sisalla

Big Love

2012-02-13T09:23:00.005+11:00

Valentines Day is a funny thing isn't it? A lot of people out there claim to absolutely hate it because it's so commercialized with its tacky overpriced gifts set-menus. I'm on the fence with this one. I hate all of that tacky stuff too, but it's still nice to write a little message in a cute card and have dinner with your valentine. Even if it is just Nandos in the park, with a couple of ciders (hint hint). So I thought I'd write a little Valentines Day post this year because I came across this image of a proposed Valentines Day installation at New York City's Duffy Square. Designed by Danish architecture firm BIG (bjarke ingles group) the heart reacts with peoples interaction. I love the fact that in the US they seem to embrace every holiday wholeheartedly (pardon the pun). Why not celebrate love?

I hope that you have a lovely Valentines Day!

"BIG(heart)NYC' is a 10-foot tall cube-like structure composed of 400 transparent LED acrylic tubes enveloping a large red heart that is suspended within. the cylindrical components refract the surrounding bright lights of times square around the symbol of love. The interactive art piece pulses with a glowing red luminosity whereby, people's interaction with one another intensify the beating of the brightly, burning heart."
Found on Designboom

Share it.

2012-02-07T23:16:00.002+11:00

Source: Emmas Design Blog | Photography: Johan Carlsson |

Stylist: Henrik Nygren & Susanna Nygren Barrett

I want to let you into a little secret I've been hiding for a while now. I cheat. Yes, it's true. Since I found out how easy it is, I do it more and more and I haven't been caught yet. So I thought I'd share with you how I've been cheating, it's called Share Design. As a designer sometimes I need to source a good tap for instance, and there are just so many out there. So instead of flipping though endless websites and catalogues I go straight to Share Design and right there is a great selection of taps, no brass federation styles or ugly designs only the good ones. Or if I need to find some inspirational images of dining rooms, they are all there too. I feel a little guilty as a designer to just swipe the info from a website, but it's really good, promise! So now I want to share it with you too. I feel better now I've admitted that. Of course the selections are all in very 'good taste' so if a project requires something a bit unexpected and edgy I will search high and low for that unusual find, but it really is a great place to start. It makes sense that the selection has been curated by designers, for designers. From their website:

"Share Design is about two design professionals, as well as great friends, with a strong desire to share their extensive and sought after design experience and knowledge. So whether you just want to find that great kitchen tap, that perfect white paint colour or how to achieve that Belgian look for your own home, Shareen and Miranda have done all the hard work for you."

Source: Skona Hem | Photography: Johan Carlsson | Stylist: Henrik Nygren & Susanna Nygren Barrett

Source: Emmas Design Blog | Designer: Agneta Enzell | Photography: Sandra Pettersson

Source: Emmas Design Blog | Photography: Johan Carlsson | Stylist: Henrik Nygren & Susanna Nygren Barrett

Source: Emmas Blog | Photography: Johan Carlsson | Stylist: Henrik Nygren & Susanna Nygren Barrett

Source: Emmas Design Blog | Photography: Johan Carlsson | Stylist: Henrik Nygren & Susanna Nygren Barrett

Source: Domino | Photography: Melanie Acevedo | Architect: Levenson MacDavid Architects

Designer: Ulla Koskinen

Mark Tuckey

2012-02-06T13:59:00.000+11:00

I have resisted posting Mark Tuckey as I felt that it's been a bit blogged before on other design blogs, but what the heck! Over the weekend I dropped by to check out their dining tables as I am sourcing one for a client. As you can see they have some stunners. I really love the mechandising too, there's a great use of foliage that's not fussy and cool artwork by Anita Bell that has an edge. My only critisism is the artwork by David Bromley which I am having serious adversions too, it's so manufactured and over exposed, I can't take anymore! Anyway, enough of my ranting.
They change the store around quite regularly so it's always a pleasure to visit the showroom. They're located at 231 Johnston Street Fitzroy in a big old warehouse painted white throughout with gorgeous industrial steel windows that let sunlight stream through. There is also a store at 303 Barrenjoey Road Newport Beach that opened when Mark and his family have relocated from Melbourne in 2009.

The furniture has a tactile quality that makes you want to run your fingers over the textured grain of the timber tabletops. The furntiure is made from solid timber, predominately Australian hardwoods, by their experienced furniture makers right here in Melbourne. They match up their furniture with a great range of chairs also. It's all pretty stunning.

Photos by Lauren Macer.

Must love dogs.

2012-02-03T17:39:00.000+11:00

Now I've got your attention with those pictures of dogs, lets look at this cool insersion in this interior. Ok, let's just look at the dogs one more time, how hilarious are those guys? Pretty cute huh!

Anyway, this is a staffroom area in a hair salon in Hamamatsu, Japan. This louvred room was designed for sleeping and having a meal using timber that existed already in the space. It provides privacy, ventilation and I think that it would be a nice place to relax in quite an open space loft area. I like the cocooning feel of the space however it wouldn't be clustrophobic as the openings in the louvres provide a connection with the open loft. The natural materials, plants and light in this loft keep it from feeling cold and impersonal and I really think that all hair salons need to have dogs!

The architects: "The surface of each material painted white has a marbled pattern because we wanna use existing pattern of the each materials which consist of the loft. And this volume hanged out from the ceiling to simplify each connection by canceled the weight of itself."

I don't exactly understand what that means, but I get the jist and I love how they say 'wanna'.

This project is by 403architecture with photography by Kenta Hasegawa.

Found via dezeen

One year ago...

2012-02-02T17:42:00.000+11:00

The SANAA Moriyama House

Yokohama International Port Terminal by Foreign Office Architects

Fuji Kindergarten by Tezuka Architects (more here)

Kids BAPE store by Wonderwall was BA NA NAS! Literally. There is a pit of soft bananas for kids to play whilst posh Mum and Dad shop.

Godiva Chocolate Store by Wonderwall. I die.

Teshima Museum by SANAA.

I can't beleive that it has actually been a year since our amazing visit to Japan. As with most visitors, it left such an impression on me, long after I left. I felt like posting a random selection of photos I took on my phone using Hipstamatic iphone app. I love Japan!!!

Felix

2012-02-01T22:54:00.000+11:00

Something that I like to do down on the Mornington Peninsula is rummage through antique stores. I'm not really looking for anything in particular, I just enjoy looking at some interesting things. However I've been known to come home with some things that I definitely don't need. Like the time I bought a trumpet horn thing (I do like to blow my own horn), and a jelly mold (I will make jelly one of these days) however I don't regret any of it. I enjoy exploring and finding unique objects with character and a past that you can't buy new off the shelves. I've bought some great furniture, interesting vases and artwork.
Felix is the new(ish) kid on the block or should I say beach, in Dromana. Everything is presented nicely and I hope their store does really well.

Photos by Lauren Macer

Realistic Wallpapers

2012-01-29T21:34:00.000+11:00

I've noticed that there are some new wallpapers that have been released recently that share a common theme, they are trying to look like something they are not. Usually when we think of wallpapers or finishes from the past that are supposed to give realistic representation of another material, they are a disaster, think of fake wood or fake brink panels. However I really love these wallpaper designs by UK company Mineheart. They have just added to their collection a carved stone pattern which I think is very effective. We've seen the bookcases before by Deborah Bowess, I posted about them back in 2009 here, but the trend has only got bigger with more options, and perhaps more realistic. I think the key is to use these papers with a dash of humor, don't be too serious and try to pass them off as the real thing. They would suit retail and hospitality projects, or even hotels, don't you think?

These plank wallpapers are by Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek in his trademark recycled timber planks and are available from Safari Living. I wouldn't mind having a look at them in the flesh to see the texture. They look great in photographs and I'm sure would be a great prop for photo shoots however I'm not 100% sold on these in residential, what do you think?

The three designs above are my selection by Swedish wallpaper company Mr Perswall and available in Australia through Scandinavian Wallpaper Decor. I mean who doesn't arrange their books in colour order anyway?

Hay there!

2012-01-27T18:51:00.000+11:00

I'm pretty much obsessed with Hay, like really obsessed. Obsessed in the way that when I catch up with my BFF we talk about Hay for an hour. I mean really, what dorks. But looking at these images you do understand, don't you? This is part of their new range and it's all absolutely beautiful, the products are understated, subtle and unique. They speak of quality, attention to detail and a return to the use of colour (thank goodness!) which is so cleverly applied. Hay incorporates the work from a selected group of established Danish designers such as Scholten & Baijings. They are known for their grid patterns using combination of soft pastels and and bright flourescent colours, I posted about them back in 2009 here. We bought some Hay bedlinen designed by Scholten & Baijings a while ago after many months of deliberation on which gorgeous design to choose. Not only is the design and the colours beautiful, it is printed on a soft sateen fabric which is lovely to use. Whilst I was studying interior design I worked at a few bedlinen retailers and there is hardly anything out there that I like, apart from some Aura and plain white. So I really was quite excited to see something so different to what is available on the market.

We picked up a catalogue from Corporate Culture and poured over the stunning images on the Hay website until we finally made our decision. The styling of the products is impeccable. I've only posted a tiny selection of their new products but it's worth checking out their website, which is also well designed.

About Hay:

Hay strives to make good design accessible by supplying our trademark designs with affordable price tags. Hay is committed to nurturing and promoting the originality of young talents as well as exploring the twisted minds of established designers.

Hay operates in the field between architecture and fashion bridging the statics from architecture and the dynamics from fashion. We are ambitious in the field of innovation and the use of cutting edge technologies.

Note: The lovely guys at Corporate Culture are the Australian distributors however unfortunately they don't keep any bedlinen in stock however if you are desperate like we were let me know and I'll let you know where to buy!)

