dream chrissy decor

I'm ba-ack! Turns out my mini break ended up being a sick-children-and-therefore-no-sleep-break so I didn't get too much work done. But it was good fun spending some time with my parents and being spoilt as only parents can do!

Lovely Amanda at Swish and Swanky invited me to be a part of her "My Christmas" segment of blog posts this week where she gets other bloggers to share how they spend their Christmas, their shopping spots and decor ideas. One of her questions was "your decorating wish". My answer was to live in the Northern Hempisphere for a year so I'd get to decorate to in that earthy, white and wintery way that the Scandinavian's do so well. I sent off some pics I loved of how my dream decoration would be - here is the rest of one of the sets. In reality? Nothing like it! Maybe next year... You can read all about my Chrissy here and see an incredibly dodgy pic of my tree as it was last night, complete with bare patch where a paper dove must have flown away without my knowing!

Aren't they sweet? All images are from Inside Photo. Thanks Amanda for the invite - it's a great idea and so nice to see how others spend their chrissy.

So what do you have planned this year??

decorators i'd like to hire

Love this little display. I just bought some gorgeous Moroccan Tea Glasses from Mighty Leaf (they'll be up on their site any day). I just might need to add to the collection with a few different ones and throw a cast-iron teapot into the mix to re-create this look!

Yesterday I fell in love with some images on Desire To Inspire by interior stylists Krakvik & D'Orazio. Of course they're from Norway - the best seem to be from that part of the world! - so I can't call them up to get them to work their magic on my place. But I did check out their website to see if they had any more pretty pics and from what I can gather, from following some links and my non-existent knowledge of Dutch, they've styled out an apartment complex (or possibly just the display homes). And each apartment style is very, very stylish as you can see here. I love their mix of old and new in the first one. I'm ready to move into any one of them, how about you?

Apartment 1: Light & airy

Apartment 2: dramatic and feminine

Apartment 3: family friendly

All images from Krakvik & D'Orazio and Rosenhoff Fabrikker

Check out the above links for more pics and another cool apartment.

eye candy: stylist Sidsel Zachariassen

Natural and nice. All images from Sidselz.dk

A few pretty pics from Danish interior stylist Sidsel Zachariassen to end your working week. Have a good weekend!

quick question...

The prettiest paper envelopes: a gorgeous baby shower favour - who cares what's inside!! Image from Rebecca Thuss

Anyone have any idea if these cute little envelopey things were made? Or bought (and then personalised)? I found them on Rebecca Thuss' site which, by the way, is THE source for any wedding, party decoration or favour inspiration. Was just wondering if they were made, if anyone knows instructions? I could give it a go, but obviously a how-to would make life easier... Thought they'd made cute little favour bags for Zakky's party next weekend. Of which I am still deciding what cake, what food, what decorations, what pressies. Am so organised, obviously! And just in case you have never seen any of Rebecca's styling work (she's behind most of the pretty pics in Martha Stewart Weddings), here is a taste at her creativity. Have a good (rest of) weekend! x

Rose-petal aisle - an essential at any outdoor wedding

Great paper party decoration ideas

Simple can be best for table centrepieces

Simple store-bought biscuits are given the special treatment with a little clear cellophane, pretty paper and nice messages

how's this for a picture wall?

I spy... the Mona Lisa... and Deborah Harry... and possibly Brigitte Bardot? Image from Gaellele Boulicaut

How long do you think it took them to do? It looks rather cool in pictures, but in real life? I think I'd feel a little claustophobic. But a great way to keep the kids busy: just ask them to find Wally. I bet he's there somewhere - everyone else seems to be!
In case you're wondering, I haven't given up on my house. Completely. We did actually buy a new display cabinet at the weekend for a naked corner of our living room and have half-painted the chocolate brown wall with a stone paint. It was meant to be purpley grey, but it's.... purple. Of course. I THINK it'll turn out ok - I HOPE it'll turn out ok - but I won't show pics until it's finished because so far, after one and a half coats it's rather hideous. We decided the rough look was the way to go - to cover the damaged walls and also bring a little texture in. But has anyone used this stuff? It's like applying sunscream to sandy skin. Ugh.
And also, I'm still planning the kitchen. To be honest, I haven't done a thing about it for months as so much going on here (and my builder is away for several more weeks), but I'm doing the Ikea run again this weekend in an attempt to match up my paint to one of the cupboard doors. My goal to have it all done by Christmas is slowly vanishing... Oh well, perhaps it'll become a New Year's resolution! But I'm curious: am I alone in taking my sweet time to finish things? How do you go about a project?

