I Have Been On a Very Long Journey ....... and I would like to share it with you!

"Le Tour de Paris"  .... Hotel Georges V ... from Paris with love....

The foyer of our hotel "King Georges V" .... the flowers were breathtaking in all hues of blue, lavender, lilac and indigo .....  It was with awe I entered this foyer .... such elegance and beauty ... we had been travelling for 42 hours from Australia .....

we were embraced by the calm and elegant

French welcome at 12.00 midnight.... a delay of 18 hours ....

I have always believed that Australians are such intrepid travellers .... we have to be as we are at the end of the earth! 

Alexander joined us in Paris from Cape Town, South Africa after finishing filming "Chronicle" ......

I am so in love with the tented ceiling of the courtyard tents .... Manuel Canovas does it so well!

Andrew and I at dinner in the courtyard .... Georges V ...

Our gorgeous Dominic also joined us after finishing his exams as did his cousin, Brigid .....

Long waits in Changi Airport .... the coffee was good!

beautiful blooms from Paris and of course our gorgeous Laduree confections .... this is just the beginning ....

lots of love

M.A. the 2nd

Pink Sofa with Black Piping!

I have been working on this amazing job with a wonderful client ..... I had an idea for a pink sofa with black piping helped by the inspiration of the two interiors below ...

... so I did these layout boards and sketch for De and she loved it .... not many people can go for a pink sofa but De and her husband were totally ready for it ..... De is an art gallery curator and has a Bachelor of Fine Art so is very much into the exquisite world of textiles ..... she also does print-making.

The main sofa will be done in a gorgeous pink Designer's Guild linen with black piping and the two salon chairs will be tufted and done in black linen also.  The trims on the cushions will be the DG Mazzini and cushions on the pink sofa will be in Thibaut black/white geometric.  De also has two beautiful antique stools that we will upholster in the Thibaut as well.  We are going to do two black lacquer faux bamboo chairs in the Thibaut fabric as extra chairs to pull over when guests are there ....

We are also going to put up chandeliers with trims and they come for De's gallery ...  http://www.deannmuircuratedinteriors.blogspot.com/

this is our inspiration for the rug in the downstairs area where we are doing Hamptons style .... it works so well in our Queensland climate ...... I will keep you updated!

best wishes

M.A. the 2nd

Duck Egg Blue Chairs, Keep Calm and Carry On & Chanel Jade Polish!

I just wanted to show you my new duck egg blue arm-chairs ... I have owned these chairs for 11 years and this is the first time I have recovered them ...... Sugar decided to pop in for the picture which is perfect!

These chairs are so comfortable and I have always loved them hence the recovering! 

I did a piping in white to offset the blue .... and Designer's Guild cushions ...

Then I just wanted to let you know that I am so sorry if I have not replied or commented on everyone's blog but blogger is giving me a very hard time .... I have tried but to no avail apparantly I am "anonymous"!  

 so I won't freak out and break stuff .... rather I will "Stay Calm and Carry On" in the British tradition ....

and in the meantime I could paint my nails in this gorgeous Chanel "Jade" nail polish ..... I don't know how Andrew would take it !!!!!!

..... so I apologise if I have not commented but I will as soon as I can! 

best wishes
M.A. the 2nd

images ~ http://www.alllacqueredup.com/
          ~ http://www.cafepress.com.au/
          ~ http://www.keepcalmandcarryon.com/
and my own.

PARIS ~ SIMPLY IRRESISTABLE!

..... I was invited to a party .... a party in Paris .... I had to leave Versailles to attend a most special friend's party .....

I had to choose a gown and of course, my shoes .....

as you know I love a party and a party in Paris .... simply irresistable!  The girls are all going to be there and I simply could not refuse ..... but we have to be careful because I am not supposed to go out unless it is a royal function ..... Anita promised it would parfait and how right she was ....

of course there must always be Laduree ....

the salon de tea is so beautiful and for me, the quintessential Paris ... 

we must have a beautiful confection with our tea before we fly away with Dior ....

above Paris ..... where we can see below ......

Notredame Cathedral ..... with the gargoyles poised on their bastions .....

and a beautiful courtyard of The Ritz Hotel ...

.... the imposing entrance of "La Orangerie" where Monet's "Water Lilies" lie in an oval of perfection ... of course it is Paris .... 

and Matisse is there in all his grandeur .....

....now night falls on the city of lights .... The Eiffel Tower shimmers in the distance from a balcony of Hotel Georges V.....  I have put on my favourite Coco Chanel perfume and ordered champagne and pink macarons of course ....

and we will have fun in the most romantic, gorgeous city in the world .... where time stops still .... the Paris I see ... is one of beauty....

elegance ... and sophistication ....

always slightly aloof but melts once you say .....

my heart belongs in Paris ....

dearest Anita ... bon nuit my friend and merci for inviting me to your Parisian Dream ......

Lots of love M.A. the 2nd .....

images ~ my own and

http://www.laduree.fr/

http://www.marieantoinette.com/

http://www.dior.com/

http://www.chanel.com/

http://www.fourseasons.com/

http://www.perrier-jouet.com/

Love the Dress, Love the Shoes, Love everything Darling!

This image I found on gorgeous Anita's blog "Castles, Crowns and Cottages" and it is our very own Nicole Kidman looking stunning in that gorgeous dress ensconced on my favourite Louis settee with a basket of my favourite bubbles "Belle Epoque" nestled beside her!  It looks amazing!  I have been so busy with work and Georgiana is doing her eisteddfod and school exams so very hectic!  I thought this image was perfect!

Happy Mother's Day!

Beautiful Mother's Day flowers from my beautiful family ....

Beautiful blooms from the garden I collected ....

including a beautiful bunch of rosemary and one stem of lavender .....

then Georgiana and I baked cupcakes to take to my mum for Mother's Day .....

Happy Mother's Day .....

best wishes

M.A. the 2nd ....

My Studio and New Mood Board!

I just wanted to share with you some pictures of my studio renovations which have been a long time coming .... these are not all of them and it is still not completely finished so this is just a taste!

I have used a beautiful, striking Designer's Guild wallpaper from their new collection on my feature wall ...

Then I have been working on a design for a client for a dining/drawing room and the brief was for French style with a neutral palette and pops of colour.  I am using a beautiful taupe linen which has a silvery finish to it so it is quite formal which is perfect for the tufted sofa.  The salon chairs are also tufted but in a white linen.  The scatter cushions are going to be done in the beautiful silk DG fabric above with trim and then a couple in the pink on the salon chairs .....

I would also like to do the Louis dining chairs in the same fabric as the sofa but with the pink on the back of the medallion ......

The Louis table will have a polished timber parquet top not painted, however, the legs will be done in an antique white ...

Just another of the wallpaper and mirror that I have yet to put up on the wall .....