Starting the week off in black and white...........

I feeling black and white.  Simple, uncomplicated and a little messy.

all photos via Vogue, French Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Pinterest and Vera Wang 

Cheers,

Deb xx

The flat..................

The comfortable, easy walking flat shoe trend is still going strong.  If you are in the Northern hemisphere and coming into Fall/Winter you will want to get a great pair of these mensy, chunky flats.  I love the men style shoe by Church, The Row, Celine and Alexander Wang, to name but a few.  Also, comfortable flat walking boots for Winter will serve you well.  Pair your mens' style shoes with big knits for a great look

If you are in the Southern hemisphere, the flat sandal is an equally strong statement piece with the Birks and Birk knockoffs very popular, as is the Adidas original Stans and Vans.

These shoes from Vera Wang for Kohl's are a great price point $35 vs. ones I have seen for $500

Pointy flats are very "in" as well

Michael Kor's version of the Birk complete with diamonte studded buckles

above 3 from Bassike's latest collection in Australia

all photos via Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, WSJ, W Magazine and Bassike website

Cheers,

Deb xx

Sydney in Winter..................

Sydney is beautiful anytime of the year, (except these past two weeks - we have had torrential rain) even in Winter and just as we come to the "official" end of Winter (1 September is the first day of Spring) here are some pictures I took while out on Sydney Harbour one afternoon.

As today is Friday and I'm off to the flower markets once again, I will wish you all a happy weekend!

all photos by Deb for From My Files

Cheers,

Deb xx

Dame Zaha Hadid.............

Dame Zaha Hadid is one of my favourite architects.  In a male-dominated profession, she is a standout visionary.  Her buildings have wonderful movement, are fluid and "futuristic."

At 63, she has won many awards for her creations and in last month's issue of Porter magazine she shares her life lessons or her "golden rules."

1.  Sometimes compromise is necessary.  I've never liked the word - it implies you are weakening - but you must learn to adjust your thinking every once in a while to fit the moment.  It is also important to move on - that is what makes new invention possible.

2.  Stay optimistic.  I worry all the time, but I am fundamentally an optimist, and I know I will eventually come out of any difficult situation.

3.  Trust your intuitions and instincts, even if people say they seem bizarre and strange.

4.  Nationality doesn't matter.  I am Iraqi; I live in London; I don't really have a particular place that I belong to.  Personally, to be totally displaced is a very liberating experience.

5.  Learn to relax.  I would love to relax, but the people at the office won't let me!  They always find something awful to tell me on the phone, usually at two in the morning.

6.  Work hard.  It gives you a layer of confidence.  As a woman in the architecture profession, you need confidence to know that you can carry on and take new steps all the time.

7.  Also work hard not to neglect friends and family.  Life doesn't stop when you are trying to meet a deadline.  The intensity of working under pressure can create great works, but one must not forget those people who will always be your greatest support.

8.  Don't ever give away well-designed clothes.  My own fashion style is experimental and I appreciate designers who dare to play with proportions and materials.  I never throw anything away, which means I have a lot of vintage pieces.  Recently, I found an old Romeo Gigli piece in my wardrobe and it is still marvellous, he was a genius.

9.  Home means a place where I am comfortable.  For me, that is really just a bed.  I don't even have to be in my London apartment (it is a few minutes from our office, and no, I didn't design it!) to feel at home.  But I would love to build a house for myself one day.

10.  Never give up!  You can't always get everything right every time, but you have to keep trying.

Some of Dame Zaha Hadid's award winning architecture

all photos via Tumblr

Cheers,

Deb xx

NYC warehouse loft in Sydney.................

I know I have raved about the Australian interiors magazine Belle before, but it is seriously a great read.  It is published just 8 times a year and always brings fresh original content, both locally and internationally.  I have now subscribed digitally so that I can share every issue with all of you.  Of course, I will still get it in print form as well, as I enjoy nothing more than having a pile of magazines and lots of time to read and be inspired. 

In this issue, one of the interiors is of a Sydney warehouse with an "industrial aesthetic."  The owner says, "I have dreamt of living in a warehouse since I was 20." - ok, who hasn't?  And, "I wanted a New York style warehouse loft." - again, who doesn't?

all photos via Belle Magazine Australia

Cheers,

Deb xx

"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body" - Joseph Addison

These books are on my most recent reading list.  They will all be published in September/October.  I get excited about ordering and receiving new books.  While I am looking forward to reading each and every one these books, the one I am most anxious to read is on Elsie De Wolfe, the American interior designer's years spent in Paris in the 1930's.  Also the book, Florals Contemporary, showcases some local Sydney florist talent, namely my friend Tracey Deep, who I have blogged about previously.

YSL's Moroccan years

Marella Agnelli, The Last Swan 

Floral - with some of my florist friends creations

Betty Halbreich who was featured in the film Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's

Designer Malene Birger's interiors

Elsie de Wolfe, American decorator, social arbiter, hostess and tastemaker

Cheers,

Deb xx