VCA Masters Exhibition 2011

2012-01-08T22:30:00.000+11:00

This post is a little late, I've been so lazy! Last month I visited the VCA Masters Exhibition and as usual was blown away by the amazing talent. Above is one of my favorites, hand drawn work by Krishnamurti Suparka.

Detail of work by Krishnamurti Suparka. Amazing.

These drawings really do reveal themselves at closer inspection. They are the diaries of the artist written in tiny lettering.

Installation work by my talented sister Adele Macer. Extremely proud!

Quilt and levitating tetrahedrons by Adele Macer

The gorilla that beat on his drum. Very surreal. Sorry, I couldn't find the details of the artist for this one.

Video work by Hugh Davis.

Leanne Hermosilla

Laura Skerlj 'Future Stones'

Laura Skerlj. I love these so much!

The effect oxidisation from water on these steel plates is really interesting. Unfortunately I couldn't find the name of this artist but this work was a highlight for me. I love how grids of water reflect the ceiling above, how the plates stretch out on the concrete floor across the space, the geometry, colours....

'Untitled' Joe Bonaccorso

I loved this work however I didn't get the artists name, I know, bad blogging! So if you can help me fill in the blanks I would greatly appreciate it!

My Top 5 Albums of 2011

2012-01-06T18:39:00.000+11:00

It's so hard to put down this list but here goes...
1. GROUPLOVE, Never Trust a Happy Song. I have been so obsessed by this album it's just not funny. Grouplove is the cutest band ever, such sunny happy tunes that brighten my day every time. I saw them play the other night and they were simply amazing, I danced my butt off.
2. SEEKER LOVER KEEPER, self titled. Sweet girly tunes.
3. ARCTIC MONKEYS, Suck It And See. Love Brit Pop.
4. ROBYN, Body Talk. This lady rocks.
5. KANYE WEST, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. He's such a dickhead but I love it.

What artists did you fall in love with last year?

An additional note:
6. PLAN B, The Defamation of Strickland Banks. How could I forget? In the first half of the year I listened to this brilliant soul album by an English white hip-hop dude non-stop.
[Like A Version: Plan B - Runaway]

Christmas, Japanese style.

2011-12-16T23:02:00.000+11:00

Merry Christmas! 2011 has been my year of obsession with all things Japanese after our trip in February, so I attempted a Japanese style Christmas card. I sent them out the other day and a few friends liked them, so I thought I'd share them with you too. I had heaps of fun making them and getting seriously crafty, there was an explosion of paper bits, tape and sequins everywhere!

We bought some stickers on our visit to Japan and choosing them seemed like the most important decision of our lives at the time, we looked at them for hours! And although I bought quite a few I wished I had of bought more, they are so cute and there just isn't the selection in Australia. I thought using some of them on Christmas cards would be a good way to use them. I also wish I bought more MT tape, it's so expensive here, anyway I'll just have to go back....

Thanks to Hello Sandwich for giving me some Japanese style inspiration - that lady is so amazing, I just love her style!

Chapel Street Bazaar

2011-12-13T21:32:00.000+11:00

It's about time I blogged about the wonderful Chapel Street Bazaar! I'm lucky to live just around the corner from this wonderful collectors heaven and every now and then I love nothing more than to just wander aimlessly along the crammed aisles. I really enjoy the diversity of things people collect, everything from film posters, punch bowls, vintage 50s prom dresses, hats, telephones, smurfs, shall I go on!!!

There is so much good stuff there, I love it. Above are a few vases and pieces of furniture that caught my eye. It just goes to show that you don't need loads of money to create a beautiful interior full of personality. And it makes me never want to buy a brand new piece of furniture or decorative object again, there is already so much cool stuff out there! It inspires me to encourage my clients to look at sourcing items for their home from places like this. And we're kind of helping out the environment at the same time - bonus!
Photos by Lauren Macer

Peaches & Keen

2011-11-13T22:50:00.001+11:00

I went to the most delightful exhibition opening on Friday. The work is so pretty and gorgeous it was so tempting to buy the whole lot! Titled Peaches & Keen, it is a collection of beautiful prints and hanging plants in the window. With my current obsession with plants, this is right up my alley! The plants hand from crotched pots and string balls in all of the colours we are loving right now. So on trend! Clever ladies.

Check it out at Dagmar Rousset on Gertrude Street, Fitzroy.

It was so packed with gorgeous ladies at the opening that I didn't get any photos so these are from Peaches & Keen and ohgeronimo.

This is confidence

2011-11-01T13:58:00.002+11:00

This girl oozes confidence and fun. Whatever, I love her. She is Bip Ling and is a blogger, dj, ambassador for Forever21, sells art and is a self confessed show pony. And she loves My Little Ponies.
Oh to be young again. Check it out Bip Ling, for something different.

Little Windows

2011-10-31T22:52:00.001+11:00

No points for guessing where in the world this house is located! Clever clever design. This house is designed by Takeshi Hosaka architects for a deaf couple with small children. The open spaces without walls allow for visual communication through sign language. 200x200mm small windows to the facade allow sunlight into the space whilst keeping privacy in the overcrowded neighborhood. The openings in the floor provide openings for the indoor tree and also for light, and for sightlines for communication.

Seriously, what's going on with indoor plants? I see them everywhere I look! Love it.

via Architizer

Hôtel Americano

2011-10-25T21:59:00.000+11:00

Well this isn't helping my latest obsession with dreaming about a trip to New York City! Hôtel Americano just opened last month in the West Chelsea neighborhood which is apparently a district that has been one of the last to transform from its industrial past. So I guess it's a little undiscovered still so you can feel like you're one of the locals a little bit. And it's right near the High Line Park, this is looking dangerously good. I didn't look at the price, that would probably spoil the dream!

From the website:
'Hôtel Americano is designed by New York-based Mexican architect Enrique Norten, principal of Ten Arqitectos, the first recipient of the Mies van der Rohe Award for Latin American Architecture.'
Interiors are by MCH.
Found via Design Hotels.

Plant Life

2011-10-20T21:48:00.000+11:00

I've been going mad for plants lately! Have you also noticed that plants have been incorporated in architecture, furniture and in interiors? I love it! I've got air plants and a hanging string of pearl plant in the bathroom and others in the lounge room and kitchen. Living on the third floor in an apartment means this is my garden, inside. I'm not a green thumb at all but I'm trying this time!

Here is a little collection of images, with the last being a light I designed and fabricated for the Lightcycle competition by Electrolight a few months ago. It's an air plant on a black wire frame and shade. The air plant requires no soil and gets nutrients from the air, pretty clever. Just needs a spritz of water every now and then. Even I can do that!

Mecca

2011-09-26T23:04:00.000+10:00

I was walking down Bourke Street the other night the Myer windows stopped me in my tracks. How awesome are they? The bright colours and layered lighting just they blew me away. I love the graphic quality and how the letters create a real sense of depth in the display. The floating letters are so cleverly eexecuted, it's really difficult to actually see how the whole thing stands up. Very clever indeed.

In fact the Mecca concession is my favorite part of the new Myer refurbishment. Unfortunately I found the new Myer interiors very disappointing and uninspiring, otherwise I would of posted some photos. I think that more visual merchandising within the store of this standard it what they desperately need to lift the store somewhere near the level of international department stores. It's such a wasted opportunity in my mind. Anyway, I loved these windows and would be interested to know who the designer is but I have a feeling it could be ~~Gloss Creative.~~

Scratch that! The windows are by Create & Communicate. Love your work. Thanks for getting in touch and letting me know!

Photos by Lauren Macer

Eleven

2011-09-22T22:15:00.001+10:00

Cool merchandising at Eleven, the boutique at Potato Head in Bali. The vintage props add a chic vibe to this cool store.

This was a beautiful store to browse in Seminyak. It stocks some great labels but it still has that relaxed Bali vibe going on. It was a surprising find!

Potato Head!

2011-09-15T22:50:00.001+10:00

Cocktails at Potato Head = BLISS!!! Check out my favorite place to chill out in Bali, are you jealous yet? I was just in heaven here, and I never wanted to leave. In fact I wish I was there again right now!
Old reclaimed window shutters were sourced from around Indonesia and used for the exterior cladding. The combination of local reclaimed materials used in a new modern building really appeals to me. And it looks absolutely stunning on the curved facade. Potato Head is by Indonesian architect Andra Matin, one of the country's leading architects.

I love the mid century furniture in one of the lounge areas. Quite unexpected for a Bali location, not a frangipani or thatched hut to be found here!

Who doesn't love a bar in the pool? Who? I can cross that one off my bucket list now!

A really great example of resort architecture. Actually reminded me of mid century LA design, totally love it!

The shutters light up beautifully at night. Stunning.

A friend recommended Potato Head on our recent trip to Bali for a wedding and wow, it totally blew me away! Amazing view, delicious cocktails (I mean seriously amazing), yummy snack food, a few gorgeous restaurants, cruisey music and AMAZING architecture/ interiors. What more could I possibly want? Shopping? Well there's a gorgeous boutique, Eleven in the basement too!

Photos by Lauren Macer

Stunning Screens

2011-09-14T21:33:00.000+10:00

Lane Crawford again, this is the main department store at Pacific Place. A moving wall of sneakers in the Men's department - very impressive indeed! The sneakers moved along the top conveyor track so the display constantly is changing. It was a really beautiful space and the detailing was amazing.

I LOVE this screen. The clear tubes are configured to circular shapes to make up the screen. I've never really seen anything like it.

