Monomeith Designs

    merry

christmas

If you are lazing by the pool or just chilling around the house over the festive season don’t forget your copy of January 2010 House & Garden ‘bush to beach’.

p. 39                                                          

Only a few weeks to go before Christmas is upon us.  

My children are already grilling me on Christmas trees, Santa wish lists and holiday activities and I feel like crawling under my bed and emerging in January.  NO, really I do love Christmas, especially the giving…  finding the right pressie for someone and watching the excitement as they open it.

A couple of interesting places to enjoy the shopping experience:

SERVERY AND SPOON

137-139 Waverley Road, Malvern East. 9571 7495.

Open: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm; Sat and Sun 8am-4pm

A friend of mine took me to a fantastic place today for a coffee – it’s not just a coffee house however:

It is a large space divided up into different areas.  Infact it is really the space of two shops connected towards the front.  One half serves delicious food – a lot of which is gluten free.  The seating area meanders towards the back of the shop with tables not too close together giving a very relaxed atmosphere.  Very enjoyable!

Well fed and watered, but you’d like to take something home, the other half of the shop holds a great deli – again with a lot of gluten free goodies – and some wonderful gifts by such companies as ‘Bison Australia’ (kitchen ceramics) and ‘Cloth’ (lovely table linen made using hemp and linen).  

Well worth a visit!

THE MELBOURNE DESIGN MARKET -     Its on again!!

This Sunday I will be going to The Melbourne Design Market at the Federation Square Carpark from 10am – 5pm.  

I went to the last market they held there earlier in the year and loved it.  There were lots of really wonderful stalls selling interesting things for all budgets, from small nic-nacs  to clothes and even locally made furniture. I took my daughter last time and came away with a couple of bunny wall mirrors from the Melbourne based company ‘Lightly’, that I gave her for her birthday – really cute.

They even had some yummy paella cooking away if you get a little peckish!

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!

I was so captivated by this garden in suburban Melbourne that I asked if I could take a few photos of it.  It belongs to Mark Taylor, a carpenter and plasterer by trade, but would be more than happy to help anyone with their garden if they wanted to use Australian plants.  

Mark Taylor Building Services : 0413 452 243

I think it is a great example of how Australian plants can be used to create a really interesting garden even in a small space. This garden is broken up into different spaces by the bricked paths.  Each space filled with a variety of small trees and shrubs all with foliage of different shapes, textures and colours.  The paths lead to the veranda steps beside which is a gorgeous bowl with resident fish.

Unlike gardens filled with European plants which are devoid of colour at certain times of the year there is always something exciting in flower in this garden no matter what time of year.  All the plants looks healthy and green although they never get watered. And, while I was photographing the garden a number of beautiful Australian birds flew in attracted by the native flowers.  

It is a very calm, tranquil place despite being at the front of the house.  

                          MARK TAYLOR:  0413 452 243

The heatwave has finally broken here in Melbourne and finally we have some beautiful rain.

During last weekend’s heat we went with some friends to the Australian Garden at Cranbourne.  I have been meaning to go there ever since it were mentioned by a friend and I wasn’t disappointed.  The children played in the rockpool waterway while us parents collapsed under the eucalypts with a picnic and a good bottle of wine. 

We loved walking around the gardens and looking at all the amazing Australian follage and flowers.  It is a constant struggle to keep our Melbourne garden alive and I long to be able to create my own Australian garden.  Not only will native birds be attracted to the garden but the garden will need little to no watering and yet have beautiful flowers of different colours all year round.

I thoroughly encourage a visit to this amazing garden and hope it inspires more amazing Australian gardens.

A MUST VISIT IN MELBOURNE:

This is a fantastic gallery full of beautiful glass and ceramic objects by many of Australian best artists.

I was lucky enough to be given one of Gail Nichols beautiful bowls recently.  

I love Gail’s work as it reminds me of the Australian outback with the use of

gorgeous browns, ochres and white.  Her forms and textures are so tactile and alive.

I also really love Julie Shepherd’s work.  Julie is a Queensland artist.  

I have a collection of her sculptural objects.  I love the fragility of the objects and the matte finish used gives a very raw, natural feel to the porcelain. My favourite object is the seed pod shown here.  I can imagine Julie discovering beautiful shells and seed pods from the surrounding Australian bush and taking them back to her studio where she is inspired to create these amazing pieces.

 They come in black and neutral and together in a bowl make a wonderful collection.

Visit: skepsionswanston.com.au

Firstly, check out this little snippet in this month’s Vogue Living:      

November Issue 2009

Still more exciting news:

Monomeith wallpapers can now be seen and bought in The Southern Highlands (just outside Sydney) from:

‘My Place’

19 Boolwey Street,

Bowral, NSW 2576

Australia

Happy decorating!

Had a great trip to the UK…….                          

Dragging 3 children around London is not easy but managed to take a few photos of the window displays in some of the shops – a great way to see what is going on over there.  Colour wise there was a lot of navy ( so much nicer than black!) and accents in orange.  

Jigsaw

Harvey Nics

H&M

While visiting my sister I rediscovered the textile magazine ‘Selvedge’.                                                            

        I had forgotten how visually stimulating it is, with images from around the globe.

        They produce 6 issues a year and is a must for anyone who loves textiles. 

        The closest thing in Australia is ‘Dumbo Feather, Pass It On’ - also a great magazine with lots of fascinating articles on really inspiring people.

Decorex was really interesting this year with lots to inspire and ponder over.  There were lots of greys and carmine, puce colours.  

Just a few of my favourites……. 

‘Linwood Fabrics and Wallpapers’ was easily the busiest stand at the fair. 

This Hampshire based company has something for everyone.

I love the moleskin velvets – in great colours and the chenille’s in 42 colours (Iona)are also fab.

They are available from The Wortley Group in Melbourne.  www.wortleygroup.com.au

The cashmere throws by ‘Oyuna’ are absolutely gorgeous – I would have been happy with any of them.  Although not yet available in Australia (but in Hong Kong and Japan) take a look at their website.  I love the double sided wraps and throws edged in different colours.  www.oyuna.com

Aiveen Daly is going some fantastic things with upholstery and lamp shades.  She uses rich opulent fabrics transforming sofas, beds etc into works of art reminiscent of the 1940s. 

Although I went primarily to look at fabrics that would complement my wallpapers, I couldn’t help looking at the wallpapers on offer.  It was amazing to see how popular wallpaper has become.  Most fabric designers now have a range or two, and even fashion designers, Vivienne Westwood for example.  Anna French has some lovely foils, Cole & Son some very contemporary designs and Designers Guild the usual mass of bright colours……   There are also new designers popping up like Georgia Horton.  www.georgiahorton.com    Plus so much more……………….

Hi,

Just returned from the Sydney Antiques Fair where Monomeith Designs launched its first collection of Australian inspired wallpaper.  The fair was a great success.  Here are some photographs taken on the stand:

    These images give you a bit more of an idea of how the                  wallpapers look on a larger wall.  The origami flowers are also made out of the papers and looked amazing in the floral display.  A big thanks to all those who came along.  We are so thrilled that you loved the designs and colours.

PS.

I am off to London for a month to look at sourcing some fabrics and I hope to visit the Decorex Fair at the end of September.  Will write again when I return.

Penny