{Loving} Australia

Sydney!

Hello all! I'm finally back in New York and am so excited to share some inspiration with you from my trip! Australia was even more beautiful than I had envisioned, and the food was incredible, the people were genuinely kind (and SO good looking!) and the overall vibe was laid back and cool. I love it, and am already itching to go back ;)

On my first day in Sydney I explored the city with my camera and a bit of jet lag ;) Here's a sneaky photo I took in one of my favorite Aussie shops, Country Road. I love the neutral palette, linen fabrics and wood accents mixed with buffalo checks and lucite frames. Very chic and understated. The next morning I helped Diane Bergeron set up her booth at the Decoration + Design show, and took a little time off to help promote the show and Rubie Green ;) Photo: Jeremy Piper for mX. There were ants crawling all over my legs and biting me while this photo was taken! Back at the show, we unpacked one of my favorite lines, Of the Young and the Restless! Here's a shot of a chair Diane upholstered in the classic Fig Leaf by Peter Dunham! Loving how she paired it with a teal silk backdrop. My favorite ladies!! From left: Diane Bergeron, my dorky self, and my new pal Belinda Jamieson! The three of us had a blast working the booth and chatting with designers, architects and press. We were even lucky enough to meet Anna Spiro of Absolutely Beautiful Things in person, as she came to hear me speak at the conference! Thank you Anna! To see more of the collections Diane carries in her Melbourne showroom, click here. On my third night in Sydney I met up with some more friends, Amanda Harris from Oliveaux (who also reps Rubie in Australia!) as well as the talented Hayley and Tracey of Porchlight Interiors! The girls took me to Sydney hot spot The Ivy, where the four of us were absolutely floored by the decor! Click here and here to see more pics. Thanks ladies! ;)

Image via Flickr via Oliveaux

Melbourne!

After the conference and show wrapped up I headed to Melbourne for a week as Diane's guest! Her home is the epitome of style (and love:) and her family literally couldn't be more adorable. They made me excited to have one of my own someday :)

Here's a shot of Diane's bookshelf in her kitchen! The shelves run from floor to ceiling, and are packed with design titles, novels, and personal mementos. One of my new years resolutions was to be a better host, and after staying with Diane for a week I'm quite convinced I should be taking notes because this woman is a pro!! Here's the room where I stayed! I mean really...gorgeous!! Diane had the sofa custom made to fit a mattress on top, so it actually doubles as a bed, and the grasscloth wallpaper is a line she carries in her showroom. The rug is of course Madeline Weinrib, who Diane also reps exclusively in Australia. Here's a photo of Diane's showroom! On my last night in Australia, Diane threw a New York inspired cocktail party to celebrate its opening. We spent all week preparing - tasting wines and cheeses, meeting with caterers to create the perfect mini-cheeseburgers, hitting Ikea to find the perfect party lighting, and steaming fabrics for the big night. Needless to say, the event was a total success ;)The hostess with the mostess, looking chic in her showroom minutes before her guests arrive. (And hi, is your jaw dropped right now as well?! I'm in LOVE with her striped curtains! )Finally, Diane's wonderful family (who I already miss so much!) and another pic of Belinda! I cannot thank you all enough for allowing me to have such an incredible experience in Australia, as well as my readers for posting so many kind comments while I was away. I hope you enjoy the pics and find them as inspiring as I do :)