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Home Build Update | Diamond Lights

In the big scheme of things, today's Home Build update features a small step in the journey. But to me, it's a really exciting one! Long before we even moved into our new home, I decided I wanted some Swedish Eric Therner Diamond Lights. I'd only ever seen them on the web, but they looked so pretty. I've always loved the look of simple hanging pendants, and although I wanted something a little bit different for our living room, I didn't want them to compete with the Muuto Unfold Pendants hanging over the dining table.

Having tracked them down from a shop in Australia, Fat Shack Vintage, I had to arrange my own shipping and hope that the very delicate glass bulbs would arrive safely. Luckily they did, and when I opened the boxes I knew I'd made the right choice.

At some point along the way, I had the idea of leaving the cords long, and hooking them up to the ceiling. I'm not sure if I'd seen it somewhere, but since then I have seen some cool examples. Here's a moodboard to demonstrate the sort of ideas that were swimming around in my head!

Images via my Pinterest

Fortunately Dean was right on board with my vision! Because we couldn't find the right screw-in lampholders for the Diamond Lights, we just left the cords tied up, with normal bulbs in. We finally tracked down the lampholders just last week (more on that later) so finally let down the cords. I was a little disappointed with the length, as I thought we had a bit more to play with, but when we sorted out the position of each, and put the hooks up, the results were amazing!

I absolutely love the clean lines that this creates, especially in our open, high-ceiling space. Minimalist, yet interesting, it suits my design aesthetic perfectly!

I had my heart set on gold metal lamp fittings, but I wanted just a touch of gold, nothing too heavy or overly industrial. Dean (bless him) found the right E27 lampholders at Kiwi Living, and at just $15 each, with free shipping, we couldn't believe how easy it was after waiting for so long to put them up! They also come in a silver finish.

Before I go, I just want to share with you an amazing project by Inadesignerhome (IDH), one of my favourite Australian online stores that I first introduced you to here. IDH are incredibly supportive of the blogging community, and to celebrate their online relationships with bloggers, they have dedicated the month of November to 30 Days of Bloggers. Everyday they have been showcasing a different 'social media guru' with a questionnaire, including their top picks from the IDH store. With a focus on my favourite season Summer, I was thrilled to participate. Pop over here to read my answers and see my Summer edit from the store, for which you'll receive a 15% discount, all day today!

Home Build | Bathroom Inspiration & Update

For those of you who are following the Home Build Series, you'll know that prior to completion, I featured 'inspiration' posts to share my ideas and wishlists. Since moving in, I've transitioned to 'updates', showing you the rooms so far. A wonderful result of that has been receiving comments and personal messages from from those of you who are also building or renovating, to tell me you find these posts really inspiring.

Still a work in progress, one area of the home that I haven't even touched on here (and one that you've have been nudging me to hurry up on) is the bathrooms. After the kitchen, the bathroom requires many decisions to be made in terms of colours, tiling, furniture and tapware, so today I'm going to give you the low down. I'm also going to back-track a little and share with you what inspired and influenced my decisions. The decorating is coming together slowly, but there's still finishing touches to be made, as you'll see by the photos and the end of the post! As with the kitchen, I'm looking forward to adding more warmth and texture and achieving that lovely balance of old and new.

Understated and elegant, this first bathroom definitely inspires me. I love the clean lines and simple grey and white palette. Fresh flowers add colour and prevent the room from looking too sterile.

Our initial plans included three bathrooms; one upstairs and two downstairs, one of which would be an ensuite and one the kids bathroom. The space downstairs was tight which meant no room for a proper bath, only a shub, which is a shower over a deep shower tray/tub. Eek - that wasn't going to do!

I was adamant that I wanted a proper bath, so we looked at several different scenarios, and finally agreed to a solution which was to do away with the study nook in the downstairs living area. Instead we decided to install a separate toilet, creating enough space in the main bathroom for the bath. While newer homes have moved away from separate toilets in recent years, they actually make sense, especially with kids, and we're really happy with how it has all turned out. There's still room for a desk in the kids living area, and we'd like to put little desks in the kids rooms down the track.

No fuss, minimalist showers and tapware were on the wishlist

Even before we were working on that problem I had chosen my tiles. I knew from the start that I wanted grey floor tiles, and as few as possible wall tiles in white. Prior to this, I looked into the option of glass over painted walls (instead of tiling) but it was too pricey. Both my husband and I loved the idea of timber panelled shower tray floors like in this image. Dean liked the spa-like aesthetics and practicality of them while I'd seen them in a few Scandi-style bathrooms and loved the warmth that the wood gave to the rooms. Our investigations ended up with bespoke-only options and even the suggestion of using a boat builder, so we decided against it this time around.

