FJ's Myer Centre

FJ's (Fresh Juice) is located in the main entry of the Myer Centre off Queen St. It's well known to most city workers and shoppers.

Last year the owners Phil and Ross approached me to help with the design for their refurb. They have had their kiosk since 2002 and it was time for a refurb as the whole food court area in the Myer Centre is gradually being upgraded.

This is how FJ's looked last year.

Obviously being a juice bar we wanted to keep the dominant orange in somehow. This is the new look FJ's.

On one of the sign boards the owners had a very clever idea to show the statistics of how much fruit they've used to create their juices since they began in 2002.

They haven't used all their stats as they didn't fit, but here are a few

2.3 million customers.

1.5 million kg oranges or 54 semi trailers

470 000 kg watermelons

 32 tonnes mangoes

29 tonnes pineapples.

One of the things that I always found most appealing about the store, long before I became involved with their design- is the product with the colour coded caps displayed in bulk which give you an indication as to the types of juices.

 

It was great working with Phil and Ross. Happy Juicing guys!

Lick-Sip-Suck

Can you taste the citrus now? It's here and in a big way.

Lime and his citrus cousins are here to brighten up our interiors and bring back memories of the 80's with the fluro yellow shirts.

Baresque who make not only gorgeous wall papers also carry these fantastic resin panels that can be used on counters and other surfaces and back lit with spectacular results. The top lemon has silk fabric set into clear resin. The orange and lime are created with marbleised resin.

The Laminex rep was in over the break and updated the boards with heaps of new fresh citrus colours.

Is this bringing back memories of Grandma's brand new Formica kitchen?!!!

Or perhaps her bathroom?

And now we'll just totally go to town with this Vision wallpaper and make it Psychedelic Baby!

Now I know I'm getting old because it's all coming around for a 2nd time in my life time!

Slats

Clever facades on buildings always catch my eye. These are a couple around town with similar themes. This car sales room at Bowen Hills on Burrows St is finished off with powder coated aluminium profile slats.

The same effect in Knapp St, Fortitude Valley, done with timber slats.

To get to Knapp St you have to drive past the amazing and always eye catching office of Riddel Architects. This photo is prior to them converting the site to their office. The building was originally designed for West's Furniture by Karl Langer in 1953. West's held the licence to manufacture Knoll furniture and in 1954 the Queen even stopped in at West's as it caught her attention also. With Riddel Architects now operating out of this building the goldfish once again swim in the "moat".

Palms for Brisbane

At Morningside hidden behind a tropical forest is one of my favourite stores. You may have driven past and not realised as it's on a main road, but surrounded by industrial buildings. It's the Palms for Brisbane nursery and it's a hidden oasis.

They specialise in predominantly tropical plants and are a wealth of knowledge. It's lovely to walk around the paths in the nursery and weave amongst the palms and across the bridge at the entry.

As side lines to their nursery they offer full landscaping services or just garden consultations if you like to do the work yourself, but just need to bounce a few ideas around with an expert.

The plant above is from the ginger family. The palms are categorised by international zones so that you can find out more information about the plants you are selecting. In addition to the palms they have a great range of bamboo, gingers, broms, cordyline and heliconia. They even stock some of the more exotic plants such as the jade plant, which is quite a sight when it's in flower.

As a bonus, a recently installed putting green in the palm pavilion keeps the kids entertained while the adults can wander and look longer.

Palms for Brisbane is located at 451 Lytton Rd, Morningside.

www.palmsforbrisbane.com.au

mugged

Mugged is a fairly new tenant on busy Oxford St, Bulimba. It's directly across the road from the park with the great playground and football field and the smell of fresh coffee drifts over the road drawing the playground parents and sports spectators directly over the pedestrian crossing and up to the counter.

Owner Ellie Burke is from a strong retail family and they certainly know how to make shops work well. I had a small amount of input with helping Ellie's dad, a great client of almost 20 yrs, draw up the fitout plans. However the credit lies with the Burkes as they had a very clear vision of what they wanted to achieve and the look they were after.

The very cool looking footpath dining.

Too Cute! Something for the kids when mum and dad get their coffee.

Nice touch. Polaroids of Mugged regulars.

Mugged stands out with it's distinctive dark interior offset by the gorgeous sharp green and by all accounts is now firmly established on the busy and competitive dining and coffee strip Oxford St.

Port of Brisbane

This is the Observation Cafe at the Port of Brisbane Visitor's centre. It's on top of their new building and has almost 360 degree views around Brisbane and the bay. Today was a typical sunny day with some slight smoke drift from the fire on Moreton Island. At this end of the port you are pretty much out level with St Helena Island and almost at the area where Bishop Island was reclaimed back in the 1980's.

The Observation Cafe is located in the top rotunda on the left.

The dry bar around the balcony has tinted glass panels and you can watch the straddle cranes and the container ships and also planes landing and taking off over the river at the airport.

Dining at the balcony bar.

The very sculptural atrium looking up from the ground level.

The ground level features an interactive area with buttons and simulators all themed around the activities of the Port and keep the kids well entertained (and they may possibly learn something too!).

Pandanus palms against the air stack near the entry. I've always loved these unique beach trees.

The cafe even has binoculars hanging around the balcony and you'll be sure to need them as there is so much to look at and interest people of all ages. This part of Brisbane is like a whole other world that you often forget exists. It's located at 3 Port Central Drive, Fisherman's Island.

a good toile

I've liked Toile fabrics for many years, ever since I was first introduced to them as a young interior design student on work experience.

I've had a few toile cushions in my house for about 18mths now, and recently I've seen a resurgence of toiles when visiting my fabric wholesalers. Even the latest Australian House and Garden has a page devoted to toile.

Some of the toiles at Warwick Fabrics.

One of my own cushions- needing a bit extra stuffing thanks to my dog removing some.

I think Toile will become a 2012 performer.