So many beautiful screens at Lane Crawford Pacific Place in Hong Kong. This is the main department store and let me tell you, it was fabulous! And these photos are just a tiny snapshot of the Men's area before the staff told me that photos aren't allowed. I think that the photos I managed to get really illustrate the variety of the screens and how each space has a different look and feel. The interior is by Yabu Pushelberg again and the use of different materials is very clever.
Photos by Lauren Macer

I Found Heaven in Hong Kong

2011-09-07T08:16:00.000+10:00

The candle display wall is clad with these stunning hexagon tiles and the concealed shelf lighting is so beautiful. I like that shell chandelier too.

I fell in love with this gorgeous bedlinen, I've not seen this before back home and I think I desperately need it! Did you spot to pelican lamp by Abigail Ahern? That woman is everywhere!

I wouldn't of picked it, but the green wall totally works here!

The Designer Rugs are displayed beautifully in this circular space. And those cushions - I die!

Trees in the bath - cool! Check out that Missoni, that will be my bathroom one day!

This is my idea of heaven. Ok that sounds a bit sad really. But you understand don't you? Oh, ok you're a bit annoyed with me because I disappeared for a while with absolutely no explanation. What? You didn't notice I've been away? Anyway, enough talking to myself and back to business.

This is the Lane Crawford Home Store at Pacific Place, Hong Kong and not only does it carry a truly fabulous range of furniture and homewares, the interior is absolutely stunning. The interior designers are Yabu Pushelberg and it was really great to experience one of their designs as I've been a huge fan of their glamorous work for years. Of course my photos don't do it justice at all, but the lighting is really stunning and the materials are gorgeous. The lighting is textured to highlight particular displays with a narrow beam lamp and also halo lighting to wash over the wall surfaces. I love the oak herringbone floor, the tiled hexagon curved wall in the candle area and the white painted brick. Everything is stunning.

The space is divided into different sections, there was a Scandinavian design room which of course I loved, a bedlinen area, cushions, bath, furniture and accessories - the selection was really well edited. We have some really great stores in Melbourne but nothing like this, so many great brands in the one beautiful store. Extreme love!!!

Photos by Lauren Macer

Micro Kitchen

2011-07-28T10:46:00.001+10:00

A glorious winter day in Melbourne, perfect for some wholesome soup I think! The Micro Kitchen by Broadsheet is a pop-up soup kitchen/ cafe at the GPO and part of the State of Design festival.

Yesterday was a delicious Black Eyed Pea, Newmarket Smoked Ham Hock and Baby Spinach Soup. Each day is a different soup made in collaboration with a designer and chef. I was lucky to have the architects from Edwards Moore collaborate with chef Kate Holloway from The Premises for my lunch. But what's with the polystyrene bowls guys? Wouldn't if of been cute to use a mis-match of bowls found in thrift shops or something?

Bloggers everywhere! I have to admit to being a little intimidated by these guys and their gear, puts my little canon camera to shame! Oh well. I've said it before, I'm definitely not the world's best photographer that's evident!

I believe that A Friend of Mine designed the interior and being graphic designers there are some cool decals and plywood spoon motifs dotted in the space. I liked the hanging spoon chandelier also.
From Broadsheet:
With a design brief that prompts the chef to create a soup that represents the designer’s practice, soup must include certain characteristics. Monday’s included a concept that was honest, sustainable and familiar, a bit sweet, and using a particular favourite ingredient – bull kelp. The result was a designer soup of Seaweed, Vegetable and Potato Chowder.
The Micro Kitchen opens at midday for hungry city slickers, serving hot soup with bread from Loafer Bread, coffee from Sensory Lab and local craft beer from Thunder Road on tap. It closes at 3pm and reopens for dinner at 5.30pm until 8pm. So if you missed out on you lunchbreak, get down there after work for dinner.

Thursday 28 July: Susan Cohn (jewellery) and Maurice Esposito (St Peters)
Friday 29 July: A Friend of Mine (graphic design) and Joseph Abboud (Rumi)

Two days left so get down there people, and the soup is only $5 - cheap healthy lunch!

Photos by Lauren Macer

Hobba

2011-07-26T22:12:00.001+10:00

Ok, so I had my rant on facebook about how this place just opened a week ago but when I dropped by for a coffee it was already packed with people. It's just at the end of my street so I thought I'd get a quiet coffee before the crowds find out about it. Oh no. I was wrong. It was pumping on Sunday afternoon filled with customers, barristas and waiters so I had to come back on Monday to take these photos. I found out that it has already been written up on Broadsheet so the 'hypemachine' was already in motion. I suppose it doesn't help that I'm writing about it too. If you can't beat em...

This is Hobba, a new cafe in a converted garage in Prahran. The interior is quite nice, very Melbourne. Exposed brick - check, plywood insertion - check, industrial pendants - check, vintage posters - check. You get the picture, this formula works everytime. Don't get me wrong, it does look great. There is a tree inside which is cool with plants dotted around the space and with the plywood it gives a 'sustainable' aesthetic. However the overhead heaters hanging from the warehouse ceiling and wide open doors aren't exactly an environmentally sustainable way to heat the space and I can imagine it would be an oven in summer. Anyway enough of being picky I just couldn't help it.

I ate lunch there on Monday and the salmon and crab fritter was seriously delicious. The service was great and friendly too.

Hobba, 428 Malvern Road, Prahran

Photos by Lauren Macer

The Social Studio

2011-07-25T12:37:00.000+10:00

I love Melbourne. If you live near Collingwood or hang out at the old pubs and cool cafes on the weekend then you might of noticed some lovely new faces to the area. There is a little community of African refugees living in the area and The Social Studio is a social enterprise business which employs and supports refugees.

I walked in and had a little look around and it was lovely hearing the ladies at the counter and at their sewing machines laughing and chatting away. I felt that this is really their space. I couldn't understand what they were saying which made me feel a little on the outer. This actually made me realise how important a space like this is for these ladies. As cheesy as it sounds this somehow makes my heart beat a little harder. I love it.

The interior of the store floors, walls and ceiling is clad with OSB (Oriented strand board) which has been used to great effect in the space and creates a cave-like cosy space. The cafe is totally different but has a great feel too. The black and white checkerboard floor gives it a diner feel and the red paint is used to a great effect around the kitchen. A few colours and materials have been used every cleverly indeed. I haven't been able to find who did the fit-out so if you know please let me know!

The Social Studio is a fashion school, designer clothing label, a great community space and a cafe on Smith Street. It's such a good thing and the clothes are really cool as well.

From their website:

The Social Studio is a dynamic space where clothing is created from the style and skills of the young refugee community. It is also a safe place of belonging that strives to create awareness and change public perceptions by empowering young people to achieve their dreams. The Clothing is designed and made by The Social Studios young designers using only recycled and excess manufacturing materials gathered from local industry.

The lady that is responsible for this brilliant initiative is Melbourne artist Grace McQuilten. From IndesignLive:

Looking for a way of providing ongoing opportunities for workers, she returned to her research background, and began thinking again about artists who used design to create social change.

“It occurred to me that rather than trying to change this group of people to suit mainstream employers, it would be better to create a business that is actually designed around their skills, their culture, their talent and their creativity, and give them an opportunity to express that.”

Grace finally came up with a plan to grow the passion for fashion of the young community, by setting up a vibrant shop-front on Smith Street in Collingwood. “We are training them up in all the skills they need, and we have been reworking garments from industry…adjusting them as a way of building up skills before we develop our first range,” she says.

Photos By Lauren Macer, fashion photo from The Social Studio.

The Future of Supermarket Shopping?

2011-07-19T09:33:00.000+10:00

Don't you hate wandering around the supermarket aisles in a daze after a frantic day at work when you just want to get home? I can't stand it. And don't you hate wasting time whilst waiting for the train? Well... that's why I absolutely love this idea by Home Plus (Teso) in Korea.

They have introduced a virtual shopping aisle at the train platform - seriously! They have really thought about customer convenience by bringing the supermarket to them. Commuters waiting for the train use their smart phones to scan product images of items usually found in a Home Plus store on an illuminated billboard on the train platform. The items are added to a virtual basket and by the time the commuter gets home, the order has already arrived at their door. A- MAZING!

From The Telegraph:

Tesco’s South Korean network of shops, called Home Plus, have grown to become the country’s second-largest supermarket after E-Mart since launching in 1999, but number two is never enough for Tesco. How, they asked themselves, can we become number one?

One way, they reasoned, is to expand their online sales rather than spending a lot of money opening new shops.

Rather than expect them to search through menus labelled with tiny text that says such unattractive things as ‘fish’ or ‘homeware’, they plastered the glass walls of subway stations with pictures of their products, laid out just as they’d be in a traditional shop. The ‘shelves’ featured QR codes - squares filled with a black and white pattern, unique to the product in question, they’re a more versatile successor to the bar code - which could be scanned by the traveller’s mobile phone, building up a shopping basket in the few minutes before the train arrives. If your train comes before your basket is complete, you can carry on shopping without the pictures and codes if you wish.

Deliveries are arranged to arrive in minutes or hours, rather than days, so the groceries will be in the shopper’s kitchen that night and there is no need to wait in to collect them.

Ring Around a Tree

2011-07-18T07:00:00.002+10:00

Proof I was actually here! We loved the experience of walking up around this tree, so whimsical and fun!

WOW. Is this the best tree house you have ever seen or what! This is the latest addition to the Fuji Kindergarten in Tachikawa, Tokyo and we were lucky enough to see it when it was freshly completed in February. The contractors literally had just put their tools down when we arrived after an epic journey of getting terribly lost and then jumping on the wrong train in the wrong direction (sorry again Andy!) Anyway we were thrilled when we finally made it unannounced and the lovely young lady greeted us and gave us a fabulous tour, we could not believe our luck. Yet another example of how the Japanese people went out of their way to show us a truly unforgettable time.

