Anna-Wili Highfield is an artist who creates graceful sculptures of animals using cotton paper. She says that her goal is to represent animal life in an immediate and authentic way that conveys the energy, movement and physical character of different creatures. Her work is elegantly displayed throughout this 19th century cottage, located in the Marrickville suburb of Sydney, Australia. She shares this space with her husband, the artist and prop maker Simon Cavanough, who runs Macgyver Models, and their children Claude and Matilda. The old house already had some handsome period details, such as the tiled fireplaces and cornice work ceilings, so, as Anna-Wili puts it, they just respectfully moved their things in. Respectful indeed. Though there is a distinctively playful flight theme running throughout the home, from birds to planes to clouds (as well as room for the children’s creations), the overall aura is one of quiet drama, in part due to the pared down color palette and old world, heirloom charm of their collected objects. Thank you, Anna-Wili, Simon and Julia Lee Skinner and special thanks to Shauna Greyerbiehl for photos! -Shannon

Image above: Simon and our almost 2-year-old son like to fly glider planes together. Claude goes in a backpack and they head off to stare at the sky most mornings. I find the planes handsome around the home. We have all been collecting feathers for this lamp. The shadows the feathers cast at night are very pleasing.

Image above: I grew that pumpkin!

See more of Anna-Wili and Simon’s Australian home after the jump…

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This home, in the San Francisco Bay area, is a mid-century modern aficionado’s dream. When Carolyn Piotroski and her husband Joseph found this 1964 custom Eichler, it was so neglected that Carolyn didn’t even want to get out of the car. But when Joseph persuaded her, and she found herself entering the home through a private front courtyard, she fell in love. The couple moved in four years ago, following an extensive two-year restoration and renovation. Throughout the project, their goal was to remain true to the house – using natural materials and keeping the furniture choices subdued so as to highlight the architecture and home’s fantastic views. Today, that private courtyard that initially captured Carolyn’s imagination has become their outdoor living room and a favorite place to entertain guests. Thanks, Carolyn and Joseph! -Amy Azzarito

All photographs by Carolyn Piotroski

Image above: When asked to describe myself, I’m often tempted to sing (to the tune of Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana”) my hair is kinda red and I like to read in bed. A velvet-upholstered headboard and cotton sheets make this pastime sinfully luxurious. The bed, walnut nightstand and rug are all from Room & Board (the rug was a sample sale bargain). The lamp is IKEA. Our water glasses are old jam jars – a cliché, I know. The postcard (purchased at Watson Kennedy in Seattle) reads, “Where’s your mountain, and are you climbing it?” I purchased my slippers at a street market in the Turkish countryside. The woman who made them had a beautiful smile.

The floors are polished concrete with in-slab copper tube radiant heating. After bead blasting (a process that roughs up the surface), the floors were coated with a hand-troweled cementitious overlay and then polished. The look is clean and seamless; best of all, the floors stay warm in the winter and delightfully cool in the summer. The wall color is Winter White by Benjamin Moore.

Image above: Our south-west facing living room is 26 feet long by 19 feet wide, the ceiling is just shy of ten feet tall and two walls (those on the right and left of the image) are composed of floor-to-ceiling glass – to say this space feels light and airy is a bit of an understatement. I love our restored redwood ceiling and the way it makes the entire space feel warm and inviting. I purchased the vintage walnut desk at a nearby estate sale for fifty bucks. All it needed was some tender loving care and a little elbow grease (a good cleaning followed by a rub down with Howard Feed-N-Wax wood conditioner). The wall color is Decorator’s White by Benjamin Moore.

See more of Carolyn’s mid-century home after the jump!
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Taste in decor is so subjective. White vs color, minimalism vs opulence, glamorous vs rustic, the list goes on. You may lean toward one particular style or mix a few together – either way, everyone is sure to have their own unique interpretation. One of the easiest ways to make a statement no matter what your style is to incorporate a pop of jewel toned color. Jewel tones can be a dramatic accent for any interior; whether it’s the color of every wall in a room filled with equally saturated tones or a single chair set against pale neutrals, there’s something warm and inviting about these elegant and dramatic hues. In honor of Color Month, I combed the Sneak Peek archives in search of interiors that convey the aesthetic impact vibrant jewel tones can create, and here are some of my favorites! -Shannon

Image above: The emerald and citrine tones in the painting above pop against a dramatic sapphire wall in the home of Kate Schintzius.

Image above: Paige Morses‘s unexpected pairing of framed art layered on top of this wedding blanket creates a striking focal point in her Texas home.

Image above: Ruby red and illustrated wall decals sets a playful tone in the bedroom of Carolyn Gavin‘s daughter.

More jewel tone inspiration after the jump…

This post is brought to you by Sherwin-Williams.  Turn your inspiration into reality with Sherwin-Williams Color Selection Tools.

 

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