Birthday Parties!

It seems it is birthday season! I have 2 friends and my sisiter this week having a birthday and my good friend Becky has one next week on the 1st September ...Spring! So it was Tonya's turn last night and I had a little get together with cake and champagne! Tonya had a wonderful day and her beautiful family bought her the new Louis Vuitton purple bag! Wow it is fantastic and she so deserves it ..... it looks gorgeous on her! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TONYA!!!! More photos to come of Catherine and Veronica's Birthday!

Another one of the Elephant!

Designer's Guild

This gorgeous cushion is by Designer's Guild. Well the fabric is .... I had it made up from the children's collection called Elephant and Castle. It is such a fun fabric for kids and the colours in the whole sample book called Primrose Hill are just gorgeous!

Blue Moon, Pink Wedgwood, Lavender Toile and "Lime Wood"!

A bit of lavender toile from Manuel Canovas, pink Wedgwood and a beautiful rose called Blue Moon to kick off the day! I picked this rose from my garden yesterday afternoon and it was the only one! It looked stunning and I just had to pick it and pop it in my pink Wedgwood vase on the mantle in our bedroom. I have also ordered this Manuel Canovas toile for some work and I was so excited to see in the latest edition of Vogue Living Australia this fabulous interior of an English country manor hotel called "Lime Wood". Everything is just divine and was done by the fabulous David Collins. Vogue Living tells us the interiors are "discreetly glamorous" and the hues used are "Dior Grey" and my favourite colour at the moment Lavender. David Collins has pulled together an incredibly elegant and fresh look in the Drawing Room with its Louis sofa and lavender walls. If you can get yourself a copy buy two as it really is a great edition. Have a wonderful Monday everyone!

Images top: my camera via Vogue Living Australia magazine www.vogueliving.com.au other images M.A. the 2nd!

Beautiful Blue by Massucco Warner Miller

This gorgeous interior is by the design firm "Massucco Warner Miller" who I absolutely adore. Their work is brilliant and I just love the raspberry toile and rasberry accents here. So crisp and fresh and very elegant! Hey girls do you need anyone else on your design team? I am sure my family would not mind if I packed up and moved to America! Keep up the amazing interiors which I know give me so much inspiration and pleasure ... like a work of art!

Dinner Dilemma!

I don't know about anyone else but I sometimes become a little tired of the eternal question of "What's for Dinner?" When this question hangs in the air I sometimes feel like I want to run away! It is not that I don't like cooking, I love it and baking, but just sometimes I really would like to not actually think about being not only the chef but the dietitian and nutritionist as well! And then of course there is the groceries to buy and well you all know the drill!

I am very lucky because my family love what I cook for them which is so lovely and they are always grateful! However, I think that to perhaps prolong the effort involved with cooking and preparing meals it would be lovely to be back in the 18th century when it was an artform and the tables were laden with absolute works of art. However, with our busy lives that is something that we can only do occasionally at dinner parties (which I also love doing!).

One thing I do believe is so important is sitting together as a family for dinner ... I know for us it probably only happens about 3 times a week as Andrew always works late but when we gather around our table it is always great fun! We also love movies so I don't think it is a bad thing to have dinner in front of a movie whilst throwing banter back and forth. I believe moderation is the key .... I adore setting a table with all the trimmings but I equally love sitting in my pj's with the family, a great movie and a homemade hamburger with caramelized onion and rocket salad!

What are your family traditions with meals?
This meal I cooked a few days ago ~ Rosemary and Lemon chicken with Squash and a Rocket and Parmesan salad. I added creme fraiche and dijon mustard to the chicken as well! Have a great night and what are you having for dinner?????

Post with a Difference!

Just a quick post on a Monday night... have been very busy with work and Georgiana has been sick so everything always goes on the backburner! I have chosen these photos ... the first is the facade of the Chanel Boutique in Paris No. 31 ..... I think it is the Rue Royale boutique and if not Place Vendome. I have been there and contrary to popular belief it was a beautiful experience with gorgeous staff who couldn't do enough! I bought one pair of Chanel ballet shoes and truly the staff could not have been more gorgeous! I will always remember this time as one of my favourites of Paris!

