New York Gift Show: Australian Masters - Bonnie and Neil

Sometimes while walking the aisles in the New York Gift there is a moment, when you are literally stopped in your tracks! This happened to me as I walked passed the Bonnie and Neil stand.




See what I mean? The graphic pattern on the wall, the handmade graphic images on the textiles and colors they chose made them stand out.

So I got to speak with Bonnie Ashley a little, and learned she and her partner Neil Downie are based out of Melbourne, Australia (probably my favorite of all Australian cities!) and have had much success there.



Vintage tapestry wall in the Brunswick cottage of Bonnie Ashley & Neil Downie.
Photo Armelle Habib Styling:Lucy Feagins/Bonnie Ashley via



Bonnie has a Bachelor of design in craft art from the School of Design in Christchurch, NZ with a major in textiles and sculpture while Neil studied art and design in his home country of Scotland before he emigrated to New Zealand where he took his apprenticeship in cabinetmaking.

Nearly 2 years ago now, they took the plunge and launched their own little design studio – Bonnie and Neil, with textiles for pillows & tabletop and some small accent pieces such as shadow boxes with great prints.










I was so attracted to these gorgeous watercolor like patterns!





The fine attention to detail of each pillow, with fringe trims, beautiful stitching & great feel to the soft linen.

There are Graphic & Geometric images and patterns for all design styles...

or the use of vintage photographs of birds & botanical themes, which have been manipulated in such a visual way, that every pillow or table linen becomes a work of art in their own right.

I love making a statement with my table linen, and why not make a bold statement with one of these great table pieces? Or, throw one of these runners on a console & the whole room will take on a world of it's own. I must have one!

I am dreaming of these pieces and can't wait to use them in a design.. and maybe one will make it's way to my house as well.!



*all images of products via Bonnie & Neil. New York Gift Show images taken by me.

New York Gift Show: Style Savvy Animal Lovers

Today begins my New York Gift Show recap, as I charge my way through the halls on the hunt for great products! Whether I am looking for my design clients or great finds to share with you here on the blog, I am so excited to say that only after the 1st day I have found some real great treats.


As the usual coverage of the NYIGF tends to start with the brands that we all know and love, this time I thought I would shake things up a bit, and begin in reverse - with some fantastic young brands or ones a little less main stream.



Although we don't have animals in our home (3 kids is enough !) I grew up with my fair share of dogs, cats and small furry pets that parents don't care for all that much. Also, as a designer, it is always so difficult to find ways to incorporate the much needed panoply of items that the animals of my client's families need - for food, drink and comfort.

So, you can just imagine how excited I was when I came across this stand - Harry Barker.








Caution: This is only for the VERY Stylish animal lover!

Harry Barker is the brain child of ex-model Carol Perkins. As she dealt with overcoming a life threatening brain tumor, Carol took to her kitchen counter and began creating dog beds, toys and robes for friends as a form of therapy - and so, Harry Barker was born and with Carol’s beloved Super-Sheltie namesake.

For the contemporary design scheme, what more could you ask for. Black and White, great graphics, and simply fitting for a well designed home to have design conscious Dog Food containers like these.

For the classic design scheme and a little old school .. with a little "toile-de-jouy" inspired Dog Heaven..

From Doggy Beds ....

to Doggy Toys...

These products committed to great style, but also on remaining environmentally friendly, with the use of materials such as Hemp Beds and Toys which are made with recycled fill inserts.

Colorful doggy toys..."Eco-Friendly", non toxic and made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastics, earth-friendly fabrics and dyes.

Even these bags are biodegradable with recycled dispensers

As I was going through this post, I remembered a post from last year that struck a chord with so many of you, and ended up as one of my most "pinned posts" - Attention All Animal Lovers! with Doggy Caravans in abundance.. Head on over to that post too in case you missed it -> Here.

If you want to get a head start on the holidays..

Why not gift your dog this holiday season?

Or if you are looking for a great hostess gift - if they are dog lovers, what could be sweeter than offering them a personalized gift basket like this one?

So have you started shopping yet?

DAP 360* - Graca Viterbo - Hotel Bela Vista Part 5

Graca Viterbo has said that her influence for the redesign of the Hotel Bela Vista is a mix of modernity and classicism, where "Miami meets the Mediterranean!"

As I come to the end of this week long in depth look at the newly renovated boutique hotel, from my first post on the Portuguese tiles, to great Before & After shots of the Bar, on to the bedrooms and the use of stripes there all the way through to today's post.

In this bathroom, the existing blue and white tiles are incorporated as part of the design, with the addition of new striped tiles, mirrors and decorative paint finishes which finish off the illusion. 

The outdoor dining areas, also make use of decorative painting treatments, such as the painted nature inspired panel which appears on the newly renovated sideboards and venetian plastered arches.

The strong "Yves Klein" painted blue trims are very typical throughout southern Portugal, and are a staple visual on windows and doorways on almost every home.

The people of the Algarve are very superstitious, especially fishermen and farmers, who believed that this use of blue would ward off evil spirits. Some also say, that the smell of the original blue pigment was a way of keeping insects and mosquitoes out, as well as paying homage to the sea once they moved away.

With spectacular views from nearly all of the 38 rooms and suites, it is no wonder why the New York Times recognized this as a Must Visit hotel for 2012, and TripAdvisor’s ‘Certificate of Excellence 2012’ among many other recent awards.



Miami indeed! This pool is simply heavenly...








The Spa, which recently opened, introduces another shade of blue and green as well as the natural wooden tones from throughout the hotel.

This photo of Bela Vista - Hotel, Restaurant & SPA is courtesy of TripAdvisor

The happy Miami like blue tones throughout the freshly designed Spa, the use of woods and deep mixture of hues in the mosaic tile lined walls, all contribute to the peaceful environment ..


Thanks so much for taking this journey with me this week, and make sure to visit www.gviterbo.com for more on their work. Have a wonderful weekend and stay tuned for my New York Gift Show coverage next week.

So, when should I say your coming to stay?





*all images courtesy of Graca Viterbo & hotelbelavista.com (unless otherwise stated)