Posted by Futch
I am loving succulents and black glass right now. I cut back the gorgeous blue chalk sticks in our garden and they are all over the house. Perfect is early morning sun in the spare room(at top) and by candlelight in the living room (bottom). The vintage black glass vase was a lucky bargain find in the Coledale markets, the fan another market find from Cape Town.
For more instagram moments follow here.
Posted by Futch
The lovely thing about doing flowers for a dinner party is you get to have them around the house afterwards. These ones migrated to my bedroom.I am just loving succulents and pink flowers together right now, the black glass makes it just a little more grown up.
Hope you all had a fabulous long weekend.
Posted by Futch
Love fresh flowers around the home. One of the lovely things about winter is that it's tulip time. My long legged horses agree.
Have a lovely weekend
Posted by Futch
I have shared these gorgeous comfortable bean bags with you already, see them set up for an evening with friends in my courtyard here, but had to share how lovely they look by the pool too. Like lots of parents I spend a lot of summer supervising at the pool side, now I can do it in real comfort. No more hard deck for me! No more numb bum. Bring on the gorgeous Us Time double seater, easy to move out of splash range, super comfy, and big enough for cuddles when the kids are cold.
They are waterproof, so splashes won't matter, and easy to wipe down, just in case the sun screen ends up on them instead of the children. Now all I need is a lovely cool drink and the summer days can go on for ever.
For more shapes and colours, they go from single seaters right up to a deluxe twin recliner, visit Resort Style Bean Bags. Affordable and stylish, they definately get my seal of approval.
I purchased these bean bags from Resort Style Bean Bags and all opinions are, as always, my own.
Posted by Futch
I found the perfect outdoor bean bag at Resort Style Bean Bags! Not only are they super comfortable, huge (each one seats two people easily), and stylish, but they are also really affordable. The great thing about bean bags is they are easy to move around, and they have been all around our garden the last few days. Today I am sharing how they look in our courtyard, set up for an evening outdoor picnic with friends. All I need now is a firepit and I will be enjoying the courtyard long into this lovely autumn season. 
After a long online search I came across Resort Style Bean Bags, a Queensland based business specialising in outdoor beanbags. The bean bags are available in several different colours and lots of sizes, from a single seaters and cushions, to the Us Time that I chose which is a double seater, right up to the Big Kahuna which is a twin recliner. I have always wanted to screen movies on the wooden wall behind us and these bean bags are the perfect seats for the whole family.
They are easy to clean (for any little spills) and waterproof, in case we are caught in an unexpected shower. I really like that they hold their shape well and look like chairs, but best of all they are just so comfortable. The first day they arrived I set them up in the courtyard, sat down in one to give it a road test, and fell instantly fast asleep. Now that's the comfort test passed.
Earlier in the day when I was setting up Miss J loved running around and leaping into them. In fact they have the whole family's seal of approval, you will just be able to make out Fender our cat climbing on for a cuddle. Cats do not understand keeping still for a slow shutter speed so he is a little blurry.
If you are looking for an easy piece for your outdoor entertaining area I would definitely recommend these chairs. At $110 excluding beans you don't have to sacrifice on style, durability and comfort and won't hurting your wallet either.
I purchased these bean bags from Resort Style Bean Bags, and all opinions are as always my own.
Posted by Futch
My first piece of furniture, well I helped even if I can't claim I build this myself. My fabulous hubby showed me how and I did a lot of sanding, prep and painting, but I was a bit nervous to do the drilling on such fine legs. Even with my trusty kreg-jig I am not all that good at drilling straight. With a lot of help, and a lot of spray paint (see technique tips below) the credenza went from a drawing to reality and I am delighted with it. This won't be my last wood work project.Wood work tipsFor those who want to make their own the legs are 3x3cm of Tasmanian oak. The top is 45 x 180cm laminated pine, and its stands 70cm high. We used the kreg-jig to make the base and attach the top.
The only problem with a kreg, and this is why I was nervous to join everything myself, is that even if your pieces are very square they are pulled slightly out of shape as you join them. We found the best solution was to clamp the 4 pieces of each side of the frame together, before joining them. You need a lot of clamps and patience, it doesn't take that long but it is a bit fiddly.Spray painting tipsI used at least a can of spray paint more than I should have before I got my technique right.Turns out I had the distance from the wood right, and I was spraying nice and steadily, but I was moving to fast. This made the paint all spackely and rough, not the glossy finish I was going for.
Slowing down the speed of my strokes a lot delivered a lovely glossy finish with no stripes or drips. I sprayed across the width of the piece taking the spray right off the edge on each side to prevent pooling on the edges.Hope that helps, this video helped me with technique the most.
