Once, Upon an Island (Part 2)

I love islands. I always have. I love their mystery, their geography and their topography, their slow pleasures and their languid lifestyles. I even love the architecture of islands, which tends to celebrate the honesty of form and the purity of line. But mostly I love their landscapes, which are cheerfully weathered but still quietly dignified. In a world where everything is designed to a flawless finish, islands are still a little rustic; a little 'unmade'. And that makes them, in my mind, just about perfect. They are, in  their charmingly undressed, messy state, delightful radicals. Nature’s rebels that have never really conformed to the rest of the world and its impossible expectations but have always stood slightly apart, cut off by their isolation and their oceans, and distinguished by their rakish ways.

I have often wondered what my perfect island would look like. It would probably be small, so you could trundle around it in a day, but still big enough to have room for adventure. It would have beaches tickled by coconut palms and an encircling lagoon, warmed to perfection. There would be a harbour, a postcard-style jetty, and a village that sold rock lobster from a co-op, as well as delicious, locally made produce and beverages from quaint pastel-coloured stores – run by people called ‘Ma Ruby’ and ‘Shoeless Joe’. There would be a couple of celebrities for cachet (“oh, did you hear De Niro’s bought a house next door?”), but not too many that it felt like the Hamptons or Nantucket. There would be a statue of a 19th-century local writer, whom everyone is proud of but nobody has actually read; a whiff of pirate history; a smattering of deserted old plantation mansions blanketed in vines; a secret waterfall somewhere in the centre (an island is not an island without a proper waterfall); and of course a number of colourful beachside bars. With names like ‘Eddie’s’, ‘Sip Sip’, and ‘Sip More’. It would have eccentrics that made you laugh, and sunsets that made you cry. But most of all, this island would be so gentle in its beauty and so undemanding in its ways, that it would allow you to take life lying down for a change. And there, in a hammock under a palm tree, you could begin to think clearly about life again.

Here, in no particular island order, are some of my favourite islands in the world.

Haggerstone Island, Australia

Getting to Haggerstone is as much a part of the adventure as staying there. You need to take a number of planes, each one a little smaller than the last, and then a small boat to reach this remote, 40-hectare lush atoll 90 kilometres from the tip of Cape York Peninsula in the very far north of Australia, In fact, it is about as remote as you can go without hitting Papua New Guinea. Designed by Anna and Roy Turner, who sailed there 21 years ago with a water tank, a tent, building supplies, chickens and seedlings for a garden, it is a kind of Swiss Family Robinson hideaway, only far more luxurious. There are a handful of open-air pavilions to sleep in, plus a fabulous main pavilion to dine, read and congregate it. There is also a gorgeous reef to snorkel on, great fishing and other islands nearby to explore. Former prime minister Bob Hawke adores it. So does David Reyne, hotelier James Baillie and many, many others, including US magazine Travel and Leisure, which voted it the number-one beach destination for the 21st century. One of Australia's best-kept secrets. (Images courtesy of Haggerstone.)

www.haggerstoneisland.com

Mauritius, Africa

Mauritius is changing rapidly, thanks to the influx of northern European investors buying up parcels of real estate for hotels and developments (it is now officially the richest country in Africa), however there is still something deliciously sweet and simple about this tiny place. It's the kind of island you find a beach chair and a big cocktail and chill out for days. Preferably in front of a postcard-perfect beach with a cool sea breeze. One of the most beautiful hotels on Mauritius that has all these ingredients is the charming Hotel 20° Sud, which is designed by that chic Belgian firm Flamant. Concealed within an old coconut grove and reached via an old oak door, it is currently being hailed as one of the most stylish boutique hotels in the world. One look and you can see why. (Images courtesy of Hotel 20° Sud.)

www.20-degres-sud.hotels-in-mauritius.eu

Islamora, Florida Keys, USA

I have a soft spot for Islamorada. I never fail to have a memorable day here. Part of a string of unpretentious, under-populated and ever-so-lovely islands that stretch all the way down to Key West, Islamorada, which means "village of islands", is a delightful hideaway with a cluster of beach houses and hotels, a lot of enchanting coves and waterways, an endearingly retro-esque atmosphere and a whole lotta eccentric characters. You need to get off the main highway to really explore the place, and perhaps hire a boat to meander the coast, but it's worth a weekend trip from Miami. For hotels, try The Moorings or Casa Morada (pictured below), both of which are loved by stylish travellers the world over.

www.casamorada.com

Tybee Island, near Savannah, Georgia

Sandra Bullock loves it so much she's bought a house here. Robert Redford filmed The Last Song with Miley Cyrus here. And yet many Americans – and international travellers – have never heard of it. If you're visiting Savannah and have a day free (make sure you have a day free), grab a taxi and spend some time here. The exquisite little Caribbean-style beach houses are sublime, and the beaches are divine. You can hire a bike and trundle around all day. There are lots of cottages for rent, and many have pools. I just adore it.

