In previous years, Phorm Interiors has sent gifts and cards. This year, we have instead decided to donate the christmas budget to “Swags for Homeless”.

The swag, an Australian icon, can provide warmth and protection, thereby improving the health and living conditions of the homeless. Donating a swag helps give dignity to a homeless person by providing a basic need: something to sleep and keep warm in. Swags for Homeless aims to provide one swag to every homeless man, woman & child in Australia. Swags are given 100% free with no strings attached.

Phorm Interiors will be closed from Monday 15th December until Monday 12th January.

guest blogger kat's holiday reading list...

For me, summer reading is much like winter reading (which, oddly enough, closely resembles autumn and spring reading...) - I scour my shelves for the classic to reread, the impulse purchase I forgot about in 2002 and then Ian - what a source! - lends me something un-put-down-able and before I know it my bedside table is groaning.  Here's my motley list of recent reads - all very much better than summer televison programming.

We Disappear - Scott Heim
From the state that brought you In Cold Blood and The Wizard of Oz - Kansas stars again in this dense little mystery from the author of Mysterious Skin.  It's sometimes infuriating, often tender and ultimately challenges our human desire for neat explanations and definitive truths.  Scott Heim throws in a terminally ill mother, a stomach-churning crystal meth addiction and a whole mess of lies to create a strangely beautiful book. 

 
The Colarado Kid - Stephen King
Ah, theme reading!  I bought this one for the killer noir cover - it's from the Hard Case press, featuring both vintage and newly-writ mysteries such as this one from the author-hero of my teen years.  King is the king (excuse me) of characterisation, and this novella delivers an engrossing pile up of evidence via a pair of gnarled New England newspapermen unpacking a cold case for their nubile intern.  It has everything except (and I don't think I'm giving too much away here) a tidy denouement - perhaps Heim & King have been plotting to unhinge me.

The Language Instinct - Steven Pinker
Available in the new Penguin series (hooray for $10 reads!), this pop-science bestseller is way more compelling than it sounds.  Pinker delves into the world of linguistics and comes up with the concept that language is as innate to humans as hive-building is to bees.  He illustrates his case for an inherent grammar with descriptions of creole languages across the world, all with a consistent structure, regardless of which languages are melded.  Heady stuff!  For further reading, check out Jared Diamond's The Third Chimpanzee.

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
I spent most of November counting down the days before I could legally open my battered copy of this yuletide institution (just like putting up the tree and posting Christmas cards, there are some things you just can't do before 1 December).  Now my daughter is six, we get to read it together - and then we can supplement our reading with multiple viewings of A Muppet Christmas Carol.  God bless us, everyone!

guest blogger jane's holiday reading list...

In 1825 Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote “Tell me what you eat: I will tell you what you are” (as fans of Iron Chef will know). I extend this aphorism to tell you what I read, and you will quite rightly deduce that I am rather keen on food, and so I take great pleasure in recommending some of my favourite food-related books (with serving suggestions..).
Bon Appetit!
Vile Bodies – Evelyn Waugh. Aristocratic hi-jinks and frivolity. Champagne, oysters, midnight bacon and eggs and a surprising breakfast at 10 Downing St. Not strictly food related, but ever so much fun. Best read with a G & T or a bottle of champagne. Simply too too divine darling.

An Omelette and a Glass of Wine – Elizabeth David. Pure food poetry from the woman who rescued Britain from post –war stodge and introduced the flavours of the Mediterranean. Pair with a glass of wine and some olives.

The Debt to Pleasure – John Lancaster. Deliciously wicked and sinister tale of jealousy, revenge and murder, with recipes to boot. Definitely a Kir Royale.

The Man Who Ate Everything – Jeffrey Steingarten. A seriously dedicated food adventurer, including an experiment cooking French Fries in horse fat. Savour with a glass of Pinot Noir and some real sourdough bread with cultured butter.

Fast Food Nation – Eric Schlosser. Terrifying insight into the fast food industry and where the ingredients come from. Ummm, maybe a carrot and a glass of water.

A Cook’s Tour – Anthony Bourdain. The maverick maestro of world cuisine. Witty and irreverent fare from the man who will try anything once. Cold beer and a cigarette.

Hunger – Terry Durack. How can you resist a book which opens with “I once stole a piece of salami from an ashtray in a Laundromat”? Opinionated, funny, and one of the world’s best food critics. No rules here, so pick your favourite guilty pleasure and enjoy.

a 70's original...

Excuse the iPhone photo, but I just had to share this original 70's interior of one of our clients Gold Coast beach side apartment.

The stunning wallcovering is Florence Broadhurst (of course) - but the true magic comes from the sensational peacock upholstery.

Love it!

world aids day...

Today marks the 20th Anniversary of World AIDS Day.

In 1988 the World Health Organization declared the first World AIDS Day in an effort to raise public awareness about HIV/AIDS issues, including the need for support and understanding for people living with HIV/AIDS.

The images (above) are works from IGAT HOPE - 'we have hope', a World AIDS Day event at Jugglers Art Space 103 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley from 25 December to 7 December.

