Magnificent Home Improvements

Cedric Firth, perfectly preserved

One of the real gems in our upcoming issue is the Wellington home of architects Alistair Luke and Sharon Jansen and their two daughters. It was designed in 1958 by Cedric Firth and has remained blissfully untouched since. In fact, the previous owner only decided to sell the home to Alistair and Sharon because unlike many other potential buyers, they felt it should remain just as it is - which is to say, almost perfect.<br /><br />Paul McCredie took these excellent photographs. In this one, the girls sit on the front deck:<br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475705572127030818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEakTvyfr4HGR751MIRV1VsZy7_k_3ot6sFG5uFJPp8k95on-zXBp0guegbiJfY2HjZHMhIsK4u5nbOjMCoYCzZwj2AY-VvhIr-Uz-xItfTst7hyphenhyphenkuenTIiGG32SXLbSn8pkDt5xzEJBi/s400/Luke7.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /><br />Here's a view through the living room to the entry atrium and the stairs leading to the upper level. Note the beautiful built-in furniture, which includes a stereo connecting to built-in speakers in the living room, dining room and kitchen (yes, in 1958). The buddha head sculpture at right is by Miriam van Wezel.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPlXjGDiQiBmuRXmZa7GFrxU2kPDQGIZLSjbSX07hz9Ns9SheCmh7Uyf-e3299Ksow-wL_E4kgiDXe8E4NNlTV7Gm2lDQQhZYQkFerrMwKIrqcRlDA2oYGzDVh4lbQDK0PF8M1XFF1_5j/s1600/Luke8.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475705597084115378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPlXjGDiQiBmuRXmZa7GFrxU2kPDQGIZLSjbSX07hz9Ns9SheCmh7Uyf-e3299Ksow-wL_E4kgiDXe8E4NNlTV7Gm2lDQQhZYQkFerrMwKIrqcRlDA2oYGzDVh4lbQDK0PF8M1XFF1_5j/s400/Luke8.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> This photo shows the view through the northwest-facing living room to the dining room.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13hvpPByc13RWB-4p_3GUDMjCPVQMDNVRbMr2VcgBy1R2rhNXJ5tWh6ZWOnEnDnv55EJ-9oqTFUK8eHikGdbukBFdbxwoVvdh0zOsvkCeoQ6LnzJMIyEE6xB8h2ibEaH4yqErm8UYJQ-x/s1600/Luke1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475705583620711170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13hvpPByc13RWB-4p_3GUDMjCPVQMDNVRbMr2VcgBy1R2rhNXJ5tWh6ZWOnEnDnv55EJ-9oqTFUK8eHikGdbukBFdbxwoVvdh0zOsvkCeoQ6LnzJMIyEE6xB8h2ibEaH4yqErm8UYJQ-x/s400/Luke1.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 289px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> And here's the entry atrium. The blue chair is by the Danish firm France and Daverkosen and was purchased for the home by its original owners. The artwork at far left is by John Pule, while the work further up the stairs is by Reihana MacDonald. The paper lamp is by Isamu Noguchi.<br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEBHt_KQ3jxzO85rg4L9y7WdTaZhyphenhyphen-dHm3Vj7QvQH9zfVagmtEjISVaItdKE7DXTEcYSQtlFyFCcZHfNq3jmp9pJJcx-sF24S-Yj6xcnRwz0diolLmDanydGLvU7USu9ZnAGi0Rg5RQEb/s1600/Luke22.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475705556831152482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEBHt_KQ3jxzO85rg4L9y7WdTaZhyphenhyphen-dHm3Vj7QvQH9zfVagmtEjISVaItdKE7DXTEcYSQtlFyFCcZHfNq3jmp9pJJcx-sF24S-Yj6xcnRwz0diolLmDanydGLvU7USu9ZnAGi0Rg5RQEb/s400/Luke22.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 278px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br />Cedric Firth was in partnership with Ernst Plischke from 1948-1958, but this house (which was originally commissioned by Ian and Gladys McKenzie) is attributed to Firth alone. We talked to Alistair Luke and asked him to contextualise Firth's work for us. Here's what he had to say:<br /><br /><div><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-NZ" lang="EN-NZ">HOME New Zealand: Who was Cedric Firth, and what makes him an important <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region> architect?</span> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Alistair Luke: <span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;">Cedric Firth was an intellectual and socially minded architect, he was also a prolific writer. His primary cause was to deliver affordable architecture to all rather than an elite few. In 1947 he worked for the UN in their housing department. His importance in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region> architecture resides in his passion for the “International Style”, something he pursued throughout his career. This was a philoshopical cause rather than a fashionable affectation and he shared it with his practicing partner, from 1948 to 1958, Ernst Plischke. In many ways - though controversial at the time - Plischke Firth introduced <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">New Zealand</st1:country-region></st1:place> to this style and demonstrated how it could work within our context.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-NZ" lang="EN-NZ">What are Firth's best-known buildings?</span> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;">With Plischke, Firth worked on Massey House in Wellington's Lambton Quay and on St Mary’s Church in Taihape. Amongst others, his own projects include his own house, the Ward House, the Vance House and the McKenzie House. He also was the architect for the Memorial to Sir Peter Buck, Urenui. His master work is the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Monro</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Building</st1:placetype></st1:place> in Nelson. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-NZ" lang="EN-NZ">He was dedicated to bringing some of the International Style to <st1:country-region st="on">New Zealand</st1:country-region> – how well did that style fit the context of the <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">New Zealand</st1:country-region></st1:place> sites he worked on?</span> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;">Firth was very much a contextual architect in that he designed houses and buildings that respond directly to their sites. The stylist overlay, which was an intellectual pursuit, advocated this and fit with his care for the fundamentals of orientation to sun, protection from wind, fit wth contour and the amenties of living. His (and Plischke's) houses contrasted dramatically with their neighbours but that was intentional. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-NZ" lang="EN-NZ">Which parts of your house do you like best?</span> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">The serenity - we are surrounded by bush and our house extends well beyond it's physical boundaries with floor to ceiling glass.<span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">T</span>he built-in furniture is a joy too - very much a part of the philosophy of its style - it is extremely well designed and we have much more storage than we can usefully use.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-NZ"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:100%;">What attracted you to your place in the first instance?<span class="709180122-17052010"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-NZ"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span class="709180122-17052010">The spaciousness, the natural light and sun, the built-in cabinets and furniture, the bush setting... but mostly we straight away realised that it was a very clever design perfectly attuned to its setting and extremely cool to boot.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-NZ"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:100%;">How difficult is it for two architects – in this case you and your partner, Sharon Jansen – to live in a house and not meddle with it?<span class="709180122-17052010"> <br />Before we put in our purchase proposal we revisited the house several times and played around with the plans to see how it might be improved. We quickly realised that it was pretty well perfect just the way it is and that alterations and/or addditions would only be ruinous to its essential character. Living in it for the last four years has borne that out and neither of us is tempted to fiddle. We are instead content to restore its more tired aspects back to their original glory.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang="EN-NZ"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:100%;">If you were to design your own home, what lessons would you take from this one?<span class="709180122-17052010"> <br />Perversely, perhaps, we really enjoy the separation of the kitchen from the living and dining area. The kitchen has two built-in tables - one with a banquet seat, the other used to be for sewing <span class="140195422-17052010"> (<span class="492523123-17052010">now </span>use<span class="492523123-17052010">d </span>for the computer)  </span>- and so it functions like a family room as we can all comfortably, and often do, occupy it at the same time. The other feature we'd repeat (actually replicate in every detail) is the tiny TV room, separating that function from everything else. So, I guess, the big lesson would be that open plan living would no longer be the design route for us.</span></span></span></span></span></p></div></div></div></div>

Cedric Firth, perfectly preserved

One of the real gems in our upcoming issue is the Wellington home of architects Alistair Luke and Sharon Jansen and their two daughters. It ...

