country cottage...the final bedroom

When we moved into the cottage almost a year ago I only focused on getting two bedrooms ready to use.  There was just to much else to do.  But now that most of the really tough stuff is done, and we are having people to stay a little more, we need to get the third bedroom up to scratch.  I am thinking Scandi meets Ralph Lauren Alpine Lodge.  A little bit of plaid, a lot of white, soft white curtains, a peg rail for hanging a few things up.

Image above left: Kate's Creative Space; above right via Gabriels Webb; top 3 images via Ralph Lauren.
The exciting news is once the room is done our little cottage is going to be available for weekend and holiday rentals.  So watch this space if you want a little getaway in country Victoria.

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pool cabana inspiration

It may be almost the end of summer in Sydney but we are in pool cabana design mode.  
We need the cabana for two reasons:

• to provide shade when we are watching the kids swim in summer
• to screen off a new neighbouring house which looms rather close to the fence

I have been dreaming of these Bali cabana's for ages, the gorgeous Alilas Villas Uluwata, and I think I have convinced Mr B that we should go in this direction.  Watch this space.  

My plan is to have the cabana lit at night for extra drama and a huge capiz shell or coconut bead chandelier.  So many ideas...

By the time we are done we will have a resort style pool area, and we will make next door's house totally disappear.  I just want it to happen tomorrow...but that would not be diy.

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bronze and blush inspiration

We all know bronze and gold are so hot right now, and pink is too, it seems to have been rebranded as blush this year but it's still pretty pink to me.  These lovely bits and pieces caught my eye this week.

I cannot trace the original source of this pretty image and I would love to see more of this room.  If anybody knows where it comes from please let me know.  I love the combination of the golds and pinks, it should be way to much but it's just so pretty.

From top left: amazing diy mirror by the ever innovative A Beautiful Mess, Dorwin bronze chair, George Hoy table, Heidi boot with brass details from Forever New, pink dipped vase by Country Road

Fabulous painting by Pat Passlof - Score for a Bird (1958)
These colours are just...sigh... so lovely

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bean bags with style...inspiration

I have been shopping around for bean bags for a client and I know I would love to have these bean bags in my courtyard.  Easy to move when you mow the lawn, and super stylish.  But the price tags for these babies will set you back over $1000 a piece!  Helloooo!!!  Who has this kind of cash to spend on a bean bag!  I am thinking about making one...

Top and bottom right: Zoe chair by Verzelloni
Center and bottom left: Sail chair by Gan

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castle rock house...by herbst architects

On a net crawl looking for dream holiday homes I discovered Herbst Architects.  I adore their aesthetic, the spaces are comfortable, spacious, beautiful, but somehow modest and contained.  I love the materials they use, they way they capture the view, the use of built in furniture.  I could go on and on.  Today, with their kind permission, I am sharing Castle Rock House, built on yet another piece of gorgeous New Zealand coastline.  Its well worth following the links back and looking at their other work.

I love the view through the narrow window, and I love the idea of being able to sit up close to it. Just gorgeous.

The creation of living areas on both sides of the home is just genius.  The sea view side has the protected lounge area and the gorgeous covered area (above).  The other side (below) has another another covered area which opens out onto the kitchen.  This means whichever way the wind is blowing there is a sheltered outdoor space for living in, fabulous idea.   If you are anything like me you will spend hours looking at the plan below seeing just what I mean.  
I also love the details, like the sliding door which slides right off the deck in to a specially constructed frame (below left).  

I love how the structure sits into the landscape, the bedroom area offset from the living area, like a craggy outcrop at the top of the hill.  What a position!
All images posted with permission of Herbst Architects, photography by Patrick Reynolds.

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#country cottage...bathroom inspiration

Our little country cottage has a really ugly bathroom, and I mean really ugly.  I am talking aqua blue bathroom suite dating to the 1950's, and not the fashionably 1950's, huge old geyser in the room, and a nasty nasty old vanity.  So I am dreaming of redoing it, a really small budget renovation of course, and frankly I don't know if we have the budget, but I can dream right.  So if I find the budget this is what I want to do, take out the bath and replace it with a shower and make a small, bright, white, fresh and clean wet room.  Something along the lines of the rooms below.

Above: Bright, white and light via The Design Chaser, pinterest (can't find the original credit), House & Leisure.  That shouldn't cost to much should it?  

Below: Love the clean lines and herringbone floor in this grey bathroom.  The lining board walls are very achievable, and budget friendly too.

I love subway tiles, I have them in the bathrooms in my home already, but would love to use them in a herringbone pattern on the walls.  

It may be a dream, but its a pretty one.

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vintage blinds...inspiration from The Block

One of the things I love about The Block is discovering unusual retailers and designers in the Australian markets.  This season I have loved the graphics that Steve and Chantalle used in their apartment.  The vintage Melbourne blinds in the spare room and kitchen were amazing, particularly the Orange Juice blind below. I also loved the map wall paper they used in their stairwell.  The crazy pave fireplace and ski chalet wood in the bathroom and bedroom, not so much.  So I popped over the Printed Blinds Australia to see what other images they have.

