I finally got with the program and joined the 21st century…I finally networked the Studio Annetta blog with our Facebook page and Twitter account. Quite proud of myself, I must say.  This post is just to let you all know you can find us on Facebook where we plan to provide additional content that won’t make it to the blog…so for those of you that just can’t get enough of me hopefully that will sate you!

Love, love, LOVED the feature on Adriana Abascal’s apartment by Chahan Minassian in the latest AD España, but seriously folks, where is the rest of it? Two good images just doesn’t cut it! I don’t want to see images of her modelling in front of her art collection, I want to see the rest of the space!

I’m a little obsessed with all things made of brass at the moment…well almost all things. In particular, desk top accessories and stationary.

I’ve just picked myself up one of these brass rulers, from baum-kuchen, from their Brass collection. Its teeny tiny, but I love it.

And I’m really hoping that the brass desk set by Michael Verheyden for Wallpaper magazine goes into production…I’m totally in love with those scissors!

Happy New Year everyone! Hope 2010 brings all that you dare to dream for!
All the best,
Suzy x

The ever so lovely and talented Christian of Maison 21 Blog has laid down the design gauntlet again. The Obsessive Compulsive Decorating Disorder (OCDD) is something most of us design bloggers suffer from, and this challenge is the perfect way to help us all stay sane, especially in financial times like these…

The OCDD challenge involves using at least 2 items from the original entry (I’m keeping the cerused oak floors and the lovely Twombly painting) or from the Maison 21 atelier inventory.

After much deliberation, here is my fantasy living room (please excuse the terrible photoshop skills!). These are all items I’ve been lusting after for some time, and given the opportunity and no budget constraints, this is what I would love to put together. I’m sure all of these will be nixed next month when I find something else I love even more, but then that’s the whole idea of a fantasy project, right?

I’m a little bit obsessed with black, grey and brass together at the moment…as you can probably tell!

Ceiling light by Serge Mouille, the Twombly painting from the original post, Sofa is a vintage Monteverde-Young design (now sold) from 1st Dibs, small red side table is by Herve Van Der Straeton, black resin mirror by Louis Durot, console vintage French (now sold) also from 1st Dibs, Taccia table lamp from Flos, Bronze sculptures by Lucio Fontana, Paolo Buffa (attr.) armchair from Animali Domestici in London, and Taccia table by Meret Oppenheim from Von Zezschwitz.

I happily stumbled upon the work of Belgian based architect Glenn Sestig today while looking for something entirely unrelated. His work includes residential and all sorts of commercial projects, and while these spaces are quite modern and minimal, there is something in his choice of materials that gives them a richness and warmth that is not easy to acheive – especially in commercial spaces. Hope you enjoy!

The three images above are from a residence in Brussels. The wood panelling is divine.

A few examples of his retail spaces above.

A absolutely love the two images above, which I’m assuming are the lobby or check-in area in a hotel. The colours, the textures…it’s sublime. It’s the kind of space that I look at and wish that I had designed it. But, too late., it’s already been done.

Another great image… so refined. And those chairs are fabulous!

…for the weekend. I’ve got a pile of magazines, including the new Elle Decor, and I’m just praying that the mailman brings any of the 3 books I’m waiting to be delivered. There are still a few more hours of postal delivery service….fingers crossed!

Have a great weekend everyone, whatever it is you have planned.

** Guys, take my advice, and go get yourself a copy of the December World of Interiors (the American design special) if you haven’t already. There is a spread on a NY home done by Bill Sofield that just made me gasp out loud. Go! What are you waiting for? (and please, Bill, if you are reading this….why don’t you have your portfolio online? I want, no NEED, to see more!)

Have you ever been stuck trying to find a specific piece for a client, or for yourself? Well, the hunt is over – well, partly. Bond & Bowery have introduced a new search function to their website called “Dealer Direct”. All you need to do is register an account with the site (it’s free and easy!) and then leave your details and specifications on the “Dealer Direct” page. Your listing will be posted anonymously on the Bond & Bowery network for 30 days, during which time all of their dealers have the opportunity to help fulfil your request. It’s that simple!

Thanks to Kate from Girls meets glamour! I guess it’s my turn to spill the beans about myself….so here goes.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?
I was living in Melbourne, living with a guy who later on turned out to be a total jerk, working in not one, but TWO dead-end jobs, while studying at night school, but going out lots and enjoying the live music scene, and slowly getting to know my husband as a friend.

2. Five items on my to-do list?
So many things on my to-do list at the moment, with moving apartments this weekend…where do I start?

1. I have to get all the utilities cut off, and re-connected,
2. Make sure I can drop off clothes and books we are donating to the Salvation Army on Saturday,
3. Find out if the shipping company has picked up my new dining table (I want it now already!),
4. Go and inspect the apartment after the sisal carpet is installed tomorrow ,
5. Go see the Sex and the City movie with some friends – I know, I know. I must be the only woman in the world who hasn’t seen it yet…very embarrassing…

PLUS, lots of cleaning, organising and packing. The list goes on…

3. Snacks I enjoy…
Amongst many others, top of the list of sweets would be Turkish Delight. And for savory, I’d have to say plain potato chips. Yum!

4. What would I do if I were a billionaire?
I think my answers to this are going to be somewhat similar to everybody else’s. First off though, I’d make sure my family, and my husband’s families were taken care of for life. My mum needs a new car, and I wish I could get her a new one, and a driver to go with it when she’s too old to drive it herself..so that would be high on the list. Other than that? Give most of it to charities (no-one needs billions!). I’m not sure which ones, but they’d have to do with ensuring children in 3rd world countries have clean water, a roof over their head, access to health care and the means to get an education. You know, all that basic stuff we take for granted.

I think I’d have to spend a bit on us too…so:

I’d have to buy a fabulous apartment in New York…

furnish it with beautiful pieces I can only afford to look at at the moment…

fill it with amazing art that I’ve dreamed about for years, namely by female surrealists, such as this one by Remedios Varo…

oh..and there’d have to be a huge walk in wardrobe, (kinda like this one)…

full of these sort of goodies…

oh and a villa in Tuscany just like this would be a great way to spend summer!

And of course, I’d have to quit my job and start some sort of business of my own. Hmmm…I’m not sure a billion dollars would last very long in my hands!

A stunning Sagaponack cottage by Thierry Despont. Love it! Hope wherever you’re spending this weekend it’s a good one!

Wow! I’m kind of at a loss for words…I just realised this is now my 200th post. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started writing this thing…this thing that has now taken on a life of it’s own somehow. So, while I’m struggling to figure out how to express my sentiments, I’ll just say thanks. Thanks to all my readers. Without sounding like an Oscar acceptance speech, I do want to thank you all – because even though I would probably still write this without any readers – you certainly make it worthwhile. And the comments help – so bring them on!
During the course of writing this blog I’ve been contacted – by messages left and by emails to me directly – by some really amazing people – other Interior designers, Furniture designers, Artists & Artisans, Sculptors, Architects, Writers and plenty of design addicts like myself -from all corners of the globe. It’s been heartwarming. So thank you for reading and I hope you’ll want to read the next 200.

I’m taking a bit of a break over the next week or two. I have deadlines for two high profile hotel projects I’m working right now keeping me busy, and a possible trip to Beijing next week, so unfortunately I don’t have much time for blogging. See you soon. I hope!

I’m away for the weekend with some friends from Oz. They’re here for a week so I might be light on posting during that time. Happy Friday, and have a great weekend everyone!