2:11 PM

Have a fabulous weekend

Have a fabulous weekend

Grace Kelly at the beach.

2:56 PM

Jacques Grange

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ06vRtrpKfRCRC1zGwrBkIHLIKOJgh-rcqUHpcyBteTt0ybOZQBEhVvrX74BjtK6Q9EHYQR52yu1o5JoVNLnEGODWKDf7N0YvAi6Ui8T1-H0_iMeALC9uywTtHYkP7dk1vh8hoaSpzbg/s1600/Jacques+Grange.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="620" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475550959063096978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ06vRtrpKfRCRC1zGwrBkIHLIKOJgh-rcqUHpcyBteTt0ybOZQBEhVvrX74BjtK6Q9EHYQR52yu1o5JoVNLnEGODWKDf7N0YvAi6Ui8T1-H0_iMeALC9uywTtHYkP7dk1vh8hoaSpzbg/s400/Jacques+Grange.jpg" width="460" /></a></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jacques-Grange-Interiors-Pierre-Passebon/dp/2080301128/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305909988&sr=8-1">Jacques Grange</a>'s Paris flat is nothing short of perfection.  The classic details of the 18th century architecture sings in perfect harmony with a mixed of Art Deco and contemporary furniture with 18th and 20th century pieces and Objects D'Art.  "Harmony is a question of eye and personal feeling; there is no recipe" says Jacques Grange.  And he sure knows how to accomplish that to perfection.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yMA7mpeb2pRUNULzKl0VqnH7FjsCRAeR3q1d-PSnMwXGpQ_gc19ZAT5khvk9tNe0LUsUV1_PrfaCNrjURddIhKWqbVxWmeEQS5VK7uYPflv-lWx_iicMIHyTNFC3o-mHptASIhBGRtg/s1600/hosl02_grange.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475551157661874722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yMA7mpeb2pRUNULzKl0VqnH7FjsCRAeR3q1d-PSnMwXGpQ_gc19ZAT5khvk9tNe0LUsUV1_PrfaCNrjURddIhKWqbVxWmeEQS5VK7uYPflv-lWx_iicMIHyTNFC3o-mHptASIhBGRtg/s400/hosl02_grange.jpg" style="height: 394px; width: 467px;" /></a><br /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ06vRtrpKfRCRC1zGwrBkIHLIKOJgh-rcqUHpcyBteTt0ybOZQBEhVvrX74BjtK6Q9EHYQR52yu1o5JoVNLnEGODWKDf7N0YvAi6Ui8T1-H0_iMeALC9uywTtHYkP7dk1vh8hoaSpzbg/s1600/Jacques+Grange.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDJCFLtC6hXjsOYnGN9mRhN2JLkXkemmUNQdLE8kUY-EnXMTPyoP8ETQx15DU45JJwz8WRMTsJnyrtqGEe_Kipu4bmNqDVNwfAsmQlCV1t7P5HoEYA74h9-r0ujGOsvIv4ZoMfq3hqj8/s1600/Jacques+grange+home.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475550957880381570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDJCFLtC6hXjsOYnGN9mRhN2JLkXkemmUNQdLE8kUY-EnXMTPyoP8ETQx15DU45JJwz8WRMTsJnyrtqGEe_Kipu4bmNqDVNwfAsmQlCV1t7P5HoEYA74h9-r0ujGOsvIv4ZoMfq3hqj8/s400/Jacques+grange+home.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 388px; width: 462px;" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Love the view of the Palais Royal garden through Grange's bedroom where the walls are covered in woven horsehair.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZEeuVK_QMTBrF7AxMXEYNefTcMchxkEt7gwkdYYfZfNbHlDYEoKK3XssSubtRFxTcYLEwwQVHIXbgOutLnx7TLXgM4iW5roxdfLtsdmQAxPG5AHcPv5M4hCxvTGqS12ebSIMBg28P4g/s1600/Jacques+grange+paris+apt..jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475550950225770018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZEeuVK_QMTBrF7AxMXEYNefTcMchxkEt7gwkdYYfZfNbHlDYEoKK3XssSubtRFxTcYLEwwQVHIXbgOutLnx7TLXgM4iW5roxdfLtsdmQAxPG5AHcPv5M4hCxvTGqS12ebSIMBg28P4g/s400/Jacques+grange+paris+apt..jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 389px; width: 463px;" /></a><br /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLS_RApE0qvxf-PUSGubyyfLkieUU5m_rN0F5L053Ks9Nr3Y6eG3xZwWJmKy_fkMx_ZUteHMWlvrNkpTmZtN8dfVEsZzDTHIFq8-E6N2Uq1o-8WBEnx7EzZgB9AK3ck7jb9_2UupwcTfA/s1600/jacquesgrangeparisflat.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475550949750177378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLS_RApE0qvxf-PUSGubyyfLkieUU5m_rN0F5L053Ks9Nr3Y6eG3xZwWJmKy_fkMx_ZUteHMWlvrNkpTmZtN8dfVEsZzDTHIFq8-E6N2Uq1o-8WBEnx7EzZgB9AK3ck7jb9_2UupwcTfA/s400/jacquesgrangeparisflat.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 615px; width: 465px;" /></a><br /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrkKdk0vRFF9MeP8YMW-OxlFZudd-bFeozE_lF6cP53yxjqdongKmGpS1IDSuDxtP2SxdObP6dqMSyE2491_s8xu31mVfUkHEwCGQpo14Nx4XmGaFeuB1UH1pdSu3xnQUBKb4ysACHwY/s1600/Jacquesgrangehouse.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475550941954140834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrkKdk0vRFF9MeP8YMW-OxlFZudd-bFeozE_lF6cP53yxjqdongKmGpS1IDSuDxtP2SxdObP6dqMSyE2491_s8xu31mVfUkHEwCGQpo14Nx4XmGaFeuB1UH1pdSu3xnQUBKb4ysACHwY/s400/Jacquesgrangehouse.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 392px; width: 467px;" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 85%;">Some of these images are found in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/2080301128?ie=UTF8&tag=belviv-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=2080301128">Jacques Grange: Interiors</a>.<br /></span></div>

Jacques Grange

Jacques Grange 's Paris flat is nothing short of perfection. The classic details of the 18th century architecture sings in perfect harm...

5:45 AM

Worth seeing

Worth seeing

On now at Auckland's Jensen Gallery is 'Naked', a show we highly recommend. It features work by Marina Abramovic (her video, ...

