!

Good luck to all and congratulations to the winners! :)

Joy

Hi,

I would love to use this wallpaper in a little girl's room. I would cover the ceiling with it and paint the walls in a light lacquered green. The room would be complete with silk pink taffeta puffy curtains and a white distressed french bed on top of a brown shag rug.

Thank you,
Becky

As you can see these two ladies had great ideas and great style. Congratulations to Joy and Becky.

Paella with the family

This is a shot of a delicious paella my father-in-law made for us yesterday. We enjoyed it with the family and built more precious moments around it to remember.

Happy Easter

I wish you a very happy and relaxed Easter among the presence of family and friends. I'll see you back here on Monday when I'm going to reveal the 2 lucky winners of Domino book giveaway.

A Bohemian Lifestyle

Comfort, youth, beauty, free spirit, ...What else is there to say about this beautiful Monsoon Spring/Summer campaign collection?