Sunday Afternoon

Most Sunday afternoons you will find us lounging around our garden whilst our 2 boys play.  I couldn't think of a better or more comfortable chair to lounge in than in a couple of fabulous Stuart Membery cane verandah armchairs.  There's even a spot to put your glass on one arm and the newspaper or ipad on the other arm. 

xx
Anna

PS - We have a few of these great chairs in stock at Black & Spiro.

Great Issue

I think this month's issue of Ivy & Piper is excellent.  They've certainly highlighted some lovely things.  In particular I loved their feature on Fenton and Fenton...one of my favourite furniture and homewares stores in Melbourne.

I also thoroughly enjoyed their interview with my friend Stuart Membery.  He really is such a talent and his home, which I have had the pleasure of visiting, is seriously beautiful and so stylish.

And last but definitely not least, I loved seeing our friend Paul Hunt featured.  He too is so talented and creative.  I am always inspired after he has dropped into B&S for a visit.

Overall a great issue I think!!  Our online Australian magazines are just getting better and better.  I can't wait to see what Adore magazine and Ivy & Piper magazine come up with next.

Natural Cane

We spent lots of time with my family on the weekend as it was my brother's birthday and birthdays in our family tend to be celebrated over a few days. 

Whilst at my parent's house this afternoon, I couldn't help noticing how beautiful the Stuart Membery cane chairs look with the older pieces of cane on their deck.  This is one of the chairs from Stuart's Home Collection above which we sell at Black & Spiro and when you look at it mixed with mum's old cane chairs as below, it looks like it has been part of her furniture collection for years.

I have been collecting a few of these old cane chairs {like mum's above} for our house which I have also mixed with Stuart's chairs on our verandahs.  I really love the look of this natural cane and I think it looks particularly nice mixed with Antique furniture and blue and white fabrics and china.

photos by me at mum & dad's house

The Ship Has Landed

The 40 foot container arriving at the front of our house earlier this week.

I don't think our new neighbours could believe their eyes seeing us unpacking the container in the front of our house!






Here are a few of the pieces which I had to place inside our house as our storage facility is overflowing!

We've had a very exciting week with the arrival of our beautiful Stuart Membery furniture from Bali. I first visited Stuart at his divine home in Bali late last year at which time we put together a stunning collection of his furniture for our store. We are so thrilled to be launching Stuart's furniture in Australia at Black & Spiro on our re-opening night in a couple of weeks time. The quality of the pieces is outstanding and I must admit I am going to find it very hard not to keep a few things for our new house!! Stuart will be making a very special trip down from Bali to be present at our re-opening night and will also be in the shop the next day to talk to our customers about his beautiful pieces we are now stocking. We have lots of work to do in the coming weeks. I'll be sure to keep you all up-to-date as everything unfolds.

xx

Anna

PS. Stuart's furniture will be available for purchase in our store from the 22nd July, 2010. For all enquiries, please call our office.

More Stuart Membery Photos

I love the lattice wall he has created above which he has then layered with some of his beautiful furniture pieces.

I absolutley loved this idea for a dog's bowl above. Stuart has used a beautiful clam shell which is secured onto his deck next to a tap to fill it up...so gorgeous...obviously his 2 beautiful Golden Retrievers think so too!



It was so hot the day we were there {even though his property gets the most wonderful breezes}...all I wanted to do was jump into his divine pool clothes and all...it looked so enticing!

Here are some more photos of Stuart Membery's home which we had the pleasure of visiting just before Christmas. I will be sure to share some more photos with you tomorrow!

All images - Anna Spiro

Stuart Membery

Although this post isn't really Christmas related, I had a feeling you would love to know about a new friend of mine, Stuart Membery. My Australian readers may remember Stuart from the fashion industry in Australia in the 1980's and also as the man behind bringing Esprit to Australia many moons ago.

This week I've had a few email conversations with Stuart and then yesterday he picked up the phone and called me from his divine home in Bali. Stuart's home has been featured in this month's House & Garden magazine and I must say I feel like I could move straight in and not change a thing. It actually reminds me of something my mother would create. His mismatch of cane furniture, collected things like shells, baskets, books and magazines is very much a look I love and have grown up with myself. The whole thing feels like I have seen it before. I absolutely adore his aesthetic and as for his life in Bali, well it sounds amazing.

Apparently, US decorator and journalist, Annie Kelly has just been over to visit Stuart and has photographed the house and it seems that international interest for his homewares and furniture is mounting daily....including my own keen interest in his products for our Black & Spiro store which we are renovating and extending in 2010.

I will be sure to keep you updated with our purchase of his pieces for Black & Spiro. In the meantime, you must race out and grab a copy of this month's House & Garden and see for yourself how beautiful his home is and how wonderful his life sounds!!