La Lampe Gras

By Suzy Annetta on April 29, 2013 in Lighting

I have loved the La Lampe Gras lamps for as long as I can remember. The utilitarian, almost industrial, design is just so timeless. I only knew of their table lamps though, and was so excited when I saw that fellow Melbournian designers, Hecker Guthrie, had used one of these lovely wall lamps in a kitchen of all places.

Check it out here, this was the kitchen I saw, featured in the latest Belle magazine. I love the little shot of black of the lamp and the taps against all that white. So cool. And apart from looking very cool, they’re also really practical. Love the idea of using one of these in a kitchen…I will be filing this away in the filing cabinet in my mind for future use…

Kitchen in private residence by Hecker Guthrie

The Old Library, by Hecker Guthrie

Another space designed by Hecker Guthrie…they clearly like them as much as I do…

Bar & Co by Joanna Laajisto

Above images all from the La Lampe Gras website

La Deux

By Suzy Annetta on April 26, 2013 in Furniture, Hong Kong, Lighting, Shopping

Seems as though I’m on a bit of HK bent at the moment…because I have another treasure to share with you. La Deux is a fabulous new showroom that has opened up in my wonderful neighbourhood, Aberdeen. Bringing a mix of previously unavailable designer brands to our fair city, including furniture by Finn Juhl and Caste, lighting from Kevin Reilly, Golran and Solstys rugs, decorative accessories from Anna Torfs, Venini and Salviati…plus much, much more. The space is not set up for retail walk-ins, so if you are interested in any of these products I suggest you make contact via an interior designer (like myself!) or make an appointment with them directly. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

Lime Design

By Suzy Annetta on April 25, 2013 in Hong Kong, Interior Designers

Following from my previous post about Alfred Lam’s store, L’sWhere, I am happy to be able to share a few photos of some the latest projects by his firm – Lime Design. This one is a 9,000 ft2 home in China. This size is probably normal in most western countries, but for those of us living in Hong Kong this is crazy huge….not to mention the luxury of having a double height living room. Enjoy!

Living Room

Dining Room

Stairwell

Garden room

Master Bedroom and Ensuite

Guest Bedroom

L’sWhere

By Suzy Annetta on April 22, 2013 in Hong Kong, Shopping

I posted about Alfred Lam’s lovely store, L’sWhere a few months ago here, and wanted to update you all that the pop-up on Elgin St has now moved to a more permanent address at 8 On Wo Lane, just off Gough St in Central. Seriously one of the most beautiful shops I’ve ever seen, and definitely one of the best in Hong Kong, the shop is like an Aladdin’s Cave of treasures. Stocking pieces from R&Y Augousti, Delightfull lighting, as well as a seriously enviable collection of vintage chairs and silverware, I cannot recommend this place more highly. There is literally nothing else like it in Hong Kong…so get on down there and check it out!

Cy Peys

By Suzy Annetta on April 21, 2013 in Belgium, Interior Designers

Today I’m enjoying these photos sent to me by Belgian interior architect, Cy Peys. A former swimming pool has been converted into a multi-functional living room which can be raised to create a dance floor! It even has an open fire place, and a home cinema…think of the parties you could have a in a space like that…

Lavish lighting

By Suzy Annetta on April 13, 2013 in Hong Kong, Lighting, My work

Check out page 43 in this months Home Journal magazine for a lovely little write up about our lighting collection!

(Sorry for the bad scan quality)

Blainey North

By Suzy Annetta on April 11, 2013 in Australia, Blainey North, Furniture

Like I said, I love to get a parcel…and I got another lovely one last week…from the office of fellow Australian, Blainey North. I’ve been a big fan of her work for some time now, and I have to say I think her design studio is producing some of the chicest interiors in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Crystal Club in the Crown Towers (my hometown), Melbourne

Not happy just designing interiors, the studio has recently launched a range of their own furniture and lighting designs. Full of lovely art deco references, with thoughtful details, updated with modern materials, the collection is a winner in my book. Here are just a couple of my faves…

the Calero Lounge chair, front and back

the Adriano Sofa

the Tsara side table

the Hercule dining chair

The collection is available in Sydney via Becker Minty, or contact Blainey North for further information.

Codor design

By Suzy Annetta on April 6, 2013 in Furniture

I love receiving parcels, particularly product catalogues and samples. So I’d like to thank the people at Codor Design for unexpectedly sending me a little parcel in the mail containing their product pages. I was previously unaware of their existance, but now I am completely in love with a few of their peices – this Floating 4-drawer dresser particularly!

Studio Reed

By Suzy Annetta on April 2, 2013 in Interior Designers, London

I hope for those of you who get the Easter Break that you managed to have a nice long weekend…I worked, caught up on magazines, and did some baking (who knew home made Hot Cross Buns were so easy, and so delicious!?).

