New York above the crowds

Overlooking the Hudson River in Manhattan is the High Line walk - a disused railway line that has been turned into a park style area above the busy New York streets. The High Line runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to 34th Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues and was a great place to chill and relax inbetween too much shopping and eating!

The sun is coming!

I have been trying to find comfortable and stylish outdoor chairs that will work well with our house - its a 1954 Mid Century house and we have been planting a new water tolerant garden. These stunning Harry Bertoia diamond lounge chairs from Knoll would be just perfect - they are powder coated white for outdoor use. I love that our Melbourne rain would fall straight through them - so they would stay clean and beautiful.

New shoot date approaching

Hi everyone, we are currently busy getting ourselves ready for our up and coming Autumn/Winter 2010 shoot - its a very exciting time ahead! The new collection is looking deep, dark and moody - I love this time of year when we start to see all of the fabulous new inspiration come together.

Thank you Julie

Hi recently I heard from Julie Palmer that she had featured AURA product on her blog called Crea8tiveoutlet, thank you so much Julie its a great article and I am very happy that we have inspired you! If you would like to read Julie's Blog the article is the link below Crea8tiveoutlet.blogspot.com

Merci Paris

I was lucky enough to visit an incredibly inspiring store on my recent trip to Paris - MERCI, is a relatively new store - and as they told me a totally new "concept" - the layout was amazing - firstly it is huge! But with a relatively small boutique feeling entrance, and the instore displays where fabulous - stunning homewares, great cafe, a bookshop, jewellery and high end designer fashion - all in a beautifully thought out destination store. There are three ways to enter the store - one way is through their lovely little flower shop or through their small bookshop cafe - or through the main enterance which features a gorgeous little red Fiat!

Merci is marketed as a not for profit store and any profit they make is donated to charity - surely makes you want to spend more!

Its market week - we are currently presenting our new A/W 2010 collection to buyers and I thought that this image was quite fitting! Great cushions - we could all use abit of HELP sometimes!

Lovely light

Kartell new Cindy table lamp - by designer - Ferruccio Laviani - how gorgeous! I need one (well I dont really need it but I want it!) So about to order but it could take me a week to work out the colour???  The lamp comes in amazing metallic tones of platinum, bronze, mint green, tangerine, ultramarine, flamingo, gun metal and violet - help!

My Husband and his friends went to Black Range, west of the Grampians in Victoria on the weekend and I thought I would stay home - well it was a boy thing! But when I saw the photos I kicked myself - this looks amazing and maybe I could have walked for 6 hours over rocks for this?? The colours are just stunning - almost unbelievable its so beautiful! This is where they slept out in the middle of nowhere - perfect solitude - now that's what I call a good weekend!

Stunning

There are an amazing amount of designer rugs at the moment - I do love this one by Easton Pearson for Designer Rugs.

My haven

Dar Saria - a lovely friendly and welcoming Riad in Marrakech - well located - 10 minutes from Place Djerma al Fna -  The neutral tones of Dar Saria was the calm oasis that we needed away from the Souks
and also the inspiration that started AURA's haven range. It is chic, simple, and beautifully stylish, a perfect  peaceful haven.

I wanted to be a textile designer or a florist - I wasn't the worlds quickest florist - but I think I still have time! This was a beautiful florist in the Marais in Paris I found inspiring - the French are so bold and exciting with their use of colour! No Boring Beige in the Marais..!

Ok a good saying for the weekend! ?? That in mind I will be gardening this weekend - off shopping for beautiful Bay Trees tomorrow - how lovely.

Yes please!

I have an ottoman at home that needs to be recovered - I love this idea - I think this green cow looks fantastic!

Bluebird in London - what a terrific concept - set up in the former Bluebird garage - stocking homewares, fashion, books and everything! We would love an AURA store one day - but for now I will just dream and be inspired by other fabulous stores - photos from Weebirdy

Hand knitting is cool!

Bring back hand knitting I say! What a wonderfully creative and relaxing hobby and it definately can be cool! Photo of Selfridges window - Sept 09

Hot humid and amazing - I have always wanted to visit the Amazon it sounded so exotic and remote. When I finally did the only let down was that it wasn't for long enough - one day I will go back to this wonderful spot - these shots where taken in the Tambopata National Reserve in Southeastern Peru - the colours are just so rich and saturated - almost like a stunning metallic sepia print.

If your ever after a place to stay I stayed at the most romantic and inspiring jungle lodge in the Amazon called Inkaterra Amazonia.

Just beautiful - along the Amazon river at Puerto Maldonado. An incredible experience I will treasure.

I'm a little excited!

I'm a little excited - look whats in the latest copy of Inside Out Magazine! Our AURA haven Ena bedlinen. Thankyou Inside Out....

Beautiful wallpapers

Amazing wallpaper designs - Tracy Kendall creations - fabulous bestoke wallpaper collections. I am just hoping I can order in Australia - would be incredible with my sequin cushion fetish.

Just cant get away from Butterflies!

As you can see butterflies are still showing up all around the world in various shop windows. I can definately feel a new colourway coming for us in our famous flight design - it was a winner 3 seasons ago when we did butterflies in soft pastels - so its time for a new look flight! Watch this space.....

Paris windows

More amazing shots - beautiful work - very inspiring!

Window shopping in Paris

The amazing windows of Gallery Laffette in Paris recently - stunning!

Beautiful Paris

On my latest trip to Paris I was blessed to stay at Hotel Petit Moulin - honestly what other inspiration do you need! Designed by Christian Lacroix the hotel is a former bakery and it was amazing - with only 17 rooms and each room is styled completely different. Now I have a huge fetish for emerald green velvet!

Our beautiful Messa collection

The most fabulous textured wall - I design the bedlinen but then its a totally new concept when it comes together on the bed - I felt like a proud Mother.....

AURA haven Spring Summer 09 photoshoot

Earlier this year we photographed our AURA haven spring summer 2009 collection. The aim was to create a totally new look. I wanted the shoot to reflect the natural aspects of the range and the soft elegant textiles while being a very modern take on "haven" - for this we decided to shoot in the studio and create the look with modern textured back drops and fabulous accessories. Sets where built and walls where changed - the outcome is beautiful I am so happy and I dont think that anyone is achieving anything quite this elegant at the moment. AURA Haven has just been delivered into stores and here's an inspirational look at the behind the scenes "creating" that was done on the day.