The kindergarten building was on Andy's must-see list and thank goodness as it was an absolute highlight of our trip. The kindergarten building was designed by Tezuka Architects and was completed in 2007 however it was a surprise to find this new treehouse structure. It houses the classrooms for English classes. It was a magical experience walking up the cork steps, around the tree, stepping over and under the branches and climbing ladders to the top level. It really brings out the kid in you and for me it was memories of the Magic Faraway Tree so I could only imagine how this must bring out the imagination for the kids. Such an inspiring work of architecture. My local kindergarten sure does not look anything like this!

The kindergarten is a halo shaped building with a rooftop area and an inner courtyard which accommodates 500 children. Three trees puncture through the building with nets on the rooftop so the kids can say hi to their little friends below, they love it. The interior of the building is devoid of any walls with furniture softly partitioning the classrooms. Each classroom has a skylight to let sunlight in and they can be opened for access to the rooftop by ladders.

Hello there! Will you fit in my suitcase I want to take you home you are so cute!

Everything has been designed at the children's scale with the ceilings only 2.1m high. Something I noticed is that there is no play equipment except for the slide. Very different to the kindergartens we have in Australia where they are filled with bright plastic play equipment, sandpits and things. Perhaps the environment with it's trees, skylights and rooftop engages the kid's imagination to play. And they have ponies - too cute!

From e-architect:

We absolutely wanted to make a space without dead ends, but as we were obstructed by three large zelkova trees, it just couldn’t become circular. Riding the train on the Chuo Line one day, we suddenly drew an oval that avoided the trees, and seeing how much better it was, we used it unchanged as the shape. Voices of concern were raised by the team with regard to building while preserving the large trees, all three of them inside the building, but they were overcome by the allure of a space without dead ends.

Photos by Andrea Moore and Lauren Macer

The Grates

2011-07-15T07:00:00.001+10:00

During my weekend morning ritual of watching Rage, I saw this latest video by The Grates and I thought it was kind of cool and artistic so I thought you might like it too. It's quite different from the colourful costumes and bodysuits from their previous stuff, it's definitely more grown-up and and they have quite serious faces.

I love the styling of the video, the black and white '60s look, it's kind of dark and surreal and the editing is dynamic with the music. Patience looks gorgeous and I love her hair and outfits. If it looks a little familiar, it references Alphaville by Jean-Luc Godard. The Grates recorded their latest album Secret Rituals in New York so that might explain the more sophisticated direction. I've been hearing it on the radio and this song has totally grown on me.

Says the director Dimitri Basil of the clip: "The main concept was to make a video reminiscent of Goddard’s Alpha Ville. After meeting the band and brainstorming ideas, the concept transformed into this dark and playful video of elusive imagery that hints towards the album’s name Secret Rituals. I thought that putting all these absurd metaphysical elements and esoteric rituals ending with a vortex will give some sort of conclusion to the series of bizarre spells John and Patience summon on the clip, but then again it could all simply be healthy randomness."

Hummmm....

Viva le France!

2011-07-14T10:23:00.000+10:00

Bonjour mes amis! Happy Bastille Day. For me this means that I can eat as many pain au chocolat as I like and drink champagne. Tres bien! For the French however it is a national holiday to commemorate the storming of the Bastille prison, which took place in 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution. I'll never forget the Bastille Day I spent in Paris when I was 22. After dinner at a little bistro we joined the crowds to watch the fireworks go off above a sparking Eiffel tower. That was a good day.

Anyway, enough bragging. I came across this beautifully clever collection of dinner plates that arrange to form a map of France and pin the location of the country’s Michelin-starred restaurants. Singularly the plates pattern is an beautiful abstract design of lines and dots.

They are designed by Albert Schrurs of Allegory from the idea of the amazing marketing story about Michelin, the giant french tire manufacture: In 1900, for the Paris “Exposition Universelle”, they decided to give free “RED GUIDES” to their customers. These guides would actually recommend “good restaurants and hotels” around the country, but it would also be an invitation to drive to these culinary destinations and so to use their tires. From then on, the Michelin Red Guide is considered as one of the most respected reference for gastronomy critique and the best Chefs fight for its stars (ranking system).

Somewhere... in Melbourne

2011-07-13T09:48:00.000+10:00

Love it! Somewhere is a totally gorgeous store stocking a beautiful collection of clothing and accessories mostly from Scandinavia and in particular Sweden. Gosh I wish I was Swedish sometimes. They are endlessly stylish (evidence here and here) cool and refined, design some classic furniture, have amazing music scene (the hives, the cardigans, Robyn, Peter, Bjorn & John, and ok, I have to mention abba). They also invented ikea and H&M, shall I go on? So anyway, Somewhere is a really cool store also. They stock brands including Resterods, Velour, Secret Squirrel, Tiger of Sweden and The Horse shoes, and jeans by Dr.Denim and Cheap Monday.

The store interior is light-filled, warm and welcoming. The large white space is fitted with some lovely bespoke fixtures mixed with cute vintage props and furniture. The denim is displayed on timber framed structure in front of a wallpaper made from paper clothing patterns which is a clever idea. I love the white painted timber floors, the mirrored cashwrap and the layout makes it really easy to shop.

They also have a gallery space which gives exposure to emerging artists - bravo to that! From their website:

With more than a slight inclination to all things Nordic by nature, our stores bring together the cream of local talent with emerging and established designers from around the world. Each season, we carefully select a limited range of stylish wearables and present them in a curated retail environment, free from affectation and ephemeral trends.
It is, perhaps, our own willingness to engage that forms the basis of our mentality. We are in the fashion business, but fashion alone does not sustain our interest. We are constantly exploring alternate avenues and tangential side-projects that ensure our collective attention remains focused and our sense of intrigue is well fed.

Somewhere is on the top level of an old building in the Royal Arcade, above Marais. There is also another store 'Somedays' located in Surry Hills Sydney. There is an online store called Someplace if you can't get to their stores. They also have a publication Sometimes which looks just as lovely, from their website:

A neatly packaged journal comprising 52 pages of conversations and creative submissions from prominent local and international designers, artists and musicians. From the outset of this project, we were emphatic that the content not only reflect our own personality but also the broad range of opinions and styles we encounter through the course of our business.

Using fashion as our springboard, we conducted a number of interviews with local and international de-signers to feature in the first edition. Running alongside the interviews is a range of creative contributions from, artists, musicians, writers and thinkers.

Photos by Lauren Macer.

Nathan Coley

2011-07-12T13:26:00.001+10:00

A few weeks ago I resigned from my job (whoo hoo!) and the first thing I did with my new found freedom was to visit the Nathan Coley exhibition at ACCA. I just loved this exhibition and I think that if you are an interior designer or architect you will love it too so get down there soon as it closes on 24th July.

The exhibition is titled 'Appearances' and it's made up of a series concrete platforms inspired by Oscar Niemeyer designs for Brazil’s iconic modernist capital city, Brasilia. They are beautifully cast smooth concrete forms that fit perfectly in the gallery space. They really transform the space and make it feel totally different with the artist interested in how architecture makes meaning - how it is 'worn', as he says, by the people who live with it. A civic space was created by the platforms for people to sit on and hang out. There is also an an illuminated sculptural tree that references circus or carnival architecture.

Scottish artist Coley also created a scale model of Melbourne's Scots' Church, similar to his previous exhibition at ACCA of cardboard models of all the places of worship in Birmingham and Edinburgh.

There is also a brilliant video which Cate Blanchett narrates. I don't want to give it away but it is very clever indeed.

From the ACCA press release:
Turner prize exhibiting artist Nathan Coley creates a major commission and exhibition for ACCA.
Nathan Coley is well known for his small scale and life-size models, public sculptures and slide lectures, which are deliberately allegorical. His works focus on the ways in which belief systems and society values are reflected and reinforced in its edifices, public spaces and built environments.
Coley’s project, says co-ordinating curator Charlotte Day, “is one of restitution, restoration, and reflection, bringing us into closer proximity to architecture, accentuating the faith that underscores its construction and exploring its fate over time”.

Coley also exhibited his illuminated sign 'Heaven Is A Place Where Nothing Ever Happens' in the ACCA forecourt, I saw it back in here on a hot summers night.

Australian Centre of Contemporary Art
111 Sturt Street
Southbank
Victoria 3006
Admission is free!

All photos by Lauren Macer.

Art Basel

2011-07-08T22:36:00.000+10:00

I love the delicacy of this work, it reminds me of spiderwebs, really big ones. It's a really interesting shape, kind of spherical, huge and fragile. It could also be a biological interpretation of cells, or some kind of futuristic blade runner city module. Do you think so?

Tomas Saraceno, Network Sphere Network 5 (2011).

These 'Family' chairs by Japanese designer Junya Ishigami with knitted clothes on are so sweet. The chairs were first exhibited at salone de mobile 2010 and are collection of chairs each with a slightly different shaped back.

Black Dome (2011), by British artist David Nash

'Hanging Piece' from 1993 by South African artist Kendell Geers

Stunning installation 'Impenetrable' by Lebanese artist Mona Hatoum

untitled work of art by Zink Yi

Lee Bull: Sleeping in Reverse (2010). Art 42 Basel 2011.

'Fall' by British artist Jonathan Monk

Now to one of my absolute faves, Dan Flavin. I got to see one of his pieces at the Guggenheim exhibition that showed at the NGV a few years ago, remember that? The way this guy uses commercial florescent tubes to create an atmosphere in a space is amazing. He was at the forefront in the '60s to use unadorned florescent tubes and show his work in site-specific 'situations' or 'proposals'. Extreme Love.

