I want to live here

Luxurious finishes, classic furniture, layers of texture and that copse of birch trees. I want to live in this Toorak, Melbourne house designed by David Hicks. It takes my breath away.

Images from David Hicks

New Queenslander

This is the future of the Queenslander house. Just as the old houses addressed climate issues, today’s architects are taking a holistic approach in climate consideration and design. Houses are often only one room wide to improve cross ventilation and louvers, sliding doors/walls and breezeways are an important feature. Natural vegetation is left not only to provide privacy and views but to shade the house from the hot sun. Once again houses are raised to improve air flow. What results is a stunning home like this one by Andresen O’Gorman Architects. (Recently sold for $1.3 million AUD)

Images from realestate.com.au

Classic Queenslander

I can across this wonderful house while checking the local real estate online. From the outside it’s a great example of a late 19th century Queensland house, wide timber tongue and groove walls, lovely pine floors and verandas to provide shade from the hot tropical sun. Inside it’s a sensitive modern upgrade that respects its heritage but has that wow factor. A central corridor with rooms on either side is typical of these houses. It helps funnel any breezes through the house. Homes were often raised off the ground to also allow the air to circulate. Here the under house space is taken up by more bedrooms and a massive games room. And the asking price? $2.69 million. It’s in a great suburb, has 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a pool but it lets you know just how outrageous prices have become in my neck of the woods. Lovely …. but I’m just dreaming.

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Images from realestate.com.au

If I was a room....

I’d be this room by Ken Fulk. Eclectic, edgy, at times risky and definitely not to everyone’s taste. The mix of styles here is dangerous. It might not work. There are multiple levels and layers and a sense of humour as well as definite nod to the finer things in life. Enough of the psychoanalysing, I just love this room! So Kim if you were a room ......?

Playing hooky from blogging

I'm supposed to be drafting posts for this week but I'm spending my afternoon recovering my dining room chairs. All six of them. They're part of a dining set made in Brisbane by Danish immigrant Hans Larsen who made furniture to Danish designs using Australian rainforest timbers during the 60s. These chairs are blackbean not teak. I love them so much but felt I needed a change from their black leather seats. So I recovered them with ..... a table cloth. Don't worry their original covers are still underneath. Only 5 more to go! Oh and a weeks worth of posts still to do. P.S The pots are West German floor vases, another collecting vice I have.