So Stylish!

Just look at these beautifully decorated rooms... I've always thought that an ebony and ivory colour scheme is the Audrey Hepburn of interior style - always classic, always understated and always faultlessly chic.

decorpad

Monday Smiles

These images made me smile because:

When I was seven, my Grandma, Marnie made me a pink jumpsuit using a sewing machine just like this one...

My Grandma, Dee used to keep her hair rollers in a little oval suitcase with blue satin lining that I thought was the prettiest thing I'd ever seen...

Maps and purses are two of my favourite things...

A tea cup chandelier... what's not to adore about that idea!

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Mini Make-Over

I have been putting off showing any pictures of the baby's nursery... mostly because we have done so little! I really think we need to meet our little one before we start decorating it's room - after all, we still don't know if we will be bringing home a little girl or a little boy!

BUT, I did decide to paint an old, beaten up chest of drawers in anticipation. I chose a beautiful, soft French blue (but ended up painting the top white... old habits die hard!). Having completed the project I realised that, unwittingly, the room is taking on a rather boyish feel.... but I figured a few lashings of pink here and there could change that quick smart if need be!

Before

During

Ta Da!

photos by me

And Finally.... Some Colour!

For fear of appearing dull, I thought I should post some seriously colourful images just to prove that I am indeed capable of embracing a bright palette! Bed of Flowers is a quaint little B&B located close to the Rhine, about an hours drive from Amsterdam. Should I ever venture to the Netherlands, I would love to stay here (if only I could convince Andre that a little bit of chintz is not necessarily an evil thing!).

Could This be What Heaven Looks Like?

OK, I realise I may be verging on the boring here, and I really should think about doing a post that is full of bright, beautiful colours, but I just happened to stumble across this immaculate Hamptons home designed by Mabley Handler and had to share it with you! I think the bathrooms might just be my favourite thing about the house... they are so ethereal... can't you just imagine little angels bathing here, trying not to get their precious wings wet?

I Could Live Here

Unearthing beautiful houses that I could cheerfully live in is one of my favourite pass times. The latest discovery is a gorgeous beach cottage located on Fire Island, New York (the name alone would have me moving there in a shot). I love that the interior is just a little bit rustic and imperfect... and according to the article in Country Living, the cottage is "tiny" (I think they need to visit my apartment to experience the true meaning of the word!). Isn't it heaven?

Jar Obsessed

I have a thing for old glass jars... I blame my Grandmother who used to store her flour in huge jars with tin lids that she would pull out on baking days. They make for such great storage containers and always look beautiful when displayed full of interesting bits and pieces - the possibilities are endless! This particular jar traveled all the way from South Africa and now sits on our kitchen shelf.

photos by me

Colour Therapy.... Ice Blue

Spring is definitely in the air here... yesterday I had all the windows in our apartment open to let the sunshine in and the winter gloom out. It got me thinking about what colours make me feel all happy and Spring-like... the combination of ice blue and white tones never fails to lift my spirits, with maybe the odd dash of lemon thrown in for good measure - I can imagine lying on one of the beds above with a soft breeze making the curtains dance and feeling the cool linen beneath my bare, tanned legs (I don't tan by the way... I remain pasty white or bright red all year round... but in fantasy land I'm always brown!). What colour represents Springtime for you?

simplypix

Decorating for the Small Fry

In all my years as a stylist, the thing I love to do the most is style children's bedrooms. They offer so much scope to be creative, giving you the opportunity to let your imagination totally run away with you! Like all styling, it's the little details that count (no child could live this way mind you, but it sure looks cute in the photos!). Here are some images of little girls rooms I have worked on in the past...

photos by me

French Provincial House

Here are some images of a display home I worked on for Eden Brae Homes.  I loved everything about it, from the soothing colour palette right down to the button detailing on the cushions... it was a joy to be part of such a great project!

photos by me