9:08 PM

Design Awards 2010 - Behind the Scenes

Our June/July issue - which will be on newsstands on June 7 - features our annual furniture Design Awards. We were delighted with the individuality and all-round pizzazz of this year's finalists, and can't wait to show them to you in the magazine (where you'll also be able to find out who the Design Awards 2010 winner is).<br /><br />For this year's Design Awards shoot, we had all the finalist pieces shipped to Auckland and photographed at the Union Fish Company building in the Britomart area, where the rough concrete floors and exposed brick walls made a fine backdrop for the very polished entries. Our stylists Tanya Wong and Jessica Allen worked with photographer Toaki Okano and his assistant Lorna to photograph the pieces.<br /><br />Here's Toaki behind the camera, with Jess and Lorna setting up a group shot of the finalists (Tanya took these pics). In this shot, you can see Jamie McLellan's yellow 'Flyover' table, Andy Irving's 'Matchstick' stools (at left), Nathan Goldsworthy's 'Historian' bookshelves, Stephanie Donald's white 'Tangent' coffee table, and Sam Lennon's red 'Inverted Cube' coffee table:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjQOZYw0Mm56h0HgJb8Brf5TgSHJw2QFZPUsj5CanUU67rNnW0zKqy4qLAXc-uDbar8OJ1yEA_5_4jSGGRQmqyJ1y5qqOYxQJJf13wWapKw0W2NEhyphenhyphensDqfsJQIUeAceRrzwopVLNOcda7/s1600/P1060152.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475695752043246050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjQOZYw0Mm56h0HgJb8Brf5TgSHJw2QFZPUsj5CanUU67rNnW0zKqy4qLAXc-uDbar8OJ1yEA_5_4jSGGRQmqyJ1y5qqOYxQJJf13wWapKw0W2NEhyphenhyphensDqfsJQIUeAceRrzwopVLNOcda7/s400/P1060152.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>And here's Toaki again, this time photographing Tim Wigmore's 'Pil' light:<br /><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRu3n0Gv9AM8dsoswXkn9aC41Yq3eBLj6mCxYmG3Y5OZeTjF8Qn4LdTEkfOPFoquPwAf4wFd5QctssFG3aGn9wmemTMRosy8L_9pfKJwsI8Gf4JI9fjfxZEhGHaHNbOjfDb9jOFHApu7Ip/s1600/P1060148.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475695740954676466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRu3n0Gv9AM8dsoswXkn9aC41Yq3eBLj6mCxYmG3Y5OZeTjF8Qn4LdTEkfOPFoquPwAf4wFd5QctssFG3aGn9wmemTMRosy8L_9pfKJwsI8Gf4JI9fjfxZEhGHaHNbOjfDb9jOFHApu7Ip/s400/P1060148.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> The chair in the image below is the 'Starling' by Cameron Foggo:<br /><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdrai_y0fco64tN0aZ2kpwiwjpWFQeS_J9NT_I8jzGHd6KYhxxPC7ENm7RcNc25sZbk8BBXRw0gmlc-nDjfZN2PZsbAUqswAhEDgwqa0l1Xp2TBmZImwD8KNKh7SpwVvcTXoCbIdxy38J/s1600/P1060142.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475695731006987074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdrai_y0fco64tN0aZ2kpwiwjpWFQeS_J9NT_I8jzGHd6KYhxxPC7ENm7RcNc25sZbk8BBXRw0gmlc-nDjfZN2PZsbAUqswAhEDgwqa0l1Xp2TBmZImwD8KNKh7SpwVvcTXoCbIdxy38J/s400/P1060142.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" /></a></div><div>Here's Toaki in a lighter moment:<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cR5Z2u0b6wsLn6cK3F_cq2QonHkHlXVjuej1Hel6rzShPb2sCr-X-eA7wC1Cf07NbR6U0Jj-WR57EJXC-ixrvloIPSe5xFDkt4pllS95nOeEspH4R_4ZiBHaofpNqBPvbfjr7ANbFjPa/s1600/P1060136.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475695716341230290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cR5Z2u0b6wsLn6cK3F_cq2QonHkHlXVjuej1Hel6rzShPb2sCr-X-eA7wC1Cf07NbR6U0Jj-WR57EJXC-ixrvloIPSe5xFDkt4pllS95nOeEspH4R_4ZiBHaofpNqBPvbfjr7ANbFjPa/s400/P1060136.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>And some more of the finalist objects, waiting for their close-ups. The pink 'Hostess' table at right is by Katy Wallace, and is made of pieces of junk-shop furniture. Beside it, the blue 'Table/Cloth' table is by Juliette Wanty.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqF_9AjMRte9H2_xLs7pntG2mRormW7NwwmtNXzW6VFJEypV50K4wsjhHVhx6gS-I_RGcxfRBr8T4QOTBKnG7NE066YYZRwZIn1KCxCUZH5iGRk2BYfk1cKV9YogSXziJEjVgEBtIxgmj/s1600/P1060131.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475695703172068930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqF_9AjMRte9H2_xLs7pntG2mRormW7NwwmtNXzW6VFJEypV50K4wsjhHVhx6gS-I_RGcxfRBr8T4QOTBKnG7NE066YYZRwZIn1KCxCUZH5iGRk2BYfk1cKV9YogSXziJEjVgEBtIxgmj/s400/P1060131.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>The Design Awards 2010 winner was chosen by designer Humphrey Ikin and Michael Lett (of the eponymous Auckland gallery). Remember to watch out for full award coverage in our June/July issue - we just sent the final pages to the printer yesterday, so it won't be long until it hits the shelves.</div></div></div></div>

Design Awards 2010 - Behind the Scenes

Our June/July issue - which will be on newsstands on June 7 - features our annual furniture Design Awards. We were delighted with the indivi...

2:31 PM

Can anyone REALLY be a Designer?

<span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;">If I had a nickel for every person who woke up and decided to become a "Designer" I would probably be rich.  It wasn't enough that all of these musicians and actresses decided to start clothing lines and call themselves 'fashion designers'.  Now we have dozens and dozens of TV shows featuring mock <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">creatives</span> with no relative experience doing anything from cutting hair to flipping houses.  Reality TV has empowered networks and individuals to realize their dreams in new professions for which they have zero training.   Last night, while watching one such program, I wondered if it were really true: "Can anyone really call themselves a designer?"</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;">Now before someone gets all offended, I am not discounting the fact that there have been MANY great design professionals who stumbled into it without any premeditation.  Many of my friends ended up in a design profession because of something that started as a hobby.  I'm not saying that all of these people are not talented.  They are.  But while many design professionals are struggling, there are others scooping up commissions because they are cheap and their qualifications are never checked.  Let me give you an example.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;">A friend of mine lost their job doing graphic design at a boring corporate company because the company's marketing budget had been cut due to the economy. That company cut three staff positions, but still had a modest amount of layout and design work to do.  A senior person at that company suggested that they use a freelance designer to get them by. Unfortunately, they did not offer the freelance position to any of the designers that they had just laid off, despite their familiarity with the material and the company.  They thought it would be simpler to place an add on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Craigslist</span> where they could dictate the pay and the terms of the position.  They ended up hiring a person who was not a graphic designer, but successfully marketed themselves as such.  This person was just someone who needed some extra money and was looking for a part time gig to supplement their income as an accountant.  Apparently, they knew the software very well and had a great portfolio of personal work that they marketed as 'freelance'.   The accountant designer was hired and everything was moving along.  One day the freelancer was asked to design a logo for a new project that the company was starting.  The freelancer tried to step up to the occasion but unfortunately spent the entire schedule producing some of the worst logos ever made.  The company was under a deadline and needed more.  They called my friend up and said they were in a tough spot and asked for help.  Apparently my friend was not talented enough to retain as an employee, but talented enough to bail this company out of a jam.  My friend politely declined and then proceeded to call me up and vent about it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;">I'm sure you have all heard similar stories.  I recently had a friend who wanted to redesign their apartment and hired a total stranger that had been referred to them.  When I asked what their credentials were, I was told that this person had 'a good eye' for style.  I asked my friend if they had seen any of their work, and was told that they really hadn't done much.  When I probed a little further it turned out this person was unemployed and was doing 'interior design'</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;"> for fees that were well below market rates.  My friend had not even considered engaging my help because he felt that I would have been too expensive.  At the end of the day, this person painted a few walls and went shopping at a big box store for my friend's apartment.  The result was average at best. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;">Now, I'm not saying all this to discourage people from doing any profession they choose.  I'm sure that there are many people out there with real talent and potential.  What I'm asking for is this:  If you really do feel that you have a real passion for a creative profession, then respect the profession and the professionals who rely on quality work to make a living at it.  Sure, it makes for good TV to watch people fall on their face during a home renovation.  But in real life, a bad project hurts the entire profession and one's ability to get new work.  Those who have been burned or ripped off go around telling people what a waste of money it was to spend it on design fees.  For every company selling a $99 logo, there are really talented designers scraping by because no one will pay them what their time is really worth.  </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;">Finally, let me say this about 'self-taught' Designers.  Many of you have genuine talent.  There is  no arguing that.  But talent alone is not enough.  You have to apply that talent in education, apprenticeship, and respect of the profession.  You also have to be honest with your clients about your abilities and your experiences.  Many design professions (particularly those related to Building and Construction) have serious legal ramifications for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">mis</span>-representing yourself.  So before you go around calling yourself a "Designer" make sure that you are ready to put in the work and respect your peers.  Get yourself an internship and invest in learning anything anyone will teach you, even if it's what not to do.  Once you make this investment, you will likely not give away your time so cheaply (unless it's for volunteer work) and your work will improve.  In the end, your work will speak for itself no matter what title you put on a business card.  </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div>

