A Painting? A Sculpture? A Stairway?

August 2008. Ajr

Or all three at once?

Sometimes a completely coincidental gathering

of colour, form and texture

Create an unintended work of art.

This ornate spiral staircase and the red painting behind

Are a perfect example.

Painting "Spring and By Summer Fall 2008" by Clemens Hollerer, Austria included in "My Eyes Keep Me in Trouble" at The Physics Room, Christchurch. www.physicsroom.org.nz www.clemenshollerer.com

Stairway to Heaven

August 2008. Ajr

I went to visit The Physics Room on Saturday.

The gallery was empty and not a soul about.

So, being of an inquisitive bent, I climbed the stairs to the floors above.

Just because I could.

That's where I found this fabulous, slightly over-the-top spiral staircase

The Spaces Between -13

Napier. June 2008. Ajr

And more of my own pre-occupation with the long, thin spaces between buildings

Design Spot 1

When my makeshift wardrobe railing collapsed this morning dropping all my clothes in a muddle on the floor, I thought of multi-award winning Christchurch designer, Ingrid Geldof and how appalled she would be by my inattention to important things like function and design. I have come to appreciate that we should all - as much as budget allows - utilise quality design consultants to avoid missing out on valuable knowledge and to get the very best from our homes without compromise. Ingrid's mammoth haul of over 30 New Zealand design awards for kitchen, bathroom, laundry and joinery design makes her an obvious choice when it comes to solving design dilemmas and general household inefficiencies like mine. The thing I particularly like about her approach to function is that she doesn't compromise on aesthetics. Her designs pay particular attention to colour, texture, form and pattern in a way that puts her work in a class above most. Every finish, every surface is part of a well considered whole so that you not only get function, you also get beauty. I can live without the very best in function but I cannot live without beauty. http://www.igd.co.nz/