ARCHWAY STUDIOS, THE MODERN HOUSE

All photos property of The Modern House, read the original post here

SPOTLIGHT ON, FORNASETTI

Although my preferences for interiors are now much more pared back and quiet, I can't help but still be drawn to drama and colour when it comes to decorative items. Fornasetti is wild, glamorous and right at home with any storyteller. My first impression of it was Versace meets the mad hatter with its surrealist but sumptuous designs and shapes. My favourites are definitely the candles which make the prettiest centrepieces for any dressing table or mantle. Having one piece in your home adds the perfect amount of whimsy and wonder, transporting you from daily monotony to a colourful fantasy escape.

All images and items can be found on Fornasetti's official website

WHAT'S ON MY IKEA WISHLIST

I know that Ikea is one of those places people expect you to eventually shed out of your life as you mature.  But to me, there really isn't any other furniture and homewares super store that manages to get the price AND design right. This year, I plan to move out with an entire apartment full of Ikea goods. To me, I'd rather have the whole house done rather than spending months waiting for items to arrive in strange and/or unpredictable time frames. There's nowhere where I can get everything I need, in the designs I like within the price range I can afford. Being the mega Virgo that I am, I've made a list of all the items I want for my new apartment which I've decided to share with you guys here.  

So it's pretty obvious that there will basically be no colour in my new place which goes against what I have been consistently into for my entire life. Neutral colours are popular for the reason that they're calm and versatile.  This allows me to be spontaneous with the homewares that I buy because I never have to think about whether it will match the house. I feel a slight sadness at transitioning into the whites, greys and beiges. It's an end of an era for me, for sure. Keep your eyes peeled for a home appliances wish list that's coming around the corner.

What are some things that you guys are eyeing for your house? Tell me in the comments below! 

The work bookshelf

RODERICK ROAD HOUSE, THE MODERN HOUSE

All photos property of The Modern House, See the original post here 

DESIGNER DIARY : JOSEPH DIRAND

Dirand's bedroom exemplifies the cornerstone values of his style ideals 

Hotel Habita, Monterrey 

All the designers that I've covered for P.F.F are truly artists and masters of what they do. But for me, Joseph Dirand has something that really takes me by the heart and soul. Like all matters to do with design and art, the feeling you get from looking at their work is almost impossible to describe. It's ineffable, beyond words. I guess that's how I would describe Dirand, his work is simply ineffable.

"What really matters to me, a lot more than the interior, is light. Light is what makes architecture alive. Wherever I go, especially my studio, my apartment, and the places I live, I have to see the sky" source    

Dirand's career reads like a textbook. Simple, one way and undeterred by most of the hurdles which cross regular folks like us. Born in Paris to an architect father and fashion designer mother, his first commission came before he even graduated from design school. After the redesign of the Balmain store located on Rue-Francois-1er, often dubbed 'the most beautiful fashion store in Paris', he established himself as being one of the most sought after and talked about designers in Europe and abroad. 

Monsieur Bleu, Paris 

Pucci Store, New York City 

Ranelagh, Paris

When asked to describe what his style is during an interview with Design elements blog, he cites that he keeps trying to find his own style but cannot and hopes that he never will. It seems hard to understand this answer when looking at his work as evidently, there are themes and colours which string all of it together. But maybe what's more important is that there's still mystery and elusiveness in the entire process. It's when we know too much and become formulaic that alarm bells should ring.

"Already as a child I got inspired by a lot of things like the Garden of Versailles, Japanese architecture or sculpture by Joseph Beuys. All of these things provoke so much emotion, that they become addictive, like a drug" source 

Dirand's work has been a favourite amongst fashion houses including Alexander Wang, Rick Owens, Chloe and Givenchy and it's a no brainer why. Stylish, effortless and chic for days, it's the perfect setting for a once in a lifetime purchase in a once in a lifetime designed interior. There is absolutely a sense of movement in his design and artist countability. Never ending learning and discovery is a part of his mission in achieving ever higher feats in his artistic endeavours. “I always want to get inspired by different things and I realise there is no end to learning”.