Mr B also made the mirror which is my favourite piece in the room. He cut small wooden "tiles" for the frame to create an effect something like bone furniture, actually I prefer it to the bone mirror we do have.
If you do have the skills and patience you will be rewarded with big savings. A similar table will set you back at least $400, ours cost $80 including wood and paint and took a day to build, and several days to paint properly.
Our room finally feels finished, for now of course. It's never long before I start moving the furniture around again.
Posted by Futch
Right now I am totally inspired by this home below, beautifully styled by Pamela Makin (photos by Sharyn Cairns). Oversize groups of plants and decorative elements with lots of different textures, everything so big and bold, the end result so clean and strong.
It makes me want to give my space a shake up again. Last year was all about adding texture to our home, moving things around, rethinking furniture we have had for years and adding a few new pieces (very few the budget has been tight). It's never really going to be finished, and that's ok. A home should be a progression just as life is.
This year will be more of the same, refreshing spaces rather than redoing them. So thought I would share my favourite projects from last year, as well as my top tips on how to give your space a refresh.
Top favourite change at home from 2014- the fireplaceWithout a doubt the fireplace, built by my amazing husband takes out top spot. It has totally changed our living space, finally making good sense of how the space works. Lots and lots of planning went into this one, you can follow the whole process from here to the finished product below. Worth every penny and used every night from winter into spring.
Second favourite change from 2014 - the new couchAgain an agony of decision making went into this one, many hours visiting showrooms and sitting on sofas, measuring and drawing. Love the final choice though.Third favourite refresh from 2014 - adding succulentsLoving succulents around the home, and they seem to be ending up everywhere right now!! These are a few of my favourite places they were used last year. See how I updated my coffee table with succulents here, and the second photo is on my dining room table, very inspired by the images at the top of this post.
Top tips for refreshing your space in 2015Start with one room, the one that will make the biggest differenceChoose the one room which will make the most difference to you if you pretty it up, the room where your efforts will be most rewarded. The best way to keep motivated is to be able to see your past successes.
Start with a tidy, you need a fresh slateOnce you have decided which room you are going to tackle, pack away everything that has been left lying out, especially those dumping grounds where things accumulate (at the moment its the corner of my desk). If things are not being put away because they don't have a home you need to plan extra storage and that might be a perfect first project.
Choose inspiration and study the detailsPinterest is my favourite place to start these days. Look back at pins you love, and search out new ones. Look for similarities between the images you like, the details, fabrics and finishes that keep coming up. Try and use these in your home.
Break down your tasks into achievable projectsInstead of one large daunting task, make a list and divide the project up into smaller decisions and more manageable projects.
Smaller and less costly, you may need a few new bits and pieces but not many- a few new cushions to add new colour and texture
- a restyle of shelves and display areas, perhaps a few new decorative items
- adding new or different lamps
- a new vase and some flowers
Larger and more costly- new furniture and rugs
- reframe or add new art work
- refresh paint scheme
- adding structural features or cabinetry
If you have no idea where to begin consider booking time with an interior designer to help you come up with a new scheme, and to help you choose what should stay and what should go.Check out our lovely contributor Emma from Nest Designs services here.
Don't be put off because you can't do it all at once. Every addition is a step towards the finished whole, few of us have the luxury of enough budget to change everything up at once. Don't be daunted, decide where you are going and chip away at is as time and budget allows.
Shop in your own homeWalk around your home, poke around your cupboards, see what you can use to get that look you want without spending a cent.
Don't be afraid to move things aroundThis is often my biggest stumbling block. I want to change things up but there is a lot of inertia against changing things, even little things. Sometimes, I start by taking everything off the area I am trying to restyle, just to force myself to start again. All right, now its your turn, choose that first project, start pining some inspiration, and get started on making a change.
Posted by Futch
Very excited to be featured on Houzz Australia today! Did you know Houzz has now got an Australian branch? They are planning to feature Australian and New Zealand designers, architects, and other creatives including bloggers. All of us who like making the world prettier. It was a good excuse to take some updated photographs of my home to share. Pop by and see the full interview, and lots more photos! Plus leave a comment on the Houzz post by Sunday 23 November to be in line to win a $50 voucher from Adairs. Can you tell that I am a little bit excited?
Posted by Futch
I can't believe one of my babies is heading for her teens. In celebration of her recent birthday I surprised her with a mini makeover of her bedroom with the help of Trudy from HOME etcetera. Its becoming an important place for her to listen to music and chat with friends, and it was time for more grown up doona covers and cushions.