I spotted this lovely apartment in London by a previously unknown to me designer, Jonathan Reed, in the latest French Architectural Digest. It seems like such a charming and warm space that I think I would have quite liked to have spent the long weekend here. I love the mix of the industrial elements and shaker-like simplicity of the space, the rich colours, and that copper bath is just to die for, is it not? Aside from the bath, I quite love how he’s made the bathroom an actual room…I’m also coveting that Fritz Henningson armchair. I’m not sure I would have made it out of the bathroom had I been given the keys for the weekend.

How about you lot…do anything interesting over the holiday weekend?

Photographed by Tom Mannion for AD Francais April 2013

Speaking of holidays…I’m off to South Africa at the end of the year to attend a wedding (very excited!)…and as its our first time, I’d love to hear any recommendations you might have for Cape Town and surrounding areas.

Fluted plasterwork

By Suzy Annetta on March 22, 2013 in Jean-Louis Denoit, Miles Redd, Wallcoverings

I was recently looking for some reference images of fluted plasterwork for a project I’m working on, and I came across these little beauties. I have to say I’m quite taken with the idea, and I love how each of these designers has used it in a different way…

In a Living room designed by Miles Redd, featured in House Beautiful.

A Dining room by Jean-Louis Deniot, from Architectural Digest.

A more modern approach by Stephen Sills.

And a lovely example by Timothy Whealon, from Veranda.

Enjoy the weekend folks!

Boundary Space

By Suzy Annetta on March 18, 2013 in Interior Designers, London

One of the unexpected advantages of writing this blog is the many wonderful and talented people I have met, either in the real world, or the online one. Thomas Furse-Roberts of Boundary Space is one of those people. If he hadn’t sent a lovely tweet about the blog I wouldn’t have even known they existed. Although considering their talent, I’m sure I would have discovered them myself eventually. Boundary Space, in case you don’t know, is a small architectural and interior design practice based in Fulham, London, specialising in creating one off residential projects with interiors which reflect the personalities of their clients and the spirit of the project’s location. The company was founded by Thomas Furse-Roberts and Graeme Martinow, and with them both being Architects their projects tend to have a strong architectural leaning with an emphasis on detail and materials. Details and materials. Two of my favorite things.

Mr Furse-Roberts has been kind enough to share some photos of a recently completed project in Notting Hill. He says of the project, “It was a traditional London town house in which we tried to create a beautiful architectural ‘white’ box in which pieces of art and furniture could be shown off. In order to create the modern open plan living space within the existing house, which our client required, we demolished walls but chose to retain and restore ceilings, cornices and architectural detailing in a period manner so that the house is both contemporary but aware of its historic context.”

Just fablous. And check out those materials and details. That last photo almost made me do a backflip…

Gubi

By Suzy Annetta on March 15, 2013 in Lighting

I’ve been a fan of the Gubi bestlite’s for a while now. In my humble opinion, they are a design classic and will work with pretty much any interior. Previously only available in black or white, they are now available in combinations with brass, or just solid brass. LOVE!

Gubi is available in Hong Kong through Eclectic Cool.

Hip Hispania

By Suzy Annetta on March 13, 2013 in London, Lorenzo Castillo, Restaurants

I just spotted some images online of a new restaurant in London called Hispania, designed by one of my favorite Spanish designers, Lorenzo Castillo. I noticed he has used some fabrics from his newly launch collection with Gaston y Daniela, which I happened to see for the first time in person yesterday. I’m not loving some of the prints, but the geometrics are fab, and in some pretty unusual colours too. Hispania is set to be the UK’s largest restaurant and store focusing on Spanish cuisine. Consider it added to my list for next time!

Hermes textiles

By Suzy Annetta on March 5, 2013 in Hermes, Textiles

Love, Love, LOVE this fabric pattern from the Hermes textiles collection. “Marquetrie de Paille” is of course based on the straw marquetry pattern that was so beloved of Jean-Michel Frank. I am now dying to use this for something, somewhere…

as easy as A, B, C…?

By Suzy Annetta on March 2, 2013 in AB Concept, Hong Kong, Interior Designers, Restaurants, Shanghai

I’m not entirely sure why it has taken me so long to write a post about AB Concept. Not only are they one of Hong Kong’s preeminent design firms, they happen to be the first design firm I worked for in Hong Kong. If you haven’t heard of them before, you’re sure to very soon. They’ve just published their first monograph – “The Language of Luxe” – covering the last 10 years of their work, some of which I was involved in. Very sweetly, my name features in the list of dedications at the back, along with all past and current staff. Its available now for pre-order on Amazon, and is already in bookstores in Hong Kong.

One of the many finished projects featured in the book is the somewhat recently completed Shàng-Xí restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel, Shanghai. Its a good example of the level of detail and refinement in their designs and the selection of unusual and luxurious materials. Its been forever since I was last in Shanghai, and its definitely on my list of places to return…so I might just have to make a special trip to check this place out…