We're in #2: Bedrooms

As promised here are some more shots of the interior: the bedrooms ...

Our bedroom with the 'Tree Tops' wallpaper which has come up better than I expected.

Spare bedroom detail (the bed's not up yet as special screw thingys needed to lock the slats in place are missing - hopefully in a box yet to be unpacked in the garage. But, don't worry, English visitors - it will be up in time for your visit at Christmas!).

Daughter #1's purple bedroom

Detail in daughter #1's bedroom. The curtains have small silver sequins in the flower pattern which look gorgeous at night. 

Daughter #2's desk detail with its pale aqua colour scheme.

I have to say the girls have been fantastic at packing and unpacking their rooms. I've not done a thing! Well, the deal was if it doesn't get packed or unpacked then it's gone - in the rubbish or given away. Seemed to work!

Pale blue metallic tiles in the girls' shower (wish I'd put them around the bath now they look so pretty!)

I have more so will put them in the next post!

I'm Dreamin Of ... Blue

Back in October I wrote a post which I thought would become a weekly thing called I'm Dreamin' Of ... But whether I was trying not to do too much dreaming or perhaps because I got distracted, it kind of peetered out.

So I thought I'd revive it.

Today, like many days, I'm Dreamin' Of all things Blue. Not because I'm sad but because I love the colour blue. All blues, actually. Robin's Egg, Duck Egg, Turquoise, Teal, Aqua, Sky, Navy, Indigo and everything else in between.

Here is a random selection of images I had on file that all feature blue - although I should add that that wasn't the reason I saved them (or maybe, unconsciously, it was?!) ...

What colour tickles your fancy?

Images via: The Design Files, The Zhush, Ferm Living, Belle Maison, The Design Files, House of Turquoise.

Sunset at the Bay

Was going through photos we've taken recently and had forgotten about these I took over Christmas up at the Bay. Who doesn't love a sunset?

 

The colours take my breath away.

What's the best sunset you've seen?

Black & White Wallpaper

Image: Daily Imprint

Have been checking out black and white wallpaper for behind-bed-feature walls as in this room above, styled by stylist Heather Nette King, because coincidentally my two girls have seen wallpaper they love that is black and white which could then be teamed with a bright accent colour of their choice - in the duvet cover, cushions, lampshades etc. And, now that they're older, I think this option offers a sophisticated but fun look that isn't too girly-girl.

The first wallpaper that took my eye is this picture frame wallpaper from Verve Designer Collections by Eijffinger, which I thought could be great in a teenagers' room where they could their photos or pictures on the wall in a stylish way.

Image: Desire to Inspire via Boligmagasinet

Then, I found this fashion wallpaper (in alcove) from Ferm Living for my eldest who is fashion-obsessed. (Am not so keen on the geometric number).

But the one she really loves is this shoe wallpaper from Verve Designer Collections, called Lillie by Hohenberger - glam or what?!

My youngest (who's nearly ten) is currently wanting a dog theme for her bedroom and I thought this Osborne and Little 'Dog in the Park' wallpaper would be perfect. So cute, yet elegant.

Who knows what they'll end up with as young minds (and sometimes old ones!) are rather fickle. But it's great amassing ideas!

Chair Love

Image: Living Etc

I just love these armchairs - the colours, the fabric and the fact they are old chairs that have been reupholstered. Have you ever mix-and-matched different fabrics on the one chair?

P.S. Now, I have to apologise for my lack of blog-visiting lately. I've been really missing everyone's updates and the inspiring world of design blogs but have just had too much on and something had to give. But hopefully, I'll have more time very soon! xoxo J

Let the Brickwork Begin

After not a lot of action, we now have lots happening. I had a site meeting on Friday with the builder-project manager, the architect and his side-kick, an Irish work-experience architect and the foreman, plus four brickies and three other workman working on the site. As the only female there, you could say I felt outnumbered! But it was very exciting to see the old bricks from the original house being laid as part of the reverse brick veneer cladding. Already the outline of the downstairs rumpus room, guest bedroom and ensuite and their window placements are clearly visible. It was amazing to finally get a concrete - so to speak - feel for some of the house and to walk through it. Over the next two weeks, the pool will be formed, more bricks laid and all the dirt next to the concrete slab moved so the second slab can go down. And next time I'll remember to take my camera on site so I can take better pictures - instead of taking them behind the fence after everyone had left for the day like I did here!

The alcove, if you can call it that, in the middle is the guest ensuite.

View through Hugh, the digger.

The concrete block retaining wall on which the second slab will be formed. The rectangular bit sticking out is where the bath in the master ensuite will be, with a window so you can look out at the trees beyond.

My friend, Hugh the digger, takes a rest after a long week's work.

I think I know why I love him so much: his colour brightens the drab grey of everything else!

Even the frangipani tree, which hasn't come into flower yet, is grey.

Hugh's girlfriend has come onto the scene. I think we might have to christen her, too ...

When a Room goes Pop!

Image via Belle Maison

At first glance you may think, 'nice room'. But if you look at the detail I think there is much to love. The olive green armchair draws you in. It looks so inviting especially teamed with a gorgeously bright cushion. Then there's the rustic coffee table (even though nothing else in the room is rustic), the butterfly print, the modern fireplace and built-in chunky shelving, the peacock-inspired rug and circular side table. I love a good bit of inspiration.