Next I have taken some photos of cushions I have recently had made in the Designers Guild pink silk with the beautiful black, white, pink fringing. Then I have received my beautiful artwork from Anne Harwell of www.annchovie.blogspot.com I am so overwhelmed at how exquisite they are and can't wait to frame them. She is so talented! I hope you all have a great week ... best wishes!

Third Avenue Style!

A very big "thank-you" to the lovely Katie at Third Avenue Style. She wrote a lovely post on my new website and I was very honoured that she thought to do that. Katie has a fantastic blog over at http://www.thirdavenuestyle.blogspot.com/ She is very witty and writes with style and humour! Plus I thought she must be from New York with a name like that and a fantastic blue and white stripe banner for her header ... however, she is a Sydney gal and you should check out her fun blog!

More Square Blocks!

These are our colonial blocks in the new study. I think this architectural feature is so elegant and originates in the Georgian period as it does tend to follow a classical style. The photos aren't great as they are not face on but some of the detail is apparant. I also found some 1920's Tour de France photographs that I placed on the other wall. Andrew is a cycling nut and Le Tour is his holy grail! Have a great night!

Massucco Warner Miller

These gorgeous interiors are by the design firm Massucco Warner Miller and I particularly love the grey and white palette ... it is so elegant and timeless. I was also excited to see that the architraving in the second picture has exactly the same Victorian corner block detailing that I have in my home. We have this architraving and block detail throughout our home which was built in the 1890's. These interiors are from a Victorian flat designed and decorated by this very talented firm. I also love the use of obvious natural light and the warmth of the antique chest of drawers. I will show some pictures of our blocks next post! Images www.massuccowarnermiller.com

Bath Time!

Just a quick post on beautiful baths. Now this bath happens to be Georgiana's bath .... I wanted it to be very French with marble floor tiles, silver claw feet on the French slipper bath and a wall sconce above the vanity. I also had the bath custom painted in a very pale Porters Paints pink to match the wall above. This is also the bathroom that guests use when they visit for dinner or whatever. I took these photos a fair while ago and remember having great fun filling it with bubbles and roses and placing a nice cup of tea and beautiful fluffy towels around and of course candles. I think this is such a lovely way to relax after a big week. Enjoy and maybe have one next week-end! And don't forget your book!

The Unveiling!

Well here it is ..... the website for my business. This is just a little launch as we will be having the party in a few weeks time to cut the "cyber ribbon" as my lovely friend and client Tonya calls it! However, I just wanted to post the images and give great credit to the graphic designers, FM Studios and the photographer, John Casey from Casey Imaging. Thank-you all so very much for your talent and patience and vision! I have loved working with you all! We will be adding a few more images next week ...... I hope you enjoy! image www.francesrussellinteriors.com.au

Sneak Peek at Website Photos!

Just a little sneak peek at some more of the website photos....We did a photo shoot last week of this Louis 16th chair covered in the gorgeous Carolyn Quartermaine script fabric. I had the idea of putting the chair on the dining room table sitting directly below the chandelier. I wanted to create a sense of height and eminence to both the chair and the chandelier as it is my stylized logo. We then played around with the orange Carolyn Quartermaine script fabric draping it across the chair in a whimsical, decadent way ... perhaps a little reminiscent of 18th century France and the court of Versailles. I had to have roses of course always standing to attention and looking gorgeous beside the elegant Louis chair...... other shots we took with a white background to create the illusion of the chair and light as a separate entity (Alex and I played stylists as he was still home recovering from his tonsillectomy).

Tomorrow night is showtime for the website and I am very excited as it has taken a long time and a great deal of tweaking .... I am sure the girls at FM Studios have had enough of me! Also, photographer John Casey has truly done an amazing job with his talent and skills! Thank-you!

The launch party isn't for a few more weeks as I want to have it in September which is spring here..... I am thinking of a verandah gathering at dusk with fairy lights .... strips of fabric billowing from the chandeliers ..... flutes of champagne ... a big screen with the website playing interspersed with Marie Antoinette.... delicate canapes .... tables with white cloths and delicate blooms strewn across them .... baroque music playing ..... candles in candelabras throwing ethereal light ...... fabric delicately placed here and there and Louis chairs to rest on whilst chatting and enjoying what I hope will be a wonderful night! I wish you all could come ........ maybe one day .....

