Special Pretty Flowers...

Here's a photo of little vignette I arranged with some of my favourite blue & white porcelain pieces, and my Chinese Tomb Warrior [I love this piece an old friend bought it back from his travels for us] with the beautiful bouquet of flowers that my parents sent our baby girl Isabelle in celebration of her 1 week birthday - today! I adore the pale pink flowers combined with the soft green & silver foliage, and the soft two tone stripe grosgrain ribbon! Perfect for the Isabelle Spell!

Image by Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions

Home Is Where The Heart Is...

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I'm home now with our precious baby girl, Isabelle, and I am sure glad to be out of hospital, in the surrounds & comfort of my own home [not to mention bigger laptop & interior mags]! It is truly amazing the emotional & physical pull that our homes have on us... the comfort of familiar smells, touch, and visual recognition can make all the difference to our sense of well being. It is with these ever so important sensory levels that by changing, updating, and styling our homes [living spaces] to a genuinely pleasing aesthetic that can make all the difference to how we function, and connect with who we live with...What are some of the things you have done to add to or make your house a more personal space - a home, your home?

Enjoy your Home, Love your Home! S x

Images from Australian Country Style May 2010 issue - 'Decorating - Pale & Pretty' pg 84

A Small Break...but still here!

Since having our 1st baby last week I am not sure how often and how predictable I will be in posting on Palatial Living over the next couple of weeks... Seems as though feeding times don't often correspond with creative & inspirational time for me [mummy!]. So please bear with me as my erratic posting hopefully becomes a little more frequent & routine again - as with the feeding & sleeping times of our newest addition - Miss Isabelle! Thank you again for all your kind wishes & support, I hope you will continue to check into Palatial Living & be inspired...Enjoy - S xxx

Image from Vogue Living May/ June 2007, from the home of Gywn Hanssen-Piggott - a favourite Australian ceramicist of mine, who is also inspired by the great Italian painter - Giorgio Morandi, whom I adore with his still life paintings & the exhibition held at Art Gallery of New South Wales some years back.

Happy Friday... Flowers for Isabelle.

Happy Friday! I can't even begin to tell you how surreal this week has been for me [us] with the birth of our gorgeous little girl Isabelle, our life compass has certainly adjusted direction! Although not the best photography {but still god bless the iPhone!} here are some pics I took of the stunning full head scented roses my darling aunt Adele, uncle Jim & cousins Claudia & Luke, sent Isabelle & I from Grandiflora to celebrate her arrival - it just seemed perfect for Flowers for Friday on Palatial Living!

Here's to your wonderful weekend ahead & although mine will be spent in hospital - it will be none the less shared with our darling daughter, Isabelle, and lovely friends & family popping by to meet her! Take care, and a BIG thank you for all your support and kind wishes for our little girl. S xxx

Images by Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions

Happy News...We have a little Girl!

We have Happy News!

'Olivia The Owl' by fab label Bluebird & Honey, a soft rattle friend from our dear friends Caz & John, and Mollie [from Infancy].

I am in disbelief...Thursday morning at exactly 11am I gave birth to our gorgeous sweet little girl, Isabelle Sarah! We loved the name 'Isabelle' for some time now and 'Sarah' is a family name from my Dad's side including my namesake - my Grandma, her Great Aunt & Great Grandmother, and my cousin's middle name - needless to say it's a special family name and we love it. Not long after posting on Palatial Living late on Wednesday evening I went into spontaneous labour...that will teach me to post about not having any more birthdays in the month of April!! Now we have one more very special on 22 April 2010 to our daughter,Isabelle, who decided to meet us some 2 weeks earlier than expected!

We're all doing super well, and I now will have so much fun finalising Isabelle's nursery! Luckily my darling husband (aka amazing birth partner & new Daddy) lent me his 'baby dell' laptop so I could - a) blog for Palatial Living; b) email friends & family; & c) importantly get in contact with those who I have sourced from for the finer decor details! Note -Janette - My Sweet Prints, just to let you know that I will be ordering over the weekend!

I will post images very soon... Blessings, I will be back shortly! S xxx

Image by Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions

Visit 'Bluebird & Honey' blog here; and check out 'Infancy' online here.