We went through Heritage Tiles in Parnell, Auckland, and I chose large square floor tiles in Wave Grigio (600x600) and rectangular wall tiles in Easy White Gloss. In the upstairs bathroom and ensuite, we only tiled the shower walls, and in the kids bathroom we tiled the shower, around the bath (in white) and halfway up the wall, from one side to the other. I decided to use slightly bigger tiles upstairs (250x400) as I wanted a slight differentiation from downstairs (200x400). All other areas of the wall were painted in Resene Black White, with hard wearing paint, specifically designed for wet areas.

Grey floors, white walls and a separate bath and shower were a must

To create a sense of continuity on the upstairs level, and because I love the marble look, we used the same Silestone for the vanity benchtop as we used for the kitchen, custom made by the same company. We chose the St Michel Liano vanities for the ensuite and kids bathrooms. More economical than the custom-made one, they are similar in style, but with a plain white bench top and aluminium detailing on the draw instead of white. I've always loved the look of the ceramic counter top basins, especially deep, rectangular ones. The St Michel Roy basins ticked all the boxes, so we went with those. The separate toilet is fitted with the St Michel Neo Slim Vanity.

These countertop basins were exactly what I was after, and I wanted to install one of our Tolomeo Wall lamps in the bathroom upstairs

I'm a big fan of Savon de Marseille liquid handsoap, due to its simple packaging and gentleness on the skin. I have bottles in every bathroom (and kitchen) of our new home and buy the plastic refill bottles to keep them topped up. I recently purchased my first Turkish towel from new store Indie Home Collective and I'm now completely sold and want them for every bathroom! They fit in beautifully with a white and grey palette, and I love that they soften and get better with every wash.

Beautiful Turkish towels, natural storage basket and a touch of rustic wood

The kids still use a footstool, so I'm on the lookout for a replacement wooden one. Something like this would be perfect.

Another modification in the upstairs bathroom was the mirror, which I had cut into a circle. Round mirrors are gorgeous, and I thought it would look great with one of our Tolomeo wall lamps mounted to the side.

The mirrors in the ensuite and kids bathrooms are rectangular and quite large to make the small spaces appear bigger. I'm planning on buying a round mirror for the downstairs toilet. Something similar to the Hay Strap Mirror (without the designer price tag) would be perfect.

The gold framed mirror above is a stunning feature, while marble, white tiles and wood add further warmth and texture.

I would've loved to have had the space for a freestanding bath like the one above, but at the end of the day, I'm just happy we managed to fit in a bath at all! Also on the wishlist, I'd love a small wooden stool to go beside the bath...

Images: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

As promised, here are some pics from our home.

A view to the ensuite from the master bedroom and walk-in wardrobe. The carpet and floor tiles blend seamlessly, and I love the soft colour palette and clean lines.

Fresh flowers in the bathroom is a must! The pretty pastel Agee Jar Vase above is from LET LIV and the beautiful Turkish towel (and complimentary flowers) below were from the opening weekend of new store Indie Home Collective.

The upstairs bathroom got a few special features; silestone, a round mirror and the wall lamp, a design classic.

The basin tapware, bath and shower mixers are from the Methven Minimalist range and for the showers we chose the Methven Koha Satinjet Slide Rail Shower.

The marble toilet brush was a great find from Briscoes on sale, for less than half price!

The kids bathroom above, with separate bath and shower, and the toilet next door, still in need of a mirror. The small, low, wall light is a great feature, acting as a night light for the kids' nocturnal visits!

That wraps up the Home Build post for this week. I look forward to hearing your feedback and if you're building, let me know how your bathroom plans are coming along. I'll also be curating a bathroom wishlist to share with you soon, so stay tuned for that.

Clare Cousins Architects

I first discovered award winning architect Clare Cousins via The Design Files back in 2011. In her interview with Lucy Feagins she talked about how she juggled the running of her business with two young girls, both under five. Knowing only too well how busy life was with my two boys being similar ages at the time, this was awe-inspiring.

