Modernist design - 50s and now

When you have a 70s house and you're looking for ideas to renovate and improve most people would turn to modern homes and the usual display homes. We haven't done that. For lots of reasons - mostly, because we like quirky or unusual design.


I am starting to think if you like the gorgeous old 50s homes and their modernist outlook then perhaps the natual leaning is the clean style of upmarket architecture of today. I say upmarket as these homes have obviously taken a dollar or so so to design and build - but I would think you could do something like these on a smaller 'budget' scale.

I love clean lines. I love modernist - not modern - but modernist. Clean, basic...almost emotionless. I love the photo below - the house is just so of the element, isn't it? I also love the one above - basic colourway, different materials (well, for me, anyway) and the basic design of yard/pool and abode.

One side of me thinks so the normal and reno our house with affordable tools and affordable materials etc...and then the other half says no! - break out to unusual ground and do something you can afford, but something that's quirky, eye-catching and simple.

Problem is - can you make a kitsch 70s double brick house something you'll never forget?

All of these images are from Steven Holl's website. Take a look and prepare to have your breath sucked right out of you.

Looking forward while going back

I am finding the older I get the more I look back. Back to my teens. Back to my 20s. I wonder why? Is it the poignancy of the teen years and the utter passion of life driving your days and weeks and months - or the late teens and early 20s when life opened up in all of its majesty...and you found yourself finally shopping alone at supermarkets and thinking "sheesh - is this all there is to it?".

I am thinking a lot about ways to make our property greener, kinder to the earth. We thought going solar was the way to go but as we have natural gas we've been told to hold off as prices are sure to plummet in the coming months. We thought solar electricity would be wonderful as well but apparently you have to shove a crap-load of them on your roof to carry the supply our house and family need. Best to wait.

Things I thought about today:

1. Can't wait 'til the weekend when I can have a really good crack at making my first homemade bread
2. Wondering if I could sneak a look at our first Bokashi dump in our backyard
3. Getting peeved at people who offer to sell you fabric, give you a length of fabric, agree on postage and price and then, when I get it, find out the fabric is not as described and postage was three times what it cost them...shame, shame...
4. Wondering if I should do more freelance writing cos I love writing
5. Thinking about growing up listening to Split Enz and listening to them on YouTube
6. Worrying about the hideous weather coming Victoria's way once again tomorrow...

I'll leave you with a lovely kitsch 1984 love song :)...more fabric going up onto the website soon (including the one pictured above)...I think the Sunday Market is going to be flooded in the next week or so!!

bake your own bread, white bread, bread recipe

bake your own bread, white bread, bread recipe
Originally uploaded by plate of the day

Okay, peoples. I have two super huge bread tins in my kitchen. I need to use them. Need to bake yummy homemade bread. Problem is, can't find a trusted white or wholemeal or multigrain bread recipe. Anyone out there have one they would like to share??