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Interior Styling | Leather Love

One of my lovely Facebook followers got in touch last week to ask about a leather chair I had pinned and it threw me for a moment! It wasn't that I couldn't remember pinning a leather chair, it was that I pin so many! I've always been drawn to leather in interiors. I love the look, texture and durability. I have yet to acquire any leather furniture, but I hope to one day. In the meantime I might have to settle on a cushion or a beautiful pouffe or two!

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The chair in question was actually the Paulistino Chair featured in image #2 of this Pinterest collage from Friday's post. A true design classic, I think the beauty of this armchair lies in its deceptively simple design.

Designed in 1957 by Brazilian designer Paulo Mendes da Rocha for the Athletic Club in São Paulo, it consists of a single bent piece of steel with a canvas or in this case, leather cover. Almost an entire hide is used, gaining depth and luster as it ages. Known for its visual lightness and exceptional comfort, the sling can also be adjusted up or down the steel frame for upright or relaxed sitting positions. Karine Kong of Bodie and Fou is a huge fan and has them in several colours, shown here in her gorgeous London home.

If I could choose a piece of leather furniture I think I'd have a hard time deciding between black, tan or dark brown as I love them all. This leather butterfly chair looks particularly stylish in tan...

While the Barcelona chairs, shown here in an amazing Stockholm apartment look great as a set of two, in black...

I've been coveting a leather Chesterfield sofa for as long as I can remember. I often see great examples on the blog Etxekodeco...

White walls and a statement black leather sofa provide the perfect starting point for black and white living room styling by Finnish blogger Lily of Likainen Parketti...

I love this dark brown leather, offset by white roses and a black and white wall-hanging from Pony Rider. The gorgeous home belongs to Annabelle Kerslake, editor of Fête magazine. See more over at Home Life.

Another image from Karine's London home, showcasing her incredible Robin Day leather sofa from Habitat...

This combo of tan leather, gold and deep turquoise was too good not to share...

As is stylist Megan Morton's lovely worn leather chaise...

I could keep going on and on, but I'd better let you go! I'd love to know your thoughts on leather furniture. Are any of these calling out to you?

BLOC | New Look & Arrival of Douglas + Bec

I had the pleasure of attending an event at BLOC last week, to celebrate its new look and the arrival of beautiful furniture, homeware and accessories store Douglas + Bec. Situated in the Auckland suburb of Mt Eden, BLOC encompasses a range of design-focused brands and people, who collaborate to create an exciting and interactive shopping experience. If you are looking for a diverse range of quality design products all under one roof, BLOC delivers. Big time!

Gorgeous BLOC notebooks and pencils were given to guests along with lovely wine from Jules Taylor Wines.

With so much to offer, it's little surprise that I've already featured BLOC twice before, first with Collected by LeeAnn Yare and not long after with Bo Concept. Both have undergone some exciting changes within the BLOC retail space. Collected on level two has expanded to allow more room for LeeAnn's ever-growing collection of gorgeous, colourful homewares while the addition of a third floor is now home to Bo Concept's Danish designed furniture and accessories, alongside Geneva's stylish sound systems.

The view from Collected, looking across the second floor.

This has made way for the new Citta Design flagship store on the ground floor. I have to say, after attending their Londontown launch recently it was a real joy getting to experience the entire new range spread out and in such chic surroundings!

Citta Design's fab new space on the ground floor.

Seeing the arrival of Douglas + Bec was certainly a highlight of the evening. The store comprises a carefully curated selection of pieces by both local and international designers and is simply divine. The range includes Made by Douglas and Bec featuring founder Rebecca Snelling's own stunning designs, handcrafted by her father Douglas Snelling. Last year they collaborated on a collection with iconic NZ fashion designer Kate Sylvester. It is no exaggeration to say it was a match made in heaven. Combining a palette of soft blush and powder blue with pale oak, polished brass and buttery leather, the range which includes lighting, occasional furniture and homewares is exquisite.

The beautiful new Douglas + Bec at BLOC.

WORLD Beauty, Pencil Boutique and Cool Food Cafe are also part of the wonderful world of BLOC. For more details including shop hours, pop over to BLOC and make sure you schedule in a visit soon!