Can anyone REALLY be a Designer?

If I had a nickel for every person who woke up and decided to become a "Designer" I would probably be rich. It wasn't enough ...

6:49 AM

Working Masters at the office

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I love to get a sneak peak into designers' world and get to see a little bit of their workspace. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh2jiwAwLLY2zT-OgAiQ_XlI9UyUL47J7TIQsBrL5x9FGohIGIcC-wTibgilQBl_6n3Aheh-VNH3sR7qk1XkAUMHKILtbsihUaEPFa3oeIoX1JbrakWhbLTqPhIR0mkEN88NGlg4qvSw/s1600/pic.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475537805122595154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh2jiwAwLLY2zT-OgAiQ_XlI9UyUL47J7TIQsBrL5x9FGohIGIcC-wTibgilQBl_6n3Aheh-VNH3sR7qk1XkAUMHKILtbsihUaEPFa3oeIoX1JbrakWhbLTqPhIR0mkEN88NGlg4qvSw/s400/pic.jpg" width="451" /></a><br />Pablo Picasso in his studio via <a href="http://stylecourt.blogspot.com/2010/01/painted-table.html">here</a>.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BGchdGXkBZKJf_aO81Ffc54ttMkADFSiQLqD7y4mXzQugoQgnNRgHffwx9tCDIvBw_HJMbbrSeXVmNBhQr2kIXrLxK4iN1TZyUqxHhSTq82TgDnGpUepSx-zFmga_MjY2BkSo7i3M_s/s1600/Kelly+Wearstler+in+her+office.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475538759647031362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BGchdGXkBZKJf_aO81Ffc54ttMkADFSiQLqD7y4mXzQugoQgnNRgHffwx9tCDIvBw_HJMbbrSeXVmNBhQr2kIXrLxK4iN1TZyUqxHhSTq82TgDnGpUepSx-zFmga_MjY2BkSo7i3M_s/s400/Kelly+Wearstler+in+her+office.jpg" width="547" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.kwid.com/">Kelly Wearstler</a> in her office.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLcH_m18gCjLzF5VtMmtbe73dnjOLrWpC6jsdpN1075egy7emC0Gua-PX52vfBYpP9C9UxPum0eQUF8-CbWFHvPHB_R-WYUwP8Te0RDF7dsYLSINn3vvXBMmOTgMw5Aa-Gisflehx1O4/s1600/valentino+jason+schmidt.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475537811621915922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLcH_m18gCjLzF5VtMmtbe73dnjOLrWpC6jsdpN1075egy7emC0Gua-PX52vfBYpP9C9UxPum0eQUF8-CbWFHvPHB_R-WYUwP8Te0RDF7dsYLSINn3vvXBMmOTgMw5Aa-Gisflehx1O4/s400/valentino+jason+schmidt.jpg" width="516" /></a></div>Valentino, working his magic.  Below is his London home office designed by Jacques Grange.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHhkJR0OO_95ygnk95n1Wdzypem9Nw6eby3u72JxfbXucsfFP_cCfVNzN2TZoXScuTLQeSq1l3_go3eMvlx9wNP5KJe0WLqjO6wkhyphenhyphenDiQvdu0gHLe6C7XF1Pcrwgs_FCa8Sq-E58aILc/s1600/valentino+jacques+grange+6.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475537811000565058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHhkJR0OO_95ygnk95n1Wdzypem9Nw6eby3u72JxfbXucsfFP_cCfVNzN2TZoXScuTLQeSq1l3_go3eMvlx9wNP5KJe0WLqjO6wkhyphenhyphenDiQvdu0gHLe6C7XF1Pcrwgs_FCa8Sq-E58aILc/s400/valentino+jacques+grange+6.jpg" width="488" /></a><br /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHH87ngKC9qbK0bYmENUbsYeXefYUn8VKI9ZmjbZeg_WEvueJmQl8j4DCideQeFuV3FzzAiQ1t9wNEUZ8kTIRSiIyuXSEmDHE2i5EYwxFxEl0HrAf9YvFZ2Im6ENxj75UwTOa1_ooxpU/s1600/2680800213_4cc557091c.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475537801517784146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHH87ngKC9qbK0bYmENUbsYeXefYUn8VKI9ZmjbZeg_WEvueJmQl8j4DCideQeFuV3FzzAiQ1t9wNEUZ8kTIRSiIyuXSEmDHE2i5EYwxFxEl0HrAf9YvFZ2Im6ENxj75UwTOa1_ooxpU/s400/2680800213_4cc557091c.jpg" width="521" /></a><br />Ruthie Sommers via <a href="http://www.ruthiesommers.com/">here</a>.</div></div>

Working Masters at the office

I love to get a sneak peak into designers' world and get to see a little bit of their workspace. Pablo Picasso in his studio via here . ...

6:01 AM

Mountain Landing sketches

Posting the previous item made us think this was also a good opportunity to publish some of Pip Cheshire's early sketches of the house at Mountain Landing. You can see from these why, in the era of the digital rendering, a good drawing still has an unbeatable allure. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocnzA0NfC-rsW0n9pbBBSSX89ezyJbmZRFFiR1lRX0-e9GgNzR2OvLpB7wSRqGipiMpWYKZ3wMxt8DqNKNOQNePaqbSUE0NHP6M8qPFRP9fn2A1cqwaHWKPd-PZZBt3vj-H5oMqPoGv3t/s1600/west+face.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475008569095765218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocnzA0NfC-rsW0n9pbBBSSX89ezyJbmZRFFiR1lRX0-e9GgNzR2OvLpB7wSRqGipiMpWYKZ3wMxt8DqNKNOQNePaqbSUE0NHP6M8qPFRP9fn2A1cqwaHWKPd-PZZBt3vj-H5oMqPoGv3t/s400/west+face.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 291px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrbLVm4DShTcBNbYgrttE1ce9S1_uQD0K-Nfr7yPEVoIY9MS1nvSN4UHFtaFYoIt6DHImgadR9sYOuIE7y-7_JBLblccFjMMrgBgdegKRYYG7JU3t_OjXmbJF8MBBDfXbxGFb4L_4u7Iu/s1600/eaves.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475008556803333554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrbLVm4DShTcBNbYgrttE1ce9S1_uQD0K-Nfr7yPEVoIY9MS1nvSN4UHFtaFYoIt6DHImgadR9sYOuIE7y-7_JBLblccFjMMrgBgdegKRYYG7JU3t_OjXmbJF8MBBDfXbxGFb4L_4u7Iu/s400/eaves.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 258px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidovGg3_ETsEx3lwZoD41cLwBK3zjGCoXMu8sO8K_-6QluftflDUz00wUyapL_uHdsJt578fFNTLtWS2bZChnOw-wYhU7Wd9-aMxZBku0vmBF9hpoAHtx63EQzoUHk0bCF4tFJ_nUpNip_/s1600/east+face.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475008543710885906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidovGg3_ETsEx3lwZoD41cLwBK3zjGCoXMu8sO8K_-6QluftflDUz00wUyapL_uHdsJt578fFNTLtWS2bZChnOw-wYhU7Wd9-aMxZBku0vmBF9hpoAHtx63EQzoUHk0bCF4tFJ_nUpNip_/s400/east+face.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 275px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>

Mountain Landing sketches

Posting the previous item made us think this was also a good opportunity to publish some of Pip Cheshire's early sketches of the house a...