The new works by Peter Fenoglio explore traditions, cultural practices and survival in Papua New Guinea under the impact of HIV/AIDS.

guest blogger claire's holiday reading list...

Novellas are the new black for me - I am a stay at home mother so they are often the only books I can finish without having to drag out the plot forever. 

Fortunately I am a member of a Book Club and our collective spurs me on to read more than I would if left to my own devices.
Here are my thoughts and suggestions for holiday reading. 

Some I have read/some I am yet to read...this is of course in a perfect world where one has time to lounge on the couch, rather than dashing madly around the shops buying landfill for people you hate. 

Oops! did I write that out loud?

The Novella

This absolutely has to be the The Outsider by Albert Camus.
I read this recently and was floored by this 68 page pearler. 

I returned The Outsider to the friend I borrowed if off and then asked for it back two days later to read again. 

I am not one for books with a philosophical bent (purely because I find many of them so darn cheesy), so it was incredibly refreshing to read a book with a philosophical theme that was elegantly written. 

A rare book indeed.

The Cookbook

Karen Martini's Cooking at Home is an excellent, practical collection of recipes for the discerning home cook. 

The recipes I have cooked are:
puff pastry tart with sardines and green olive tapenade
pasta with confit of zucchini, peas, garlic & spinach
orecchiette with cauliflower, anchovies, chilli and garlic
hard-boiled egg curry with spinach, tomato, ginger and yogurt
braised honey, soy and ginger spare ribs
syrian chicken with ginger, lemon & saffron
baked custard tart
All turned out exactly like the picture with no amount of tweaking required. 

They have been devoured by my friends and family with exclamations of delight and huge amounts of praise.

The Non-Fiction

The Henson Case is journalist and writer David Marr's book on the Bill Henson child pornograhy episode. 

I, personally, was appalled at the treatment that the artist recieved and ashamed as I watched police enter a gallery removing artwork.
As a parent I was enraged to have children's naked photographic images viewed as pornography just because, I believe, the age of the subject.
This was clearly not a case of child exploitation and I can't wait to read this factual account of events.

Dud of the Year

This goes to The Unknown Terrorist by Richard Flannagan

david jimenez...

This David Jimenez home in Palm Springs is fresh, casual and inviting.

He really manages to pay homage beautifully to great decorators of the day like David Hicks and William Haines.

As always, David Jimenez's styling is impeccable.

delightfull...

I was recently contacted by Miguel Pereira, the Marketing Director of Portugal-based lighting designers, Delightfull.

Their first collection, Heritage, features lighting design with a Mid-century aesthetic that we all know and love.

Each lamp is unique and handcrafted.

top 5 - sculptural chairs

a great entrance...

I love the stunning entrance to this Southampton beach house by New York based design duo Fox-Nahem Design.

The photographs are by Rineke Dijkstra and of course the shell chandelier by Vernon Panton completes the casual beach side look.

m-velope...

Neiman Marcus's Christmas Book offers the M-Velope Transformable Structure, a Michael Jantzen - designed piece of functional art with amazing possibilities.

It's massive 15 foot high by 14 foot wide by 17 foot deep structure can be rebuilt, rearranged and reassembled simply and efficiently.

$1oo,000,000 (US) provides the perfect gift for someone who has everything...

frank roop...

Boston based designer, Frank Roop, also seems to favour duck egg blue.

This is slowly becoming my new favorite colour...

penguin classics...

Following on from the success of the beloved orange spine, Penguin Classics and Bill Amberg have collaborated to produce a series of luxury leather bound Penguin Classics.

This gives us all an opportunity to re-read classics like Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray or Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisted.

Just in time for the holidays!

michael richman interiors...

I love this Michael Richman designed apartment. 

It is slick, contemporary, eclectic and cool.

The artwork selection is exciting and I love the unexpected duck egg blue (my favorite colour at the moment - see Aesop fit out) upholstery on the Mid-century chairs.

top 5 - table lamps

optimism...

Optimism: 'A tendency to emphasise favourable aspects of situations or events or to expect the best possible outcome.'

Last night we attended the opening of Optimism - the new  major exhibition at Brisbane's GoMA. The exhibition showcases the works of 67 Australian contemporary artists.

The show is colourful, energetic and exciting. Curator Julie Ewington says the exhibition represents an extended conversation among a fraction of artists who's mission is to investigate 'what makes life worth living'.

The exhibition includes painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, installation, video and video installation, cinema, animation, performance, music and comedy.

The show continues until February 22'nd and lets face it - we could all use a little Optimism.

Image - Getting the truck out of there by Tom Moore 2008

flux interiors...

Its been a long week at Phorm this week. 

I thought I would post a start to the weekend with a fantastic interior by UK based Flux Interiors.

Apparently the client's brief was to make the interior 'as non frumpy as possible', so 'that when the neighbours peek in they may want to call the police'.

I think the taxidermy zebra, the 25 foot mural of Mao and the brilliant 'Iraqi' Coffee Table absolutely fulfils this brief.

Wishing everyone a great weekend!