Mid Week House Snoop...Gorgeous Gladesville.

Rear yard -Gorgeous in the dusk...

Fuss free fabulous outdoor decked entertaining ares with lush lawn & parimeter gardens

Open plan - spacious combined living & kitchen

Open plan living area with polished timber floors

Casual dining area

Well appointed elegant Master Bedroom

Rear yard with decked & paved outdoor entertaining areas.

I fell in love with this home located in Sydney's Inner West, Gladesville, and especially the blue-white living room decor combined with the fabulous inside outside dual living areas classic contemporary with freshness... truly Palatial!

Images via Domain.com.au & McGrath Real Estate

Two Birthdays!

In our families it's a month of birthdays... all Grandmother's both of minem & including my husband's Nana, Elaine, and also our Goddaughter, Charlotte... Hopefully 'Baby Verity' can wait til May, I don't think we could fit much more in this month!

Wishing my [maternal] Grandmother, NJ, a very Happy 83rd Birthday today... We love you & hope that you have a lovely day with [Pa] your husband & friends! Here's to a wonderful happy & healthy year ahead. xxx

And a very special 1st Birthday Wish, with all our love, to our gorgeous Goddaughter, Charlotte! We're not sure where that 1st year went but we're so glad to be a part of your beautiful little life & seeing you grow up! xxx

image 1 Snippet & Ink - image 2 Martha Stewart

Nursery Sneak Peak...

I covet my [our] Eames [Replica] RAR Rocker from Matt Blatt - it is so comfortable and terribly stylish, teamed with UK brand 'Nature's Purest' - 'Bird' applique Pillow... ready for nursing.

A collection of sweet friends - left to right - 'D-lux' knitted Bunny from my Aunt & cousin, Harrods' 'My First Puppy' I picked this adorable plush puppy up when I was in London last year visiting my sister - just before I arrived we found out I was pregnant with Baby Verity - as a little girl I had a 'puppy' that I adored & I wanted to carry on the tradition.

Next to 'Puppy' is the knitted soft rattle 'Safari Elephant' from Nature's Purest - an adorable gift from a good friend & work colleague who loved the recent birth of the baby elephant at Sydney's Taronga Zoo and thought to commemorate it for our baby! Lastly - 'Noukies' Teddy Bear rattle plush slippers I saw these in a baby wear store in Lucerne Switzerland on my travels late last year and thought they were perfect!

I love this Cath Kidston 'Knitted Bunny' that I picked up in the Cath Kidston signature store in Covent Garden London when visiting my sister last year - I really love that store, coupled with another 'rabbit' with the wonderful story book 'Guess How Much I Love You' sweetheart edition by Sam McBrateny & Illustrated by Anita Jeram.

A fun display - Eric Carle's 'Very Special Baby Book' , Dr Suess' Miniature Library, Cath Kidson's 'Knitted Rabbit', & 'Guess How Much I Love You' story book.

[Above] A very special friend has been waiting for a few years now... we named 'Sinclair', who is Harrods' Signature Teddy Bear that my husband surprised with me when in London, heading though Europe for Christmas & New Year's, a couple months after we were married in 2004, he bought it for our first baby that he knew we'd have some time down the track!

[Above]'Peter Rabbit & Wedgewood Dinner Plate' & Mug; a gift from Verity Grandparents-to-be, my mother-in-law gave us this sweet set, which I have displayed with perspex plate holder, when we announced we were pregnant - I love that she told me she had bought it, as in -waiting gift, shortly after we were married and kept it for this announcement! A lovely friend & work colleague gave us Baby Verity's first couture - a 'Baby Dior' by Christian Dior bottle, complete with silver mesh carrier!

Starting the library... you know my fondness of books, and it's never to early to start. Since taking this photo the collection has grown again, as has the Amazon wish list in Baby Verity's name!

I got restless & did some 'nesting' end of last week and through the weekend in the nursery... and also picked up our Eames [Replica] RAR Rocker - Yay! Here are a few images of the Neutral Canvas I have created for our much anticipated 'Baby Verity'... due in approx. 2/2.5 wks time! My husband thinks it's hilarious that I love to 'merchandise' the books & toys in the bookcase & room... maybe some of me is rubbing off on him - as he found the white baskets, and is quite proud of his 'design' mark made!

