Be Brave.. Be Bold

The thing I love most about accessories is you can be bold and adventurous with them. You don't have to be too picky with the accessories you choose... just be creative.

Choose items that are different sizes and shapes but complement each other. For example and group of vases, all glass but different heights and widths. Grouped together with the small ones in the foreground and the large ones at the rear look well planned out.

Put beautiful bright flowers in them. Blue Hydrangeas in one, pink Roses in another and white Peonies in the third. This will show off your arrangement talents! 

 



Then with that add a couple colourful ornaments coordinating with the colours of the flowers, you will surprise yourself!

Black & White

Think black and white...

Famously classic colours and indeed they should be. These colours are fool proof and can be an excellent starting point to any design. 

Start with basic grey or white walls and build from there, add a white sheer window covering with a bold strip of black through the midline. 

Put some grey and white prints of the family on the walls that have crisp white border matts and put them in ornate black or white frames.

Then pick a coloured piece of furniture.

ISALA Laptop table from IKEA - Source ikea.com/au

This laptop table from IKEA is perfect to add a subtle hint of colour to your new black and white room. This soft Lilac will look beautiful in a brightly lit study or office, and with a fresh bunch of white flowers, will tie in well with the overall colour scheme.

Add a little shine

Got a wood, floating, vinyl or rubber floor? Or some gorgeous natural wood furniture? Add a bit of shine with Gemini.

Gemini is a ready-to-use floor sealer finish that you can apply at any time to clean and add some bling to tired surfaces.

For application;

Apply protective eye wear and gloves.
Firslty clean your surface really well as you normally would. Allow it to dry.

Pour some Gemini into the bottom of a bucket dip a lint free rag or mop straight into the bucket and apply to your floors thoroughly (you may need to get on your hands and knees). As Gemini dries quickly you need to work quickly and in an outward direction, not into a corner.

As soon as it dries you can walk on it, just check that it isn't 'sticky' (use your fingers to touch  check). I would also recommend you use it on a clear day and have the area be well ventilated.

You will love this product and it's amazing results.

I have found for up keep, or a quick result, I add a capful to warm water and apply on a weekly basis. This keeps the shine for longer.

You can find this product at your local hardware or timber flooring supply store.

Below are pictures, one without Gemini and one with Gemini applied.

Spring!

Spring is here!

It's the perfect time to change all those warm coloured throws and pillows and add a splash of invigorating colour! 

There are a lot of quick and easy ways to freshen up your home, the most obvious is a new fresh coat of paint. Think about a change that you wouldn't normally go for. Soft blues and greens or even yellow. Find your favourite vase or cushion and pick a bright colour from it and go for it! It's only paint, if you don't like it you can easily change it.

You can't go past a nice full bunch of fresh flowers, they are visually appealing and just make you feel good! Put a bunch in your entry, on your coffee table and on your bedside table or in your ensuite. Waking up to fresh flowers is a great for a kick start to the day! 

For the love of Outdoors...

A day by the pool is sometimes, just what the doctor ordered. It's warm, peaceful and relaxing. When we decided to have a pool in the new house we didn't have enough room for a large one so we opted for a rather large 'water feature'. 

We played around with drawings and shapes and of course we had to have the appropriate parameters from the house. We wanted it to be interactive and fun too!

So this is what we came up with;

The whole pool is tiled with mosaic artist tiles in iridescent blue which look lovely when the sun hits them and are beautiful at night when the coloured pool lights reflect off them. 

Source: Mosaic Tiles Supplies; Kaleidoscope ColorGlitz Iridescent Glass Mosaic  - House of Blues 

There are a total of eight water spouts that cascade water between the lime stone stepping stones which were designed to walk over. 

As can be seen in the first photo we have two large pots that on plinths at each end of the pool that are planted with pink geraniums. These flower beautifully most of the year and really enhance the colour of the pool and the Mallard Grey on the fence. We chose to use a glass fence, although they are the preferred choice now days it really does make a difference to the overall impression of the pool from the house. As the pool is close to the house, this allows the eye to have an uninterrupted view straight out to the fence giving the impression of a larger area. This is enhanced by the byfold doors that run across the rear of the house. 

This is my favourite aspect of our house, it has created many happy memories, I hope you like it and it provided some inspiration!

The Inner Interior Designer

My inner interior designer is being born of colour palettes, beautiful furniture, amazing lighting and love. I have always had a overwhelming interest in design and arrangement.

So my first major project was my involvement in the building and design of my family home recently.

My clients were my Mum and Dad, myself and our two dogs;

The concept of this house was American modern chic with a certain 'Hamptons' charm and provincial fling! This house was to be decadent, classy and comfortable. We wanted it feel like we were on a holiday everyday, I think we achieved that.

Outdoor  Pavilion (yet to have Kitchen installed)

Study area just off the Kitchen where my Mum wanted to be able to look up recipes and  check emails.

Cellar, a must in this house-hold

Custom-made sweeping stair case to entry

Cane is a prominent feature in this house. We have two of these 6' pots in the entry.

Small porch area with two of these comfy chairs. The sun hits this spot mid morning so its a great lounge area

The outdoor firepit, great for entertaining!

Fijian ornamental face mask,  looks great by the pool.

The pool, this was the compromise between a pool for summer and an all year-round water feature. The spouts shoot water and we have beautiful lighting that is amazing at night.

More detail to come...