6:08 PM

Cheshire Architects at Northland's Mountain Landing

A sneak preview from our June/July issue, which will be on newsstands on June 7. In it, Pip Cheshire, the designer of this lodge/getaway at Mountain Landing in the Bay of Islands, ponders the question of bigness in residential architecture, and the consequent fear of botching a beautiful landscape with an architectural intervention. Here's an image of the lodge he designed, photographed by Patrick Reynolds - as you can see, the landscape around it is extraordinary and, in our opinion, the house is a suitably strong but respectful presence in it: <br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474992246630385938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8Wyp1DYecDkXdUlFJ9wPpUTl5myRyApNVjWbjeB2mEE7kOd8Io6E-YQXhuePzmCB4XoVDGJwnhMe0M_vzxWzcLXcCBw6kWp-KeaJKTYhMAYFjS8In2OJpLEjSzKLVOt1pzmqmF6n8JKr/s400/Mountain+Landing+exterior+view.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" /><br />Mountain Landing is a private subdivision at the northern end of the Bay of Islands. Once a run-down farm, the developers have invested heavily in the creation of wetlands and vast new planted areas. This is a view of the house from down at the bay - it's one of the first homes to be built in the development.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5fEXxyQRQU4UFaAaL7uOwIotXMqVab7IyZxkhiqB0zzel9GDhvGOK7P6QSLBsfmBfbDlU-O6bULtk4TEjBKTVbxjdOvUIGzqVMNOgbk0eOU965yqPkMaJnZJEVwdHAtC9Mry837EgGaLU/s1600/MOUNTAIN+LANDING+I_4452.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474992268693014978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5fEXxyQRQU4UFaAaL7uOwIotXMqVab7IyZxkhiqB0zzel9GDhvGOK7P6QSLBsfmBfbDlU-O6bULtk4TEjBKTVbxjdOvUIGzqVMNOgbk0eOU965yqPkMaJnZJEVwdHAtC9Mry837EgGaLU/s400/MOUNTAIN+LANDING+I_4452.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>And here's a view of the bay from the home's terrace:<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxciIEevGdY_a9BDuE7zFbr0K7Bs0rbU9mGXLq33BTIMBKb0CXLeMru6Y0HPZbHxlERrjbiDvc23744fpsGmZeEt5ZE_IEYQ5vQUOdoJTSJOjWi_a2jmXyaSZhSikZGfXr76q3-o4g01o/s1600/Mountain+landing+view+from+terrace.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474992262078603826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxciIEevGdY_a9BDuE7zFbr0K7Bs0rbU9mGXLq33BTIMBKb0CXLeMru6Y0HPZbHxlERrjbiDvc23744fpsGmZeEt5ZE_IEYQ5vQUOdoJTSJOjWi_a2jmXyaSZhSikZGfXr76q3-o4g01o/s400/Mountain+landing+view+from+terrace.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> </div><div>In the magazine, we ask Pip if the prospect of building on such an amazing site was intimidating.<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ"><span >"Yes," he says. "The nervousness here stems from two aspects, that I might stuff up a great opportunity and a nice paddock and, more importantly, that the site is so loaded - high landscape and heritage values -  that the building couldn’t blink, it needed to be strong without dominating."</span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ"></span> </p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ"><o:p><span >We also asked about his decision to adopt a very different strategy from "touching the earth lightly", Glenn Murcutt's famous architectural dictum. </span></o:p></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ"><span ></span></span> </p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ"><span >"I think that Murcutt line of touching the earth lightly is great and certainly fits <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s history and landscape," Pip says, "but we are a land of major earthworks, of trenches, palisades and ramparts. It's not a universal: I have some lighter projects but where its a big project, a big brief, then I guess I would usually dig in if there was some sort of slope."</span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ"></span> </p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ">You can read the full Q+A with Pip and the story he's written about the property in our next issue (it isn't often that architects are also authors - in Pip's case, his recent book Architecture Uncooked - so we took the opportunity to commission him to write about his own project for this issue). Keep an eye out for it on newsstands soon. </span></p></div>

Cheshire Architects at Northland's Mountain Landing

A sneak preview from our June/July issue, which will be on newsstands on June 7. In it, Pip Cheshire, the designer of this lodge/getaway at ...

5:04 PM

Deck Inspiration

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">I'm inspired by outdoor spaces a lot lately and these ones do it for me.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CvyRiZ3_KKhkm38ygoNYgXu4SCxpdqn6z3DqA6uuHApty-7xrSYJxyytgOHrnqqyadp5tOSQJhUtbfqsgAnLYkxm4kl8ULRNwVGFHRJuW7k33IRa7lcn0kWyUIJZVC-s9bTkwO6tpaw/s1600/india_hicks_08.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="500" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474852945123214818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CvyRiZ3_KKhkm38ygoNYgXu4SCxpdqn6z3DqA6uuHApty-7xrSYJxyytgOHrnqqyadp5tOSQJhUtbfqsgAnLYkxm4kl8ULRNwVGFHRJuW7k33IRa7lcn0kWyUIJZVC-s9bTkwO6tpaw/s400/india_hicks_08.jpg" width="464" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.indiahicks.com/">India Hicks</a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXI2LQIPSH8Tx6nXNFzpE9DqlMx7XPyD-M89py97r6yHykgPQcnVkscQKTudbrFBjidN1E7xsMC8wekn2f175MQL6ItDDOAMY-OeydFeMEeUn1w_IDTg3yOSUIeW3UkH3TxHwnPv4clzE/s1600/gasl09_outdoorrooms.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="590" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474852943203714770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXI2LQIPSH8Tx6nXNFzpE9DqlMx7XPyD-M89py97r6yHykgPQcnVkscQKTudbrFBjidN1E7xsMC8wekn2f175MQL6ItDDOAMY-OeydFeMEeUn1w_IDTg3yOSUIeW3UkH3TxHwnPv4clzE/s400/gasl09_outdoorrooms.jpg" width="462" /></a><br /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhId8qbJl42PwKkAWeVl7HKNx9TOQuQn-mB4tYveOuYgzyAOPfLdftrq2PFHYjRCYgrlQRFZwnupj_Uov7XokB2voUUxEvUIdwmr13gFdr4I9PDeTGTHWP9dCzgda5q4vy6Pi6z_0G5AFI/s1600/andreaduff.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="610" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474852938889494098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhId8qbJl42PwKkAWeVl7HKNx9TOQuQn-mB4tYveOuYgzyAOPfLdftrq2PFHYjRCYgrlQRFZwnupj_Uov7XokB2voUUxEvUIdwmr13gFdr4I9PDeTGTHWP9dCzgda5q4vy6Pi6z_0G5AFI/s400/andreaduff.jpg" width="464" /></a><br />Andrea Duff, owner of <a href="http://www.strangetrader.com/">Strangetrader</a>.<br /><div style="text-align: left;">P.S. Below is a picture of how our deck looks like now after the winter.  I'll be working on it on my spare time to make it cozier and more habitable.  I'll be showing you the process.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcw3RwwM13UT7-45Ngxnqug2cuLrAqjCLVJOwGTBhgHHu5XdKY6Zo0QZUqVFU1XHQUtFNmYiux8Gv2beDKMSDdl2zOqWcaV8Rkccg0nyFW8vJDYv3eaHtP2nkJlC5ONInxc8oS9_1JVzE/s1600/DSC00158.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="620" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474852929087861778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcw3RwwM13UT7-45Ngxnqug2cuLrAqjCLVJOwGTBhgHHu5XdKY6Zo0QZUqVFU1XHQUtFNmYiux8Gv2beDKMSDdl2zOqWcaV8Rkccg0nyFW8vJDYv3eaHtP2nkJlC5ONInxc8oS9_1JVzE/s400/DSC00158.JPG" width="460" /></a></div></div>