There is something that kind of unsettling to me about this work by Anish Kapoor. Something about the mass of it and that blade. But it's also deliciously beautiful too. It reminds me of lipstick or half a wheel of cheese. I love this blood red colour that Kapoor uses a lot in his work, I posted a recent work back here. It's made of wax, paint and vaseline.

Push-Pull (2008), by British artist Anish Kapoor

Rachel Harrison: Two Columns (2011) at Christian Nagel. Art 42 Basel 2011

Jamie Isenstein performance at Meyer Riegger. Art 42 Basel 2011.

This Glaswegian artist is a bit of a favorite as who can resist his use of beautiful colour?

Jim Lambie: Untitled (2011) at Sadie Coles. Art 42 Basel 2011.

Cigarettes, toilet, weird figure sitting? Must be Sarah Lucas.

"Cnut" by British artist Sarah Lucas.

This is a tiny glimpse of what went on recently at the Basel Art Fair. I love looking to art for inspiration, it's always so interesting seeing different ways at looking at the world. Some of the work I love and some of it not so much, but that's exactly what I love about it.

Art Basel is the top fair for contemporary art with 300 galleries displaying works, by more than 2,500 artists, with a combined total worth of around a billion pounds. Approximately 60,000 visitors went to the fair, there would be some glamorous and posh parties also. I can't confirm that however.

Photos from all over including here, here and grabbed from this video.

Pass the Baton

2011-07-04T20:43:00.000+10:00

Pass the Baton was on my 'must see' list of stores to see in Japan and like all store interiors by Wonderwall we visited, it didn't disappoint. Yes, I am still banging on about the amazing stores we saw in Japan earlier this year, sorry but there are still even more I've got stashed away! I did warn you back here that I would become a little obsessed with taking photos of beautiful stores.

I think there is still that perception that Japan is all about high-techy things like robots, gadgets and always something shiny and new. When in fact we experienced a whole other side of Japanese culture in our two week trip. We saw a return to natural materials with plants brought indoors and an appreciation for the handmade. So initially a store like Pass the Baton was a little unexpected in Japan as it doesn't sell anything brand new, it recycles old things. It is like the most beautiful antique/vintage store you've ever seen.

From Pass the Baton:

East and west, north and south. Each region has its own cultural climate. This can be both a blessing and a source of friction. Each country has its differences. These can be both a blessing and a source of war. The modern marketplace contains a vast diversity of commercial products. These can be both a blessing and a source of excessive competition. As a result of this, there is simply too much. Too much unwanted excess and too much regretful loss. Why not eliminate borders and corporations, and discover the value of personal culture? Cultivated carefully over the years, it’s something to be treasured and shared. Creating something new is a wonderful thing, but taking good care of an object that is already there can be magical. Old ways, current personal values, and future treasures for someone new.

Pass on your Personal Culture.
New Recycle.
Pass the Baton.

Pass the Baton is quite a different concept to the other stores that Wonderwall have designed in the past. I imagine it would be challenging to design a store with ever-changing stock, and no two items the same and present them in a high-end fashion. Everything should tie-in together harmoniously but still create a sense of the unexpected for customers to be able to explore (after all that's what we love about finding a gem hidden away in an antique store) and be able to create various merchandising displays. In my mind that is exactly what Wonderwall have done.

Cabinets line the walls with shelves at various heights with stunning concealed halo lighting that I love about Wonderwall interiors. Different sized glass door cabinets display beautifully curated vignettes and wooden showcases with their glass tops flung open display colour blocked merchandise. The feature chandelier is even made from recycled tea-cups, how cute!

There is so much to see in this store from vintage toys, designer clothing, ceramics and homewares, everything is quirky and delightful. There items that have been given a new life such as common calico Dean & Deluca bags. They are re-branded with the Pass the Baton logo in gold embroidery. Of course I could not walk out empty handed, that would be impossible. I bought an old key which was apparently from Argentina which has cleverly been transformed into a pen. So my Argentinian key pen from Japan takes pride of place at home. Love it!

Photos by Lauren Macer

Retail Really Can Be Theatre

2011-06-29T22:36:00.000+10:00

Us customers are so demanding these days aren't we? The stores go to extreme lengths just to impress us in the hope that we get so caught up in the 'store experience' that we forget that our credit cards are nearly maxed out and we buy that fringed suede handbag that we fall in love with but definitely don't need. I know you do it too!

I love a beautiful store and I admit that I can get a little bit caught up in it all so I can't imagine what might happen if I visited this Urban Outfitters store in Stockholm right now. Not only are the products enticing enough (check out their online store, they are on sale!) but the store itself is quite amazing. It's in an old movie theater building with much of the features retained such as the chandeliers, marble pillars and a detailed art deco ceiling. They really know how to put on a show for us! With online stores competing for our business stores on the high streets must provide an environment to engage the senses and really entice us in. It's tough out there.

From Inside Retail:

CEO Glen T. Senk once told Fast Company magazine: “The store is a various sensorial experience. It has a smell. It’s very tactile. We’re very careful about what music we play. We also focus on display and concentrate on narrative.”
All the stores in the Urban Outfitters portfolio have a wonderful flow to them. Fast Company commented that “it’s hard to tell where the merchandise ends and the display begins.”

Photos from Flickr and Inside Retail

Monumental

2011-06-27T21:43:00.000+10:00

Um, like, WOW!!! This guy is seriously out of control. This is amazing. I should so be in Paris right now to see this latest work by Anish Kapoor. But I'm not, I'm sitting on my sofa in my tracksuit pants watching Offspring. Anyway, I should be in Paris.

There are so many things I love about this monumental sculpture, the sheer scale of it for one is quite amazing and how the spherical blobs follow the curved steel domed structure of the Grand Palais. The solid smooth aubergine form contrasts dramatically against the light and decorative art nouveau steel structure. It's a sculpture inside an amazing building that can be experienced from all around it and also from the inside with the steel palace ceiling visible through the red rubber skin. I love that it is so accessible, both the cost (5 euro) and also as a contemporary work of art that people of all generations have been fascinated by and drawn to.

I am in awe of it's technical achievement, is it such a perfect smooth shape. What is holding it up, how did it get inside the space, I mean it's seriously monumental. So amazing.

From Dezeen:
The artist describes the work he is creating for MONUMENTA as follows: “A single object, a single form, a single colour.” “My ambition”, he adds, “is to create a space within a space that responds to the height and luminosity of the Nave at the Grand Palais. Visitors will be invited to walk inside the work, to immerse themselves in colour, and it will, I hope, be a contemplative and poetic experience.”

A technical, poetic challenge unparalleled in the history of sculpture, this work questions what we think we know about art, our body, our most intimate experiences and our origins.

The photos are amazing (by Stefan Tuchila) however I would of loved to experience this work for real. I've been lucky to see some of Anish Kapoor's work in Berlin and Kanazawa and they were pretty big but seem tiny in comparison to this. Just another work to cement Kapoor as a genius in contemporary art.

MONUMENTA 2011
Anish Kapoor at the Grand Palais
Leviathan from 11th May to 23rd June 2011

Glamorous Girls

2011-06-24T12:40:00.000+10:00

I am pretty much blown away by these simply stunning artworks. I love it how the faces emerge from the watercolour and ink. The colours melt and bleed into each other and drip to create a merging of something abstract and at the same time pictorial. That's what I love about them. The seemingly random effects with the precise parts that form the beautiful and emotive faces. They are so expressive and glamorous.

These are by Swedish artist Stina Persson. She works with a few different mediums including watercolour, handwritten, cut paper, acrylic and ink and also incorporates photos.

Poppytalk interviewd Stina back here:

Is it from pictures you study, do you draw using models, or if you could explain your creative process?

I have both travelled extensively and lived for several years in Italy. For some reason Sicily's mix of beauty, saints and corruption triggers my imagination. Then a book of Italian names that a friend gave me when I was expecting my first child got that imagination going. Women wearing names like Immacolata, Crocefissa, Annunziata -- all southern names, all sweet to the point of sickliness -- simply needed to have their portraits painted.

When starting on a piece I use picture reference to get structure and pose. But they take on a life of their own almost as soon as the ink touches the paper.

You use use mixed media with your work. If you could in a way take us through that. For instance, the type of paper and paints used in these latest pieces?

I found a pad of glossy tissue paper the art store and added that to some of the pieces (I use ink for my drawings). I really liked the result and went back to the store to get some more. Of course I had found a pad that had been lying there since the 70s and neither they nor the manufacturer had more. So I had to rethink and really start being creative, I guess. In the end I used all kinds of paper, everything from golden foil to mexican "papel picado" to give these dark girls some color and to add another dimension. And yes, I used parchment cake rounds to create the Sicilian lace head pieces I adore!
Creating these collages were almost a sculptural process and something I would like to bring into my commercial work. I'm not sure how much use I will get from the cake rounds though...

I love these images of her studio also from Poppytalk

Pillar of Salt

2011-06-20T22:35:00.000+10:00

I literally go past Pillar of Salt everyday on my way to work and I have been meaning to go there for ages as I thought it looked so cute. So last week I finally did and I was not disappointed! I liked the interior with the exposed brick and white metro tiles but it was the courtyard that set it apart. It has a surprising outdoor space which I must keep in mind for the warmer months. The interior is by Techne and the renovations were extensive, I can't even remember what was there before. I like the layering of the new cafe insertion into the old shell, in my mind it's nicely done.

Very smart little cafe and the service was great and the food delicious. It has that kind of feel that is instantly your little local cafe. If you're around Church Street check it out, it's right next door to Royal Saxon.

