Shanghai. Ah, what a marvelou place. No, I've never been, but in my imagination, it is marvelous. Plus there is an awesome place in Parnell, Auckland called Shanghai Lils, so Shanghai itself must be fabulous if that is anything to judge by.
Yucca is a new restaurant and lounge concept by David Laris, a Greek Australian chef and founder of DavidLarisCreates living in Shanghai. He has a few award winning establishments to his name, and believe me, the awards are well deserved.
Yucca draws inspiration from Lucha Libre Wrestling, 1960's Mexican Cinema, and the voodoo and religious superstition interwoven in the Mexican psyche.
The lounge is located on the third floor of Mansion 26F at Sinan Mansions, and serves an amazing array of alternatve cocktails and Yucca-twist mexican food.
The design itself is done by Shanghai based interiors firm Lime 388. By the way, if you ever want me to come work for you, I am so there.
All images via Yucca
The Rainbow House. Oh my.
Imagine if you let your inner child design your house. Go on. Close your eyes and have a think about it.
This place comes pretty darn close, right? Amazing!
Situated in London, this beautiful Ab Rogers Design house is a fun, colourful, living artwork.
The master bedroom boasts a circular bed that rotates so you can enjoy views from every window, and a trap door that pops open to reveal a shiny silver slide to escort you to the living room below, where a 12x8 metre space of yellow plushness just begs you to sleep, play, live.
The entire house is built around a beautiful bespoke spiral staircase boasting steps in every colour of the Rainbow. Every floor is influenced by the hue of the steps leading onto it, and skylights in the roof drench the whole house in warth and light.
This house makes me want to smile. I want to laugh. And skip. And run. Does it tickle you too?
~Images via Ab Rogers Design
Just had to share these phenomenal bathrooms. I swoon.
Room #04
Room #55
~Luxe
~Images via Longman&Eagle
So. I'm crap at updating. I warned you!
But, it's going to be better. Because this is a resolutions post. And blogging makes the list!
1. Project fat-girls-don't-go-to-Paris.
Or rather, girls with faces like mine are not fat in Paris.
That's right ladies and gents, the boy and I are headed to Paris in October! So exciting! But it also means my soft volumptuousness needs to become...hmmm...less soft volumptuousness?
2. More blogging, more design.
I need more design in my life this year. As much inspiration as I can stand. MORE than I can stand. I'm in my final year this year, and even though I'm still debating whether I'll be going ahead with study this year (for certain reasons, another post if it happens) I do love being so ensconsed in the talet and creativity of my fellow designers and design bloggers.
3. Photography and french lessons.
Not that I have the time. But I'm going to try and teach myself as much as possible.
4. Register my business and have stationary done.
I have my ABN. Just need to register my business name.
And if I get around to it:
5. Come up with a plan for my business.
6. Be more organised (in my room, the spare room, the shed, and with my tafe work)
7. Get a kitten. Or a goat. I haven't decided yet.
~Luxe
I have been so very lax in updating, however! I've compiled some things that I've loved this year for the holiday gift giving season. Only part one...you understand.
1. Elk Ceramic Baloon Brooch (also available in a necklace) $55
2. Have You Mean Miss Jones mini owl in Bone China $12
3. Meadowlark Belt Bracelet in Silver $460NZD
4. Robert Gorden Australia Ceramic Gift Tags $9.95 assorted
5. The Small Stakes Exhibition Poster $30USD
6. Meadowlark Apple Charm (I'm not looking up the price for this as I was given this as a gift from the boy xo)
7. Ego Cognac Glasses from Top 3 by Design $79.95 a pair
8. Anthropologie Enchanted Woods Ipod Dock $99USD
9. Anthropologie Tivoli Audio Model One AM/FM Radio $178USD
10. Tivi SS Ring with Small TigerWood Inlay $54.95
~Images via the linked websites
Scrolling through real estate (as one does) I came accross this beauty for rent.
It's located in Toxteth Road, in the Inner West suburb of Glebe (my old stomping ground) in Sydney.
I managed to track down the architects - OCP Architects - and found their wonderful product sheet (click here).
Here is the blurb from the real estate website, but I really don't think it does the building justice:
An inspired recreation has transformed this historic church hall c1898 into a unique living space. Combining designer aesthetics with environmental efficiency, this exceptional residence sets a new benchmark for contemporary living in a key location.
Versatile residential and creative business possibilities
432sqm with private leafy gardens and entertaining spaces
Upper level living spaces feature open lounge/dining areas
Sunlit pavilion style room integrated with a wide terrace
Deluxe CaesarStone island kitchen with Miele gas fittings
All bedrooms feature customised built-ins and study nook
Superb master suite with luxury spa bath ensuite
Mezzanine home office with kitchen and bathroom facilities
Double rear carport, air conditioning, good security system
Design principles with watertank storage and sky windows
The house boasts 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and 2 carspaces, for the paltry sum of $2150AUD per week. I think I also spotted it for sale somewhere for $3.9million.
Here's the link for renting the property, for now!
Images via realestate.com.au
Architects: BARK Design Architects
Location: Queensland, Australia
Photographs: Christopher Frederick Jones
I'm a bit of a patriot. Don't get me wrong, I have a severe need to travel the world, see beautiful places, and I plan on living in some country or another for some amount of time. But Australia is home. This country really is the lucky country. It's harsh, violent, forgiving, redeeming, breathtaking, soul-destroying. It gives life and takes life in the blink of an eye. I am astounded every day by the beatuy of my country.
So to come across a home in Marcus Beach, Queensland, that pays such careful and loving tribute to the land around it makes me insanely happy. This is the kind of home I dream about.
This is the Marcus Beach House by Bark Architects. It is 260m2 house on a 727m2 site, built in spotted gum hardwood timber and glass. It is contemporary, yet classic. It melds into the landscape, while still sitting apart from it. I am so in love with this house it hurts.
Sitting 250m from the beach, the house is styled on a basic "pavillion" idea, originally sketched in the sand during the first site inspection - see, that's the Aussie way of doing things! The 2 pavillions are placed either side of a venerable 100 year old Morton Bay Ash, which gives life to the proportions and scale used wihtin the dwelling.
The main western pavillion houses living spaces focused around a double height deck overlooking the swimming pool and northern garden. The Master Bedroom is accessed via a polycarbonate-clad stair tower that acts as a lantern at night.
The house employs sustainable design elements to passively defend the residents from the elements - windows and doors are strategically positioned to maximise the breeze, while roof overhangs protect the house from direct summer sunlight. There is no air conditioning in the house, nor is it wanted, and artificial lighting is kept to a minimum due to the generous amount and position of glazing, particularly facing the north.
Originally designed by Bark in 2002 the house recently found itself with new owners, who naturally came to the original architects to design alterations.
“It is our first project, which we had the interesting and fortunate opportunity to revisit with another client after a number of years,” says Steve Guthrie, Bark Principal. “The current owners have a very keen interest in art and design and are supportive custodians of the architecture.”
“A few key areas were elevated from a raw economical beach house with outdoor laundry and polished chipboard floors to include more comforts and a higher level of finish within the framework of the character of the house.”
Because of this relationship with the Morten Bay Ash, the pavilion spaces read like tree houses, from both inside and out, with a lightness of structure that is important in this part of the world.
“It is one of those houses which has a strong natural spirit,” Guthrie says. “It simply feels good and I think the experience of this for the clients and visitors comes from its inextricable link to landscape."
~Quote via HabitusLiving
~Images via Contemporist and HabitusLiving