Hope you like them... accented colours & more decor pieces to follow - stay tuned! S xxx

Images by Sarah Verity - Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions

Happy 90th Birthday...Grandma xxx

Sending our Love & Birthday Wishes to my Grandma [and my namesake] Sarah, whose milestone 90th Birthday is today! My Grandma has the most amazing garden, where she lives in Sydney's Blue Mountains, it is in this garden that she has taught me so many things to do with planting, gardening, design and horticulture. Here amongst many of my other favourite trees & plants that she grows, are the most amazing Hydrangeas, ranging from bold big heads of Blue, to White, to Purple-Red and Pink, this gorgeous wreath I stumbled across [on snippet & ink] is perfect for her & her home as birthday flowers.

We love you so much, you're a truly inspiring & admirable woman who we cannot help but be proud of & honoured to call 'Grandma'. Here's to another 10 birthdays at least! Love you Always. S xxx

image via snippet & ink

Sweet Friday Flowers...

Seems we still have a good few Easter Eggs left around the house, for some reason the chocolate eggs always taste better than just having plain block chocolate! Purely in the head I know... that's why I couldn't go past these sweet flowers - pansies, snow drops, forget-me-nots, lavender buds and the like, all vased in pretty patterned egg cups. They reminded me of our little treats left over !

I hope you have a wonderful relaxing weekend... I plan to put my feet up for most of it - especially now that our nursery is as ready as it can be - just waiting for someone to fill it! Thank You again for stopping by at Palatial Living & for all your kind emails and comments.

Take Care & Happy Weekend! S xxx

Image from Martha Stewart

Mid-Week House Snoop...Historical Glebe 'Reussdale' c.1866

This week's mid-week house snoop takes me to Sydney's Inner West, Glebe. A leafy converted suburb - somewhat re gentrified over the past few decades with many people still wanting the cafe lifestyle with a 20-30min walk into the city, but larger space for home and small courtyard. Glebe is a stone's through from Sydney city...

I love this fabulous Gothic style home c. 1866 named 'Reussdale'. We have some friends that live on Reuss Street & Wigram Lane not far from this marvel of a property which is on one of the main streets - 'Bridge Street' that runs into Glebe and Glebe Point Rd. What attracted me to this home for the post this week was it's beauty & clever metamorphosis from historical home to adept contemporary living with it's recent renovations and extensions to accommodate stylish practical 21st century living. Although in many [design] areas I'd like to consider myself a purist - this is not one of those - where design consideration seems to be thoughtfully executed to enable this historic house to be a functional modern home - combining purity with integrity.

Agent's Blurb...Belle Property.

Lifestyle:Reussdale c.1866 is undeniably one of the area’s most distinguished properties, set on a vast 880sqm landholding. This magnificent residence, created by renowned 19th century architect Ferdinand Reuss, has been meticulously restored and renovated to create a peerless family home ideal for entertaining on a grand scale. The eclectic delights of Glebe Village are moments away whilst Sydney University & waterfront parkland are an easy stroll.

Accommodation: Set well back on a huge 880sqm level block with manicured gardens, this grand home is divided into two private wings, one period, one contemporary, offering at least five large bedrooms, 3.5 travertine bathrooms, stately formal lounge with bay feature window, deluxe stone gas kitchen and conservatory style dining plus family room both opening to a large timber deck.

Features: Designed in the Picturesque Gothic style, Reussdale combines classic and contemporary details to great effect, including rich timber floors and joinery, soaring ceilings, marble fireplaces, glass louvres, ducted r/c air-conditioning, abundant storage, and double auto garaging with internal access.

Images from Domain.com.au & Belle Property

Fabulous Shades of Pink!

Lately I have had several people tell me [by looking at the shape of my pregnant belly] that we're having a boy... although not adverse to either a baby boy or girl, as we don't know ourselves yet, it would seem that gender is being played by colour [and vice versa] through out decor, design, styling and clothing decision making. It got me thinking more about how important colour is to us, and how we associate colour with social conditioning or it's expectations, whether subliminally or not. At such a new start in life, as a baby, it would seem that we're already determined by masculine and feminine types of colour...