Pinterest | Picks & Peeks

The last couple of Fridays I've curated moodboards for my Facebook page but I always like to share them on here to make sure everyone who's following gets inspired! Curated using images from my Pinterest boards, they always tie in nicely with my Picks and Peeks. Friday has rolled around again so let's celebrate with some gorgeous pins!

If you've got something exciting planned for tonight then this one is for you. The week I created this we were off to a friend's wedding so I was super excited and in the mood for a bit of fun and sparkle! Who doesn't love a bit of gold right now?

Much like last Friday I'm looking forward to unwinding with some rest and relaxation tonight. If you're doing the same, then this grey and white moodboard should inspire some peace and tranquillity.

I curated this moodboard earlier in the week to showcase the beautiful blush tones that are so hot right now.

I'm very pleased to introduce you to today's Pinterest pick, Summer Robertson. Summer lives in Portland, Oregon and is the co-founder of two beautiful online furniture and homeware stores House & Hold and Fawn & Forest. And that's in addition to being a Mum of three! I'm not sure how she finds time for Pinterest but I'm so glad she does!

Summer has an amazing eye for design and interiors. Her beautifully arranged boards are characterised by a mostly monochrome palette, lots of grey tones and warm natural materials. In addition to boards that are categorised into areas of the home, Summer has some more unique boards like Fire (scrumptious fireplaces) Utility (a collection of stunning kitchenware) and 'Skin which as the name suggests, features cosy animal skins for the floor or chair. For lovers of Scandi-style interiors Summer's boards will most certainly whet your appetite, and speaking of appetite her food and beverage boards are amazing. I highly recommend checking out Treats and my personal fave Coffee!

Here are a few of Summer's recent pins that I'm sure you'll love.

01 Pin | 02 Pin | 03 Pin | 04 Pin | 05 Pin | 06 Pin

Summer is also an awesome blogger so make sure you check out the House & Hold Blog which she writes.

Happy pinning and have a fab weekend! See you back here Monday ♥

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.

Koskela

I can't remember precisely where I first heard about the Australian furniture company Koskela as it was quite some time ago but they certainly made a lasting impression, not to mention shooting to the top of my 'places to visit' list when I get the chance to go to Sydney again. In fact it was my Sydney-based cousin Sarah mentioning how amazing her visit to Koskela was on the weekend that prompted me to have another look at their website, where I got stuck for quite some time! New projects, an awesome blog and workshops on offer, there's just so much goodness, it's about time I shared some of it with you!

Founded by Russel Koskela and Sasha Titchkosky, Koskela produces Australian-made furniture that is beautiful, functional and durable. Inspired by their lives and surroundings, they use environmentally friendly recycled timbers to create stunning tables and benches. Their sofas are designed using a unique lightweight system with handles for ease of movement, perfect for casual yet stylish living. Also on offer are an amazing range of stools, chairs, rugs and lighting alongside a carefully curated selection of Australian made gifts and accessories.

The Koskela showroom at Roseberry is a huge industrial space complete with the Kitchen by Mike cafe shown below and Megan Morton's School. When I do go to Sydney, I am definitely booking in for one of her styling classes! The massive retail space also houses many sought after local brands such as Castle, Bonnie and Neil, Planet Luxe, Greg Hatton and bedlinen by Kate Banazi.

Koskela have worked on many exciting projects in Australia over the last decade, providing fitouts for large scale offices, universities and restaurants including customised products developed with interior design clients. When it comes to their work in private residents the results are outstanding, so I thought I'd share one with you today which completely took my breath away.

Designed by Architecture Saville Isaacs, the Avoca Beach House has a mostly neutral interior with exquisite natural materials and pops of yellow. For this project, Koskela supplied Highgate and Quadrant Soft Sofas, Mud Licht, Bamboo Cloche and Bye Bye Birdy pendants, and the Twiggy Coat stand. See their full range of products here.

The Koskela showroom is situated at 1/85 Dunning Ave, Roseberry. The gallery space is often used to exhibit the work of local artists such as Rachel Castle, as a venue for pop up shops like Tales of the Fallen while Kitchen by Mike provides an amazing venue for events. Overall Koskela is a wondrous hive of creativity, retail and culinary delights! Who's coming to Sydney with me?

