Can you believe that in all my years of clay I’ve never attempted a mug? I’ve been wanting to try my hand at espresso cups. Their diminutive size seems less intimidating than a mug. Small pieces require intense focus. New shapes require room for ideas to move freely. Who knows, my espresso cups could turn into mugs, or egg cups. But with two of my three children away for another week, this seems like a good time to try something I’ve not tried before.

A bathroom with two sinks, wonderful. A bathroom with mismatched sinks, why not? In this case, one is a very organic looking and made out of limestone and the other is concrete, modern and sleek. The rough edged San Marino marble backsplash ties the two sinks together, as do the beautiful wall mounted brass taps. Don’t get me started on the PVC vinyl vanity skirt in daffodil. It’s all so utterly cool.

It would never occur to me to mix these two colours, but I love them together. It was a trip to Morocco that inspired the home’s palette. The pink is Dulux Morocco, and the green is Dulux Purslane. The pink appears throughout the house, as does the green and pops of creamy mustard. It’s bold and daring. I can only imagine how warm and decadent it feels to be surrounded by such rich colours. White walls have always been my personal preference. There is quiet in white, there is possibility in white. That said, I do love this house. Marakkech meets the English countryside. An alter ego one might say.

As a little girl, I had one those dressing tables with a fabric skirt. My Mum had one, too. We both had a hairbrush and mirror set; hers was in antique silver and mine was in French Ivory. I never used it, but it did make for a fancy display. I also had this perfumed powder that came with a pale pink puff that I used to smother all over my face. That felt fancy, too. I used to love those scenes in old movies of women primping in the mirror. These days, it’s a flick of mascara, hair in a knot, and we’re out. No one spends an hour getting ready anymore. But back then it was an art form. The cocktails, the Crepe de Chine robe, the 1950s jazz tunes in the background; it all seemed so glamorous. I think I was around 11 or 12 when my Mum replaced my dressing table with a desk. The desk was a lot more practical. I did my homework at that desk and listened to Chris Tarrant on the radio. I still have the hairbrush and mirror set though. It even has my name engraved into it.

I love these prints from Sydney illustrator, Liv Lee. Think Grecian vases filled with Tulips, Chrysanthemums and Cherry Blossom. There are also bananas, raspberries and big white flowers that look like fried eggs. Her style is playful and light. There’s such humour and joy in Lee’s work.

When I think about copper pots I imagine dozens of them lined up against a duck–egg–blue peg board  à la Julia Child. I read that most of Child’s pans came from E. Dehillerin in Paris. Just imagine, an entire set of pots in that opulent pinkish hue. Masami Mizuno handcrafts his copper pots and pans from a single flat sheet of metal. They are gentled hammered for a beautifully textured finish. Each pan has a solid brass handle.