Black & White

Happy New Year!  I hope you've had a restful holiday break.


After a lovely beach holiday with family I'm on deck again and already becoming busy.  


For my blog today I've borrowed from another blog I follow from the US called Elements of Style (http://www.elementsofstyleblog.com/) and the reason I've done this is that I also really love a black and white theme.  It's so fresh and smart.  


I hope you too enjoy the Elements of Style selection:

For the birds.....

Sometimes I'm asked for fabrics, wallpapers or rugs that have an animal or bird theme, but birds seem to be the most requested.  Once I began researching I was surprised how many animal and bird themed fabrics there are.  Mostly they tend to be more classical in their style but there are some which would suit a contemporary setting as well.  Today I shall concentrate on the bird theme.

The new Designers Guild Royal Collection ‘Rosa Chinensis’ features a peacock.  This range is a beautiful addition to the previous Royal Collections, with gorgeous and luxurious fabrics.

In this collection there are ready made cushions, including the peacock one below.

Two more bird themed fabrics below in a more traditional style with parrots, birds and flowers from English company Titley & Marr

The pretty blue and white fabric below is from Galbraith & Paul, a Philadelphia based studio workshop specializing in hand block printed textiles, handmade rugs, and studio printed wallpaper

And here is the same pattern as wallpaper in a different colourway.

The rug below is Glabraith & Paul Pewter Birds - Hand Knotted Wool and Silk

Soleil Bleu make some beautiful fabrics and below is a detail from a gorgeous fabric featuring parrots - note how the birds feathers look like a collage of butterfly wings

And here are two real birds to finish with:  I photographed this beautiful pee wee at Manly Dam recently.  It very patiently sat on that branch for quite a while as I snapped away.  And the native noisy minor below was taken at Bradleys Head.

Beautiful custom rugs

Have you thought of having a custom rug made for your home?


Custom rugs can be made up in any colour, design, texture and size to suit your interior decor.  Designs can be created to match a colour or theme in your furniture or curtain fabric and we offer a complementary design service.  Or you can choose a standard design but change the colours.  


Wool rugs are a favourite and by having the design element in silk a subtle but beautiful effect is created as in the rug below.

Changes ....

Well I've made it!  The move was a big effort (what move isn't?) and I have my hard working husband and son to thank for all their help.  So now I'm ensconced in my new little office at Crows Nest.


I'm sharing with you today the latest from Designers Guild, as always a colourful and dramatic collection and this time with a big emphasis on blue. The fabrics are beautiful and the quality of the cloth evident when you feel and see them.


Designers Guild not only supplies fabrics, but a stunning range of ready made cushions, rugs, throws, bags, trimmings and more.


Email me if you'd like to see this collection.

Kasida silks

Rosa Chinensis wallpaper

Checks

A decorating fabric which I think charming and often used with flair is checks. The lightness and simplicity of this decorating style appeals to contemporary tastes. 


Gingham is the simplest form of check; white stripes of equal width in both directions with one other colour. 

Checks don't need to be 'cottagey' and are included in elegant interiors, maybe for summer slip covers or as in the curtains in the photos below.

Checks on cotton or linen look very cheerful in a kitchen or dining room made up into a Roman blind or curtains, or on a table cloth or chair cushions.


In the bedroom below by Kathryn Ireland the checks are combined with patterns and stripes to create a restful room with a country feel. The splashes of red add interest.

Ralph Lauren uses a wool tartan check to cover the chair above in an elegant and cozy study. 

Let me know if you'd like more information on fabrics like these or any other and I'll be happy to show them to you and discuss your decorating requirements.

Follow my blog by submitting your email address in the space provided above.

PEAR AND ALMOND CAKE

I'm deviating from decorating today to pass on this really scrumptious cake recipe which is from Belinda Jeffery's latest book "A Country Cookbook", a beautiful book with terrific recipes which would be an excellent addition to your cook book collection.

PEAR & ALMOND CAKE

From The Country Cookbook by Belinda Jeffery

180g almond meal 80g self-raising flour ¼ teaspoon salt 4 free-range eggs 250g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon almond essence

200g unsalted butter, melted & cooled Icing sugar, for dusting Cream, to serve MUSCAT-POACHED PEARS 2 fairly large just-ripe pears 1 cup (250ml) Muscat (or pear nectar) A squeeze of lemon juice

To poach the pears, peel, quarter and core pears. Fit them snugly in a single layer in a frying pan and pour over Muscat and lemon juice. Heat to medium-high and when it comes to the boil turn down so it bubbles gently. Cover and poach the pears for about 10 minutes until tender.

Transfer pears to a bowl.  Increase heat under the pan and reduce the cooking liquid to ½ cup.  Pour over the pears and cool.

Preheat oven to 180°. Butter a shallow 24cm cake tin and line base & sides with buttered baking paper. Dust lightly with flour and set aside.

Put the almond meal, flour and salt into a large bowl and whisk them together with a balloon whisk for 40 seconds.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and almond essence until they’re thoroughly combined, then mix in the cooled butter until it disappears.  Scrape this buttery mixture into the almond meal mixture and stir them together.  Spread the resulting batter evenly into the prepared tin.

Take the pear quarters out of their liquid and pat them dry.  Halve each quarter lengthways and lay them decoratively over the top of the batter (there is no need to press them in as they will sink a bit as the cake bakes).  Sprinkle a tiny bit of caster sugar over each slice of pear.

Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the top springs back slowly when gently pressed and a fine skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.  You may find that after 40 minutes or so the top is looking quite brown enough – if this is the case, just sit a sheet of foil loosely on top of the cake to stop it getting any darker.

Transfer the cake to a rack and leave it to cool in the tin until it’s barely warm.  Carefully invert the cake onto the rack, remove the tin and paper, then invert it again onto a plate so it’s pear-side up.  Dust lightly with icing sugar and serve with cream.

Rubelli 2011 Collection

I was lucky enough to attend a showing of the latest collection from Rubelli Venezia last week and the fabrics are truly gorgeous.


Rubelli Venezia has been making fabrics in Venice since the mid 1800s and is renowned for its products.  Rubelli donated fabrics for La Fenice (Venice), rebuilt after the fire and supplied the damask for La Scala opera house in Milan.


Here is a small sample of the fabrics from the new collection:

The fabric above is a velvet