Maybe subconsciously that is why I am exploring the poles of 'gender' colour here, with these fabulous shades of pink, and yesterday more of the blue spectrum... What does it mean? Not sure but it's fun to explore and to not be tagged with a 'gender-ised colour'!
Regardless - although I don't use a lot of pink shades in my work it is slowly creeping through in accents and decor items, I find it an amazing joining colour and soloist hue too. Here are some wonderful examples of how stunning, clean and contemporary pink can really be I thought I would share with you. Enjoy x

Images from House Beautiful, Elle Decor, Amazon.com, & Traditional Living

Some Kind of Blue...

Not only a title for one of my favourite Miles Davis albums 'Kind of Blue'... but a wonderful little collage title for these images I have 'dug up' from my image file and thought you might like to share in my 'some kind of blue', with many of you knowing how much I love [almost if not all] any kind of blue! Enjoy x

Images from Traditional Living, Elle Decor, & House Beautiful magazines

Friday Flowers for L-O-V-E!

Flowers for Friday this week is for a very special reason - L-O-V-E - this weekend - is my [little] sister, Felicity's Wedding to her fiance Alexander! We're all so very excited for them both & cannot wait till Saturday afternoon for the Church ceremony, and following reception celebrations! Although I am a little inhibited at 36 weeks pregnant to a) wear the bridesmaid dress - I have a special one for the day as chief bridesmaid to accommodate Baby Verity! b) no flowing champagne for me - just mock tails, and c) have to keep it to a few dances instead of many; bonus - my husband is groomsman so we're together on the day! We do know it is going to be a fabulous day for my sister & our families, and Felic will be gorgeous bride!

Hope you have a love-filled weekend whatever you're up to - be it attending a wedding, or spending time with your family & friends, falling in love with a piece of furniture, art work or print, or a plant for your garden! Enjoy & Take Care. S xxx

Image from Snippet & Ink

Check Out - 'Thread Den'...

I am very excited - I have just received my latest Habitus e-newsletter & have already noted my next store to visit when in [North] Melbourne... 'Thread Den'. Some of you may already know of this fab store, I am in love with their sewing lounge concept and their use of vintage goods & materials - all the things I have found or been given from my Grandmother's & Mother's Singer sewing cabinet - the buttons, thread reels - made of real wood, and copious amounts of buttons - so much so I collect jars of buttons all colour blocked! Hopefully if you live near North Melbourne or are visiting the area you can drop by the store to have a good sticky or join in the sewing lounge! Enjoy. S x

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Blurb From Habitus newsletter/ magazine.
+ Thread Den: A small collective of like-minded women are resurrecting the skills of ages past with this Melbourne drop-in sewing workshop.
Thread Den is the carefully nurtured dream of four determined girls – who have turned a collection of sewing machines and over-lockers into a first-of-its-kind vibrant sewing lounge and vintage-inspired retail outlet.
Bonding over their common love of the 50s and 60s, and vintage goods, Thread Den partner Erica Menting says it all started when they realised a need for a drop-in style sewing space that taught basic and advanced sewing skills.
“I guess it is just a generational thing,” she says. “Our mothers all seemed to learn to sew - but now there is a whole generation of people who weren’t taught when they were growing up, or had no interest in it and didn’t pursue it because clothes are reasonably cheap to buy.”Originally set up on Errol Street in North Melbourne two and a half years ago, the business has recently doubled in size, to include a new sister premises in Fitzroy, and a bi-monthly designer market also in North Melbourne.
“When it was first started, there were only about 3 or so classes a week,” Menting says, “But now there are classes every night, and up to four on the weekend days – we are just trying to keep up with demand!”
She says they get a broad mix of people, including older men, who come in not only for the classes, but also to use their machines and cutting tables to mend clothes and complete creative projects.
Add to this to their covetable collection of vintage clothes and accessories, and unique range of Australian-made designs, and there is no doubt these girls will be influencing more than just one generation of consumers.
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Visit - Thread Denthreadden.com & North Melbourne Marketnorthmelbournemarket.com
Images from Habitus magazine e-newsletter. For more info on Habitus magazine or to subscribe visit this link