Deck Inspiration

I'm inspired by outdoor spaces a lot lately and these ones do it for me. India Hicks Andrea Duff, owner of Strangetrader . P.S. Below ...

8:01 AM

Marshall Cook's Gold Medal

Congratulations to architect Marshall Cook, who has been awarded the NZ Institute of Architects' Gold Medal for 2010, given to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the practice of architecture. You may remember Marshall's own house in Auckland's Freemans Bay as a finalist in HOME New Zealand's 2008 Home of the Year award. <div><div><br /><div>His awards citation made special mention of his house designs:</div><br /><div>"The whole body of his work is characterised by a complete and exhaustive knowledge of materials, technology, colour and space placed at the service of a liberal, generous and humane design philosophy. The result has been a series of houses of the first quality. They form memorable and delightful environments within which domestic life in all its aspects is both celebrated and nourished. These houses represent high-water marks of contemporary New Zealand domestic architecture which will continue to be valued and studied by their future inhabitants and by architects." <p>These photographs of Marshall's own home in Freemans Bay were taken by Patrick Reynolds. This shot shows the confident mixing of materials - terracotta tiles, marble, timber fins - facing the street. </p><p><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474700557518409906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5TWiR43KyhhAyWTsTwf0DTA-QrWJJL8PEl3gMP97bAXUlVYzWarNZxYN63Thr0YVLMqk-1PqxyQ2qdkEhzdanocCHq_AXxpwpEyx1ukOcOYWhimDQTRwAd5wFAw9QQRXfSDMEI0TubWm/s400/Marshall+exterior.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" /></p><p>Inside, the house centres around an exceptionally comfortable kitchen and dining area that opens onto a small courtyard. This whole area feels remarkably spacious, especially when you consider that the home has been designed for a relatively compact inner-city site. </p><p><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474700570062142450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpWGR_H1FYSztc5gDYhJxRkJxwZUT7f-kksSoJQ3H0xnzMBpok6E3wT4KQUJzpZyBUciv93xiZSnpA-jYbhROv2Dw6_4orvq4NyVIkQBN2rQFeCw_x6Yo4K86pKWpr1ZOOfFdnLyKZ8sW/s400/Marshall+living+area.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" /></p><p>At the end of this bright, open space is much more snug and secluded living room. The stairs at the rear of this shot lead to Marshall and Prue's bedroom. All of it feels deceptively casual, but as with all apparently effortless structures, a great deal of consideration has gone into the creation of each of these spaces. </p><p><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474700582631477506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3HUuOrg7M-Skg0Xh9S2Muaqh3fN8vJWQt_IWtN4Of44F-G5nm1aK7gdf68yadKiM0hmMqCCQbblJip8nTG196QDC0dogQTgB_uKS0FEJgnrnvP5AKIVCfQqZbJDGCT8EnVRZwqFj4h6e/s400/Marshall+lounge.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" /></p></div></div></div>

Marshall Cook's Gold Medal

Congratulations to architect Marshall Cook, who has been awarded the NZ Institute of Architects' Gold Medal for 2010, given to an indivi...

9:55 PM

Charles Renfro on The Nation

Our visiting guest star Charles Renfro of New York's Diller, Scofidio + Renfro was interviewed by TV3's The Nation when he was here recently (thanks again to First Windows & Doors, who made Charles' visit and his Auckland and Wellington lectures possible). The TV piece is at the link below.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.3news.co.nz/Visiting-New-York-architect-Charles-Renfro/tabid/1348/articleID/154774/Default.aspx">Visiting New York architect Charles Renfro</a><br /><br />Also, DS+R's latest work at New York's Lincoln Center was reviewed in the New York Times this weekend by Nicolai Ouroussoff. This is the second stage of the redesign of the Center DS+R are leading, part of what will be a billion-dollar redesign. Ouroussoff seems less pleased with the firm's work on this stage than he was with their earlier redesign of the Center's Alice Tully Hall, though there is high praise for the new structure DS+R have inserted at the Center, with a sweeping grass roof from which to overlook the plaza, as you can see in this image by Beatrice de Gea for the New York Times.<br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" height="390" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/05/21/arts/21lincolnspan-1/21lincolnspan-1-articleLarge.jpg" width="600" /><br /><br />Here's the link to the New York Times slide show; you can also click through to the accompanying article.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/05/20/arts/design/20100521-lincoln-slideshow.html">http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/05/20/arts/design/20100521-lincoln-slideshow.html</a>

Charles Renfro on The Nation

Our visiting guest star Charles Renfro of New York's Diller, Scofidio + Renfro was interviewed by TV3's The Nation when he was here ...

9:55 PM

Have a chic + relaxed weekend

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxV5mvFsR1ps2tuIRFiEEnGMiRPIm7nD5slFdqiWcBh0-bOxyVkqf82YN3bGGh1IjMuCETFZk-bOZJlYJHzHJvFQmxSIGzfop29oz9d388KiV3t8ONvx2yAheUjCek0MDs10muJ7vq20/s1600/ScreenCaptures661.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473692424563102802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxV5mvFsR1ps2tuIRFiEEnGMiRPIm7nD5slFdqiWcBh0-bOxyVkqf82YN3bGGh1IjMuCETFZk-bOZJlYJHzHJvFQmxSIGzfop29oz9d388KiV3t8ONvx2yAheUjCek0MDs10muJ7vq20/s400/ScreenCaptures661.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 612px; width: 465px;" /></a><br /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1i9q2cx0nxFg4tcr6cGC0UCnedVF037p-5ElNwGWhyC7FCMPtLvhnnAE4j6o2kGAjdwPOkWinI2PYwStSTvRCpQYds1gQ7sxFvqJJHm5wbUtlPOIL-0-A6ycRuLooD6Fm-r0_6AKk8Q/s1600/ScreenCaptures629.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="620" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473692422170341762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1i9q2cx0nxFg4tcr6cGC0UCnedVF037p-5ElNwGWhyC7FCMPtLvhnnAE4j6o2kGAjdwPOkWinI2PYwStSTvRCpQYds1gQ7sxFvqJJHm5wbUtlPOIL-0-A6ycRuLooD6Fm-r0_6AKk8Q/s400/ScreenCaptures629.jpg" width="460" /></a><br /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVze35uUo-9uS9z_HHwtZnxSXvgjjQ-0kosIO_-FXmcyAmWC3ZXZaX5QJGL5AJfdrKZUDJuyDSDf_YR17FvKEI5sx-k073tT05Q8JxwJC0cbht-f2Fwb6TOZZHXAfzZ8wYa6a8q1AkyVA/s1600/stsl-05-urban-legends-0809.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="620" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473692430097435058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVze35uUo-9uS9z_HHwtZnxSXvgjjQ-0kosIO_-FXmcyAmWC3ZXZaX5QJGL5AJfdrKZUDJuyDSDf_YR17FvKEI5sx-k073tT05Q8JxwJC0cbht-f2Fwb6TOZZHXAfzZ8wYa6a8q1AkyVA/s400/stsl-05-urban-legends-0809.jpg" width="460" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">Image <a href="http://www.everythingfab.com/search/label/Fashion">here</a>.</span></div></div></div>

Have a chic + relaxed weekend

Image here .

