i spy introduces Daniella Kilov...

[images above - Rene Gruau via private]

I’d like to introduce you to Daniella – who has very kindly agreed to do some guest blogging for a few weeks while I am busy with baby no.3 [no, it hasn’t arrived yet but any day now…].

Daniella is a very talented young designer with big ambitions and a great sense of style who loves to work with colour. She has recently finished studying at ISCD in Sydney where she won many awards and acclamations for her work. A short time ago she travelled in the US where she took in all she could on the design scene and is now back in Sydney working with some amazing people such as Paul Hopper, Megan Morton, Jo Carmichael & Inside Out magazine assisting in styling shoots and sourcing products etc. Daniella also works with clients on interior design & colour styling projects for both residential and commercial.

I am sure she will be able to 'spy' many gorgeous things while I am otherwise occupied and keep you inspired.

Here’s 5 minutes with Daniella to help us get to know her…

What do you want to be when you grow up?

An influential interior stylist come fashion designer come homewares designer (it seems to be the circle of life at the moment)

Describe where you live & who with?

Still living at home-there's always a lot going on at my house but I

love the noise, and the fact that everything takes place around the kitchen...it creates a togetherness where we all have an input in cooking and one anothers lives. I live with my mom, dad and brother... (my sister is currently in Miami) but it is never just the four of us.

What's your most favourite possession?

Have a few- my swarovski ballerina figurine from my boyfriend (I think it was a hint…what was, was). My Dad’s two beautiful abstract paintings in my room, all my design books- I would save those before myself!

Who do you most admire?

I don’t really admire anyone in particular but I have great respect for anyone who stands up for what they believe and go against the grain. Those who succeed due to hard work, individuality and creativity.

If you could be one iconic design piece what would you be?

Besides anything from Eames? I would be the French magazine illustrations by Rene Gruau [below]- they epitomize femininity in its most glamorous and divine form, each illustration depicting a characteristic of the female.

I will be popping in from time to time but please enjoy Daniella’s insight in the meantime…

Naomi Murrell - Love is in th air...

With Valentines day only a few days away I thought it was prudent I post something about love - I think Naomi Murrell's work fits the bill.

With names like Lovebirds & Nature Lover her screen prints couldn't be more 'love'-ly and the theme continues in her limited edition cushions, jewellery and letter press cards.

I think a visit to Naomi Murrell's website is well worth it to put you in the mood for Valentines...

Click here for Naomi's Valentines day guide...

[all images via Naomi Murrell]

Pigeonhole is off the beaten track...

I know we haven't ventured into recommended retail territory for a while so here is some retail therapy I know you will love...
Perth's Pigeonhole - describes its wares as 'off beat design found off the beaten track'. Pigeonhole has 3 stores as well as a web-store, the London Court Store is pictured above.

What I love about Pigeonhole is their unique offering of brands that you won't find everywhere, some of them exclusive to Pigeonhole. Brands like Night Owl Paper Goods, an amazing range of wooden note cards [image above] and retro rings from proverb [image below].

And what about these retro-cool phones from Hulger used for Skype [images below] - have to love new technology disguised in vintage form.

If you are in Perth drop by Pigeonhole and discover what other amazing goods Pigeonhole have to offer, or just visit here for more info.
[all images via pigeonhole]

Tennis, Polar Bears and Ostrich's?

What on earth could bring all these things together?

Take a look at the Turner Pocock Wallpaper Collection and you might just find all of these things and more!

Turner Pocock Cazalet is a team of three gorgeous designers, Bunny Turner & Emma Peacock - interior designers - were inspiered by Catherine Cazalet's portfolio of hand drawn designs and established the company to create a collection of wallpapers.

I love the subtle quirkeness of the desings and colour combinations. The uber cool classic styling of the shots sets the wallpaper designs completely at ease. [The wallpaper above on closer inspection is actually a design created of cricket bat and ball]

I am quite taken by the relaxed style of Turner Pocock Interior Design [above & below]. There is a timelessness in the interiors they create which are neither ultra modern or too reminiscent of any particular era and everything seems to come together perfectly.

[all images via Turner Pocock Cazalet & Turner Pocock Interior Design]

Heather Bailey equals retro cool...

How cool is this blog? I am referring to Heather Bailey's blog of course. I love the design and layout and the content is rather fabulous as well.

Heather describes herself as a fabric & lifestyle designer, an inventor and Mum - how she finds the time to create such beautiful fabric designs and blog such gorgeous posts - I think I need a few pointers!

I first discovered Heather Bailey while just browsing fabrics online, once I looked at her website and blog I was hooked. I love the girly retro feel to her fabrics and designs such as the Smarty Girl Book Bag [shown above].

Her blog is a great one to visit for inspiration, free tutorials and mini patterns and you can be sure to leave feeling happier and more optimistic just from the upbeat feel of the blog and the cheery images. Her website offers all the gorgeous fabrics, sewing patterns and more to buy. I look forward to following Heather's progress as she releases more designs and clever ideas [such as the Nicey Jane collection shown above and Pop Garden shown below] ...

[all images via Heather Bailey]

Bright Pirate is a shining light...

I love the use of found objects and recycling vintage or discarded materials, so Bright Pirate really caught my eye. The artist and designer behind Bright Pirate creates items that make use of materials such as hair, leather, tea bags and old books to name a few. Above is one of the gorgeous creations, the band top, which uses rubber bands in the most lovely way to form lace or crochet like detail.

The amazing necklace below is crafted with vintage radio wires, while above are patchwork pillows using scrap vintage silk.

These one off Croccandle sticks are the mallets of a vintage crochet set.

There is something so authentic and special about design that uses materials with a past life. Bright Pirate clearly injects passion and love into each object created. See more Bright Pirate here and visit here if you would like to buy.

[all images via Bright Pirate]

Paperclip inspiration...

Sometimes you notice inspiration coming from the same ordinary object, I pick it up often when trend hunting but sometimes I just stumble upon it quite by accident. That seems to be the case with the humble paperclip.

First came the Clip House, which was spotted in Inside Out magazine last year. The exterior of this home resembles a giant paperclip but in a good way [I think]. You can find the Clip House in Madrid and its interior is just as remarkable as its exterior.
[images above via e-architect; architect - Javier Bernalte & Jose Luis Leon of Bernalte-Leon Architects]

Then there is the paperclip lamp, quite a clever lamp and not bad looking either, you can bend this lamp just as you would a paperclip. Quite a cool desk lamp.
[images via papercliplamp.com]

I also love the idea of several of these oversized paperclip coat hooks hanging in the reception or lobby of an office, even being used as magazine holders.
[images via gadgettastic.com]

But I am in awe of these paperclip pendant lights, created by hundreds [maybe thousands?] of paperclips. Available from Re:Design Technologies, I admire their absolute patience in creating these amazing art pieces, perhaps good therapy? If you think so you can actually purchase tutorials on how to make them as well.
[images via Re:Design technologies]

And on the actual paperclip itself, these very cool redesigns from Kikki K. They also have gorgeous simple round paperclips which I think may find themselves on my desk quite soon...
[images above via Kikki K]