541 Church St
Richmond 3121
p: 9421 1550
Photos by Lauren Macer on iphone

Little Osaka Field Trip

2011-06-15T23:41:00.001+10:00

Graf Osaka Store

Graf restaurant

Osaka 64 Hostel, yes this is a hostel - we really loved it, super cute place to stay in Osaka.

D&D Department Dining (table top photo by Andy)

We spent only one night in Osaka which was a shame, but it's just impossible to fit it all in, you know? But we managed to see some great stuff and I'll be back one day. We walked around through cute streets and a few parks until we found D&D Department Dining, a really cute place with great coffee and cool people. Another great place is Graf which I've already talked about here.
We picked up a beautiful little guidebook 'Osaka Field Trips' from our hostel and I couldn't recommend it more. It's seriously the most beautifully designed guidebook ever.

Burch & Purchese

2011-06-14T22:09:00.000+10:00

It's about time I told you of this amazing sweet studio on Chapel Street. I took these photos a few weeks ago, perhaps I wanted to keep it to myself for a while - so greedy! Burch & Purchese is such a special little shop, it's really gorgeous and I generally love being surrounded by cakes and chocolate. Wow, where to begin? The cakes and sweets are all made in the studio which is visible from the shop. You can see the chefs mixing up potions right in front of you! You can even select from the 300 ingredients on the 'interactive flavor wall' and they can customize something special for you. How seriously cool is that!

I personally have not seen such beautiful and original cakes before, and believe me, I have seen my fair share of cakes. Not only are the flavors amazing (roast pumkin, milk chocolate, maple syrup, bacon cake, yes bacon. Yes all on one cake) they are spectacularly perfect works of art.

The interior is entirely covered in cork, the walls, ceiling and joinery is all cork and I adore it. So clever! It was selected so that items can be pinned off the wall so that the space can be easily changed and remain fresh. In my mind it's the perfect backdrop to all of that chocolately goodness. Apparently the design is by some up-and-comers (I forgot the name so please let me know). Really inspired stuff.

Burch & Purchese are British duo Ian Burch and Darren Purchese, they are totally inspiring and pushing the limits whilst creating some original and memorable food. Thank you!

The store is at the end of Chapel street between Toorak Road and Alexander Ave which is getting really interesting with the new Vogue Centre across the street. Big change is happening here!

I challenge you to walk out empty handed. I bought a jar of half raspberry jam/ chocolate hazelnut. Let me tell you, it's delicious.

Where: 647 Chapel St, South Yarra
Hours: Tue-Sun 10am-6.30pm
Phone: (03) 9827 7060
Details: burchandpurchese.com.au

Photos by Lauren Macer on iphone.

The Burning House

2011-06-09T23:18:00.000+10:00

Alan Hunters from Seattle.

Christiane Anell from Amsterdam.

Luca Cavallaro from New York

John Tinseth from New York

Jonathan Klee from Paris (typically stylish and the stunning chevrom floor is a dead giveaway!)

Luca Cavallaro from New York

Sandra Belanger from California

adriank from Paris

Laura Pritchett from Southern Delaware

Jeff Staple is from, well, all over. I follow this guy on twitter, he's such a dude.

We've all thought about it at some stage or another, what would you grab if your house was on fire? These photos have been submitted to 'The Burning House' by people from all over the globe and it's a fascinating view into the things that are the most important in peoples lives. Some are from well known designers, artists, photographers and just ordinary people. So there is a real range of images there, some stylized and some not. Hummmm, what would you grab if your house was on fire?

Tea Time

2011-06-05T22:54:00.000+10:00

I was reminiscing today about my trip to Japan back in January and some of the amazing experiences we had. Drinking traditional matcha tea at Toraya at Tokyo Mid-town was definitely one of them. Our lovely friend Yummy took us there and we absolutely loved it. Toraya has been serving Japanese tea and confectionery for a long time, for like hundreds of years. Everything is exquisite and perfect, it's so Japanese. One half of the space is a retail store, which is actually more like a gallery space with ceramics on display and the other half is a teahouse. It's lovely.

The storefront is totally different to what you see here in Australia. There are little glimpses into the store, but when you are inside it feels private and intimate. The doors are fabric curtain strips and the walls to the teahouse are glazed square bricks with a cut-out that creates a beautiful screen. No full height glazing to be seen here!

We loved it so much that we came back on our last day. If you are going to Japan you must go there and drink tea with the posh Japanese ladies with nice hair.

Toraya

D-B117, 9-7-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku, TOKYO
(Galleria B1F, Tokyo Midtown)

Photos by Lauren Macer and first storefront photo by Andy.

Rain Light

2011-06-01T22:12:00.001+10:00

Stunning! These beautiful lights are designed by Melbourne based designer Ilan El Design Studio. It's always inspiring seeing local designers doing really well isn't it? 'Rain' the first light above is my absolute favorite, I love the materials and the light effects. Ilan has been designing these beautiful lights and getting them produced and distributed to retail outlets. I really admire designers that get out there and pursue a career in their own designs. That takes courage and I love that. Check out Ilans cool blog too.
Available in the uk, sydney and closer to home, the very cool Tongue and Groove in Collingwood

Autumn Colours

2011-05-31T22:53:00.000+10:00

I think that Melbourne wears autumn really well. Autumn just suits this city, the streets and gardens are absolutely beautiful at the moment. We've had some bright fresh days, the sun is low and there is the distant smell of an open fire somewhere nearby. I just love it.

Pin Up!

2011-05-27T08:50:00.000+10:00

On Wednesday night I popped into the opening of Pin Up's latest exhibition at The Compound Interest in Collingwood. Lamington Drive also work out of the space which is an old warehouse with plywood rooms inserted here and there, it's quite a cool space. The vodka was flowing liberally (yes vodka people, not any of this cheap wine business) as this gathering of designers and architects wandered through the space.

And what an interesting exhibition space it is too! Designed by Edwards Moore, the plywood sloping table shards filled the space displaying objects on and under them with floating images above. The exhibition showed some of Melbourne's best modern craftsmen and women's work, the final piece was represented along with some design development work which was really interesting. Some work I liked was ceramics by Greg Bonesera, cool shiny objects by Flatland OK, Geoffry Nees (artwork facade on Domain Tower) and Freefold Furniture (cardboard models). It was just an interesting mix of design work.

Here's a bit about Pin Up from their website:

Pin-up is a new, independent architecture and design gallery, project and event space housed within one of Melbourne’s most vibrant creative precincts. Firmly engaged with promoting local debate yet with an international outlook, Pin-up is dedicated to exhibiting, communicating and promoting architecture and design in an accessible, responsive and inspirational environment.

The exhibition finishes on Sunday so it you like the look of it get down there on the weekend!

Pin-up and Something Together are located at The Compound Interest: Centre for The Applied Arts - 15-25 Keele Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066, Melbourne, Australia.

Beams T

2011-05-24T00:36:00.000+10:00

I was in my element in the back streets of Harajuku and I was super excited to stumble across the Beams T store by the amazing Masamichi Katayama of Wonderwall. There it was, that conveyor of t-shirts. Still looking fresh and cool after nearly TEN YEARS!! Can you believe it! That is like the Stonehenge of retail. It just goes to show that the Japanese are really light years ahead when it comes to setting the trends in retail and fashion. The t-shirts are displayed within glass cabinets almost like a museum exhibition and lit from above and below.

The interior works really well. I stood there whilst the t-shirts passed by me on the steel conveyor belt, it's really easy to shop and the store display is always changing. I actually bought one t-shirt and whilst walking out of the store two others caught my eye that I just had to have too. Super cool and quirky.

Beams T is part of the larger Beams brand with many off-shoot labels however this one only sells t-shirts and they do that very well. The idea is 'Art for Everyday' with artistic graphics from around the world printed and presented on the T-shirts.

From Wonderwall:

With the theme "Art for Everyday" this shop merchandises T-shirts only. A rotating display presents T-shirts as pieces of artwork in the backdrop of an artist's workshop.

Top photos by Lauren Macer and the others from wonderwall.

búl

2011-05-22T21:42:00.001+10:00

Visiting búl is kind of like stepping into a charming old 60s beach house in Mc Crae complete with timber wall paneling, a timber verandah, old board games and glimpses of the beach. I totally get it and I absolutely love it.

The beach house is literally represented by the negative space of a house with the roof rafters exposed and a wintery blue sky around. However the interior is subtle and defiantly not too themey if you know what I mean. The store is not filled with too many props but the native flowers, old board games and other objects that have been carefully selected speak volumes about the natural and relaxed fashion label.

The bespoke timber fixtures are smart and functional, and the POS is more like an integrated piece of furniture in the space. The computers and equipment is concealed not to distract from the natural relaxed atmosphere. And I really love the colour of that floor rug that skims the polished concrete floor. The store just opened on Friday so I don't have any information on who did the fitout so comments welcome!

And then there's the collection itself. Every single piece would fit into my wardrobe, i love it. Stunning leather, cotton and wool knits all have a natural organic feel to them. Búl is a Melbourne based label started by Virginia Martin.

From the búl website:

búl expresses the grace and natural beauty
of the seaside – its colours, textures,
moods and subtleties – through a range of
contemporary yet timeless fashion ideals.

Warm sand. Glassy morning swells. Weathered
beach houses. Balmy evenings. Brooding skies.
búl will take you there with playfulness and
sophistication, understatement and individuality

Búl, 241 Brunswick Street Fitzroy (opposite the Black Cat)
Photos by Lauren Macer

Something Beautiful

2011-05-17T20:14:00.000+10:00

Not only are these glass objects beautiful, they also blend recycled found objects with new glass. Carina Seth Andersson has found the knobs at flea markets and in antique shops over the last twenty years and makes the bottles in a hot-glass studio with the help Eino Mäkelä, designing them to suit the knobs. I love the blend of something old from a century past with new Scandinavian modern design.

