{Inspirational Art} Piet Oudolf Landscapes

 Images by Piet Oudolf

On this beautiful Thursday morning, I'm feeling very inspired by Piet Oudolf's photography of landscapes. I've said it before - and I'll say it again - that nature is one of the best sources of inspiration (at least to me). Where else can you find natural colours that blend together in unique and unexpected ways? If you can't be in a garden or the countryside, this is the next big thing. At least you can look at the images and feel the energy; the light cascading on the flowers or the warmth of the sunlight. One thing that I love about his book Landscapes in Landscapes is that it shows colour palettes associates with some photographs, so if you're feeling really inspired by a piece you can use it in your design scheme. What do you think of these images?

{A Day in the Countryside} + My Week in Review

 Images by Francois Halard

Today is a gorgeous Spring day: bright, sunny, breezy and warm. It's the perfect day for a little retreat to the countryside. Since I couldn't do that today, personally, I thought I'd travel to the country through these beautiful images by Francois Halard (as seen in Vogue Living Australia). I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Cheers to a beautiful Sunday!

What I was up to this week {the first week of May!}

The House on Spruce Street was this week's first inspirational space.

Now you can follow me on Blog Lovin'!

Portland Heights by Ore Studios was this week's second inspirational space.

Artful stitches by NYC textile designer Richard Saja.

Spring gift ideas ~ turn pretty produce into 4 edible gifts for friends and family.

I loved the kitchen from The House of Windsor.

{Inspirational Art} ~ Photography by Diane Tuft

Photography by Diane Tuft via the Marlborough Gallery

From Top to Bottom // Abyss of Time ~ Aftermath 3 ~ Fate, Being and Tranquility ~ Blood of the Sandur ~The Ring

My dream home would be filled with photography and art by Diane Tuft, who beautifully captures the allure and the fragility of the natural world. As someone who is greatly inspired by weather and nature, these images hit a soft spot for me. What's interesting about Tuft's work is that is requires a lot of technique and research. She works with specific cameras, films and techniques to capture light at the near-ultraviolet and near-infrared ends of the spectrum (which means it is impossible to visualize the photographs before they're shot!) Tuft must travel to specific locations and deal with certain weather conditions in which ultraviolet light is occurring. The natural colours present in the photographs are absolutely stunning, as are the ways the colours blend together. Tuft's recent "Aftermath Series" will be exhibited at the Marlborough Gallery in New York City until April 21st. These images were taken in Iceland after the dramatic explosion of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010. Her photographs are a true testament that there's beauty even in the bleak. Which image is your favourite? Have a happy Wednesday, gang!