Archive for October 2013

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Home Build Update

There hasn't been a lot of progress on the home front lately, although hubby did finally mow the lawns on Sunday! I'd love to get a landscape designer in to give some advice, however there's no money leftover for such luxuries! We have a large pohutukawa tree over our deck, which I'm really hoping will flower in time for Christmas. Next on the interior to-do list, is to finish off my eldest son's room, by choosing some bedding, and ordering a few more cushions and wall decals. I have some new shelves for both my youngest son and the downstairs living room, but it's just a matter of finding time to put them up!

I had been waiting patiently for my LET LIV rug to arrive for under the dining table, but it was touch and go as to whether I could get the right size - they come in three sizes but sell like hotcakes! I considered the cool grey and milk colour, which is also gorgeous, but I really felt that the black and milk would be ideal. I had envisaged how it would look for such a long time, and my heart was set on it! LET LIV director Natalie Sorensen, being the absolute gem that she is, came to the rescue and I was very excited when it arrived this morning. I immediately got it set up and took some photos to show you!

I now feel like the dining area is complete! You're probably wondering what I did with the smaller rug, and I have to say that was an easy decision. My office was calling out for it!

I love the look of layered rugs, so I've overlapped my calf skin hide from Koko Classics.

There are another couple of new things in my office. The cute little Skyscraper Tealight Holder on the top shelf above was a goodie bag gift from the Bo Concept pop up store opening I attended last week. Located down at Britomart (Australis House, 36 Customs street East), if you're in Auckland you must visit. The 2014 collection has also just been launched, so grab yourself a catalogue and a cuppa - loads of eyecandy! Or check it out here.

Citta Design, another favourite, has also popped up down at Britomart, right next to Bo Concept. I scored an amazing deal on a couple of their products recently, over on ONCE'IT. If you haven't yet joined up to this site you should! They have a constant stream of designer homewares, accessories and fashion sales. I've written about my love of felt over in this Felt Homewares & Accessories post, especially when it comes to storage boxes, which I don't think you can ever have enough of! This grey pair is fantastic. Currently making good use in my office, they may end up storing kids toys once I have that area of the home sorted. Another thing on the to-do list!

When I saw these Citta Design striped plates I had to have them. Great for use as lunch plates, they are almost too pretty to store away.

Lastly, I'm now the proud owner of my very first Stendig Calendar, which I first introduced you to in this post last year. The iconic wall hanging had been on my wishlist for our new house, so when LET LIV announced they were bringing them in I felt like it was meant to be! Get in quick as there is only a limited supply, and I have a feeling they won't last long. Still in its box here, I can't wait to put ours up, so I don't think I'll be holding off till January. Although I still need to decide on where it's going to go. Watch this space!

Have a fabulous weekend, and I'll see you back here on Monday with another gorgeous giveaway!

Office Love, Cookbook Launch & The School

Many people work from home these days, especially those who freelance in creative fields. I love seeing how people express themselves in this very personal space, especially those who are artistic, or like me, very visual. One of the highlights of building a new home has been the opportunity to create my own workspace, and as much as I love how it has turned out, I'm still constantly inspired by what I see around the web.

I've picked out some recent favourites to share with you.

The office of Copenhagen graphic designer Louise Breyen has a light and airy feel, with white painted floorboards, pale wood furniture, and a collection of her beautiful artwork. The sheepskin adds a touch of cosiness.

When it comes to Scandi-cool, the workspace of Deborah Gordon, from Ollie & Sebs Haus is spot on, much like all of Deborah's styling. I especially love the String Pocket Shelf and Playtpe Poster.

Having visited the home office of one of my favourite NZ jewellery designers Lindi Kingi, I've seen first hand the amount of tools and materials people in this field use, and how organised they need to be. This home office, belonging to Melbourne jeweller Kim Victoria Wearne is another amazing example.The perforated peg board, which provides the perfect place for hanging tools is genius. Featured on The Design Files, I recommend you check out the entire home tour - it's incredible!

I recently discovered the interiors blog Cecilies Lykke when I came across this gorgeous workspace on Instagram. So bright and fresh, I love the long trestle table. The moodboard and fairy lights are so pretty!