"Ludwig Interior Design"

Well it is official! I am completely and utterly obsessed and besotted with Ludwig Interior Design in France. Ludwig Design is nothing short of what I would term "perfect interiors". The work of this firm is exquisite and the imagery on their website is stunning. The attention to detail and the quirky shots they have taken are breathtaking. I have taken some photos of some prints off their website as I just had to share them with you. I really relate to their work as I strive for attention to detail and sometimes a little bit of whimsy. The French style with the Louis furniture, table setting and gardens of the formal home is so inspiring. Ludwig Design specialize in period property and their design philosophy is beautiful ..."Decoration, for us , always springs from the property itself....." is quoted on the website. Images via my camera via prints from www.ludwiginteriordesign.com
Please visit this exquisite site for more stunning imagery...... Enjoy

"Louis Love"

Whilst looking for a "coral" inspired fabric I stumbled across this gorgeous Louis chair upholstered in one of Waverly's new collections. The top picture is a Waverly coral print which I love and the Louis chair is as always fabulous. "Old World Charm" is the name of this collection. The chair here is a Louis the 16th style due to the straight reeded legs which follow the Roman columns from the classical Roman period. Neo-classical style became popular towards the end of the 18th century. Louis the 15th style was evident in the early part of the 18th century from the 1730's ...... more to come! Have a beautiful Friday! image www.waverly.com

"Website Unveilling"

Just a quick post before I head out to lunch. Andrew is in a golf competition and there is a beautiful luncheon in a white marquee overylooking the 18th hole! So I just wanted to let you know that this is the first preview of my new website. It has been under construction for some time and I am finally reaching the unveilling very soon ........ I have even managed to have the chandelier "tinkling" as it slowly unfolds down the screen (with the help of some very clever graphic designers at FM Studio!) So hopefully, this week I will be able to show you more images and tell you about the plans I have for the "launch" party.......... Have a lovely afternoon everyone!

Heavenly White!

These gorgeous images are from Elle Decor and there is something just so ethereal about them. As you know I love white interiors and I love colour used with restraint as well. These interiors are very classic and timeless. The use of texture, hints of colour and different styles of furniture stop these from being cold. I really love the use of the tulip chairs in the bottom picture and the flash of red and turqoise is brilliant. In the second photo I think the old timber table used with Louis chairs adds warmth. All three interiors are so light and heavenly! Have a wonderful week-end. I had a very interesting last couple of days as my eldest son had come home to have his tonsils removed as he was suffering from chronic tonsilitis and unfortunately at 2.14am on Thursday morning he had a secondary bleed .. only small but significant following a tonsilectomy. So we dashed off to the hospital and he was admitted but luckily he did not require re-operation but it was a bit of drama for the very cold early hours of the morning. Poor Georgiana was upset and I had to wake Dominic to look after her whilst I drove Alexander to the hospital. (Andrew was away!) So, you might wonder what this has to do with these beautiful white interiors ...... nothing really except I saw these and they just looked so serene and peaceful and just what I needed so I hope you enjoy them too! Images by www.elledecor.com/white

18th Century Silhouettes!

This fabulous range of children's wallpaper by the very talented Catherine Martin is absolutely gorgeous, elegant and whimsical! This collection is a reflection of Victorian circus illustrations and 18th century silhouettes and is called "Circus Silhouettes". Catherine Martin has done these beautiful wallpapers for Porter's Paints. When I was at Designex in Sydney I found the Porter's Paints stand and couldn't believe they did wallpaper as well .... hence I was very excited and snapped up the sample book immediately. Catherine has also done the "Alphabet City" wallpaper which I have showcased on my blog. This image is courtesy of http://www.porterspaints.com/

I hope you enjoy ....

Pool House Kitchen ~ Cooloola

I thought you might like this kitchen which is in our pool-house. I went with the black granite which is gorgeous .... inspiration from "Something's Gotta Give". As we all know we are obsessed with that movie, well I certainly am, and the kitchen was very inspirational for me in doing our pool-house kitchen. The pure white cabinetry with inky black granite benchtops and a colonial feel with cedar timber shutters and overhead fans plus triple posting and collars on the verandah added to the colonial feel. Once again, I did a porcelain sink and beautiful tapware ... I believe in longevity and the classics and it will stand the test of time....... Come on over!