Clearly an overachiever (and super-organised) Clare is also incredibly talented. With numerous awards under her belt already, Clare has just been announced as one of three shortlisted contenders for the annual InStyle and Audi Women of Style Awards, along with product designer Helen Kontouris and theatre designer Alice Babidge. Aiming to award Australia's "most inspirational and innovative women across a range of categories", Clare certainly fits the bill. With the winner due to be announced at an event in May, I thought I'd share some of the remarkable work of Clare's studio (CCA) with you. I highly recommend clicking on the links to see the full house tours.

Shingle House. Gorgeous indoor/outdoor flow thanks to a new extension.

Brick House. If there's just one house tour you click over to, this should be it. Featured in numerous online and print publications, Clare designed this exquisite property for her own family. Showcasing her incredible attention to detail and enviable style, it is truly a dream home. Oh and just so you know, Clare completed it within two weeks of giving birth to her second child. Sigh.

Downshire Rd. A new U-shaped extension to this Californian Bungalow in Melbourne has resulted in a winning combo of light, views and space.

A bit of background before we continue with the eyecandy. Clare's studio in Melbourne has been in operation since 2005. Working predominantly in residential architecture, the team carries out each project by way of a highly collaborative interaction with their clients. The young, energetic design team use their collective experience to create innovative outcomes that unite both form and function. In addition to CCA's incredible portfolio of homes, there are also some exceptionally cool retail and commercial projects, so I've popped a few examples of those in as well.

Picket. The bright yellow pickets of this Melbourne florist immediately caught my eye. I couldn't resist popping in for a look if I was walking past.

Moor Street Apartment. One of my fave CCA projects, this one comprises both a private residence (shown above) and an internal office fit-out (below). I love the open plan kitchen/dining area with its monochrome palette, pale wood accents and oversized industrial pendant light.

Moor Street Studio. An amazing large scale artwork by prominent Melbourne artist Rowena Martinich provides a vibrant and colourful backdrop to the meeting room.

Dotti. A cool perforated 'skin' allows for flexible merchandising and provides texture to the otherwise neutral backdrop of this fashion store.

Mocha. Mirrored surfaces, mesh curtain walls and copper combine to create a unique and eye-catching space for the accessories and jewellery store.

In addition to running her studio and producing award winning work, Clare also finds time to assist the broader design community, providing mentoring and education as a public speaker, committee member and industry representative. Clare and her team have also reached out to those who lost their homes in the Black Saturday bushfires by providing Pro-bono services. Truly deserving of many more awards, I look forward to following Clare's journey.

All images via www.clarecousins.com.au

Home Build | Kitchen Inspiration

With the build of our new home in full swing, I've decided to start a series centred around this exciting yet slightly daunting project! Focusing specifically on the interiors side of things, I figure there's no better way to kick off than with the kitchen. Like most Mums I spend loads of time here preparing meals and keeping hungry little tummies full! It's a cliche, but kitchens are the heart of the home and that ultimately is what we are striving for. Our kitchen, dining and living spaces are going to be open plan, and while the kitchen is not huge, the island (which was a must) is fairly long. I know the kids are going to love having a breakfast bar and I'm going to love spending time there entertaining friends and family.

I'm sure it will come as no surprise that the colour palette we've chosen is monochrome. With my love of Scandinavian design and a yearning for pared-back simplicity, I like the idea of keeping the canvas white and adding colour and texture through furnishings and homewares. I've always wanted pale wooden flooring so that's what we've chosen for this area of the home. I'm completely obsessed with marble so that's also at the top of the wishlist.

Of course I'll be doing my best to achieve the elegant, stylish home I've always wanted within budget. Ahem, I know. Not easy! But I'd just like to say that if there is any area of a new build that needs a bit of extra dosh thrown at it, it should be the kitchen! Right? Who's with me on this? It also goes to explain why I'm pushing to get 'my' kitchen signed off before hubby goes crazy with the electrical plan! It really is such an important area of the home to get right, but I am realistic. While we want good quality cabinetry, benchtops and tapware, I'm all for mixing bargain finds with designer pieces when it comes to kitchenware and accessories. In fact I'm quite looking forward to the challenge!

Here are a few images that pinpoint what we're going for.

This kitchen was designed by Dina Broadhurst whose work I've previously featured on the blog here. This marble waterfall island (1) is pure inspiration! I love the narrow width of the bench. Sleek and elegant, I think it works especially well with marble which has such a timeless quality.

When it comes to the kitchen of a world-renowned food guru like Donna Hay, you know it's going to be good. The Donna Hay Studio kitchen, designed by Brian Hoy Design not only looks stunning, it has a great layout and top notch appliances. I've picked this one out because I love the marble splashback (1) and the stainless steel back benchtop (2). While we're considering both of these surfaces for our kitchen, we know for sure that the cabinetry will be all white with recessed/negative detailing i.e no handles (3).

