“Please contact me if you would like a consultation or further information about any of the products you see here at Decorum.”Archive for March 2010
Cabana Club
Last year my daughter and a handful of her friends met once a month for a Book Club. It was really an excuse for a weekend play-date alternating at each members home.
This year the same group has created the Cabana Club. Again they go from house to house each month building a temporary cabana in which to hang out and drink mocktails. (Where do they come up with these ideas?)
Mocktails being served
The inaugural meeting was held at our home on Saturday afternoon and fortunately we were having a last burst of summer weather so the girls could play in the pool.
Inaugural Cabana at our house
So while the girls were chattering and dancing, eating and sipping, I searched the web for pool cabanas.
Something simple like this one from Landscape Designers Good Manors
Or perhaps a structure adjacent to the pool for entertaining, relaxing and cooking would be wonderful and really extend the living areas of a house.
via Australian House and Garden. Photographer Steve Ryan
A bite to eat between tennis and the pool.
This cabana has it all - fire, lounge seats, dining table and kitchen.
This cabana by Mabley Handler is decked out in summer colours
The girls would love this at the bottom of the garden. A fully equipped house just for the pool.
This is my favourite and belongs to cyclist Lance Armstrong. It looks very cosy.
What did you get up to this weekend?
Everyday is a holiday
when you decorate your home with this furniture.
I spent the morning yesterday viewing the new range of furniture about to be released by Sentosa Designs.
Sentosa Barnaby Table with Cow Bone Inlay
Sentosa Private Villas was developed and designed by Amanda Cameron in Seminyak, Bali and opened in 2007. The project consisted of 50 villas, a restaurant, spa and gym creating a stunning 5 star resort. With an international brand of luxury now created, Sentosa is synonymous with style. With the high demand to emulate the Sentosa look, Amanda launched her new business venture, Sentosa Designs range of furniture and accessories at Designex in 2008. Sentosa Designs manufactures high grade furniture utilising only the best raw materials and has a trade only showroom in Sydney.
The furniture certainly has that resort type feel and I could happily have my home decked out in this colonial type furniture and pretend I was somewhere exotic.
Some of my favourites include the Coconut Grove Desk which has beautiful rattan detailing on the front. Available for $1420. It’s teamed here with the Coconut Grove chair ($520) and would look wonderful in any room.
Sentosa Coconut Desk and Chair
I also liked the Colonial Buffet ($3088) which isn’t new. It’s made from reclaimed teak and has a medium rustic finish.
Sentosa Colonial Buffet
And then of course there are the beautiful Colonial Bamboo Wooden chairs. They are also made of reclaimed teak hand carved to look like bamboo. The chairs are $884 each and the carvers or armchairs are $966 each. They are also available in a black painted finish.
Sentosa Colonial Bamboo Chair, Side Table and Memble Chair
The new range will be on show at this year’s Designex which is being held in Sydney from 22 to 24 April 2010.
Contact us for more information on these furniture pieces and how to add some exoticism into your home decor.
On The Floor
One of the jobs I have been working on for the past 4 years is revamping a family home. The lovely couple have pretty much moved into the “empty nester” category with their youngest heading off to university, outside Sydney, at the beginning of last year.
We’ve transformed the house in every way, except structurally and are now up to the fun part of putting in the new furnishings.
Family Room before
The new leather lounge has gone in and we have bought some new artwork.
This oil painting by Velia Newman will sit on the family room wall
Last week we looked at some rugs and chose the following three from Designer Rugs.
Floral Sketch
This is the right size – 2m x 3m.
Flame Tree
The pattern will get lost once we put a coffee table on top.
Atoms
The background colour could be changed to a warmer off white to blend in better with the tiles and sofa.
We don’t want the rug to detract from the artwork but it must complement it.
Which one do you like?
Home and Away
It has been too long since my last post and I feel like I’ve been on a merry-go-round.
via www.stpmo.com
A family member has been in trouble with their health and personal life and I’ve been trying to help. We’re not out of the woods yet but things have improved for the time being.
via www.growingnewlife.com.
So please forgive me for my absence. I’ve been here in body but not in mind and just haven’t felt like waxing lyrical about all things pretty and nice.
I have also had a week’s holiday in Queensland with the family. We had a lovely four days in Brisbane catching up with friends and family and a further 5 days on the beautiful Gold Coast relaxing. We had three days at Royal Pines Resort and another two at the Sheraton Mirage.
So now it’s back to work and back to the blog. I hope you’ve had a good few weeks and I look forward to your company as I get back on the merry-go-round.
Its in the Stars
I think we all read our astrology charts from time to time. Whether we live by the predictions or just read them for a laugh there are often things that ring true.
Many years ago I picked up a sheet on decorating styles for Virgos (which is me). There were many comments that made me wonder if there was something in decorating by the stars.
So when Jonathan Adler released these cushions, it reminded me to read a bit more about astrology decorating.
Needlepoint Cushions from Jonathan Adler
Virgos like an earthly retreat filled with natural materials and colours.They like to bring the outdoors in. We are no nonsense type of people and want simplicity and everything in it’s place.
from Australian House and Garden Photographer Andre Martin
Those born under the sign of Sagittarius (like my husband) like their homes to reflect their interst in travel and other cultures.
via Style Files
And Cancerians (like my daughter) require their home to be a retreat, as they are “stay-at-home” types and want security and then comfort.
via Point Click Home Photographer Keith Scott Morton
Have a look at decorating for your star sign and let me know if your home reflects your star sign.
Warm and Cosy
Well yesterday was the last day of Summer. Boo Hoo! I’m definitely a summer girl and would much rather be boiling than freezing.
Flickr from {{{tara}}}'s photostream
But even I can’t stop the seasons.
Flickr from Pisces {away}'s photostream
Some of my clients are starting to think about their winter rooms and what can be done to make their homes warm and cosy.
Flickr from jogroman's photostream
I am looking at putting a stacked-stone fireplace in one house and have been searching for some images to inspire me and convey to the client what can be done.
From Australian House and Garden Photogrpaher Dan Magree
This might be a little too Alpine for a house in the suburbs.
From Australian House and Garden Photographer David Morcombe
And this is a little too neat for my client.
from Australian House and Garden Photogrpaher Steve Ryan
Getting warmer (sorry, bad pun). But the texture is good. (The view’s not bad either)
Not sure where this one came from. I had ripped it out of a magazine.
This could be a very real possibility. I like the colour of the stone and the pieces are not too little and not too big.
I’ll be sure to post the end result in a couple of months. Almost makes me want the weather to turn!
Well almost.
