{ lucky door }

I am a little obsessed with statement doors at the moment and these colours combinations are giving me all sorts of inspiration.

So there's this enchanting Middle-Eastern inspired turquoise and stone combination....

This one reminds me of cumquats and London (in a good way!)...

Tropical and inviting.

Electric indeed. This is all so fabulous I'm not sure where to look...

Some Mediterranean amazingness in magenta and orange...

I must confess I've actually posted this before but I remain in love with this colourful inside space...

One for the beach in slate & seafoam...

To a secret garden...

Lovely lavender...

And finally, the pigment here is so rich and beautiful I just want to bottle it!

I'm not sure whether the leap-year superstition is true or perhaps I've just opened the right door, but today has been a lucky day for me. I hope yours has been lucky, too!

See you soon,
Pip

Doors from top to bottom found as follows... 1: @MP*; 2: my Pinterest;  3:  Coastal Living; 4: Creamy Life; 5:  More than I Could Say  6: Colourful Homes; 7: my Pinterest  8: Verandah House 9: My Pinterest ; 10: Coconut Lemon Lime 

{ lose yourself in maps }

Mapped wall - a great feature in a kitchen or family space. Image from Elle Decor

Globes and more globes. Via Pinterest.

For the distinguished..... large scale and sepia tones. Via A Piece of Toast

Kitsch but cute. Via Notes on Design 

This would be my pick... perfectly aged and hung on rods, as featured by my clever friend Alex from AP Design House. 

Part of a special little treasure map I made myself.

Old to new, real to styled, sepia-toned to brightly-coloured or the best kind - those for treasure - maps are something I have always had a fascination with. The illustrator in me can't ever get enough of the precision and detail; the painter in me loves the soft and disciplined use of colour to mark their territories; and then the dreamer in me just loves the thoughts of travel, discovery and wonderment that every kind of map seems to conjure. For children and adults alike, maps are mesmerising.

'Prodotti Tradizionali Italiani' & detail of'Prodotti Tradizionali Italiani'  - by Antione Corbineau 

I'm also loving these limited edition prints by Parisian artist Antoine Corbineau mapping the food & wine regions of Italy in his colourful and playful style.  I'd just love to get my hands on one or two of these.... and of course I'd then have to put it to good use, drinking and eating my way through the Italian countryside. Any excuse will do!

Hope you're having a great week.

Pip xx

{ how pinteresting }

From.... well, Pinterest.

For those of you who have not yet discovered the joys of Pinterest, you really must get on board (literally). I've been making the most of this latest platform for a while now, but I have noticed how over the past few weeks - even days - its' really taking off. For those who aren't too familiar with it, Pinterest is basically a place where you can create your own set of online 'pinboards' to store all your wonderful images - from the thousands probably already clogging up your computer memory and then of course all the fabulous pics you find out there on the world wide web.

For image hoarders like me, not only is it a godsend for your hard-drive and the order of your virtual filing system; but it also allows you to curate your own little visual feasts by way of each board that you set up. I've currently got 33 boards, 1000 pins and counting and now stalk some style-maven-like pinners from San Francisco to Norway. It's so fun, so addictive but also so useful. Here's a snapshot of mine, you can check it out here...

Works a treat from your iPhone too. 

So whether  it's your own lookbook for you new season wardrobe wants; a collection of recipes you intend to one day cook; or an inspiration board for a project your working on - trust me, Pinterest is going to become your answer and your addiction, too!

Pip xx

{ banana split! }

Via Haute Design

Artist (unfortunately) unknown as I find this very cool. Via Sugarsnap.

ASOS Patent Watch - get it here

Take me away - via Trendy Traveler

Via Glitter Guide

Some things I'm loving this week.... happy (almost) Friday people.

Pip xx

{ if... }

This post is for my mum. On Friday we celebrated her 60th birthday and all that she has managed to pack into her six decades so far. My mother is a very clever woman and has done a great many wonderful things in her time (not least of which is raising four daughters!) - though I suspect not many people know just how much she's accomplished, as she is probably the most humble and understated person I know. 

This poem - 'If...' by Rudyard Kipling - is her favourite. For as long as I can remember, she has turned me to these words whenever I face a tough time or decision. They are simple, wise and humbling - much like Mum.  Every year I realise more and more how fortunate I am to have such a strong and clever woman to be the example I follow in life. 

So happy, happy birthday mum! Thank you for giving us all everything that counts the most, here's to another sixty years!

Pip xx

{ framed }

Great LA home. Via Commune Daily

Picture perfect. Via This is Glamorous

Entrance-come-void. Via simplipi

'Mopho' Commercial interior by Hassell. From Arch Daily 

Perfect shape and dimension in this hanging light. Via Wild Ivy

One of my seahorses. Searching for his new frame.

There's something about the dimension and simplicity of pane-glass with a fine black iron frame that really grabs me. This design always feels so substantial and smart - imagine the inside-outside feeling this floor to ceiling glass would bring with the morning sun streaming in; or a series of these boxy pendant lights hanging low in big utilitarian kitchen... I would love to make a feature of this in a home one day. However in an application closer to home right now, I'm also on the search for the perfect combination of a fine matte black frame with thin glass to set off some of my black ink pieces. When done properly, I just love how refined and simple this look can be; and the finer the frame and the glass the better I say! So while my dreams of a home inspired by this look might be a way off, hopefully I can post again soon when my art frame search proves fruitful! Hope you're having a great week.

Pip xx

{ a trio: blue + white + orange }

Tangerine & chambray. Via Miss Zeit

Gant button down via Pinterest

Beach wear.

J Crew Fall 2011

Feature from Style at Home Mag, via Everything Fabulous 

Something I'm working on....

I'm loving these three colours together at the moment. Blue and white I am always drawn to; but I like how the orange can add a fresh or warm, bright or subdued, traditional or unexpected accent depending on the context.  What colour matchings are you loving right now?

Happy Monday!

Pip xx