decorate

I spotted this home in Derek Swalwell's portfolio and was immediately smitten. I had to show my husband, as this style of home would be perfect when we get around to planning our new house. I love the angles of the top level, the front balcony surrounded in wood, and the exterior finishes are exactly what I'm looking for. Add another level and I'm sold. :)

We've been crushing on Australian photographer Derek Swalwell for a long time. A really really really long time. Not only are his photographs absolutely dreamy, but he has had the opportunity to visit some of the most architecturally fabulous homes I think I've ever seen. I am envious. At least we are able to "visit" them virtually through his lens. I'll take what I can get. 

My love affair with New York firm Selldorf Architects continues. A vast, lofty, wide open, light streaming in, killer industrial windows type of lovin'. Stark white expanses anchored by dark floors and warmed by wood and colour blocks. And the whole idea of descending down into a TV "pit" just makes me grin like an idiot. Great bones brought to life with great design.

Artekt is an architecture and design agency with offices in Paris and Shanghai. This is their renovation of a tired and typical Shanghai apartment into a stylish contemporary space. The before and afters are amazing. I'm particularly taken with the bathroom transformation and the entrance/dining bar/lightbox is a clever use of the space. Bold colour adds warmth and clean lines improve the flow of the small apartment. Great to see design from this part of the world!

I LOVE this little 775 sq ft apartment located in Malmesbury, UK (it's a unique hilltop market town established in 880AD!!!). This property dates to 1850, is solid stone and has been totally renovated. I'm forever a fan of old, rustic homes brought into the 21st century - love the stone walls and the beamed ceilings. It has such a cosy feel to it. The kitchen design is pretty creative - I take it it's for folks who mostly eat out (although it even has a dishwasher!). How cool that it's accessed from the road via a courtyard so it's totally private. More details here and the agent's page here. 

We received an email from Italian photographer Francesca Pagliai about a luxury guesthouse she photographed called Casa Montani, located in the heart of Rome. It's so classy and perfect for a getaway in such a magnificent city. 

Lazio, Rome. It’s Monday morning and Campo dei Fiori greets me with its fruit, Indian spices and souvenir stands. Giuseppe and Charlotte Montani have just finished renovating their little apartment in nearby Piazza dei Satiri, in which you can find a fountain right next to the entrance that delivers water from the aqueduct of the capital. On the corner of the building you can see an ancient marble mullion that was probably put there from the builders to indicate that it was an illustrious palace, that came from an important history. To confirm first owners’ lust, we find the interior staircase, that brings you from the ground floor up to the top floor. The design and how it's made are really similar to those of Borromini made for the staircase that accompanies you to the crypt of San Carlino alla Quattro Fontane Church, obviously changing the proportions. The architect, responsible for the restoration of the beautiful space, is Miss Liliana Sciacca, one of the most renowned architects in Rome. Her touch is unique: clean in the structures, refined in the definition of the details, really careful at the fine-tuning and at functionality of the spaces. The brands that we can find in the house are Chelini and Artemide in the bedroom, and in the study a Poppi Clei.

If life gives you lemons then make lemonade. If your cursed with knotty pine then embrace your inner 70s muse. Also helps to invest in a large piece of art ;) By Bestor Architecture.

The collector's house. It's a love affair from afar. Lust and avarice and greed. I want. I covet. People will talk. Gossip and snicker and bite. I'm hooked. It's a bad habit I just don't want to break. I'm in love. Not the collector but the house ... and the collections. By Selldorf Architects.

A big thanks to Nina for introducing us to the work of Finnish photographer Krista Keltanen. She is super talented, especially at post processing. Love the deep contrast and brightness of her photos. Gorgeous. 

(thanks to the photo above I'm seriously about to go get a can of black paint from the basement and paint my backsplash)

This property is loft living at its finest. I have and always will adore loft spaces. The ability to have all that space, and those huge windows and high ceilings, to be able to cram it with furniture or keep it at sparse as you wish...the possibilities are endless. This loft is to die for. It's 2700 sq ft in a warehouse-style building located in London, with 3 bedrooms, each with it's own bathroom. It's been totally renovated by the current owner, and one of my favourite features is the flooring continuing along the wall in the kitchen and in the media area. I'd just throw in some industrial touches like some funky light fixtures and maybe some metal carts/cabinets and I would settle in quite nicely. :) (More details here, and the agent's page here) 

I'm stalking another clever extension to an older house this time in Randwick, Sydney. With not much backyard left after extending the living spaces the new design opens to the cleverly laid out garden area. The hero piece of this small garden is the pool with its cool glass wall. Equally the stacking glass walls are a stand out allowing a seamless flow from lounging inside to alfresco dining and there is even a small patch of grass (for dog or child or mower freak). Talk about packing it all in! Link here while it lasts.

What's that? Am I stalking the supernatural? A fleeting shadow? A ghostly apparition? A stencil on the wall? A cute and clever touch to a very narrow side passageway where not much will grow but a bare block wall is just a little too stark. A modern extension to an historic terrace in Fitzroy North, Melbourne. Link here while it lasts.

