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Car Möbel | Interior Inspiration

When I stumbled upon the Car Möbel site late last year I thought Christmas had come early. Based in Germany, my excitement dropped a peg or two when I realised they only ship locally, however the product styling is so insanely good I figured it would be madness not to share it with you. If nothing else, these spaces will inspire you to white-wash your floors and walls!

The online store offers an extensive range of furniture and homeware not only from Germany but also well known brands from Scandinavia and The Netherlands, such as House Doctor, Nordal, TineK Home, Madam Stolz and Pip Studio. They also sell their own line of furniture which features in all of the images shown here.

I was immediately drawn to the storage section. A huge range of shelves and cabinets provide plenty of organisational inspiration. You may be able to find something similar to replicate the look or experiment with some DIY or even upcycling. It's amazing what a coat of white paint can do for an old piece of furniture.

I love the versatility of boxed shelving. They look great, can be moved around as you please and the different sizes allow you to store a range of books and objects. Perfect for your workspace, the ones shown here are filled with pretty folders and patterned boxes.

Aside from the desk, the chair is a main component of the workspace. A great way to introduce different texture such as wood or steel, not to mention a pop of bright colour, I love the different styles shown here. Industrial lamps, wire waste baskets, fun prints and desktop accessories add more layers of cool.

These hallways and living areas are so fresh and welcoming. I've always liked the idea of placing a low bench seat in the entrance way and how cute is the blackboard week planner above?

Having become a bit obsessed with rugs and pouffes of late, Car Möbel has really piqued my interest. As well as adding colour and texture, they make these spaces warm and inviting.

The bedrooms feature more beautiful furniture, calming colour pallets and a lovely range of bedlinen.

A mix of neutrals with just a splash of colour (love that rug) and a cosy corner chair works for me.

I love the muted colour pallet of this bedroom and that gorgeous star print bedding has completely won me over!

Images via Car Möbel

The Wooden Horse

The Wooden Horse founded by Joanne Whitney, is a new online store in NZ providing contemporary and vintage inspired Scandinavian homeware. Knowing that I have soft spot for Scandinavian design, Joanne recently got in touch and I'm so glad she did. It's such a pleasure to be the first to share her exciting new venture with you.

Wanting to provide quality design that is both stylish and functional, without the extravagant price-tag, I believe The Wooden Horse has achieved just that. Their carefully selected range of imported furniture and gifts include everything from chairs and cabinets to luxe velvet cushions, glassware and wire storage baskets. What's more, they have introduced the Danish design brand Madam Stoltz to NZ for the very first time. Currently sold all over Europe, this is a very exciting addition to our local market!

I was also pretty happy when Joanne said she'd got in touch with artist Kristina Krogh after seeing my post featuring her gorgeous range of posters. Constantly reviewing Scandinavian brands to add to their range, I'm looking forward to seeing how it expands.

I've picked out ten gorgeous products from The Wooden Horse to share with you, although it was hard to narrow it down as everything is so lovely. The range of velvet cushions in the images above are also high on my wish list!

Links below images

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10

I'm particularly taken with the hammered silver metal coffee table. So beautiful and unique, it comes in two sizes. The gorgeous industrial pendant light is a steal at only NZ $99.95! Check out the full range here. Happy shopping!

All images courtesy of The Wooden Horse

Interview | Peppin Boutique

Peppin Boutique was launched in 2010, by Kathleen Waite and Robert Trathen. The talented couple, Kathleen is a fashion designer, Robert an established freelance photograher, opened their flagship store in Auckland's Herne Bay and have since developed a loyal following. Inspired by their gorgeous son Jet, Peppin is known for their beautifully designed garments ranging from babywear to four years old. With a focus on comfort, the clothing is made from "high quality fabrics such as merino and organic cottons, with a mix of netural colours and eye catching prints."

I first met Kath some time ago, when I popped into Peppin to buy a gift for a friend's little boy. Even though I'd heard great things about the boutique, I was completely bowled over by the gorgeous interior, racks of exquisite clothing and shelves stocked with the cutest accessories and toys. At the time Kath was living above the store with Robert and Jet and I remembered that I'd seen their beautiful home in the pages of Your Home & Garden. They've since moved to an incredible, New York-style apartment, which has also appeared in several publications.

Not only is Kath a super talented designer, with at least two fashion labels under her belt, she is also an absolute sweetheart and I'm really excited to be able to share her interview with you today.

Can you tell us a bit about your background, what led you to designing clothing for babies/toddlers and the launch of Peppin Boutique?

I studied fashion at AUT, and worked on a few labels before starting Peppin. The most well known was Skylark, a women’s streetwear label.

Are you still involved with Skylark? How did you find the transition from designing womenswear to designing kidswear?