From Svensk Form:
Carina Seth-Andersson, who started her career in the early 1990’s, could just as well have designed airplanes or spaceships. Her concept of beauty is pared down to the barest possible expression - just like old medicine bottles. But there is also a discrete and warm humor to her work - not everything is centered and perfect.

Carina was born in 1965 in Stockholm. Carina received a Master of Fine Arts from Konstfack University College of Art 1993 and spent an extra year in glass in 1994.
Available from Iittala

Floaty and Lovely

2011-05-16T21:04:00.000+10:00

Simply stunning. I was so excited to have discovered these absolutely beautiful fabrics by Jakob Schlaefper who launched a selection at the recent Maison & Objet in Paris. Jakob Schlaepfer is a European Fabric House that supplies couture fabrics to fashion labels such as Christian Lacroix and Yves Saint Laurent. This is a tiny selection of their range in some colours I'm loving at the moment. Delicious!

The Log House

2011-05-15T20:13:00.001+10:00

With the wintery Melbourne weather lately doesn't it makes you want to curl up in a cosy little log cabin somewhere? And what could be more chic that this literal log cabin by Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek. I mean could you imagine having a space like this in the bush to retreat to on the weekend where you could read (or write) a book, make something crafty or just faff around with 100 cups of tea on the go. This log cabin is on wheels so if you could move to the beach in summer. Just heavenly.

I love the interior colour too, it's a colour that Piet Hein Eek uses in quite a lot of his interiors. I love that the paint covers absolutely everything inside, the walls, ceiling, shelving, table and even the chair. It's a clean contrast to the exterior which appears to be carved out of a stack of logs. The windows are at the correct height when sitting in the chair - clever. It was designed as study for music-entertainer Hans Liberg in the Netherlands.

Cloud Twigs

2011-05-10T23:00:00.000+10:00

Well I've never seen clouds like this before! These carbon twigs fit together to form these beautiful clouds in the space. The design is called eda which is Japanese for branch.

Something from the designer Emmanuelle Moureaux (from Dezeen)

Beauty shown by plants in the natural world. Spreads of trees, colors of flowers, flows of leaf veins, linkages of cells. Everything is in a systematic harmony. In eda, forms are determined according to the natural system.

I could imagine that these would look so stunning hanging in coloured clusters from a ceiling or even attached to a wall. Anyway, they are just a prototype for now...

A Somers Day

2011-05-02T23:32:00.000+10:00

There are some absolutely gorgeous places tucked away on the Mornington Peninsula aren't there! The moment you get to this little General Store in Somers you relax. It's beautiful. It's kind of tucked away which is really nice, the crowds haven't really caught on yet and it still has a welcoming rustic feel to it. We sat for a few hours on the veranda out the front in the Autumn sun, you must get down there!

Adjoining the cafe is a gorgeous store selling lollies in jars and vegetables and nice stuff. It's quite charming. Then out in the back yard there is a vegie garden and an old retro ice cream truck. It's seriously the most gorgeous garden I've ever seen - every garden needs an ice cream truck!

The coffee was good, the staff really friendly and it's across from the beautiful beach, I mean what more could you possible want? I was also loving the quirky pieces inside, not trying too hard and full of personality. Cute!

Somers General Store
2 The Boulevard
Somers 3927

I Love Love

2011-05-01T23:37:00.000+10:00

I'm not ashamed to say that I am totally obsessed with the Royal Wedding. Why not celebrate love? Everyone is in a good mood, I love that!

And my word, hasn't the old royal commemorative plate come a long way? These plates are designed by, KK Outlet, how cool are they? Typically quirky English style, so cute. And I might have bought those two tea-towels from the brilliant and always tempting Liberty online store. I tried to resist but caved when I saw they were selling out fast! It's official, I'm a total dork.

I love this add for Agent Provocateur Bridal.

SIMPLY STUNNING

The chair that's not there

2011-04-17T22:19:00.000+10:00

Oh my gosh. This is a chair? Well I've never seen a chair like this before. How cool is it? So unique, so original and it's almost like a work of art than a chair. I mean it's hardly even there, a backrest, armrests and a transparent seat like a hammock. I could imagine feeling a little apprehensive actually sitting on it but it's actually made from polyurethane film, commonly used as a packing material with high elasticity and ability to return to its original state. Where else could a design like this come from other than Japan. Nendo recently presented this at Milan (I'm so glad I'm not there right now during the Furniture Fair because it's just too busy. Ok I'm jealous) I blogged their amazing office back here and they have been so busy since then!

From Nendo:

Our furniture collection explored transparency, but with a difference: not transparency that seeks only to disappear visually, but the half-transparency that exists in gradations in the space between the transparent and the opaque, and the minute differences visible between different levels of transparency.

I'm absolutely in love this set of coffee tables called Pond by Nendo for Moroso that was also launched at the fair in Milan. The underside is patterned and reflected in the mirrored surfaces, it's quite subtle but beautiful and clever. I love the thin metal legs, so elegant, I can see this in my lounge room...

From Nendo:

Pond – design by Nendo
The narcissist low table.
Pond illustrates the seductive mystery of an image reflected in a mirror. The idea of a pond as seen in the table’s round shape and in its inspiration which reveals the silence of Nature, the hush of the woods and the trees in bloom reflected inside it.
The table has a simple structure: three rods raise and separate two tabletops, one decorated and upside down, the other a mirror that expands the table’s heigh and depth. But the idea behind this design conceals a particularly fascinating design study.

I love these guys!

Found on Dezeen

Stockroom

2011-04-14T20:48:00.000+10:00

Sometimes when you take a wrong turn, you end up going the right way! We found Stockroom when we took a wrong turn in Kyneton on the weekend and we were so glad we found it, it was so cool. Stockroom is an amazing old butter factory full of loads of good stuff. It's quite a unique space showcasing art exhibitions, work and products by artists and designers, vintage furniture and also studio spaces for resident artists. And they have plans for even more!

It was so inspiring to see so much great design in one place and also that there are so many amazing things happening out in a little country town, even if it's only one hour from Melbourne. My photos really don't do it justice so you should really head out there some time.

Stockroom
98 Piper Street
Kyneton, Victoria

Green Japan

2011-04-13T21:51:00.000+10:00

Here is a collection on some green things I saw in Japan. I know I've been banging on about it since I got back, but what struck me was the amount of plant life indoors. Perhaps it stems from the culture of architecture with an inner courtyard of manicured gardens influenced by Zen Buddhism which are to be enjoyed and admired. I don't really know much about these gardens but it's quite fascinating to me and I would actually like to learn more one day.

Especially in Tokyo where there aren't many green spaces or houses with gardens, so plant life if brought indoors. We also found that if there was no room for a garden, a wall will do! We saw so many examples of some brilliant green walls.

1. Kyoto Garden
2. Signage to the 21C Design Museum
3. Kyo Hayashiya, Japanese sweets and tea at Tokyo Midtown
4. Kingyoya Ryokan, courtyard at our accommodation in Kyoto
5. Kyoto Garden
6. Store window at Isetan, Shinjuku
7. Opening Ceremony, Harajuku
8. Tokyo Midtown surrounding gardens
9. Swatch building by Shiguru Ban - green wall
10. Tokyo Midtown
11. On the streets of Aoyama
Photos by Lauren Macer

It's been over one month since the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan. Hasn't it been difficult to watch the horrific events unfold on our televisions and online. I hope the Japanese people affected by this disaster are managing to rebuild their lives.

What's it all about? Alfie

2011-04-11T22:06:00.000+10:00

Oh my gosh, after visiting this gorgeous store, I just couldn't get this song out of my head for days! I admit it, I'm a huge Burt Bacharach and Hal David fan. I'm not ashamed. Anyway I read somewhere that Rumer, a UK artist covered it so I thought I'd share it.

Back to the store, well Alfie is a great little store on Darling Street in Balmain and has a really fabulous edited selection of men's and ladies wear and accessories. In fact they have such a great range that my husband left with two pairs of shoes! I loved the store, it's an old terrace building and full of personality and cute quirky touches everywhere. I loved the way they made the spaces feel like home but still really chic.

Alfie
348 Darling Street
Balmain, NSW 2041

Photos by Lauren Macer

What's in the Kabinett?

2011-04-10T22:07:00.001+10:00

After hearing whispers about a little old country town called Kyneton, today we decided to check it out and man, we were impressed! Piper Street is where it's at in Kyneton, all along the bluestone paved street there are gorgeous restaurants and shops and the old bank which houses the museum. I loved Kabinett, a store packed with unique vintage homewares and furniture from all over but specifically imported from Eastern Europe. The owner has a really good eye for interesting finds and merchandising them in a cool way.
They have a really great selection of vintage stuff which was perfect to explore on a lazy Sunday afternoon, then pizza at Pizza Verde. Do it!

Kabinett, 66 Piper Street, Kyneton (about one hour from Melbourne)
Photos by Lauren Macer

Abigail Reynolds

2011-04-06T23:37:00.000+10:00

How fascinating. Seriously, how clever and interesting are these works by Abigail Reynolds? You might need to come closer to the screen to see how cool these are, go on. Do it!

These relief sculptures interweave two vintage photographs together in a truly unique way. 'Universal Now' is the latest series from London based Reynolds and incorporates two images of the same location from different sources so it reveals the space from different times as the artist describes ‘suspended in time’.