Dirand's own home in Paris 

Details from his own kitchen

Loulou restaurant, Paris 

Chloe store, Saint Honore 

Dirand does away with the demand of having a stock definition for his style. What really drives his work is an instinct, an impulse which ultimately triggers the motions of creativity leading the finished product to look organic and effortless - as if there were almost no designer behind it at all. A collection which formed itself out of a natural order. 

"I don't care about style anymore, in a way I hate style, I hate design... it's about life, and generosity" source 

I've always had a belief about what we do in life. If we love it enough, if doing it isn't a chore and we're all about it, it starts to take us to other places. No single discipline or focus in life is simply of itself. Everything that we choose to learn and do takes us to other places we had no idea was possible. For Dirand, this is clearly the case as well. It's not about design or style for him, it's simply a way of organising, responding and living. Here's to all of our callings which take us above and beyond. 

Avenue Montaigne apartment, shot by Martin Morrell for NYT

La Flandrin, Paris 

Varenne, Paris 

Le Mas des Oliviers, Ramatuelle

"Les Idees Claires" 

I Mahal Bath, Paris

An update that's long overdue

2018... everyone had something to say about it. For me? It wasn't so much as anything eventful or dramatic but a hurdle that had to be jumped over. I finished my Marketing diploma, quit retail forever and got my dream, full-time job being the marketing co-ordinator for one of the most amazing interior design shops in Melbourne, Safari Living. It's the end of an era for me. I feel like a lot of things will be very different next year, the kind of different where you transform entirely. You just know inside of you things will be different, it's a very hard thing to describe. I've been desperate for change for a while and I think it all centered around work and finding meaningful work that mattered to me. I think a lot of it has to do with luck because for a long time, I was doing the right thing and getting absolutely nothing. Anybody would have gone crazy in my spot as well. I'm truly thankful to be out of the woods in that respect.

I kept P.F.F because I actually like this blog. I like the taste of the blog.. my own, haha. I never deleted it or even thought remotely about deleting it because I knew eventually, I'd take it back up again. I feel more confident about doing it next year because of having two key interior design names under my belt. Safari and Est, who I still write for and have no plans of leaving. I made some really ambitious goals for P.F.F at the start of the year, 3 posts a week is great but became impossible to do when studying full time and since I'm going to be working full time as of next year, I'm going to limit the blog to one post per week. It'll be the same things as it used to be. Pages of beautiful rooms, items and the occasional random post about what's happening in my own life ( shopping hauls ) Anyway, keep checking back once a week to see what's happening here. Hope you all have the most amazing and wonderful 2019

Y xx

My 2018 in a snapshot 

Best Cafe : Workshop bros, Southbank location & Bentwood 

Best new brands : CUUP, WithJean 

Best Instagram : Sporty&Rich 

Favourite thing I bought : Google Home Mini, Ryder 'Chloe' pants and
Tarte's Shape Tape Concealer & Diptyque candle in Jasmin 
Favourite dish : Plain pasta with butter, salt and truffle oil 

New Artists I discovered : Hologram Plaza, Macross, Kendrick Lamar

Biggest news : Kanye west running riot at TMZ offices, Kate Spade's death, Rookie magazine closes down 

Best moment : Ariana Grande's Thank U, Next 
Coveting : Smeg Toaster in Cream, Calvin Klein Bra

*
This year I learnt that ... Things indeed can change
I will never forget ... how there's never regression in life, just when you think things couldn't get more intense/weird, it does
If I could go back I would ... Work harder on some of my university assignments, try to relax a bit more.. possibly those two are related
Next year I hope to ... Achieve and succeed in my new job, go to Korea, live alone again, make more friends and be more assertive
I couldn't of done it this year without ... The very few friends I have
All in all, it was ... kind of average LOL!