City v Country, Part 2

We have been fighting the urge to move back to the city. Okay, so the urge is more mine than RR's (my partner), but I think he misses urban life as well.

For instance, on Friday he took a whole lot of politicians out shooting. They do this bonding thing once a year. My mother, who is a former school headmistress with a work ethic stronger than anyone I know, is horrified by this flagrant display of skiving, but RR loves it. He shoots, he discusses politics and then they all have a beer or ten at the end. It's a testosterone thing. The thing is, if he lived in the city, he could do more of it. Ironically, there are more opportunities for target practice in town, at the International Shooting Club, that there are in the countryside. Out here, he's not allowed to produce his guns, much less let them off. The darling old dears at the Ferny Creek Horticultural Society would have a pink fit.

Lately, I've been sneaking a peek at the online real estate for property in town. Yesterday I found a house in Toorak for $700,000. Okay, so it only had two rooms and the front had fallen down, but it could have been a good buy? We could have moved all our furniture into the back room, installed the two dogs in the 2m x 2m back yard and then found second jobs to pay for the extra mortgage. I'm sure we would have been very happy.

I think it takes a while for country life to grow on you. It's like newly planted wisteria. It takes a few seasons for the flowers to appear. We love country life but we love city life too. It's a dilemma.

Oh, Chanel

I'm currently writing a book about Chanel. (I know, there are several new ones out there at the moment. I'm hoping mine will be different because it's a little whimsical, a little quirky and full of irresistible illustrations.) The problem is, how do you illustrate a book about Chanel without using the iconic logo? (Which is illegal.) Or using images from the collections? (Which I'm certain is also covered by some kind of Karl Lagerfeld law.) You think outside the square, that's how. Or, to be more precise, the interlocking Cs.

Here are some delightful images that I've found that are inspiring us to create some whimsical Chanel-style illustrations and images of our own. (I apologise but the credits for these have been lost; so if they are yours please let me know and I'll duly credit them.)

Feeling Gilt(y)

The Christmas season has officially begun in our house. Some lovely neighbours of ours came around today with a gorgeous bottle of Champagne under their well-dressed arms. (We had only invited them for afternoon tea and they turned up with bubbly: that is what I call class!) Feeling festive – and guilty that I only had crumbly old rum balls and chocolates to offer our guests rather than fancy French nibblies more fitting to the drink – I thought I would gather together some lovely Christmas-y pix to kick off the Jule countdown.

Champagne Glasses

I love glasses, and particularly collections of vintage glasses. There is nothing nicer, I think, than offering guests unusual Champagne or wine glasses to drink from. (NB I stole this idea from the Champagne Bar at the Dokhan hotel in Paris!) If you set out a tray of different glasses for your guests, they can choose for themselves, and what's more, they'll know which one is theirs at the end of the night when everybody's drunk too much of the good stuff.

Christmas Nibblies

I don't know if this is taking the gold, frankincense and myrrh a too far, but I love a bit of gilt in the Christmas nibblies. Even sprinkled on top makes for a cute look.

Silverware

Use your good silver. It's one of the few times in the year when you can!

Dressing up for the festivities

 Okay, so this Balmain frock (photographed at the store in Paris) might be a tad too much, but some of Chanel's classic Gold Fiction nail polish may give your outfit some Christmas sparkle.

Or a gorgeous gold handbag, such as this one that I bought from Kate Spade, just for the occasion...

Garden Architecture

I promised to show you another selection of what I think are some of the world's most beautiful gardens, so – even though I'm slightly terrified of the risk of boring you senseless with endless garden shots – here they are. Please stop me quickly if this starts being like a slide show from a garden-obsessed friend...

Larundel 

A grand property in country Victoria, this spectacular place features the first ever garden designed by the now-renowned landscape architect Paul Bangay. The garden features 12 'rooms' in total, each bordered by perfectly clipped holly hedges. There is a rose garden, a blue garden, a parterre, a pear walk, a long walk, a kitchen garden, several courtyard gardens, an espaliered garden and a meditation garden. Each of these green spaces is punctuated by stunning 'garden art', ranging from priceless urns that originally belonged to the Rothschild family (bought at Sotheby's auctions) to vintage iron bedheads that look surprisingly cute in the corners of the garden. Larundel's owners have recently sold the property, but I can assure you they had a magnificent life for the six years they were here.

