the bomb...

Flower bombing with Holly Hipwell at Nyary 604.  Click to enlarge pic.  

On Thursday evening I had just about as much fun as you can have with lollies, flowers and big group of gals.  You see, Jenny Keys and Peter Nyary (and Adi) of High Street's gorgeous Nyary 604 store, had persuaded Sydney's flower queen, the girl who made carnations fashionable again, Miss Holly Hipwell, to bring her flower-bomb-making classes to Melbourne.  It was fab.

Holly was heaven - she presided over her (sometimes unruly) class with a hilarious mixture of mock-stern school marm'ness, cute wit, and the kind of kooky whimsy you'd expect from a florist dressed in a flowing pink kimono.  If you don't already, you must read her blog because it's a scream.

Nyary was the perfect venue as it looks magical lit up at night - what with all of those mirrors, hanging Venetian pendants and chandeliers.  And colour.  This was not an evening for the beige brigade.

We all had fun, made some new friends (some of us were already Insta-friends so it was great to meet in person!), and we went happily home toting our bombs.  If they do it again - you really must go.

Its a dodgy insta pic but you can see the magic

Hx

How to attract a stylist...

On a few occasions lately I have really wanted to feature a fabulous product in an editorial spread, but the manufacturers and/or store owners just didn't get the benefit that this could be for their business.  So, rather than have a private whinge...I thought I'd so something constructive, and write this little guide for store owners, designers, producers and sales assistants, explaining what we interiors stylists and writers do, and how we can be of benefit to each other.  This guide is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully it will help get you started.

hx

Copyright: Heather Nette King.  Please do not reproduce without written authorisation from Heather Nette King.

Spring, Country Style...

The Spring issue of Country Style is one that I always look forward to, and this year again it is filled with amazing gardens and homes.  Also, I was very happy to see one of the stories that lovely Lisa Cohen shot and I styled a few months ago. It's a profile on country chef Emma Handley at Villa Gusto in Bright, and it features some of her amazing dishes.  Yes, I can guarantee that they are amazing - I happily sampled them all!

Country Style September 2012 issue goes on sale today.

hx

cover of the year...

Vogue Living Sept/Oct 2012

I know we are not long past the mid-way point, but I am happy to make the call - this is my favourite cover of 2012.

Elegant, sparse, and striking.

It's Cameron Kimber's home, in the September/October issue of Vogue Living, in a story photographed by the lovely Prue Ruscoe and produced and written by Helen Redmond.  The cover art direction is by the divinely stylish Aleksandra Beare.

I know this one will stay on top of my coffee table magazine piles for quite some time.

hx

any colour as long as it is pink, part IV

the pink dress print by Emma Cleine of Lumiere Art + Co

Ooh I had a very exciting delivery this morning - a divine pink dress print by the gorgeous Emma Cleine of Lumiere Art + Co.  I had the good fortune to meet lovely Emma at the recent LifeInstyle trade fair, at the stall of the equally lovely Julia Green of Greenhouse Interiors.

As soon as it is back from the framers, it is destined to join this array of pinkness.  Can't wait!

hx

intrigue...

Found for $2 in a Toorak op shop today.

How beautiful, and intriguing is this inscription in a little French-English dictionary I found for $2 in a Toorak op shop today.  "And it is with feelings of regret that we reluctantly say farewell to the lovely flower of Lansell Road, 18/4/'45",

I wonder who the lovely flower of Lansell Road was - and did go, and then return from her journey to France? Did she fall in love (and marry a handsome Count?). Did she use the dictionary - it's not very well-thumbed?  So many questions.  Fabulous.

hx

Gorgeous Melbourne home - Gavin Brown's 'dandy cave'

Gavin Brown's magnificently opulent living room

As I wandered through Gavin Brown's fabulous St Kilda apartment, all I could think was, "my god, how can I adequately describe this place?"

Thankfully, gorgeous Gavin gave me the best description ever - "modern Baroque, a cabinet of curiousites, or even a dandy cave".  Yep that pretty much covers it!

Apart from the mind-blowing artworks (mostly Gavin's own work) it was his beautiful Chinese Opium bed and use of bold paint in shades of black, mustard and scarlet that made me fall in love with this home.

You can see Gavin's artwork here, and read his fabulous blog, nic-nac castle, here.  If you go back through the archives you can read all about Gavin and his partner, Peter Curnow's, last trip to new York.  I followed their trip, and made a list of their must-sees, ahead of our trip to NYC in a few months time.
hx

On the page in Sunday Life yesterday, copyright Fairfax Media

This page appeared in the Sunday Age / Sun Herald Sunday Life magazine yesterday.  Photos by Armelle Habib, story and styling by me, copyright owned by Fairfax Media.

The Poulier home in Livingetc

amidst the chaos that is my desk - my first work in Livingetc.

I had a total moment last night. I knew it was coming, but that only seemed to heighten my excitement. I have been reading (devouring, really) Livingetc since it first came out in 1998.  I would read it in stolen snippets of time when Annebelle was a baby, and dream about someday having a story in it.  My pile of Livngetc's is now almost at eye height!

So, it was with incredible joy (there may or may not have been moist eyes - I know, I know, I am seriously uncool) that I downloaded the September 2012 issue of Livingetc, to see the gorgeous Melbourne home of Lisa and Mark Poulier -  a story that wonderful photographer Armelle Habib and I worked on together. The Poulier's home is HEAVEN.  Classic, stylish, quirky, elegant, cool - I could go on and on.  The black front sitting room kills me. See it and you will understand.

Thanks again to Lisa and Mark for having us on that very, very long day...I hope you love the story as much as Armelle and I do.

hx

Images are owned by Armelle Habib and Heather Nette King