A Stunning Garden

Featured in the latest NY Times T magazine is this stunning Nantucket Island garden designed by Dutch landscape designer, Piet Oudolf.
Oudolf is well known for his planting on the awesome New York's High Line and this garden has the same feel - drifts of flowering perennials plants and grasses that look as nature intended them to be, even though it has been designed to every layer and detail. I adore this garden - as well as the gorgeous surrounding cedar shingled buildings. Drool.
Read more about it here.

 Photographs by Dana Gallagher via T Magazine.

Monocle Cafe, London

Do you enjoy reading the stylish Monocle magazine like I do? If so, you'll love the new Monocle Cafe in London. Around the corner from their HQ offices, the new cafe keeps true to Monocle's high quality, international and understated style by using tables and stools from Australia, Japanese crockery and Danish cutlery. To top it off, their coffee is by Allpress New Zealand. Class.

Photographs via Monocle.

One Sofa, Three Styles

Same sofa, three living rooms - which one do you like? Styled by Nicola Kragh Riis and photography by Line Klein for Alt Interior magazine.

Photographs by Line Klein for Alt Interior

Lest We Forget - ANZAC Day 2013

They shall grow not old, as we are that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning

We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

In memory of all New Zealanders and Australians who have served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. In memory of my grandfathers who fought and survived WWII. We will remember them.

Set the Table

Beautiful tableware styled by Natalia Sanchez Echevarria and photographed by Line Klein for Elle Decoration DK. This makes me want to replace all my boring white crockery - beautiful.

Photographs via The Klein.

Inspiration Profile - Sian MacPherson

Welcome to this week's Inspiration Profile - we are very happy to have the very busy and very talented Sian MacPherson. Enjoy this fantastic profile and have a great weekend all.

Sian MacPherson

Name: Sian MacPherson

What do you do:It's fair to say I like living to the extremes and enjoy wearing a few different hats. I juggle work as a stylist, designer, consultant and contractor for various private clients and companies, but my true passion lies with my role as Editor of Est Magazine – a digital magazine that showcases the best in global design with an Australian twist. 

Where do you live:Home for the past 3 years has been Melbourne, Australia - an absolute design hub and constant source of creative inspiration…though I do miss Sydney’s beaches and country new South Wales.

What are you working on: We are always working on the next issue – from the very day the last issue goes live we are working with our team of talented contributors on shooting new homes, unearthing new creative talent and searching the world for inspiring home wares and visuals. Now that we are publishing weekly Est mini mag editions we are constantly planning and working on new content. We have a few exciting plans in store for Est in the coming months featuring sneak peaks into covetable wardrobes for one – we just need a few more days in the week to get all of our ideas in motion!

Photography: Toby Scott

Photography: Jacob Gils

Who/what inspires me: My friends are actually a pretty inspiring crew. As I have moved a lot in the past few years I have a pretty wide spread of friends from completely different backgrounds, whether they are ‘sporty spice’ stay at home mums, sleepwear designers, photographers, company directors, stylists, or podiatrists, they are all doing some pretty amazing things– and they never fail to get me thinking and stretching my ideas. My girlfriends are very spirited and certainly let me know what they think, just as I do them – it makes for very lively and thought provoking conversation – always! Of course our contributors at Est endlessly inspiring – they are all multi talented, supremely skilled and master jugglers of careers and families. I am continuously in awe of what they do.

I work best:It seems late in the evening is when I do my best work. Est Creative Director, Lynda Evans and I can Skype and message with no distractions and actually manage to get across quite a lot late at night. I am pretty good at covering a lot between hours of school drop off and pick up too as a necessity…but would seriously love a few more hours in the day. With the wearing of many hats comes the feeling of always running to catch up.

What I do when I’m stuck for inspiration: Going for a walk always clears my head. I would love to get back to the country a bit more, there is nothing like a walk with the magpie call the only sound to be heard.

The best advice I have been given is: If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

My latest discovery is: How good it is to start the day with a green juice. It has made such a difference I can’t even tell you – from clearer eyes to more energy, not to mention feeling so virtuous. My juice is basic; spinach, cucumber, celery, lemon and a green apple with half a litre of cold water. When time is tight – which is always – it’s an easy way to get everything in that I need and I can have breakfast on the run rather than skipping it altogether.

Styling: Deb McLean, Photography: Colin Doswell

Styling: Deb McLean, Photography: Colin Doswell

Books that I get inspiration from: I am a sucker for a Taschen design book, and The Sartoralist for a bit of fashion whimsy.

Magazines that inspire me: To be honest I am not really paying for printed magazines anymore. I find them a little underwhelming, over priced and dust collecting!

Blogs that I enjoy:I have a few favourites, some for a laugh – like The Man Repeller. Love her. I also love Emma’s Design blog from Sweden and photographers like Line Kleinand Ditte Isager.

My favourite room at home is: I would have to say my bedroom – it is a total retreat. Over sized, great light, and I can’t hear the TV. Living with 3 sons means there is always a rugby game that apparently ‘can not be missed’.

My office is:where I can lose hours and not even notice. Flooded with natural light, a wall to wall desk, soft oak flooring and internet speed to die for – I love working from this space.

What am I looking forward to: A trip back to our hometown of Gunnedah in country NSW. We are going on tour in a minibus to take our city friends to meet our country friends for a BBQ on the river and hundreds of children running around wreaking havoc. Can’t wait to go back to the ‘land of sweeping plain’s’!

Thanks Sian! Pop over to Est magazine and subscribe to get their latest issue as well as their weekly mini mag. Or keep up to date with Est on Facebook.

Photography: Robyn Lea

All photographs are used with permission from Est magazine.

Yellows Photography

Spotted on the Est magazine Daily today, I came across the work of Yellows Photography - the Danish photography studio of Mikkel Rahr Mortensen, along with stylist Gitte Kjaer. I was particularly drawn to these images for their client, Lightyears, a Danish lighting company - it is beautifully styled with great combinations of materials and colours.

Photographs via Est magazine.

Fireplaces On My Mind

I have fireplaces on my mind and I came across these two examples in Swedish photographer, Jonas Ingerstedt's portfolio. Nice.

Everyday Swing by George and Willy

My niece, Billie adores going on the swing and always says 'higher, HIGHER!' when we push her. She is 2 and a half years old and fearless. So when she is a wee bit older and bigger, I think this swing will be her cup of tea (and hopefully she'll let us adults use it too). The Everyday Swing is by George and Willy, a charming company by two young craftsmen/designers who focus on high quality, hand made, New Zealand products. Their aim is to create loved objects that will sit in Kiwi homes and baches for generations to enjoy. Sounds good to me.

Photographs via George and Willy.

Inspiration Profile - Haley Doreen

Here we are at the end of another week and welcome to this week's Inspiration Profile. We have Haley Doreen who, along with her partner John, are the owners of The Vintage Shop in Auckland, New Zealand. Enjoy and have a great weekend all.

Haley Doreen

The Vintage Shop

Name: Haley Doreen

What do you do: I am the owner of The Vintage Shop - a store specialising in quality Mid Century Modern Scandinavian furniture and accessories sourced both locally and overseas. We have been going for around 4 years.

Where do you live:Auckland, New Zealand

What are you working on: Sourcing more beautiful rare furniture pieces from around the world, building our on-line presence, updating the signage at the shop as we've just changed our logo, photographing new stock that has arrived and loading it on the website, writing the next monthly newsletter, doing follow up emails to customers who previously purchased items and lots of other things involved with running a website and store.

Ole Wanscher Rocking Chair

Finn Juhl Diplomat Chairs

Who/what inspires me: People who do what they love and are passionate about it.

I work best: I work on the business day and night, however I usually get my best ideas late at night when I should be sleeping or as soon as I get into the shop in the mornings, open the doors and play some great music.

What I do when I’m stuck for inspiration: Go for a walk or have a glass  of red wine, chat and dream big with my partner, John who runs The Vintage Shop with me. Look around on the internet at interior blogs or search random things in Google images (always vintage related, yes I am obsessed).

The best advice I have been given is: 'Treat others the way you want to be treated'

My latest discovery is: Pinterest - it has taken me a while to get on there but now I am I can see what all the hype is about.

Nathan Circles Sideboard

Grete Jalk Sofa

Books that I get inspiration from: I don't really get the chance to read books but when I do, I enjoy reading biographies on people that I find interesting.

Magazines that inspire me: Home NZ , Your Home and Garden, Urbis

Blogs that I enjoy: I read a lot of blogs but my daily visits are to: My Scandinavian Home, The Design Files, Design Attractor,Vintage Revivals

My favourite room at home is: The lounge. It has all my favourite furniture pieces that we have collected while owning the shop (our forever changing collection). I don't think there is a new item in there except for the TV, everything is from the 1950s - 70s.

My office is: During the day my desk in the shop, during the evenings my dining room table. Actually its anywhere I go as I am often doing work related things on my phone.

What am I looking forward to: Growing The Vintage Shop to ensure I can always do what I love for a job. Sharing the love for Mid- Century furniture with more people. Delivering many more beautiful furniture pieces to peoples homes. On a personal note taking a holiday mid winter this year for my birthday.

Thanks Haley! Keep up to date with The Vintage Shop and their excellent vintage stock on their website or their Facebook page.

Oak Jon Jansen Dining Suite

Avalon Sideboard

All photographs are used with permission from The Vintage Store.

White and Simple at Juliette Hogan SS13

Last week New Zealand fashion label, Juliette Hogan hosted a breakfast to present their SS13 collection to the media. It was located at their new work room space and they collaborated with great products to make the event so stylish and delicious.

Jo Malone candles

Furnishings from The Vitrine

Table top from Father Rabbit

Delicious menu

They wore Converse sneakers

The models in Juliette Hogan

The designer herself, Juliette Hogan

Photographs by Karen Ishiguro via Juliette Hogan.