5:00 PM

A celebration of CHINTZ with Albert Hadley

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">On Wednesday I attended an invitation by <a href="http://joelwoodard.com/default.aspx" target="_blank">Joel Woodard</a> whose wife is Susan North, Sr. VP of Design for Schumacher, to "A Celebration of Chintz" at Schumacher in the D&D building to honor the legendary <a href="http://www.alberthadley.com/">Albert Hadley</a>.  Susan  has been working for the past year with Hadley to reproduce a beautiful English chintz he first used in Mrs. Nancy Pyne's house more than 40 years ago.  As life would have it, after 40 years Mrs. Pyne still had in her possession faded remnants of the fabric which she lent Schumacher to reproduce.  The fabric is offered in very chic shades of charcoal, pale grey and ivory, and a crisp indigo blue and white, and a soft sepia-hued colorway.  The fabric is made of a lightly calendared fine cotton ground that gives it that light glow and makes you want to sleep in it because of its softness.  This Chintz fabric called "Pyne Hollyhock Print" is absolutely gorgeous because the flowers are not of the typical small size but big and don't overwhelm.  Unfortunately I am a little bit of a procrastinator and by the time I asked for a sample they were gone but you can see the fabric <a href="http://www.fschumacher.com/search/ProductDetail.aspx?sku=174450">here</a>.  You can see pictures of the event <a href="http://www.patrickmcmullan.com/site/event_detail.aspx?eid=33196&page=2&pgSize=16&sortdir=DESC">here</a>.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEVlTp16peU6Qm9fwPkkhyqkBX4g1Ssq60GevX867kfTCLJSpHkAQxrItPHtwC041AWmVAkYoN_LlseSJ3WDRSoC0bJQ-rddeWpTcOKmK-CfkQx2VWpNwZ9suFYyPmVpmPzkyxK80VMk/s1600/albert+hadley+photo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="600" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473340698703859778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEVlTp16peU6Qm9fwPkkhyqkBX4g1Ssq60GevX867kfTCLJSpHkAQxrItPHtwC041AWmVAkYoN_LlseSJ3WDRSoC0bJQ-rddeWpTcOKmK-CfkQx2VWpNwZ9suFYyPmVpmPzkyxK80VMk/s400/albert+hadley+photo.jpg" width="460" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The most important moment of the night for me was when I had the pleasure of meeting Hadley.  I can't honestly explain how someone of his status has managed to keep so grounded.  He is incredibly humble and sweet.  We briefly talked about Parsons, design in general and the Pyne Hollyhock print.  We shared some laughs after I recited one of my favorite quotes by him "you can never do anything for a slob."</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHLK7ZcwoNIjRdoE4WRaBAtSpBnV_fSnbeadQz5cjUuzJwCMl9eOOob1kGt23y2kTlRK_YPZRMo6tvz_0MIA5FSoz_RxHRRvvePFOgHjYd3hnMiL67-ZuDIGBwG5h35XYR11tHUGg0zM/s1600/albert+hadley.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="650" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473340694276443522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHLK7ZcwoNIjRdoE4WRaBAtSpBnV_fSnbeadQz5cjUuzJwCMl9eOOob1kGt23y2kTlRK_YPZRMo6tvz_0MIA5FSoz_RxHRRvvePFOgHjYd3hnMiL67-ZuDIGBwG5h35XYR11tHUGg0zM/s400/albert+hadley.jpg" width="462" /></a><br /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWHSnTYzlzwPxyIikMiMUk1S4Gi1WiYskzMtMUkBm-nhvRSn9xwUsz2n90FfJWhlr_dIHZ2LnTgmItCSCMhNSV9gygcxEZUEfWBmFDOCAVmGCwP8CDRtnpfoj_UIgGdrtQA792MfeKAc/s1600/loophadley.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="650" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473340690686152162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWHSnTYzlzwPxyIikMiMUk1S4Gi1WiYskzMtMUkBm-nhvRSn9xwUsz2n90FfJWhlr_dIHZ2LnTgmItCSCMhNSV9gygcxEZUEfWBmFDOCAVmGCwP8CDRtnpfoj_UIgGdrtQA792MfeKAc/s400/loophadley.jpg" width="464" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">“But names really are not the point,” he says. “It’s what you can achieve for the simplest person. Glamour is part of it, but glamour is not the essence. Design is about discipline and reality, not about fantasy beyond reality.” Albert Hadley<br /><br />I guess this quote by <a href="http://www.alberthadley.com/">Albert Hadley</a> can explain my answer to how he has remained humble and grounded.   Two of the main qualities of class that are priceless.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMtbe89iJpIqR_uDx1K5iiON4SZ9mVBWjjXIvRzeJ9mZoOATAFXPWfMuzAUpauwN3PYHRTE70Il_uiESZwDa6597_AUuMmsX3__qc_DNZXIILLlFXi1LOHfzPGI2iwiBXOHj21Dz9C9o/s1600/12-18-chevron-textile.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="620" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473342148353902098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMtbe89iJpIqR_uDx1K5iiON4SZ9mVBWjjXIvRzeJ9mZoOATAFXPWfMuzAUpauwN3PYHRTE70Il_uiESZwDa6597_AUuMmsX3__qc_DNZXIILLlFXi1LOHfzPGI2iwiBXOHj21Dz9C9o/s400/12-18-chevron-textile.jpg" width="468" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Albert Hadley from Adam Lewis's </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Albert Hadley: The Story of America's Preeminent Interior Designer</span></span></span></div>

A celebration of CHINTZ with Albert Hadley

On Wednesday I attended an invitation by Joel Woodard whose wife is Susan North, Sr. VP of Design for Schumacher, to "A Celebration of...