The Skylark brand was probably my third or fourth venture in womenswear, I have shelved it for now – as Peppin is a fulltime job. It’s nice to see new mums’ coming in wearing their old Skylark gears though, that always gives me a kick. It was a super easy transition, probably a six-month crossover in the end. And I haven’t looked back.

All of the products you design are still made here in NZ. Do you think you will take the manufacturing offshore at some point?

Peppin has already experimented with offshore. That was interesting and quite a learning curve. We will be making fully onshore again. Some customers really want to support NZ Made so we have lots of limited edition options for them. The price point is slightly higher but that tends to be ok.

In addition to your store, you also sell online. How do the two compare?

They are so so different, I just love the potential of online and the ease of it all. I’m a big online shopper myself. And I like the bricks and mortar because I have worked in retail since I was 13 and have a good understanding of how a customer wants to feel like and be treated like when they come in to the shop. I love merchandising and getting feedback – which you don’t necessarily get with online.

As well as running Peppin you have a son Jet. How old is he now? How do you find juggling business and motherhood? Do you have any tips for budding mums/entrepreneurs?

Jet is now three and a half, and has just moved up into Kindy. The first year was a huge challenge juggling baby and business. It is now a breeze because he knows the routine and can comprehend a lot more. My advice is have support, I couldn’t have done it without Rob my partner and mum helping out too with childcare.

Where do you find creative inspiration - local or international design, the web, travel, magazines etc?

Too many ideas and not enough time, I only look and read about fashion for my own sake. There are many other kids labels I admire – but wouldn’t dream of doing similar work. Peppin is pretty intuitive for me, and details can get changed throughout the process from design pattern and make.

What are your favourite products from your range right now?

Probably all the sweats which will come in for winter, lots of colour blocking!

In addition to the Peppin Boutique range, you also stock other brands of toys and accessories. Will you continue to expand on this?

I’m not sure, we are always on the hunt for cool toys. We may have to get into making more. I’m soo fussy on colour and proportion. It’s really hard to source matching accessories to our range at times. Most of what I like comes from Europe, and there is no hope of getting them down here with a reasonable price point!

What are you working on right now - any exciting projects in the works?

New prints would be the exciting one right now…

What are your future plans for Peppin Boutique - where would you like to take the business?

No big plans, we are really so happy with the brand so far and just stoked that others like it. You will see new prints and new designs coming in, and I hope we will have natural growth.

A massive thank you to Kath for giving up her time to be interviewed. If you're in Auckland make sure you pop in to Peppin Boutique, located at 184 Jervois Rd, Herne Bay. Alternatively, you can shop online. To stay in the loop, pop over and 'like' their Facebook page.

All images via www.peppin.co.nz

Homes to Inspire | Kirra Jamison

When I mentioned being a fan of the Australian stylist and blogger Jason Grant in Friday's post, I made a mental note to share some of his work with you in the near future. As it turns out, the gorgeous home I've chosen for today just happens to have been styled by Jason for the Jan/Feb issue of Inside Out. Not only that, it's the home of talented artist Kirra Jamison, so you get two inspiring creatives for the price of one!

I first discovered Melbourne-based Kirra via The Design Files where she has been featured many times. I was instantly captivated by her artworks which she has been exhibiting regularly since graduating from art school in 2006. I love her use of colour and pattern, her abstract pieces and the more complex ones which have a beautiful, enchanting quality.

Jason's flair and expertise has led him to become the go-to guy for dreaming up and creating exciting editorial and advertising concepts. In addition to Inside Out, his work has featured in many other Australian and International magazines including Real Living, Living Etc, Australian Country Style, Elle Decoration and French Glamour. He has also worked with many big name brands including Sheridan, David Jones, Office Works, Murobond Paints, Freedom and Myer.

Kirra's home in Melbourne is a partially converted industrial warehouse, perfect for showcasing her incredible art collection. I love the walls which are a mix of exposed concrete bricks and blocks. Walking through our future home on the weekend (currently a building site), I couldn't help but visualise it with the concrete blocks left exposed. It's such a cool look, and despite not being suited our home's aesthetic, I'd think about trying it next time!

Painted white, Kirra's walls provide the ideal backdrop for the colour and pattern that bursts from both Kirra's art and those by other artists, such as the watercolour painting by Luisa Rossitto in the living room above. Cushions from Castle, Anthropologie and Beci Orpin tie in perfectly.

If this is your first time being introduced to Kirra, then I urge you to take a look at her artwork series, Love Me Two Times. Exhibited at the Linden Centre for Contemporary Arts in 2011, I would love to own one of these colourful pieces one day. Kirra has put one in her dining area above and it looks amazing.

Kirra's eclectic style is evident throughout her home. Unafraid of mixing pastels with brights, I'm surprised at how great the pink chairs look alongside the scarlet red door. I especially love the swing seat which Kirra got from Pop & Scott, the patterned rug, and the skull paintings by Ben Quilty.

