I just had to share some photos of a restaurant I stumbled upon while looking for something else…”Murano” is by Gordon Ramsay in Central London. Those first two images are breathtaking…I LOVE the front of that bar! Not sure exactly what it is, but a little birdy told me it was hand-blown glass, and considering the name of the place, that is more than possible. I don’t even care what the food is like, I definitely have to make it here when I’m next in London!

If you don’t already have yourself a copy of the Australian Belle magazine, run out and get one! I’ve been drooling over this gorgeous room from the front cover spread…and I just had to share.

It’s a bit too early to be thinking about Xmas presents…and a bit too late to be thinking about birthday presents. But man how I want this house. Forget that I don’t actually live in London…

Tom Ford’s London digs are up for grabs at a mere £8,500,000. Semi-detached gloriousness in a seemingly fancy neighbourhood…and those walls. All of them. I must know whose work it is. I read somewhere that David Collins did a London residence for Tom Ford, but this looks more like the work of Bill Sofield to me…but who knows. It almost makes me want to be a man and take up cigar smoking and drinking whisky.

More pics here.

I have some more new (to me) talent to share. Martin Brudnizki is a swedish born, but now London based designer (what is it with that place – its so full of hot designers, I think I might have to move over there!) – and a former employee of David Collins to boot! If his former employer doesn’t give you an idea of the eye candy you are in store for, I’m not sure what else will. He describes his interiors as luxurious, tailored and modern. A description I think is pretty fitting. Anyway, you be the judge – check ’em out and let me know what you think – will we be seeing more of Mr Brudnizki in the not too distant future…?

It’s all things London in my mind this week. Partly because I’m still obsessing over that office by Candy & Candy, and partly because a good friend of mine who lives there celebrated a birthday this week, and I’m missing her terribly. So to round out the week here is another great find – London-based design firm Collett ~ Zarzycki. Hope you enjoy – and have a great weekend!

Happy Monday! I found these images over the weekend when one of the employee’s of London based design firm Candy & Candy sent me an email. I felt, firstly, that I must have been living under a rock not having heard of these guys before, and secondly, that perhaps I’d died and gone to heaven. The work this firm is doing is so amazing!

The design and property development firm was founded by the Candy brothers Nick and Christian (hence the name) when they were both in their twenties with just a ₤6,000 loan from their Grandmother. Less than ten years later, and several properties later, the Candy brothers are now developing the most expensive properties in the world, with clients that include Royalty, World Leaders and the Uber Rich. So rich are their clientele, in fact, that they claim to be above the worldwide recession. Having worked for the worlds wealthy elite for so long has provided the brothers a lifestyle that most of us only dream about. They live in Monaco (tax reasons), have several super yachts, and mix with the rich and famous on a daily basis. Nice work if you can get it! – I only hope they give me a call if they plan to open an office in Hong Kong! All kidding aside…I hope you enjoy these pics as much as I did.

As if the projects the staff of Candy & Candy get to work on aren’t great enough…they also get to work in what I have to say is the most amazing looking office I’ve ever seen! Check out the pics below…like I said guys, give me a ring if you need staff in Hong Kong!

Design consultant Suzy Hoodless started out in the magazine business, not unlike fellow Briton, Ilse Crawford. After a few years at Designer’s Guild and then House & Garden, she become the Interiors Editor at Wallpaper* magazine from it’s inception. Since 2000 she has been running her design consultancy out of her West London studio and has taken on some pretty amazing projects. Here are a few pics from her portfolio that really grabbed my attention.

Love this colour combination…quite unusual, but I think it works.

The spindly legs of the Frits Henningsen chair look amazing in this architectural space.

A very cosy looking restaurant, also in West London.

A subtle mix of styles and eras here. I am a bit of a fan of chesterfields, when they’re done right, and I think it looks great in this textural space against the Curtis Jere-looking sculpture.

A little bit of red for a pop…

A cozy looking room…perfect place to sit by the fire with a book and a glass of red on a winter’s day!

I’ve had a few friends from here leave for Old London Town lately, so its been on my mind a bit. Perhaps that’s why I’ve been buying more UK decorating magazines lately, or perhaps its because all the US ones keep folding? Either way, I was flipping through a copy of ‘The World of Interiors’ and stumbled upon the London townhouse of the New Zealand-born decorator Veere Grenney (ex director at Colefax & Fowler). I am smitten. It has so many elements that I love in a home – i.e. a great mix of furniture, fabrics and colours – and the building itself has such great bones. I love that he has been able to bring in so many different styles and periods and make such a harmonious atmosphere. Hope you enjoy!

A 1930’s Jansen chandelier hangs above a Grenney designed table and a set of c.1790 Viennese dining chairs. “Temple” fabric, a Grenney designed homage to David Hicks, lines the walls.

Two Robsjohn-Gibbings armchairs in the living room flank a Regency period table. The mix of furniture and styles in this room is fabulous. Those drapes and the cabinet (left side image) mixed with a big ottoman, parsons style -ish coffee table, travertine fireplace and sisal carpets is sheer genius. It’s modern, but its homey at the same time.

The Jansen desk was actually made for Billy Baldwin in the 1950’s. To die for. And I’m loving the wall colours here too.

A bedroom thats much more traditional looking than the living space, but not too stuffy or formal. Another Grenney designed fabric, Ferne Park, is used to dress the four poster bed.