6:00 AM

The statement piece

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Every room should have a piece that makes an impact and it doesn't necessarily need to be a piece of furniture, it could also be a sculpture.  Like in these living areas below, the statement is brought into the room by big busts.  They also add drama to the room.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhPrl_wLi2Hz_LCzH2G810sNSd_lqoeXveX_DlC-5jzglXZa-HUFAotcqx5wMBY_lf9evfU40IOStyyKWJNwFkx9RsIYIw82C2JTC4kJyqHrFHJSmGrl21hYm7HJFS0ElGDxCQ00KbRU/s1600/Phillips+Hathaway.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473486601842101906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhPrl_wLi2Hz_LCzH2G810sNSd_lqoeXveX_DlC-5jzglXZa-HUFAotcqx5wMBY_lf9evfU40IOStyyKWJNwFkx9RsIYIw82C2JTC4kJyqHrFHJSmGrl21hYm7HJFS0ElGDxCQ00KbRU/s400/Phillips+Hathaway.jpg" width="460" /></a><br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFUhJqKzOUYA31mhrT0et03iB_bsPh0yeN72sygv8ueNSLLU8HH8sc46IGc1f6h3Dpyn7aRxx7A6WbTMNqnZBtDYHn5xYj1vPzJZ9AqOGOKBZl8l09OKiMJtuVSIcj9gen-GBl5Vh4ms/s1600/4.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473488168280989650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFUhJqKzOUYA31mhrT0et03iB_bsPh0yeN72sygv8ueNSLLU8HH8sc46IGc1f6h3Dpyn7aRxx7A6WbTMNqnZBtDYHn5xYj1vPzJZ9AqOGOKBZl8l09OKiMJtuVSIcj9gen-GBl5Vh4ms/s400/4.jpg" style="height: 278px; width: 464px;" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.kwid.com/">Kelly Wearstler</a>, the queen of using big and bold accessories (picture above and below).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5reeP617hYj2Voe2okNVOr7eXc81a85ZKhwFerGpcZf6xKmbpNOZid-Z0XCBJXpy1vpwpCwewa1tG4AbUd1o8wsRC0vt7PBVGrhgq_d2he5oB2qwYpSqQPgwMH2BWsR522LP52rePjUg/s1600/3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473488166092198674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5reeP617hYj2Voe2okNVOr7eXc81a85ZKhwFerGpcZf6xKmbpNOZid-Z0XCBJXpy1vpwpCwewa1tG4AbUd1o8wsRC0vt7PBVGrhgq_d2he5oB2qwYpSqQPgwMH2BWsR522LP52rePjUg/s400/3.jpg" style="height: 263px; width: 460px;" /></a><br /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6MH9EHuH6oToFNOCToE2urzHFS6PXVDQdI_cVQ8tBED8SJF_s2DnDR1Hefnc9DCXqH_liJpZmA55_5MKUihIcfDBrFZCQFWi0TNQLbiBKnRmcISkAeDJkePwcf8mlc2Q22AtfsQO3IA/s1600/billy+%26+Katie+Lee+Joel%27s+guest+room+domino.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="500" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473486607732968898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6MH9EHuH6oToFNOCToE2urzHFS6PXVDQdI_cVQ8tBED8SJF_s2DnDR1Hefnc9DCXqH_liJpZmA55_5MKUihIcfDBrFZCQFWi0TNQLbiBKnRmcISkAeDJkePwcf8mlc2Q22AtfsQO3IA/s400/billy+%26+Katie+Lee+Joel%27s+guest+room+domino.jpg" width="464" /></a><br />Billy & Katie Lee Joel's home</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHppekOSJTF_giu-xJiK5u9jQfj9vJDpkmofr961SPMZFvHEiFUhZnJZMIwcCKsTiDxLsal0EhwTkB6vb0Pg7GL_5r5cPYp4rHymW27WijzO0gD6W5lzU5vRK2tIsN3xatnbFLKf57k4/s1600/OCTOBER%252092-2-xlg.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="600" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473486596237838978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHppekOSJTF_giu-xJiK5u9jQfj9vJDpkmofr961SPMZFvHEiFUhZnJZMIwcCKsTiDxLsal0EhwTkB6vb0Pg7GL_5r5cPYp4rHymW27WijzO0gD6W5lzU5vRK2tIsN3xatnbFLKf57k4/s400/OCTOBER%252092-2-xlg.jpg" width="460" /></a></div></div>

The statement piece

Every room should have a piece that makes an impact and it doesn't necessarily need to be a piece of furniture, it could also be a sculp...

3:41 PM

Feminine and Masculine

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YRx5ww6jL8V5LxVPGNpRT_a2sO0mnqvsdO89xuFmuazezyV8sl9V05XIiM5QsyBV9sKvViZTxBxMSXb8MylIjPTb_87zlMyxgvncG7QBm-Uwl2XHet0p7FSbbhTQtCU8phUI-iFq6gQ/s1600/anndouhng.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473344416306709538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YRx5ww6jL8V5LxVPGNpRT_a2sO0mnqvsdO89xuFmuazezyV8sl9V05XIiM5QsyBV9sKvViZTxBxMSXb8MylIjPTb_87zlMyxgvncG7QBm-Uwl2XHet0p7FSbbhTQtCU8phUI-iFq6gQ/s400/anndouhng.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 376px; width: 462px;" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The use of pink, gilded mirror combined with brown leather chairs and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">over sized</span> rustic cocktail table make this room suitable for a man and a woman coexist in harmony.<br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://www.myfavoriteandmybest.com/">MFAMB</a> for reminding me that this house belongs to Ann Duong.</div></div></div>

Feminine and Masculine

The use of pink, gilded mirror combined with brown leather chairs and over sized rustic cocktail table make this room suitable for a man an...

6:31 AM

A glamorous mess

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">A glamorous life implies many things, one main element is owning good quality, personal accessories such as, chic sunglasses, exclusive business cards cases, good pens and so on.  Louis Vuitton has never been on top of my list but I love how these ads of Sofia Coppola's designs for Louis Vuitton portray how even messy and disorganized glamorous things look fabulous.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagBdOBN_kjAyqk9CE4ZDwX3xqFJh4xveGMDLZczf6bu74vwwbPu8-q9dQQbhbuUEJULUpr9xtYvsF5I736p16K2iaiW78UanoOOMbzKLq7NLJWWH9Zn4jTZfIsP6yVuNV66_sD-jyJ88/s1600/MCX0209FAACCESS002-lg.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472926488868700898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagBdOBN_kjAyqk9CE4ZDwX3xqFJh4xveGMDLZczf6bu74vwwbPu8-q9dQQbhbuUEJULUpr9xtYvsF5I736p16K2iaiW78UanoOOMbzKLq7NLJWWH9Zn4jTZfIsP6yVuNV66_sD-jyJ88/s400/MCX0209FAACCESS002-lg.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiyoRElDP_k_A-g6VQc8rL7YpPC721u8ZlMPJg-bgZ2CAwpvpy4cFYCLog4LXR8BmLgUDMnIJEXtiasfyg5V14gA4mC_itfc1vV-iK3PKk0GgLXfAjzKg4-jqtiL0vniaYg9TliHsIVU/s1600/MCX0209FAACCESS005-lg-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472926500820369186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiyoRElDP_k_A-g6VQc8rL7YpPC721u8ZlMPJg-bgZ2CAwpvpy4cFYCLog4LXR8BmLgUDMnIJEXtiasfyg5V14gA4mC_itfc1vV-iK3PKk0GgLXfAjzKg4-jqtiL0vniaYg9TliHsIVU/s400/MCX0209FAACCESS005-lg-1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0-Lek7sFDQFJWDRN6rR3o-wnRopdpVYvPuZp2bbGdZ7cnXoWwUiXwU49_SSZ6pm8Q6fLRGyZXqGLTIlKf9Wvmwu06WElSt8Y0R3vtb5MQrAvEMNmLAtaEurO6ZK0zkaU0MV9HD14I5c/s1600/MCX0209FAACCESS004-lg.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472926495568233794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0-Lek7sFDQFJWDRN6rR3o-wnRopdpVYvPuZp2bbGdZ7cnXoWwUiXwU49_SSZ6pm8Q6fLRGyZXqGLTIlKf9Wvmwu06WElSt8Y0R3vtb5MQrAvEMNmLAtaEurO6ZK0zkaU0MV9HD14I5c/s400/MCX0209FAACCESS004-lg.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 85%;">Image via <a href="http://theenglishmuse.blogspot.com/2009/09/sofia-coppola-louis-vuitton.html">here</a>.</span></div></div>

A glamorous mess

A glamorous life implies many things, one main element is owning good quality, personal accessories such as, chic sunglasses, exclusive busi...

12:00 PM