Wall-hung boxed shelves in the kitchen are both cute and practical, perfect for displaying a fun mix of glass jars, tins and ceramics. Kirra's love of cooking, inspired by her time spent living in Tokyo can be seen on her beautiful blog Keke, a side project where she shares the stories and recipes of interesting people she knows.

Gorgeous bedlinen is made up of a striking duvet cover by The Vallentine Project and fun pillowcases from Castle and Beci Orpin. A Rhys Lee artwork above Kirra's bed provides a big dose of wow factor.

Often the highlight of an artist's pad, Kirra's studio doesn't disappoint. Filled with light, the space is oozing creative energy, with her works forming part of a wall collage above. I also love her painting below entitled Loop.

To see more of Kirra's work, take a look at her website and don't forget to check out Mr Jason Grant, where you will find more of his inspiring styling work.

Images via Home Life | Photo credit: Derek Swalwell

Before I go, I just wanted to share some exciting news with you. I have been included in the Huffington Post Pinterest Accounts to Follow Now list! Melanie at A Cut Above The Retsy nominated me. (If you are a fan of Etsy, and let's face it, we all are then you must check out her site. It's a brilliant resource!) Melanie has been wonderfully supportive of my blog and Pinterest boards, and I am hugely honoured to have made the list. Huge thanks to Melanie and also to Huffington Post for choosing me!

Tiffany & Co | Sydney Store Opening

The internationally renowned jeweller Tiffany & Co opened the doors to their newest store in Sydney on Wednesday, just in time for Valentine's Day. Located at Westfield Bondi Junction, the celebration was marked with the unveiling of special custom designed sculptures by Dr Lisa Cooper, a unique and talented Sydney artist.

Tiffany & Co Collaborated with Lisa to design and create sculptural objects that pay homage to Tiffany's relationship with true love and the connection to the new store in Bondi. Unfortunately I couldn't make it over to the opening, but I'm very excited to be able to share with you these exclusive photos from the event.

Dr Lisa Cooper

With a list of achievements that are beyond impressive, here are some highlights of Lisa's career to date. Awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy (fine art) in 2010, her interdisciplinary practice comprises Sculpture, Video-Installation and Painting. She has exhibited in Sydney, New York and The Philippines, and was commissioned by Sydney Theatre Company to create the crowns for the production The War of the Roses starring Cate Blanchett.

Not only is her work held in private collections in Australia, the UK, US and Singapore, her work has been published in many top publications such as Marie Claire, Vogue Living, InStyle, Harper's Bazaar, Inside Out, and The Sydney Morning Herald. There are also two books featuring her work due for worldwide release in 2012 | 2013.

Attendees included many well known people from the design industry. I'm a big fan of stylist and blogger Jason Grant (far right) pictured here with Brendon Guy and Mason Browne.

Lisa's incredible vision and design process has been brought to life in the video I'm about to share with you. I highly recommend that you take a look, by clicking on the link below. I was completely blown away watching Lisa create the exquisite sculptures, and I'm sure you will be too.

Video of Lisa Cooper for Tiffany & Co

The sculptures will be displayed in the store windows from now until the 24th of February, so if you are in Sydney, make sure you visit.

All images courtesy of Tiffany & Co | Nac Media Group

Londontown | Citta Design

When a homeware brand that you love releases a new collection, inspired by one of your favourite cities, you know it's going to be good. Londontown, the new Winter 2013 collection by Citta Design is due to be released next week, and I had the pleasure of attending the preview on Tuesday afternoon. Held at their head office in Auckland, we got to take in the beautiful new range and listen to the designers talk about their vision, all while sipping Pimm's and nibbling on club sandwiches and chocolate lamingtons. All so very English, and I loved every minute!

Citta Design is renowned for their seasonal injections of colour, pattern and texture inspired by unique cultures from around the world. The Londontown story has been brought to life through "five distinct London characters who offer a rich and varied platform of inspiration for Citta Design's diverse range of homewares, furniture and accessories." They are The Vintage, The Eccentric, The English Rose, The Sloane and The Proper Gent.

You can't help but feel uplifted by the bright colour palette of The Vintage above and The Eccentric below. Scarlet red buses and phone boxes and the London Underground are some of the iconic London images that spring to mind.

The cute and quirky kids duvet pictured above is one of my favourite designs of the collection. In contrast, The English Rose below, is pretty and whimsical with a soft palette of florals and feminine motifs.

The lush range of Citta Design towels get me every time, and I think these may be the best yet. I love their take on the traditional houndstooth design, presented in a range of striking colours.

Straight away I knew that The Sloane was a girl after my own heart, with her simple clean aesthetic, luxe neutrals and rich fabrics.