Daytripping

Daytripping, in the Sunday Age M Magazine.  Photo by Mike Baker, Styling by Heather Nette King, copyright Fairfax  Media 

Man this was a fun one...

I had been thinking about doing a luxe picnic scene for a Savvy Shopper page for a while, but just couldn't work out what kind of styling angle I would take. The 'romantic car on a dusty country road, with rolling hills and fields of flowers' look is beautiful, but its been well and truly done before. So I thought about creating that kind of look, but in a really faux, manufactured, studio environment. It needed to be so obviously fake, and kinda cartoon-glossy, and hyperreal. Like a ridiculous 50's auto ad. And it had to be pretty!

One word to my ole mate Mikey Baker and he was all over it. I was going to paint a crazy pink backdrop (natch) but he showed me the fabulous fake sky canvases available for hire at Illusions Studio, and it all came together. All we needed was a tonne of shiny, clipped fake grass, and Melbourne's most stunning and stylish car. Enter Melbourne's most stunning and stylish car-owner, Lyn Gardiner from Empire Vintage with her wonderful 1965 Mercedes Benz Roadster.  Add a delicious hamper, from wonder-caterers, The Big Group, and we had ourselves a picnic.

Here's how the day went...

the cyc is ready for action

Lyn drops off her magnificent 1965 Mercedes Benz Roadster. Thanks Lyn.
 No car envy at all... No.

the gorgeous painted canvas goes up

Mike manoeuvres her into place

Pop in some nature. The incredible blossom is from Impulse Flower Wholesalers

Mike lights it like a sunny day then I add in the final touches - more nature!

Then, what did we do?  Of course, like any picnic, we drank the champagne, ate the cheese, packed up and went home!

hx

This image appeared in the Sunday Age M magazine today, Sunday 30th September 2012. Copyright Fairfax Media

spring colour trends

Well I am very happy about all the colour out here!

Last week I wrote a feature for the Sunday Age about Spring homeware trends - and after a quick stroll through the recent trade fairs, the major trend was very obvious. Yep, it was colour. And loads of it. Add in some florals, geometrics, pastels and fluoros and that just about sums up Spring 2012.  Happy days.  And beige brigade - don't say I didn't warn you!

hx

Copyright Fairfax Media

gorgeous Melbourne home, Cathryn Wills and John Wessels

"She has a shoe-seum", remarked my eldest, Annebelle, when she took a look Armelle's beautiful shots of Cathryn Wills' and John Wessel's bedroom. Yes, indeed, Cathryn does have a shoe-seum.  Her whole place is a cool-seum, for that matter. Tell you what, the more houses I visit, the more I love to see the unexpected, the kooky, the raw personality of the owners.  I am crazy about homes that people put together to please just themselves, and that are true indications of what delights their own eyes. And Cathryn and John's is a cracker!

hx

On the pages - in yesterday's Sun Herald / Sunday Age Sunday Life magazine

gorgeous Melbourne home - Guy Mathews

Guy Mathews at home

Man I love this home. There were some serious pangs of home/life envy when Armelle, her lovely assistant Annette and I left Guy Mathews' home above his incredible store in Johnson Street Fitzroy after this shoot.

I wanted practically everything there. And the colours? Ah the colours - Guy mixes his wall paints himself and has achieved a palette that is nothing short of sublime. Suddenly my white-walled home seemed so safe, and dull. And my white vintage Casala chair - so pedestrian - why isn't it sky blue?

Anyway, like all of theses things, I got over it - until I opened Sunday Life yesterday.  I can feel some moody-hued wall painting coming on.  Stand by...

Guy Mathews' home, copyright Sunday Life magazine, Fairfax Media