the ultimate kitchen...

Sydney-based interior designer Darren Palmer has created what I believe is the ultimate kitchen.

If, like me, your idea of a working kitchen is a space to open cheese and pour a (large) glass of wine, you will love the  mirrored splashback which slides up to reveal a full cocktail bar.

Ian

new designs at 'the cloakroom'...

Josh at The Cloakroom has added some great new jackets to his outstanding collection.
Looking forward to mine arriving in the coming weeks!

'hee' lounge chair

The 'Hee' Lounge chair, designed by Hee Welling is a cool and basic chair that can be used indoors as well as outdoors. Hee understands simplicity both in detail and finishing - the ultimate in modern and function-orientated Scandinavian furniture. I am looking forward to mine arriving next week and taking pride of place on my front verandah.

with great sadness...

Our friend and business mentor, Michael Beirne recently passed (14/01/2008). We will miss him greatly.

cocktail cabinet...

After searching everywhere for examples of Cocktail Cabinets I came across this spectacular example from Melbourne's dynamic Hecker Phelan and Guthrie.
I love the idea of unfolding a set of solid doors that reveal a secret and hidden 'martini station'.
Chin Chin...

timorous beasties

Today I was reminded of the fabulous designs of Glasgow's Timorous Beasties.
I adore this simple, yet effective 'Napoleon' pattern!
Timorous Beasties was founded in 1990 by Alistair McAuley and Paul Simmons who met as students at Glasgow School of Art. After beginning by designing fabrics and wallpapers for production by other companies, Timorous Beasties then started to manufacture its designs and recently opened a shop on the Great Western Road in Glasgow.
As their working practise as designer-makers has progressed, Timorous Beasties have become increasingly experimental in their approach to both hand-printing and machine production. These changes are reflected in their evolving aesthetic: from early wayward interpretations of naturalistic images of insects, plants and fish; to a searingly contemporary graphic style which explore social and political issues.

'Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie,
O, what panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi' bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,
Wi' murd'ring pattle!'
To A Mouse
by Robert Burns

caribbean style...

It may be that this Christmas was unusually rainy and the Queensland beaches were no go zones, but I just cant stop looking at the stunning Tim Street-Porter images of Antonia Hutt's 'Caribbean' style beach house.
Its rum cocktails, spicy food and reggae...
Ian

village twin cinema

One of my favorite memories of Brisbane is sitting in either the Blue or Purple Rooms of the Village Twin Cinema in New Farm and having the stress of the day wash over me in a spectacular show of light and colour.
The building is on the Queensland Heritage Register, but approval has been given to demolish part of it because it has been declared dangerous and wreckers will soon smash through another of our fond memories.
The Ron G Monsborough designed Village Twin at New Farm opened in late 1970 and was the first twin cinema complex in Queensland. It was a renovation of the Astor Theatre (c1921) and was added to the Queensland Heritage Register for its distinctive late 1960s/early 1970s design. 

The Telegraph described Ron G Monsborough as ‘acknowledged as a leading Australian cinema design architect’ and that the Village Twin ‘is the best example of his outstanding ability in this field.’
The contrast between the sleek design of the foyer and the vivid light and colour in the cinemas intensifies the sense of escapism and fantasy common to cinema design.
The Blue Room is the larger and more ornate of the two cinemas. The most obvious feature is the vaulted ceiling, a plaster moonscape concealing red, blue and green lights.
The Purple Room has a gentle ambience with the ceiling also a significant feature. The ceiling is vaulted with floating, sprayed vermiculite, square panels over concealed purple lighting and translucent purple resin light boxes. Carpet of the same design as the Blue Room but in shades of purple and mauve completes the design.
Next on the agenda for the Village Twin is a new proposal to develop the rear of the site. It has been stated that the proposal would not detract from the 1960/70s design and representatives from the New Farm Historical Society, local community, youth groups and Brisbane City Council would be involved in a focus group to oversee this project.

I would love to hear comments from any of our readers as we say goodbye to this Brisbane icon.

Ian 


ptolomeo...

I know...I know... we have all seen the Ptolomeo vertical bookshelf and book 'wall' before, I just thought that this was a great time of the year to include this reminder.
Everyone I speak to has been deeply involved in organising their lives for the new year and, if you have as many books and magazines as I do, this storage solution is invaluable.
Named after Claudius Ptolemy (c. A.D 87-150), an influential astronomer, the Ptolomeo can turn even your most weathered magazines and books into an extraordinary three-dimensional sculpture.
Ian

bruce reynolds

Bruce Reynolds is one of our favorite local artists. He has created spectacular collage style flooring for Brisbane Arcade gift store 'Sheil' and our favorite eyewear specialist, Optiko, located in Brisbane's Tattersalls Arcade.
Carpets include pieces from Windsor Castle, the Birch Carroll and Coyle Cinemas, the ill-fated Village Twin Cinemas in New Farm and 'Wild Flowers', a design created for the 1957 Melbourne Olympics.
Reynolds is also know for his objects veneered in cracked and elderly pieces of linoleum and in Brisbane he is represented by Ryan Renshaw.
Ian

and 2008 begins...

Today is our first day back from our Christmas break and we start the year maybe a little too relaxed...

I hope that everyone also had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

We start the year with some really exciting new projects and look forward to updating our blog with images and ideas.

Heres to an exciting 2008!!!

Ian