To maximise storage, we've chosen to extend our cabinetry as high as possible (1). It also prevents the dreaded dust collection you get at the top of cabinets! I've already got my black and white striped rug from Let Liv (2) and we are installing pale wood flooring (3) although wider floor boards then these. Just so you know.

To finish off, here are ten things on my kitchen wishlist.

01 Oven mitt and potholder from Åhléns
02 Kitchenaid Artisan Mixer
03 Perforated Tolix Stool
04 Marble Hay Tray via Stylizimo
05 Lee Broom Crystal Lights from Bob & Friends
06 Design Letters Cups by Arne Jacobsen
07 Deer Teatowel by Angela McKay from Father Rabbit
08 Herb Pot Trio by Sagaform
09 Marble benchtop, Prahran Residence by Wonder
10 Nespresso Lattissima

Have any of you gone down the path of building? I'd love to hear your experiences. Or maybe you'd like to? Whether you're thinking about building or even renovating, I hope that by sharing my journey with you I inspire some of you out there to take the plunge and go for it.

Before I go I'd like to say congratulations to Erin Pickering, the winner of the Endemic World - Inaluxe Giveaway! Also a massive thank you to Endemic World for their generosity.

Est Magazine | Issue # 8

It's a public holiday here in NZ (Waitangi Day) which is rather nice, midweek! The sun is shining and the kids want to play, so just a quick post today to share with you some of my favourite pages from the latest issue of Est Magazine. Packed to the brim with stunning interiors, here's a peek at each of the three incredible homes featured. I know this will leave you wanting more, so if you haven't yet done so, make sure you pop over and subscribe - for free!

This home belongs to Eva Van Dongen, a freelance architect/designer and her family. Located in Amsterdam, I love the stylishly clean and simple interiors. Beautifully styled and photographed by one of my favourite creative pairs, Anouk B and Marjon Hoogervorst, whose work I featured in the post Concept 2012.

The next home in Mulhouse, Eastern France was built in the late nineteenth century. The current owners have given the home new life, while still retaining the original classical features. I love the dining room, with its parquet floors and unique art installation.

The last home is my favourite. A new build in Melbourne, design team Leibowitz and McLachlan were enlisted to help create the family home, and the results are breathtaking.

All images via estmagazine.com.au

Homes to Inspire | Tailor-Made in Sweden

Inspired by friends who built new, Pontus, a construction engineer started planning and sketching designs for his own new build. Managing to convince his wife Ida who was pregnant with their second child at the time, they found the perfect plot in Limhamn, an old colonial area in Skåne, Sweden and set to work. Their goal to keep costs down as much as possible meant doing a lot of the work themselves, but they managed to achieve this while building a house perfectly tailored to their needs.

Having lived in a renovated 50th century house which was "lovely in every way but quite impractical", they wanted to make sure that the new house would suit their family's lifestyle, now and in the future. I can totally relate to this, as it is something we had to think about with our house plans. Like us, Pontus and Ida included an additional living area on the floor with the bedrooms to provide a space for the kids as they get older, and to allow some separation from Mum and Dad!

I love the concrete floors and cowhide rug. The black horizontal wood panelled wall divides the hall and the living room and serves as a place to conceal the electrical cords. It is also keeps the family organised, with storage for everyday items like bags and coats.

I love these quirky wall hooks from Ikea, colour coded for each family member!

The all white kitchen is simple with clean lines and lots of storage. I love the String shelving on the side wall. A Scandinavian design classic, it provides the perfect place for cookbooks.

Colourful chairs and artworks brighten the dining area. The cluster light was made from a collection of Ikea lamps.

I love this light filled room. Pale wood panels line the walls and ceilings, while cushions and a striped rug add colour and texture. The 50s rug was bought from an online auction.

The upstairs living room has a TV and craft corner, perfect for the kiddies. Both the table and chairs, which Ida painted white, were rescued from a landfill.

A beautiful Marimekko print hangs on the wall of the master bedroom. The little Ikea side table was painted and papered by Ida.

The simple bathroom is livened up with a gorgeous rug and bright pot plant.

Source: Miss Design via www.husohem.se

Is it really Friday already? I can feel 2013 picking up pace but It's great to back into daily blogging. It makes me so happy! Thanks for all your lovely comments. Enjoy your weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday.