BOOKSTACK : ELLE DECOR JAN/FEB 2014 & WORLD OF INTERIORS AUG 2013

AIR BNB ROUND UP

Although travel is no where in my future forecast, I'm already browsing air bnb for accommodation in the countries that I'm hitting up once things are in gear and I'm ready to travel. My top destinations for the near future are London, Tokyo ( again ), Paris ( again ) Italy and Sweden ( dunno which city yet ). I feel like I'm one of those people that tends to go to the same places over and over.

I want to be able to get to know a city as well as I know Melbourne and to be able to casually give recommendations to people who are going there for the first time. I guess Tokyo is that place for me. I can navigate the subways no problem, I know where to eat, where to shop and what to do there but it would still be so cool to be able to do this for two cities, don't you feel?

1. Milan, Italy 
Check out and book the entire home here

Milan, Italy 
Check out and book the entire home here

2. London, UK 
Check out and book the entire home here

3. Tokyo, Japan 
Check out and book the entire home here

 4. Paris, France 
Check out and book the entire home here

Malmo, Sweden
 Check out and book the entire home here

Are you going traveling soon? Which cities are you jetting off to? Sound off in the comments!

BLUEPRINT FOR MY FUTURE APARTMENT

See the entire home right here

I'm going crazy for Alvhem, the Swedish real estate website which I mentioned in my previous post. The vibes, colours and looks for all these homes are beyond stunning and I'm drawing a lot of inspiration for the future through their styling.

It's actually insane how fast taste changes. In the time span between when I stopped blogging and right now, my taste has changed dramatically. What I used to preach and pander on about " Drama, colour, movement " is something that's quickly fading into the background to make way for.... nothingness. No colour,  no movement. Just stillness and pared back colours and textures ( or lack there of )

The oatmeal and dust coloured bedding completes the bedroom to make it truly a nest of comfort for the owner 

This apartment grabbed my attention immediately. We tend to go through thousands of photos in a month of idyllic surroundings, rooms and destinations but rarely do we ever find the " OMG" moment. This was it for me, I found my oh my god moment. This room is the blueprint for wherever I move out to in the future. Most likely, it will be an apartment and although that thought brings joy to me, it also stirs up fear as well since my last three living situations came with awful neighbours who made my life hell. 

Clear, glass vases are sparkling to the eye and inject an immediate 'clean' and 'sharp' feel to any room 

The gorgeous thing about this apartment, is that it has all the good parts about the Scandi look minus the 'budget' vibe that came with it as the trend set deeper and deeper into the interior design world. I love the colours here, the natural fibers and the no fuss, no detail cleanliness that comes about that. My favourite pieces of furniture has got to be the round, white dining table and the wooden chairs. The entire apartment is decked out in only around ten colours with four being the leaders of the medley.

Although colour is receding further and further away for me in relevance, I will always have a place for it in my heart. I always feel like reiterating that because I don't see myself as one of those people who 'hate' colour. But when I look at my own life I never wear it or use it. But I love it... colour is an emotional experience for me, I can't let go of it completely. I suppose it's not being forgotten entirely, but rather it's taking a different turn.

This shot compelled me to save it to my computer because of how similar the set out is to the apartments that you find in Melbourne. All the other apartments on Alvhem are perfect but the design and aesthetic is really something that is more common in Europe and not in Australia. With this one, the design is generic, I've seen it many, many times on real estate websites in Melbourne and so it was a realistic and helpful choice for what is immediately achievable. 

Avoiding colour and pattern guarantees the home to have a more calming and serene atmosphere - two things I'm always trying to seek more of in life 

Another thing that I love about this apartment is that its look is easy and inexpensive to achieve. You can virtually get everything you see at Ikea and that's absolutely fine by me. There's no shame in shopping there like some people think there is. If you're a young person, realistically, where else are you going to go? If you have a good eye, nobody will care where you get your items from. Trust me, I and everybody I know do it all the time.

The best part is that I won't have to spend a fortune to complete this look for when the big day comes of me moving out again. What's the blue print for your future apartment or ideal home?

A STUNNING APARTMENT IN SWEDEN FOR SALE

There is definitely something about kitchens and their seamless way of communicating the story of the family ( or couple, or single ) that lives there

I have to say, it feels so good to be doing this again. Blogging about amazing homes and good interiors, it literally fulfils a part of me that hasn't been nurtured in a while in lieu of studying and getting as good a marks as possible at uni. Now i'm heading into my break, I'll totally have more time to focus on PFF and pick up where I left off as best as possible.

I came across this amazing apartment on one of my favourite online interiors haunts Gravity Home. They always find the kind of homes I love and this gem in Sweden is another example of how they get it right each time. This apartment is situated in Brf Stinsen and has been listed on Alvhem which appears to be a real estate agency in Gothenburg.

What really captured me to this home is the beautiful wallpaper just behind the dining table. I love a wallpaper feature, especially when its in a dining or communal area. The owner has managed to strike a beautiful harmony by keeping everything else tonal and minimal and letting the wallpaper sing its song of colour throughout the space.

I love older styled homes for all the intricate details that new builders can try to fake but really, will never be able to achieve. Older homes are a slight obsession for me because of their time-machine powers as well as their aesthetic value  

What's terrific about this dining area is the proof that you can mix colours upon colours and patterns upon patterns and avoid overwhelm. Just look at this space here. There's flowers on the walls, inca inspired textiles on the floor and cushions that follow suit in its energy. But it all manages to eschew any sense of jarring-ness and actually communicate a homey, warm and inviting vibe. It's the exact type of style I like. Loads of personality but welcoming and inviting in its wake. 

My favourite detail? The white brick style tile on the walls - love it ! 

An all white bathroom is elegant, clean and simple. Three things we all want to achieve and is the benchmark of any timeless home. Proving that brightness and lightness elevate any space, this apartment is such a versatile and lively foundation for ultimately any project or aesthetic vision. A lush outdoor area is the cherry on the cake for this apartment. The green is a perfect backdrop for summer lunches or just a cup of tea alone on a Sunday. 

I love balconies because they just embody homey weekend living. 

FRIDAY BOOK STACK : The Height of Style, The Coveteur, Vogue Living

Linda Rodin and all her amazing, vibrant, poppin' things in her home 

Refer to the bottom of this post for more information about this book 

Tommy Hilfiger and his melange of items. I especially love the pants and the Andy Warhol picture 

I think Camelia Hul was my favourite person interviewed and photographed in the book. I liked the full throttle unapologetic use of colour and kinship to frenzy 

Love how busy and eclectic her living space is. And I love how she's got a bit of classicism in there amongst all the pop and bubblegum 

I love the abundance of colour and craziness in Camelia Hul's wardrobe, here. Stunning. I literally can't imagine actually having this many items in ones wardrobe. I can do it, easily but actually having it? 

More shots of Camelia Hul's wardrobe. I love how she's big into colour. I love a person who isn't afraid of colour and its power no matter that's in decorating or in clothing style 

Nick Wooster 

Olga Karput's ( owner of fashion boutique, KM20 ) amazing daisy boots

Suzanne Rogers' pink Chanel tea party 

Various items of Carla's

Carla Sozanni, the founder of 10 Corso Como in her busy studio 

Would you look at Linda Rodin's toilet seat though? I think spending big on the things you 'ahem' use everyday, is always worthwhile 😀  😀  😀

Charlotte Tilbury : " I discovered makeup when I was thirteen and it changed my life. I started wearing mascara and overnight, people reacted to me in a very different way. I soon realised that makeup is powerful. It's every woman's secret weapon " 

Laurence Dacade's beautiful Chanel jacket that I love! 

Charlotte Olympia Dellal's selection of earrings. I've always been drawn to bright, poppy, plastic jewellery but have never been brave enough to wear them. They are so nice to photograph though. 

Christian Louboutin

Cindy Crawford's space. I especially love that shiny coat on the right 

Tommy Hilfiger's style is not what I expected. It's a lot more luxe Europe than boating american like I expected 

More info about this book at the bottom of this entry 

This room is complete and utter magic. It's escapsim, it's old world, it's literally a fantasy to me

This insane coffee table caught my eye and lead me to the designers themselves, Garouste et Bonetti 

Good move on the very 2017-18ish wool chair in the very Downton Abbey room ( Fun fact : It's actually a former factory located in San Antonio, Texas. A world away rom Downton! ) 😂

Been meaning to collect some sticks in and around my neighbourhood to do the exact same thing as the bamboo moment happening in this photo. No matter how you arrange them in the vase, they manage to create a very naturally beautiful pan out shape 

OK, so i'm crazy about this 70's cave vibe thing going on right here. Not to mention the pleated silk sofa. This room belongs to the Prince Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia and was designed ( in the 70's alas of course ) by his mother, the Princess of Naples 

I like the colour texture of the walls here combined with the bone accents to bring out a vibe of classic Greece in the background of this living area 

My favourite pieces here : The white sofa in the left hand corner, the tree branch coffee table & the clear perspex chairs. I love the mix of space age modern perspex in the context of sumptuous old world interiors 

I've been re-watching Madmen from season 1 all over again and this is absolutely a room that they would have. Maybe later on in the seasons though when they are heading towards the 70s 

I think the natural ebb and flows of marble patterns are beautiful

Possibly my MOST favourite item of furniture that I've seen in the entire book. It's modern and old world mixed together
 💚 💜 💙 

Unabashed use of colour here and it's working wonders 💟

JULY / AUGUST 2017 ISSUE 

This issue of Vogue living features lots of travel insight on Italy, so this was of use and interesting to me. 

I'm dying to go to Italy. They say you're either a France type or an Italy type but I'm going to put the France stuff on the shelf for a minute because Italy is where it's at for me right now. I actually know nothing about Italy except for my burgeoning interest in their design and furniture styles. To me, Italy is a mix of Spain and France. It's Spain and France meeting at 12pm and going dancing in some gold heels on a marble dance floor. 

Dark walls add depth to a room. I remember years ago nobody would even consider having dark walls in their home unless they were a goth but its really taken a whole new turn. I like the moodiness and luxury that dark walls bring into the home

I think I really am a gold homewares addict 

I liked the colouring and overlay of patterns in this spread 

More amazing Italy things 

When I moved out into my first share house, our kitchen had something like this except it was a booth that you'd find in a diner. It was made entirely out of wood and had four seats ( to my memory ) and a table in the middle. Our kitchen then had exposed brick so the booth made a really suitable feature to the kitchen. This table reminded me of that. I love incorporating things that you'd see in diners, restaurants and cafes in a residential / home setting. This table looks to be something out of a burger restaurant but doesn't look out of place at all in this black and white dining area.

💖  💖  💖  💖

MARCH / APRIL 2017 ISSUE 

I've been thinking about incorporating more green into my life. The thing is I really can't keep plants alive even when I follow instructions. I'm amazed how some plants just continue to live with zero care though, like my friends or even my parents plants are able to 

I love Moroccan detailing and accents in a home. Mixing and clashing patterns isn't something to avoid if you ask me! 

If they think this is small, they should see whats considered small in Tokyo 😆

This photo is from an article which talked about a Parisian decorators project in decorating a small apartment in paris. To be honest, I love small spaces. I am the few individuals who finds the prospect of living in a studio to be actually really exciting decorating wise. I like the limit on space, it forces you to be more creative and inventive in how you shape your space. I also just love the youth and fun involved with living in a studio. Walking three steps from the kitchen into your living area... having to double up your dining table as your 'everything' table. I like spreading myself out too though. When I compare my experiences living in a studio and in a one bedroom apartment, it's clear that both offer things the others can't. Having said that, I'm so glad that I've really learned how to live in small spaces during my time in Tokyo because it's actually a skill, I think.

So much YES going on in this spread 

I'm often at odds with my decorating palette. On one hand, I love clean, minimal spaces like this one here. No colour, no patterns, everything is very flatly textured. On the other hand, I love clashing patterns and bright colours like the image right above this bedroom. How do you marry those two together? Why can't I just have one unified aesthetic as opposed to being this epic eclectic person that I am?

New York City, How I miss you so, so much. Dying to be strolling down the streets with my best outfits on. Shopping, eating and taking the subway 

Beautiful rug by Romance was born 

Textile designer, Lucienne Day : " When I start a design I literally begin with a blank piece of paper. Sometimes I sit in front of it for a long time. It isn't an easy process " 

Have fallen in love with green. Not only in matters of decorating but also in clothing, accessories, the works! It looks elegant, mature and refined. Good choice, Yalei 👍

The Coveteur, Stephanie Mark & Jake Rosenberg, Abrams, 2016
Elle Decor : Height of Style, Michael Boodro, Abrams, 2014

Friday Book stack is one of the several things I've brainstormed up as a regular feature idea for P.F.F. Expect to see A Friday Book stack entry every Friday! See you in the next post and I hope you liked this entry.