We received an email from a reader named Dane recently, and as today is a holiday here in Canada and I'm wishing I could be hanging out at my sister's cottage enjoying the scenery instead of home doing work and chores, I thought this was a perfect post (that might however have me in tears). Thought you would love this property. An old friend of mine Jenny Inch owns this home, she is a landscape designer (as you can tell from the images). This remains the most beautiful home I've had the pleasure of visiting, and the gardens are amazing. Enjoy! Enjoy we shall! Murrakaia is located in Dulong, Queensland, Australia and is currently for sale. It's located on 3 private acres and the home features two large bedrooms, a generous study, two bathrooms and two living areas, and it's only 90 minutes from Brisbane. The landscaping is out of this world. It's absolutely gorgeous and Jenny is obviously talented in that area. 

If you'd like to send me photos to include in next week's "pets on furniture" post, please ensure your photos follow my basic rules: First, the pet must be on a piece of furniture. And said piece of furniture must be clearly visible in the photo, so it takes center stage rather than your pet. Think of it more of a photo of a great piece of furniture that you want to show off...and your pet happens to be sitting on it. And second, the photo must be of decent quality. If it's dark or fuzzy then it may not make the cut. Photos, your name, location and a brief description can be sent to desiretoinspirekim@hotmail.com and PLEASE don't send closeups of your pet! Thanks!

I'd like to dedicate this post to the memory of Pugley, one of the coolest cats there was. About 10 years ago my husband and found 2 year old Pugley, a Persian, at the Humane Society. He was matted like you would not believe, and super grumpy (understandably so). We ended up having to give him up after a year or two because Pugley tormented one of our other cats. He spent some time with my parents, and then my younger sister took over his care. He became a big part of her family and it was with a heavy heart that Jen and her husband made the decision to have him put down on Thursday. Pugley had developed cancer and they tried all sorts of meds and special food but nothing was working. He lived a great life between our 3 households and while he was a grumpy little bastard, he was a really cool cat and we'll all miss him a ton. Love you Pugs. (P.S. Jen did a tribute post on our blog here)

As usual, Grey makes it into one of my reveal photos - he seems to get exhausted by photography. - Pat (Carleton Place, ON)

Pita seen here enjoying my new decor cushion gifted from a dear friend. - Christine & Lorway (Toronto, ON)

Here is a picture of Caspi a rescued cat sitting on an old radiogram/record player. She is very much the Princess in our 4 cat two dog household and we love her very much! - Jodie (Toowoomba, Australia)

Zoe and Ruby always have to lay on this quilt that I got from my Grandmothers cottage. We are sitting on the couch in Kitchener Ontario on this cold and rainy Monday. - Jason 

Our cat "Tuna" does not allow us work - Juan y Caro (Tucumán, Argentina)

Colour is great! And what is better than colour? More colour. Don't get me wrong. I love a taste of Scandi boho white mixed with timber floors and midcentury goodies so imagine great big swathes of saturated colour like a palette knife across a canvas or a cake. Yes! Colour is the icing on this cake! Fabulous family home by Bestor Architecture.

Wrap it up and bring it here. No wrap me up and deliver me there. Whatever! But just make sure that I'm cooking up a storm in the kitchen of this Silver Lake house by Bestor Architecture. California cool. Green with envy? You betcha. The only thing better would be ...

... another green kitchen by Barbara Bestor and her design team. Now I can't make up my mind. Sometimes you just got to have colour!

the ortitz via 79 Ideas 

trettien [31]

trettien [31]

Dynamisk Salong

Jonas Ingerstedt via Sfgirlbybay

helt enkelt

MøbelPøbel

Deisgn*Sponge

A Merry Mishap

Vosgesparis

Stylizimo

tonemelonedesign

Huset ved fjorden

BoBedre via La maison d'Anna G.

Stadshem via my scandinavian home

Elle Interiör via ROOM and serve

Norm Architects via NOE PÅ HJERTET

What a wonderful family home, full of light and a life well lived. Children and music and friends and entertaining. A kitchen as the centre of it all and everywhere  a casual sense of style. Long time reader Kimberley and her husband Adam have sadly sold this house and moved on but Kimberley assures me that it is to another renovation adventure. So without further ado I present to you a wonderful Australian home, the Baudelaire family home.

P.S. You can see before and afters here.

Dahlings, check out this wonderful structure in Bath (in the county of Somerset in South West England) that was designed in 1790. Somerset Place spectacular example of Georgian architecture (designed by John Eveleigh) is about to be restores into a series of luxury residences (ranging from 3,100 to 5,700 sq ft). The grandeur of those windows is to die for, and I'd absolutely want to keep as much of the original finishes intact as possible - LOVE the walls with all that history showing through. I wouldn't even paint! This is my dream home. (More info on the local estate agent's page if you want to snap one up for yourself!)

A big thanks to one of our readers, Kris from Vancouver, who just got back froma month in Europe (hate you!). Kris spent a bit of time in Copenhagen and stayed at this incredible hotel called Hotel Alexandra. It's filled with classic Danish furniture and is an absolute dream for anyone out there like me who has a soft spot for anything Danish. I'm talking about the Pelican chair by Finn Juhl, Arne Jacobsen - clocks, Swan + Egg chair, Hans Wegner Teddy Bear chair, Børge Mogensen chairs, a Verner Panton suite...and SWEET vintage posters!