All images via www.koskela.com.au

Interior Styling | DIY Metallics

As the metallic trend heats up, interior DIY experts are reaching for their spray paints, brushes and even sharpie pens, transforming tired old homewares into shimmery new objects of desire. Today I've rounded up some great examples that I've seen on the web.

Vases and candlesticks are perfect candidates for the job. Spray painting the entire surface works really well, as shown in the examples above by clever DIY'er Nina Holst of Stylizimo.

For something a bit different, the mason jars above are super cute, or you could paint a simple detail, like the gold cross on the glass vase below. Found via the lovely blog Annixen, I love its simplicity.

Also via Annixen, the apple is one of my favourites while the lantern below, previously dull and bland, now looks stunning.

DIY queen Jennifer Hagler of A Merry Mishap has also worked her magic on a glass vase, this time with copper spray paint.

These black coppery feathers would look lovely hung above a bed.

This time Nina Holst of Stylizimo has combined her love of black, copper and crosses by creating an artwork using a black canvas and copper paint.

Everyday tins and bottles have been decorated to create these beautiful floral table arrangements.

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The ceramics below now have a lovely modern shine thanks to the use of golden leaf. To see how it's done, check out the video here.

More than likely due to the fact that I have two sons, I have a bit of a soft spot for dinosaurs. Not just for the kids, these spray painted creatures are both charming and quirky displayed in the home office of Catherine Sheppard of The Life Styled.

These toystore animals via Heodeza have each been given a different look. For cute polka dots and geometric patterns use a Sharpie metallic permanent marker.

Furniture could be given a bit of the DIY metallic treatment too. I pinned this image the other day and thought it would look great spray painted gold or copper. Any of these ideas take your fancy?

On a side note just before I go, I'm really honoured to have been given the title of Blog of the Month over at We Heart Home! You can check out my interview here.

Blog Love | Nordic Leaves

When I came across Nordic Leaves a couple of weeks back I felt like I'd struck gold. The beautiful interior design blog is written by Edina Sæther whose style and design aesthetic immediately struck a chord with me. As with many of the bloggers I write about here, Edina shares her own photography and home along with other inspiring design, art, fashion and foodie finds. I would say that her mission to make her blog "a magical place for dreams and inspiration" has definitely been accomplished!

Edina's signature Nordic style is evident throughout her stunning home and I've picked out some of my favourite areas to show you. In her office she favours black and white, splashes of colour (particularly yellow which she says she never tires of) and copper or brass. Although Edina is a self-confessed minimalist at heart, she likes having her favourite things on display which is why the String Shelving System works so well. Accessories from Hay, a Stendig Calendar and Eames House Bird from Vitra (who she lovingly refers to as Mr Birdie) are just some of the gorgeous homewares I'm coveting right now.

In fact I'm not kidding when I say that looking through Nordic Leaves is like looking at my own personal wishlist! The Etch candle holder by Tom Dixon is incredible. Available in brass, copper and silver, even just one would be lovely! They also make great pencil holders, don't you think?

More Tom Dixon magic with the Beat lights in the kitchen. I like how Edina mixes Ikea basics like the black picture frames with designer pieces like the Kartell Masters Chairs. There's a bit more colour here thanks to the gorgeous Smeg Fridge, fresh flowers, bright recipe books and a set of Pantone Mugs.

Even Edina's baking and food styling is impeccable!

The living room is bathed in light. A mustard coloured cushion adds a nice contrast to the grey and white furniture. I love the Gubi Floor Lamp, Eames Rocker and homemade pouffe. If you are thinking of painting your floors white, you'll find some great advice from Edina who is somewhat of an expert after painting hers twice in less than two years! Take a look here.

The entry way is another gorgeous spot where Edina has added her own personal touch by decorating the front door with Ferm Living wall decals. She also painted four Ikea boxes and mounted them to the wall (with the help of her hubby) providing a great place to display her treasures.

I feel like de-cluttering, painting my floors white and indulging in some retail therapy now. How about you? So much beautiful inspiration and the good news is Edina plans on taking more photos this year, so make sure you pop over to Nordic Leaves and follow along.

Images with permission, via www.nordicleaves.com