I came across this charming little place on the interwebs a few months ago – it’s in a home converted from a turn of the century store in Port Melbourne, Australia. Everything looks as though it has been well-loved for generations. The kitchen almost looks as if they made that peninsula out of orange crates, doesn’t it? I only wish we could see a little more of it:
Charming kitchen with a home-made look
The bathroom is rich in original features and quirky charm, too:
The tub is equally dilapidated
Still south of the Equator, this time a Victorian country home in South Africa, with a kitchen that looks as if it could have catered to generations of the same family: (via Frank Features)
Well worn and well loved
Plenty of character
I always want to know what kind of stories rooms like this could tell – though I do wonder where exactly the line falls between old and inconvenient on one hand, and charmingly characterful on the other!
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It seems like only yesterday that I was fantasizing about moving into a the Mission Church nearby, and converting it to my needs. So I was charmed to see this kitchen, created by Priscilla Glover and Ivan Spaller of Urban Nature Inc.
Church Kitchen
in, of all things, a Mission Church in Austin, Texas, converted into what can only be called a castle:
Church become Castle
The kitchen above is clearly tucked into one of the more modest areas, but there is a modicum of high ceilinged grandeur to be found:
A grand dining room
It does make me feel like I should be on my best behavior, just in case someone “upstairs” is watching. Assuming that someone cares about table manners, that is.
Someone downstairs is watching here ...
Ready to wash away a few sins?
Bath- complete with hassock for prayer
How beautiful are the feet...
There are more pictures of this extraordinary dwelling at Desire to Inspire. Unfortunately, I understand it has already been sold – so I’m going to have to keep looking.
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Today finds your intrepid correspondent in New York City, as the fortunate guest of Brizo, for their fashion week events, a brouhaha of bloggers, and the Jason Wu fashion show. You may have heard there’s a little bit of weather affecting travel to, from, and on the East Coast today, so I’m thankful for the amazing foresight (ahem, dumb luck) that brought me here a whole day early.
There was a lull in the snowfall a little earlier, so I ventured out into a city reduced to stark monochrome by leaden skies and fallen snow. I had my trusty Olympus PEN E-PL1
with me, and I was hugely impressed with the innate design sense exhibited by the denizens of this city. Thank you, thank you, New Yorkers, for your demonstration of the power of contrast and emphasis:
Thank you for your little pops of color
Thank you for your red hat and gloves
Thank you for your little scarlet purse
Thank you for your big red brolly ...
... and your purple one
My favorite or all, thank you for those orange boots!
I know you are aware of the importance of contrast to create emphasis in your home environment too – and just so that I keep a little to subject, and as a shameless, but well deserved, plug – what better way to add a little accent to your bath than Brizo’s RSVP faucet? Isn’t that crystal finial the perfect foil to the strokable curves?
Brizo RSVP - a little contrast creates a big accent
Of course my biggest thank you of all goes to those wonderful folks at Brizo who have made it possible for me to be here today, and who are working hard to help the other traveling bloggers fight their way through snow and travel chaos to get here too. Let the brouhaha begin!
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A note from Clarity: Some of you asked if I took these photos, and how I got the special effects. Well, yes, I took them, really they just jumped out at me that day, and my beloved Olympus PEN E-PL1 did the rest. The special effects are just a result of compression for the blog page, because I am shooting in too high a resolution. If you are shopping for a small camera, and are disappointed with your point and shoot, check out the Digital Pen – it has been 30 years since I enjoyed a camera as much as this one!
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These flower power mosaics certainly bring a smile to my face. A deep soaking tub is one of my favorite escapes.
Flower Power via Fresh Locations
A more naturalistic mosaic in this Australian bath – is that branching coral? It certainly warms the room up, doesn’t it.
via Desire to Inspire
It’s been a long and dramatic week for me – I’ll need a long, peaceful soak this weekend. I hope you all find your happy places, too.
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Apparently, it’s a giant cactus. I really can’t believe I forgot to order one:
Oh, those fun-loving Italians
Do you think it would work as a towel rack?
via atcasa
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A master bath with two tubs, could it possibly be any more luxurious? Considering what most of us would give just to have enough space to allow for the possibility, that eighteenth century English secretary is just icing on the cake, isn’t it?
Design Darryl Carter via Elle Decor
I am a little flummoxed by the “architectural fragments” sitting on the floor in front of the tubs – if I stubbed my toe on one in my usual early morning daze, would it topple over and crush my foot, or simply roll ever-so-elegantly away? But I suppose if you have “architectural fragments”, you have to put them somewhere.
A further feast for the eyes, here’s Darryl Carter’s elegant vanity in the same bathroom:
Simple and Elegant
In the article (in Elle Decor), Carter says he’s headed towards minimalism. I hope he won’t be in too much of a hurry to get there.
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Is this the least inviting outdoor bathroom you’ve ever seen?
photo James Silverman
I do like these interior shots by James Silverman of the Kubota U House in Japan. I especially admire that line of light at the top of the wall – how are they doing that?
U-House Interior
Kubota U House Kitchen
Kubota U House Kitchen
It’s so clean and crisp, it reminds me of the models we used to make in design school (all that white foam-core!). That sofa is pretty much exactly the one I made, in fact. Lovely to look at, but could you really live in it?
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Is it time to get back in the box?
Is this really where we're headed?
Crowning Glory