Another great find via The Design Files, this stunning home office screams creativity. Belonging to Theo and Soula Mantalvanos, the husband and wife team behind graphic design studio Origin of the Image, the painting by Rachael Guthridge is the hero for me.

To see many more inspiring home offices belonging to clever creatives, check out my Workspace Pinterest board.

Before I go, I have a couple more things to share with you. Karla Goodwin of Bluebells Cakery fame has just released her first ever cookbook, and I had the pleasure of attending the launch last night. I have never seen so many beautiful cakes! Much like her baking, this book is heavenly, and with Christmas fast approaching, I think it would make a beautiful gift. Or why not treat yourself! Pop over here to purchase a copy.

Lastly, for those of you who know all about The School, and its impending arrival to Auckland this weekend, I found out today that I will be going to Megan Morton's Science of Styling workshop on Saturday, thanks to my newest sponsor Mildred & Co, who will be hosting the series. I am beyond excited and I look forward to reporting back, and sharing my new found skills with you very soon! The School is bringing with it a range of amazing classes, and some still have places available. To find out more, pop over here.

Homes to Inspire | Swedish Style in Sydney

When I came across this lovely Swedish-style home in Sydney today, it was the bathroom that really made me sit up and take notice. Although small in size, it speaks volumes in terms of simple yet clever Scandinavian style.

Located in Kensington, the two-bedroom apartment has been beautifully renovated by its owner Frag Woodhall, a product and industrial designer. Developed around the idea of 'Swedish Summer Cabin', that enviable Scandinavian mix of simplicity, minimalism and functionality is seen throughout, especially the bathroom. Rich Baltic Russian pine wall-panelling creates warmth, while black tapware provides contrast and interest to the predominantly white space. Then there is that incredible sliding re-machined door. It really gives the room an edge, don't you think?

The one-man renovation project, with Frag being both designer and builder, took nine months to complete. Along with the typical Scandinavian monochrome palette, Swedish influences are seen in every room. I love the interchangeable wall hanging cabinetry that sits on a peg rail in the kitchen above. Charming yet unpretentious, this home has an incredibly fresh and welcoming feel.

Source: Share Design

Pinterest | Picks & Peeks

We've just had Labour weekend here in NZ, and although I had some work to do, it was mixed in with visits to the beach with the boys, a couple of runs, dinner out and catching up with friends. All in all, it was a lovely long weekend, with sunshine and some much needed rest and relaxation. I also got in a good dose of Pinterest and discovered some amazing homes. Here are three that really stood out for me.

A repin from Deborah Gordon of the blog Ollie & Sebs Haus, the dining area above with its white painted floorboards and gorgeous mix of chairs had me clicking over to Deborah's post to find out more. There I discovered that the home, currently on the market in Sweden, belongs to Elin Kickén, a freelance interior stylist, and assistant to Sarah Widman, whose work I also love. You can seen many more images over at Västanhem Mäkleri & Interiör where the home is listed, but these are some of my favourites.

I love Elin's beautiful pared-back style. White and bright, the interior features cool framed prints, and simple hanging lights. The bedroom has a relaxed vibe with Muuto dots, gold accents and a casually-styled side table.

This next image was repinned from Catherine Lazure-Guinard, who featured this stunning home on her fabulous blog Nordic Design.

Catherine describes the the interior style of this Stockholm apartment as Nordic meets Ethnic. This can be seen in the bedroom, which has a gorgeous mix of pieces including a reindeer hide, Thonet chair, simple brass pendant and statement wall feature.

An incredible warehouse conversion in Melbourne, this next repin was thanks to Est Magazine, who featured the home here. Owner Lynda Newton, a fashion designer, has used her eye for colour and texture to transform the factory. Dark floors, white walls and black joinery creates a striking monochrome palette, perfect for showcasing an amazing collection of vintage furniture, bold artworks, and vibrant rugs.

Finishing off with my latest Pinterest moodboard, I curated this for the long weekend, but also to provide inspiration for the week ahead.

