I recently reconnected with an old friend from South Africa who now lives in Brisbane, Australia and who has her own design company. She is clearly extremely talented and creates spaces which are really comfortable and easy to live with….I love her clean style and wonderful attention to detail.
I am constantly in awe of peoples’ talent and what they accomplish….particularly in the creative field which I am part of. I love the idea that we are all able to connect and share through the internet and in particular, through blogs!
image via Calvino Designimage via Calvino Designimage via Calvino Design
I know these have been around for a while now,but I feel they deserve a mention….during the dark days of the recession, while shelter magazines were closing one after the other….a new brand of magazine showed up and it seems that they are here to stay. Some of them were started by very talented bloggers and are packed full of great inspirational ideas and creativity from front cover to back cover! Best of all they are freely available with a simple click………
The Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress, veil and tiara , shoes and earrings , bouquet and wedding cake are all on display at Buckingham Palace for the Summer….I think they are spectacularly presented and the images show the magnificent detail of that memorable dress…See this link.
image via beautifulism blogimage via International Business Times
While browsing this fabulous blog, I came across this wonderful hotel which I had of course heard of, but I had never seen. My cousin and her husband came to Dubai from Germany last year for Christmas and were considering staying at the hotel, but decided instead to go to Oman.
In the tone of the recent post about Bab Al Shams, I thought it might be fun to see a similar resort in Abu Dhabi….
Entrance to the hotelViews from the lobbyDesert views
When “Desert Style”is done well ,there is nothing quite like the rustic luxury that it produces. The decor doesn’t overwhelm the spectacular views of the Empty Quarter, yet it feels and looks incredibly comfortable and lush…with texture and colour in every room. Although the architecture is classic and simple, it blends in perfectly with the graphic scenery of the endless dunes and blue sky.
The pool
There truly is nothing like the silence of the desert….it is all-enveloping and wraps around you like a soft cloak….the peace is tangible and each time I have camped out in the desert or stayed at Bab Al Shams, I have truly slept better than ever in my life! Just these images alone calm me down…Oh to have a few days to go and indulge in this beauty and quiet………………………
I have been a fan of the humble bamboo blind for a couple of years now….I had installed them in my last apartment to give me privacy from the buildings opposite, as well as shade from the sun and they were very successful. While browsing this morning, I found this post by blogger Katie Rosenfeld on her fabulous blog Bogle Street
I was inspired to add a few words on the subject…..
image via Bogle Street blog
I love the look of the bamboo blinds with a pretty patterned fabric curtain….to me it just makes an ordinary window with plain drops of fabric look dressed and decorated. They are also neutral and can work with pretty much any pattern..they look best with cottons and linens and they bring a contemporary feel to a room.
I love using them in Dubai for the two reasons I stated earlier…they provide privacy and shade with a dash of style and texture.
image via Bogle Street blog
Even in this really gorgeous feminine room the bamboo blinds work well.
image source unknown
In both the rooms above, the blinds are paired with plain curtains with a dark trim along the edge of the curtain panels…I would love to do this on a project…I think it looks so chic!
A Decorator's Notebook 