I really love the vintage prints below, but then I do have a thing for vintage travel posters.

Thought these animals would be gorgeous in a kids room, mod safari style for tots and tweens. 

Lots to choose from but I think the vintage travel are my favourites.   Will be keeping this company in my little black book for when I need a blind.

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credenza styling

Spotted this gorgeous credenza styling on Pinterest the other day, a glimpse of a truly gorgeous apartment featured on Domaine which is well worth a look.  Simply gorgeous photos by Bethany Nauert.  Love the brass lamps, the art, succulents, sculpture.  It reminded me strongly of my credenza, with art, brass lamp and even a succulent, but mine needs a bit of finishing off (see second photo down).  So I found a few little details that might just do the trick.

I love my lamp and the painting (by my very talented mom), it just needs a few bits and pieces to really look special.  And yes the photo could be better, but its all I could manage with my iphone, my real camera was unavailable and I sure do miss it!

Bronze horse sculptures from Pottery Barn - I know Pottery Barn!  Good value too, I really want them!

Brass lamps - I like them chunky and a bit over the top - ugly good if you know what I mean.  My one came from West Elm a few years ago but not in stock in more unfortunately, would love another one.  

Lamps below are: skyscraper lamps by Maison Jansen, & below left pair both by from 1st Dibs.  They are going to be original period and they are going to be pricey.   Below right - brass tripod by Empire Studio, very nice and far more affordable.

Succulents - think I need something with a bit more oomph, you can barely even see mine in the photo.  Love this brass plant pot diy from A Beautiful Mess.

So watch this space, there may be a little reshuffle coming this way.   

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inaluxe design

Not sure how I missed discovering Inaluxe design before.  These gorgeous prints are the work of design duo Kristina Sostarko and Jason Odd.  They also do an amazing range of cards and wrapping paper which are available on Earth Greetings.  Love the fresh colours and geometric designs but I particularly love the Australian birds.

Enjoy...

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country cottage inspiration...details

So I am obviously a little consumed with country cottages and how to furnish them.  Chateau Fibro, as a dear friend has christened it, is an ugly duckling right now, but I dream of it being as pretty as these spaces.  Hmmm it seems a white painted floor my be somewhere in my future, with spaces pared back to minimal furnishings, and a small colour palette.  I love the white on white and black on white, not sure I can carry it off though, I will have to have some colour.

My challenge is going to be in the editing, keeping it simple, practical but still beautiful.  Well once I have seen the ugly duckling for myself I will know how we are going to go forward.  

Lighting details: Industrial lamp from Tudo & Co, burlap lamp shades, Manor range from Beacon Lighting

Images from top:  Dining room on Vintage Piken, a new favourite blog find that is well worth a visit; detail of an ikea hack dresser via Apartment Therapy, basket of silver coin eucalyptus and living room with fire both via Kara Rosenlund (and you know how I love her work).

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pretty pretty things

Some lovely things I have spotted recently.  Loving these soft colours, the mix of textures, the muted metallics, the sense of calm they create.  Perhaps its the rough ride that my day job has given me these past few months but I find I am needing the feeling of calm in at least one space in my home.  Enjoy...

Images from top: 

1. Bedroom detail from The Veda House Blog.  Veda House is a new find for me, a gorgeous blog of shoots by photographer and stylist Cassie.  Well worth stopping by.  This bedroom was from a collaboration with Caitlin Wilson textiles.  See more detail of the gorgeous pillow below.

2. Detail of a flower shoot on the West Elm blog.  A gorgeous post on how to take photo's of flowers, and you know how much I love flowers!  Worth a visit to see the rest of the pics too.

3. Love this kitchen via kk living, photo by All Over Press Norway.  Clean white cupboards, a gorgeous old table, wooden floors, a bit of crystal and a kilim rug.  All my favourite things...

4. At left a detail of a gorgeous kitchen styled by Home Beautiful Magazine, designed by architects Robson Rak.  Textures again, marble and wood, I love this space.  At right a pretty as can be nursery with colour swatch rug.  I love this space, pink but not too pink, neutral but not boring.  In a crazy instance of synchronicity this is a detail of a different house designed by Robson Rak, with design by Made by Cohen.

5. And lastly below another look at those gorgeous fabrics by Caitlin Wilson that feature in the bedroom detail.  I would love to add them to my bedroom scheme.  And at right a rather amazing gold finish cow hide available from Citta Designs.  Pricey but pretty pretty!

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A simple dinner party table setting

I love having friends for dinner, cooking delicious food, setting the table and making the house pretty.  When we entertained over the weekend I decided to iron the white table cloth and do something simple.  White plates, pale grey soup dishes, white serviettes and simple white daisies in duck egg blue tumblers from Mud Australia.  Finished with candles in simple glass vases from my favourite two dollar store.

Fresh and simple for a summer evening with friends.

Fresh and simple for a fresh new year.  Hope its a good one for all of us!

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pretty things in soft colours

Just because...
They are so pretty and I love the colours and I really want that marble mosaic somewhere.

From top: table vignette, copper light, winter ensemble, plywood detail kitchen, marble mosaic, flowers and antlers.
Have a lovely week

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