You can see in the before picture (below) we had already updated the old cast iron bed, chopping of the footer and making a soft and cuddly padded headboard. There are lots of headboard diy's out there, its easy to do and inexpensive. The cost of board, foam, padding and fabric for this bed was under $100, far cheaper than buying a new bed.
I wanted to keep the curtain, which Miss E chose when we first moved in, she still loves the fresh colours, but it did limit my options with doona covers and cushions. The painting is by my mum. In the end I chose the lovely soft grey Derwent flannelette set with small white cross detail, the grey is a soft contrast to the bright curtains and cushions. Miss E would never hold with something to girly and this is look is pretty without being either to sweet or to grown up.
With the doona I chose several velvet cushions in shades of blue, a silver ikat style pillow, and the Cisco European pillow case with black crosses on white cotton. The cushions toned in with a modern geometric pillow we already had. I know there are to many cushions, the interior designers of this world would disapprove, but I knew Miss E would want tons to snuggle into, and plenty to share with her friends.
I also added a lot of extra storage with a new piece from Ikea, from the nordli range, its really sturdy and has lots of drawers for all the important things that my little collector likes to keep. And it created a lovely place to make a small display and for her bedside lamp.
Miss E is delighted with it, she has been keeping her new room neat as a pin she is so pleased with it, an unexpected bonus for me. And yes designers she really did need all of those pillows.
If you are thinking of an update pop into Trudy's lovely online store, with its lovely linen and gorgeous cushions you are sure to find those finishing touches for your own space.
Posted by Futch
After months of waiting, an the first couch being delivered with the chaise on the wrong side, the new couch is finally here. Its amazing how different this room feels, so much larger even though the couch is pretty huge. My new favourite space is the end of the chaise next to the fire, every body in the family has their favourite spot and its plenty big enough for all of us to stretch out on. Success! And I was really nervous that it wasn't going to work.
Today the coffee table has white wax flowers on it, in my white makeover vase (see diy here) and copper candlestick (still to do a diy for this one). Soft and pretty, would prefer tulips really but the tulips were all too far opened for me to buy.
I have moved the cat painting that was on the back wall to behind the dining table, much better, but now this space is crying out for something else. I may have to try my hand at making something myself.I still can't believe the transformation, the space finally makes sense (see how it was below). But I do think it needs some of that green back. A home is never finished is it, just an ever evolving space.The best change is that when we had people over recently, everybody sat in the living room. Before they would sit at the table or the kitchen counter. And with the fab new couch there was space for everybody!!
Have a lovely weekend everybody
Posted by Futch
So pleased with this quick and easy project with Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan (TM), instant gratification diy at its best. I was sent a can of Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan (TM) chalk paint to try out, and decided to update Miss E's laundry basket with this years must have dipped look. The paint absolutely lived up to its reputation, went on very easily with no preparation and only needed one coat and half an hour to dry before it was ready to go back in the bathroom. I have been wanting to buy a new laundry basket for this space for ages, its never been high on the priority list. No need any more, I love the finished basket, and looks like I bought it in a high end homeware store.
To do yourself:- Simply tape an old basket or vase with blue tape (low tac masking tape)
- Paint with Annie Sloan chalk paint, I used Old White
- Top tip: put basket upside down so that you can paint the base easily
- Ta da! You are done
Total time from inspiration to completion 1 hour
My lovely hubby made the incredible shelf mirror above the basin for me last week. Its also painted with Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan (TM), then buffed with soft wax, giving it a lovely aged look.A sprig of green vygie from my garden just finished it off. Its now my favourite bathroom in the house.
This post was not sponsored, I was provided with Annie Sloan chalk paint to test out, but all opinions are as always my own. Watch our for my next Annie Sloan make over which is taking a little longer but is going to be fabulous too.
Posted by Futch
We are loving the gas fireplace from Real Flame. I do miss the smell of wood smoke, and the sound of wood crackling and popping as it burns, but I surely do love flicking the switch on and off when ever I want to. The cement shelf feature makes perfect sense of the end of the room, its hard to imagine it wasn't always like this. Thanks to my amazing hubby for making this happen.
You got to love it when a design turns out like you wanted it to. The new new couch arrives in a few weeks (the first one arrived with the bench on the wrong side) and I will take some photo's of the whole room when it does.
The shelf is finished with cement render and we love the finish, adding the cement was the one piece Mr B hired in help for, we were worried about getting a really good finish. The rest, including the gorgeous timber detail above the fire, was designed and built by him. Just love it, especially this chilly winter!!