Everything in this home says to me – modern English at its best. I highly recommend you check out his website – there are some amazing photos of other projects that are also jaw dropping. Or, I could be tempted to do another post. I’m that smitten.

Images from ‘The World of Interiors’ UK edition, March 2008, photography by Fritz von der Schulenburg.

I’ve been holding onto these tear sheets of this chic London home for quite some time, so I thought I would finally share them with you all. The owner is a very stylish Valentino executive who also has houses in Paris and Rome. He has a seriously enviable art collection, and had the assistance of Jacques Grange decorating the place, which helps!

The above two images are of the drawing room. I love this colour combination, it’s so sultry and also looks very comfortable. The fireplace surround is Indian mica, with a c. 1700 venetian mirror above. The two paintings above the aubergine velvet sofa are by Francic Bacon. I love the side tables, you can find similar ones from EJ Victor.

Taupe velvet covered sofa in the second drawing room. The rug (same design as before) was designed by Jacques Grange. The diptych above is by Cy Twombly.

The dining room has more of a mix of styles – English 19thC marquetry dining table teamed with ebony and brass chairs covered in black and gold velvet. An Andy Warhold piece takes up most of the wall space and provides a contrast.

Above two images are the main bedroom. The Deco era palm-wood panelling beautifully compliments the Eugene Printz desk. The paintings are both anonymous works from the 16thC. I love how warm and masculine this room looks. And I love a bedroom with books.

The guest bedroom is lined with linen and has a much more neutral palette. The artwork above the bed is by Philip Taaffe.

Love, love, love this bathroom!! I think its because it is slightly industrial looking to me, with the large windows and stainless steel framed cabinetry – I must be onto something here, it reminds me of a Glenn Gissler kitchen from a previous post. I really love how light it is. So chic!

All images from House & Garden (UK edition) January 2006.

Habitually Chic posted this week about the launch of the new book “Paint and Paper: In Decoration” by fellow aussie David Oliver, founder of the Paint and Paper Library. I’ve had these tear sheets of the London home he shares with his wife and business partner Sophie, for 4 years. I’ve been meaning to post them because their living room is still one of my favorites, so now I have a great excuse to share them with you.

In 1996, from their Chelsea apartment basement, David and Sophie developed a range of paint colours that they hoped would reflect the 20th century. They very quickly developed a following by local designers and in 1998 they introduced a range of wallpapers they had designed, along with designs by Emily Todhunter and Neisha Crosland. Needless to say, neither of them knew they were creating what would be a leading company in the international interior design scene.

These interior shots are of the victorian terrace house they renovated and restored over a two-year period, that they now share with their two children (Edward and Cosmo) in West London.

The 70’s sofa in their living room was a hand me down from Sophie’s parents. Regency style armchairs to the right are covered in fabric remnants David had found years before.

A little difficult to see in these pictures, but the wallpaper and rug motif are the same, “Liberation”, which was designed by David.

Sitting on top of the side table by Ashley Hicks is a glass match-stick striker (similar ones available from Nina Campbell).

This living room is still one of my favorites. The combination of colours and furniture styles is so warm and inviting. It has a range of historical references as well as many personal touches that make this ultimately a wonderful family home.

Wallpaper panels are Neisha Crosland’s “Willow”. The Art Deco desk and 60’s pewter desk-set add character to their study.

All images from Vogue Living (Australia) August/September 2003. More images can be found on the Paint & Paper Library website – here.

This is another fairly new one, and I particularly like the use of colour and the chinoiserie effect they’ve acheived without it looking tacky or over the top. The Artesian Bar is in London, and was designed by David Collins (who I saw profiled on another blog – Desire to Inspire). I think it looks sophisticated and I’m putting it on my to do list for the next trip to London, whenever that might be…

I arrived home last night to find a new magazine waiting for me, what joy! I love that, having a new mag waiting for me in the letter box, rather than hunting down a copy, or in this case wedged between the grill on my security door.

Home Journal is a local Hong Kong magazine which I look forward to each month. Its not my favorite, but it does feature local and overseas homes and has great sections on shopping and sourcing products locally which has been very helpful for me.

So the cover feature this month was of the London home of a designer Binny Hudson (I’d never heard of her). I asolutely love the photo of her studio with the huge light filled doors and skylight window. She has great taste, the house is furnished in a mix of styles, mainly ‘old stuff’ and antiques. The colour scheme is very monochromatic, which doesn’t always appeal to me, but I think it works in this case. It has an industrial, provincial, english country look going on that I think is a great blend. Here are some of the images from the magazine..

The living room is a mix of vintage finds, ethnic treasures and family heirlooms.

The Studio, I LOVE this room. I would kill for a space like this at the moment, a great desk and chair with a view of greenery (Almost an impossibility in Hong Kong).

On the right is Binny’s husband’s study – love those biedermeier chairs. Left is an ingenious way of using an old towel radiator – they’ve added glass shelves for a cute little display.

A sideboard in the dining room on the left, and on the right is a view of the spare bathroom.

Above is a view of the bedroom, a study in whites and creams. Below is the entrance hall – the walls are finished in Moroccan-style tadelakt plaster.

The kitchen has a vaulted ceiling and white varnished floors. Very serene. Love it!