Before I go, I'm thrilled to announce the winner of the Lahood Giveaway. Congratulations to Jeanette Sweet!! Thanks to Lahood for their generosity and to everyone who entered.

Studio You Me

I was very happy to discover the Melbourne based design firm Studio You Me thanks to Est who featured one of their incredible projects recently. Looking through their portfolio, I was further wowed by what I saw. Founders Kestie Lane and Hana Hakim, share a love of design. Their unique strengths, individual styles and personal friendship has resulted in a great business partnership. Hugely talented, the pair work on interior projects across residential, workplace, hospitality and retail design. They also collaborate together on graphic, event, furniture and product design.

Starting with the Brighton Residence that initially caught me eye, I love the use of custom black-stained American Oak veneer and bright pops of green and orange. Danish white limed floors and white walls add further contrast to the dark cabinetry.

Photo credit: Jonathan Vdk

The urban apartments, Morton Avenue, are simple yet elegant. Featuring a black and white palette with industrial accents, I love the tiling and round accents such as the hooks and bathroom mirror.

Slattery Australia is a multiple award-winning workspace dubbed the office everyone would love to work in. I can see why! Featuring a sophisticated white palette and refined black elements, the mix of black in-filled ships deck floor and steel framed glazing is divine.

Photo Credit: Peter Clarke

All images via Studio You Me

We have a long weekend here in NZ, so I will be back on Tuesday to announce the winner of the gorgeous Lahood Giveaway. If you haven't yet entered, you have until midnight Monday. Good luck, and have a wonderful break!

Pop Factory Shop

When it comes to shopping for the kids, I'm a fan of cool, comfy threads, fun bedroom decor and good quality toys that encourage imaginary play. Pop Factory Shop, founded by brother and sister duo Christopher Hope and Bridget Lee ticks all the boxes. Using their design backgrounds and the littlies in the family to test their products on, the clever pair have created a range of goods that appeal to adults and children alike. I particularly love that their products are unisex (so practical) and their "dark but playful aesthetic".

Based in Tauranga and just two months old, Pop Factory Shop already have a varied collection, with lots more in the pipeline. I couldn't resist buying a couple of things for the boys and I also have my eye on the Superhero Sidekick Capes... if your kids are into dress-ups as much as mine, you'll want to check them out!

I had a couple of questions for Bridget, which she very kindly took the time to answer...

You're a family business, and a creative one! Can you tell us about how you ended up joining forces with your brother (and how your Dad fits in), your design backgrounds and the launch Pop Factory Shop?

The 'Hopes' were growing and with so many young ones new to our wider family we thought it'd be nice to make some things for the littlies that we liked, but as we tinkered we figured some of our friends might like what we were doing too.

We both did a bachelor of arts majoring in graphic design and our dad comes from a canvas manufacturing background. He'd made us school backpacks growing up that at the time we thought were daggy, but now we reckon they're pretty cool.

Where do you get inspiration from for your designs - travel, the web, magazines, your own kids etc?

Mostly from nostalgia. Remembering being young and what us 90's kids thought was rad. The boys inspire us all the time. After all this stuff is primarily for Harper, Henry and Marlo! Our blog Pop Factory has inspiration and work of our own that triggers thoughts, but from the start we knew we wanted it all to be unisex and that helped us find our dark but playful aesthetic.

Your newest product, the capes, are super-cool! Tell us about those.

Thanks a lot! They were right in time for Halloween. We made them reversible like our masks so the little ones can always feel like superhero sidekicks. We encourage imagination. Running round pretending is more fun than not. Harper loves it!

What are you working on right now?

We're working on Christmas. We have pillow cases, onesies and more Little Goldie wall decals on the way, as well as some more patches for our backpacks.

You're still very new, but what are your plans for Pop Factory Shop?

We hope to make a lot more things. We'd like Pop Factory to organically grow into a one stop shop for young families - children and parents. Homewares, artworks, stationery and bedding. A factory shop of popular culture inspired goods. Our next range will be for winter and we're hoping to do twice as much stuff.

Thanks Bridget! Shop the entire range here and be sure to check out their blog and like their Facebook page to stay in the loop.

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