Happy weekend everyone!

Shannon Fricke's Workshop

Well, what a whirlwind, action-packed weekend! Shannon Fricke's 'How to Decorate' workshop was crammed full of insight into interior decorating and now my brain is crammed full of ideas and overloaded with information!

Basically it was all about discovering 'your story' - what you like, what makes you tick, what inspires you - so you could then translate that into an interior design 'story'.

This is where moodboards came in and we indulged ourselves in the boxes and baskets of buttons, shells, fabrics, wallpapers, stones, feathers etc that Shannon supplied and, using the things we had brought along that inspire us, as well as magazine clippings, we set about creating our own moodboards with a particular room or space in mind.

Sounds easy? Well, I can tell you, I got flummoxed. Tried to cram too many things onto it. Couldn't work out what I liked the most and what to cull. Couldn't work out my base story (ie the main theme - be it a certain colour or a certain style) or what could be perfect highlights and accessories (ie how to layer). I decided to stick to our main living area and my moodboard ended up looking like this (below) which didn't look nearly as good as some of the others (many of whom had clearly mucked around with moodboards before and created works of art).

Shannon's take on it was the pale greys and whites could be my main theme - say with the grey on the bottom right as a wall colour - and the bolder greens and turquoises as accent colours. She said I tended towards angular, geometric shapes ie the mid-century chair in the middle and the chair and painting in the bottom-middle image - which is pretty true. She told us how it was all about learning to read what exactly it is you like about an object or a picture. It may not be the overall image; it could just be the soft curves of a stone rather than its colour, or the mix of patterns in a room rather than the individual pieces of furniture.

In the end, I decided it was far better to look up and away from the clutter. And this is what was above: colourful bunting created from strips of fabric cuttings tied onto hessian-type fabric that was strung across the ceiling beams and stunning, simple light fittings that are over-sized light globes - not designer as they looked, but bought from any old lighting shop, so says Shannon.

We also learnt a bit about colour and textiles and to remember that you're creating something for you and your family to live in and no one else. That it has to reflect you and your family and not be a replica of someone else's house. It was a great bunch of girls (yes, 14 of us) who all liked blues, greens and whites and the chance to escape domestic life!

I'm afraid I didn't take too many other photos, though, as I was too engrossed and these were only taken on my phone. But you can check out Shannon's blog and website for more and for a better look at her little, cute work cottage in Bangalow. She has already posted some pictures of the workshop as well - but thankfully none of me!

That's all for now!
Jx

Mirror Revamped: Going Silver

From feeling down about my useless floorboards, I'm now feeling great about my revamped mirror!

Deciding that we had far too much wood in our bedroom - from the chest of drawers to the sleigh bed to the bedside tables - and after seeing some gorgeous antique-silver painted mirrors in a local design store with a four-figure price tag, I thought I'd have a go at turning our wooden mirror (above) silver.

Now, some might say that we had a perfectly good mirror frame and why attack it with an amateur paint job. Well, I'd probably agree but I was up for the challenge and hubby didn't seem to mind (or maybe he just wasn't listening).

Yet, while I fancied adding a little bit of glam to the boudoir, I didn't want a glitzy or fake, tinselly-type of silver colour either. With some help from my local Dulux paint man, I settled on Dulux Metallic in Pearl with a dash of Zinsser Smart Prime primer and some sanding to start with.

The added bonus of both paints is that they are water-based so brushes are easy-to-clean, they have virtually no odour and things can be re-coated the same day. My kind of low-effort painting.

I will let you know, however, that I've had them sitting in the laundry for the past month as I've not only been busy with other things but will admit I was little nervous about potentially ruining the mirror and having to put it out on the roadside for someone else to attack!

First coat sparkling in the sun

Putting my lack of confidence aside, I finally decided to give it a go on the weekend and I have to say, am more than pleased with the results

Second coat

The colour is just what I wanted and I think it now adds a certain je ne said quoi to the mantle and my trinkets that surround it. I hope you all agree!

Now I'm looking around for other things to paint silver ...

Nature's Inspiration

While we were away, I got very inspired by some of nature's wonders: their colours and tones which, I discovered on our return home, are identikits for some of the paint cards I've collected on my travels.

Such as the soft greys of this eucalypt that was in the property of the house in which we were staying.

The whites and dark greys of the beautiful pelicans.

The charcoal grey of beach stones and the creamy whites of some of the shells.

The paint cards shown are, from left to right: Wattyl Sheer Granite, Berger Night Flight, Berger Octavius Oak, Wattyl Colorbond Ironstone and Dulux Antique White USA (which I am always seeing referenced in magazines and I'm thinking must be a good basic white for walls).

And the driftwood on the beach which I decided to turn into a hanging sculpture with some twine.

Oh, how I love to bring a bit of the beach home with me!

Light Blue Sofas

I like a light blue sofa. But I've never had one. Have you?

They go so well with wood and white, even gray and lilac.

For a coastal theme or for something a bit more glam.

These rooms are both sumptious and serene at the same time.

Images from Elle Decor, Four Walls and a Roof and A Perfect Gray

I think I like this sofa and its colour the best, especially as the room has my favourite ostrich feather light by Haldane Martin as a hanging pendant. Sigh.

Enjoy the weekend!