I love the vintage quality of these old photos and the way they have been re-interpreted and given a totally new context. The folding and layers almost gives them a kaleidoscope quality. The artist describes, ‘The act of folding one image into the other pushes them out into three dimensions in a bulging time ruffle’.

Fascinating. I love them all.

Found on It's Nice That

Line of Beauty

2011-04-03T21:54:00.001+10:00

Oh how I miss London sometimes, especially when I'm missing such a gorgeous exhibitions like ‘Dior Illustrated: Rene Gruau and the Line of Beauty’ currently showing at Somerset House. René Gruau (1909-2004) is a celebrated illustrator, who created some of the most iconic fashion images of the 20th century and in my mind the exhibition design showcases his Dior illustrations perfectly.

Gitta Gschwendtner designed this beautiful exhibition insertion into the valuted space. The use of gauze stretched over timber forms seem to compliment Gruau's fashion illustrations with the the layering of gauze boxes a little like the layering of inks in the illustrations. I love it, I wish this stunning exhibition was coming to Melbourne - please!

Found on Dezeen

Ruffling My Feathers

2011-03-31T20:46:00.001+11:00

There is something otherworldly and almost mythical about these feathered pieces by English artist Kate MccGwire. They are beautiful but also kind of scare me a little bit. An object as familiar as a feather has become something strange when fastidiously applied to these organic shapes.

Kate started collecting feathers in a nearby old boat shed and then started arranging them and laying them out. She appreciated how beautiful the feathers really are and began to create artwork from them and now has about 200 people from all across the UK sending her envelopes full of feathers.

I'm a huge fan of site specific artwork and I love the interiors in which these works have been installed. Stunning.

Found on Yatzer

Sydney Style

2011-03-29T22:30:00.000+11:00

We spent the most wonderful weekend in Sydney. We traipsed from Bondi to Balmain, Surry Hills to The Rocks and checked out some beautiful stores and amazing food.
Here are a few images from that weekend.
1. Greenhouse by Joost
2. Koskela in Surry Hills and an old terrace in Surry Hills
3. The Society Inc.
4. Charming streets of Surry Hills
5-6. Bourke Street Bakery Surry Hills
7. More streets somewhere
8. Crown Street and the facade of the Brett Whitely Studio
9. Dinner at Porteno Surry Hills.

Koskela

2011-03-28T22:47:00.001+11:00

I absolutely fell in love with Koskela. In fact I want to move in please. I went to this unique showroom over the weekend and it's full of gorgeous furniture, floor rugs, lighting and homewares beautifully displayed in a stunning warehouse space. The focus is on Australian designed and made and they even collaborate with indigenous weavers from Arnhem Land and the Central Desert, how amazing is that! At a glace they stock Castle Bedlinen, Loom Rugs, Shelley Panton Ceramics, Ponyrider, Sam Studio and their own Koskela Studio furniture range.

The merchandising was stunning. I loved the plants dotted around the space which reminded me of some of the stores we visited Japan. It had this natural and modern feel with layers of texture and gorgeous rugs skimming the wooden floors. It was relaxed and not at all contrived, it had a warm atmosphere and was so lovely to browse around. I got talking to the super lovely Suzie, the owner and it turns out that she was in Japan at the same time as me! It was fun to chat about the amazing Japanese people and some of the stores we visited.

The showroom is on level one of an old warehouse space in Surry Hills Sydney and we never would of found it if it wasn't for Dana at Yellowtrace who gave me the tip off - thanks so much Dana!

So if you're in Sydney and haven't been - what are you waiting for?
Koskela
91 Campbell St
Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02)9280 0999

Corporate Culture

2011-03-25T00:34:00.000+11:00

Phew! Just got back from the opening of the new Corporate Culture showroom and let me tell you, it was kind of crazy. I mean there was a line to get in - A LINE! Check out the second photo of people lining up, since when have we lined up to an event? I think every interior designer and architect in Melbourne was there, apparently over 650 people RSVP. The champagne was pouring and the food was doing the rounds and I got to catch up with a few friends and past colleagues which is always nice.

The new showroom is stunning. An old warehouse building on the fringe of the cbd, the showroom is spread over four levels with a beautifully detailed staircase void punching through the levels. The top floor is fitted out as an apartment and apparently they plan for various designers to fit it out. Wow, that would be amazing!

And then there was the furniture and lighting- drool... I loved the wishbone chairs in those gorgeous pastel shades and the Cassina Le Corbusier LC2 in the coloured steel frames. Really great to see the collection in such a beautiful space. If you're in the area, check it out at the top of Elizabeth Street, near the corner of Grattan, Carlton.

ps. This post is dedicated to my beautiful friend Elle, who said that I never mention any friends on my blog. Hi Elle!

Muji Tokyo Midtown

2011-03-23T22:46:00.000+11:00

Ah Muji. Such an awesome Japanese store. I was kind of familiar with the brand when I was living in London, but it just makes so much more sense in Japan. This Muji store is rather special though. It's located at Tokyo Midtown which is a high-end shopping center in Roppongi and it's absolutely stunning. The products are displayed in such a way to emphasize the design, rather than price messaging. Raw timber gives warmth to the glass and minimal products and as always the lighting is beautiful.

Part of the Muji Global Message
Cleaning of every nook and cranny - this is the foundation of comfort of traditional Japanese homes and gardens. No matter how luxurious, an environment that is not clean is not comfortable. Simple surroundings - weather homes or garden, that are clean spick and span on the other hand are pleasant and beautiful. Minimalist rather than showy is thought to be more pleasant; a simple and sparsely furnished living room has long been considered preferable.
Muji was created thirty years ago in 1980 with the idea of completely eliminating wastefulness.
Muji has grown in it's exploration of it's day-to-day role of products that are natural, no-name, simple and environmental, products that are beautiful in their simplicity, dignified in their unpretentiousness.

Urban Nature

2011-03-22T20:47:00.000+11:00

For me, Journal Standard Furniture encapsulates the Japanese homewares aesthetic that is popular at the moment. It's vintage, rustic, homemade, natural and of course there are indoor plants. I like the term 'Urban Nature' as they have called one of their ladies apparel collections. Journal Standard is very popular in Japan at the moment and they have many brands, Journal Standard Lady's, Men's, Luxe, Trisect, Essager, Homestead, Relume Lady's, Relume Men's. They can't get enough of it, I hope that it's just a matter of time until the trend comes to our shores too!

White Out

2011-03-21T21:55:00.000+11:00

White walls. White ceiling. White floors. White snow!

How could we be any more fortunate to see the 21st Century Museum in such a perfect setting! We arrived at Kanazawa as it was covered in a thick fluffy blanket of snow. The museum was absolutely stunning, we were blown away. It was designed by architecture firm Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa/ SANAA. We all studied it at university together and to experience the space was even more amazing than we imagined. It primarily consists of a glass circular building with a series of white cubes and voids inside. Basically it's a building of a diagram. From the 21st Century website: 'The use of glass walls, inside and out, produces transparency and brightness. It also enhances a sense of encounter, an awareness of each others presence, and unity among the visitors, whether they are at inside or outside of the building'

The building was impeccable, the attention to detail (a term overused but totally applicable here) was seriously amazing. Only in Japan.

The art collection was impressive. The outdoor installation 'Color Activity House' by Olafur Eliasson was brilliant against the white snow backdrop, we asked ourselves if it could get any better? It was an unforgettable experience to wander through the coloured circular space, so beautiful. Eliasson is one of my favorite artists, often using colour, light, fog and other materials. In my mind his work is not only beautiful, it is thoughtful, clever and responds to the specific space. I love that.

The Green Bridge by Patrick Blanc was covered in snow and it was amazing to walk through the glass walkway underneath it. I could go on and on, check out the 21 Century Museum website if you want to check out more.

Photos by Lauren Macer except the inside of the swimming pool found on the 21st C Museum by NAKAMICHI Atsushi / Nacása & Partners

Puma Black Store

2011-03-20T21:32:00.000+11:00

Again, I find myself in another sports store. And I like it. A lot. This time it's the Puma Black store at Tokyo Midtown. This is such a stunning concept, it encapsulates technology, sport and cool. I love the black sleek surfaces and the interesting display fixtures on bike wheels. It's very cool.

From Puma blog:

The Black Store was created as a laboratory for the brand to experiment with new collaboration collections and concepts as well as creating a unique retail environment for PUMA consumers. The new Tokyo store will be 2nd PUMA store dedicated to the Sport Fashion collections, next to the store in New York. Intended to highlight the unique aspects of a multitude of collections in one unique space, the store has a sleek black interior that provides a neutral backdrop. Inspired by sport the stores fixtures take on active roles with hanging ropes and moveable tables. This unique environment was designed as a place where PUMA‘s Sport Fashion brands can interact in a complementary way through the introduction of new graphics that incorporate the individual logos of the collections.

Plant Life

2011-03-17T22:48:00.000+11:00

We popped into this Marui Department Store in Shinjuku and Andy and I gasped in unison when we walked into the bathroom when we saw this stunning space dripping in plant life. Then we took out our cameras, as you do in a department store bathroom. The facilities in the Japanese stores are so considerate for the customer, there is plenty of space, baby change facilities are lovely, everything is immaculately clean, and don't get me started on the options there are on the toilet functions! This bathroom with the live plants everywhere had a calming effect, it was almost like a little retreat from the craziness of the city outside.
Department stores in Australia just wouldn't take this much space (and I thought the Japanese were short on space) and take this much effort on the bathrooms. Perhaps after freshening up and feeling a little uplifted the customer might spend a little longer in the store and feel a little more relaxed then start spending like crazy. Well maybe that's just me.