Petersham House, London

I adore Petersham House and Nurseries. Located in the beautiful suburb of Richmond on the outskirts of the city, this is a lovely and rather large private property owned by a very stylish Italian and Australian couple. The house, unfortunately, is not open to the public, but the kitchen garden, nurseries, shop and cafe are. The kitchen garden is only open at certain times of the year, so check the website for details, however the nurseries, shop and cafe are open every day, and are fabulous for either a wander or a buying spree. The nurseries (a series of chic greenhouses) are stocked with all manner of fantastic things, from vintage chairs to garden ornaments and even chic wellingtons to wear. The place is so popular there's now a 'mini' Petersham Nurseries store in Selfridges. The cafe is also gorgeous for lunch, and beloved by celebs – the day we were there Hugh Grant was dining beside us.

Chateau Villandry, France

I've mentioned this garden recently, so I dare not go into more detail for fear of boring you all. Suffice to say, this garden is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. It's regularly voted in the Top Five by garden writers, and it's easy to see why. There are several gardens in the chateau grounds, including a knot garden and the famous potager, which features an intricate design created from vegetables. As I've said before, it's extraordinary.

Decorating on a Dime

One day we hope to be wealthy enough to hire an interior designer. I have a few names in mind. I'm also planning a few projects for 2012 for which we'll probably need some professional help. But for the moment, we've had to make do with a bit of DIY.

This is because we live more than an hour from the city and it's deemed too far for many designers to come. One well-known name said she would make the trip to assess the project but she wanted fuel money and financial compensation for the time. Okay, I said tentatively. What figure was she thinking? "Three hours round-trip, plus fuel? Let's see? Let's make it $600," she replied. "Oh – that's each time I drive."

(And this was all before we had even agreed to a colour scheme, let alone fabrics, wallpaper, furniture and design.)

So in the face of those intimidating figures, dear readers, we've had to "make do", as my grandmother loved to say. We've had to paint, decorate and DIY like we've never done before in our lives. Vogue Living, a lovely magazine that I've written many articles for, has been an absolute Godsend in this instance, but there is only so much you can copy without a silly budget in your back pocket. So I've gone for more practical publications. Like Handyman Magazine. And Martha Stewart's DIY.

This, readers, is what I have learned along the way:

Don't be afraid to paint over timber (My father and partner think this is sacrilegious!) My mother-in-law was coming to stay and I wanted to dress the spare room for her (below). I found a headboard in a secondhand shop for $40, painted it in a semi-gloss black, and then hung some trellis fabric found in Mood Fabrics in New York for $10 behind it. (The headboard was quite small, and I wanted to elongate the space.) The black and white made it all look more sophisticated than it was.

Don't be afraid to display objects you love  I love pencils. I love their simplicity and linear elegance. So I collected these from various Firmdale hotels around the world – Crosby Street in New York, Number Sixteen in South Kensington – and just tossed them in a black vase. Now my niece loves them as much as I do. She pinches a few whenever she's around.

Don't be fearful of Ikea (My partner hates it, so I make him wait in the car.) The Swedish megastore has some great stuff, which can be elevated to a higher level of style with just a lick of paint. These $40 wicker chairs were painted black, dressed in black-and-white striped cushions and tossed together with a hand-made ottoman slipcovered in a Ralph Lauren pinstripe. We've since put charcoal grey carpet down in this particular library and even though the colours are all quite dark, the space looks quietly dignified. Even my Ikea-hating partner likes it!

More Ikea adaptation (below). These shelves were $30 or so. It's a great way to display books, as the covers are always so much more beautiful than the spines.

More Ikea. The chairs, rug, even the picture frames were all sourced from Ikea. I tell you, if you paint it, cover it, or dress it up, no one will ever know!

Source furniture from secondhand stores. Or – even better – keep an eye out on hard rubbish days. (Although always ask the owner before your slip something in your car.) This lamp was a hard rubbish find. I simply stripped it, painted it red and dressed it in a vintage French ribbon. The Penguin book covers were postcards.

Make Your Own Ottomans. So easy, even I can do it. Just buy some tapered colonial legs from a hardware store (Bunnings have different lengths), some 20mm-thick MDF timber for the top, some 30 mm-thick foam from a fabric store (you can cut it to fit with scissors or a blade), some timber stain (we used either black, white or a natural walnut colour, depending on the fabric used), and whatever fabric you want over the top. (Note: I just made loose slipcovers with the fabrics so I could remove them anytime.)