a pretty pic for friday

I want the chair! Pic from Holly's Flickr

I've been following Holly from Decor8's adventures in Germany from the start on her other blog Haus Maus and love all she's achieved there. But I'm now dying to peek inside her New Hampshire, US, home after seeing this snapshot of her living room. Lovely, isn't it? I'll just let you admire the prettiness and hopefully I'll be back blogging properly next week. I have a fun-filled weekend ahead: am putting up my Christmas tree - yes, two months early - but it's all work-related, not because I'm a Christmas nut. Am photographing it for the Christmas special on the Real Living website from next month. Enjoy your own weekend! x

thursday eye candy

I love that their precious daughter is on the wall instead of precious art! Pics from What We Do

This house is heaven. Who knew I could love brights so much? See the grand tour here

I like the idea of shelves just off the floor - makes the room seem more spacious

Inspired Wednesday: wallpapered buffet

The wire bowl of wool is a cute decor idea for the crafty kids. Image from Elle Interior

My name is Belinda and I'm a wallpaper addict (which is rather odd considering the only wallpaper in my house is on a chest of drawers, in a picture frame and covering a canvas - not actually on a wall). It's been five days since my last post on the subject, but this was too pretty to not share. If you couldn't handle Cole & Son's Cow Parsley on a whole wall, why not do it on the cupboard doors of a buffet? Great idea for a less-than-glamourous second-hand one. Right, back to work for me. x

tiny blog hiatus

No, I won't be relaxing in a tub on my blog hiatus, I'll still be glued to the computer, only for work only. Apologies, I'm not sure where I found this pic, but I absolutely love it. I especially love the Moroccan wedding blanket - it's on the top of my "things to buy from overseas if our dollar ever recovers" list!

Just a quick note to say my posts will be minimal for the next week or so. I've just started back at work after four months of maternity leave and am quickly running out of time to get the Real Living website all set to go live on November 3 (it's a special Christmas issue). And just in case it was way too easy adjusting to working life from home with two small babies, I also took on a rather large freelance job due at the same time (I like a challenge!!). I do work best under pressure, but I've got a lot going on here so I'll just be posting pretty pics on both blogs for a while, starting with this beautiful bathroom pic. And trying really, really hard to not search google, etsy or all your fabulous blogs and websites for anything other than work-related! But keep tuning in, please, and I'll be back properly soon. xxx

i could happily call any of these places home...

This is EXACTLY how I want my kitchen and dining area to look. Only it won't. Cause I have dark floors. And dark furniture... But I will hopefully have a similar kitchen - anyone have any idea what they've done with their benchtops? Are they limewashed or just birch?

...my husband? Not so much. I get in trouble when I talk about "white this, white that". So I have to get my white fix elsewhere. Thankfully, I finally found some time recently to delve into Skona Hem's lovely site and check out their house tours. Skona Hem is a Swedish magazine and of course the interiors it features are what the Swedes do best: white, bright and airy with pale wood and oodles of style. So, here's what I copied into my moodboard folder for future-house inspiration. Enjoy and happy weekend.

Any colour pops against a white backdrop, like this yummy turquoise...

...and cool red chandelier...

...and cheery yellow pieces

There is something about an Eames chair that turns any space into a stylish one. Must be why they're a classic!

Wicked wicker

My hubby is a huge spiral-staircase fan. I love white and pretty things. This could be the perfect combination!


How awful to have this view!

Warm wood stops the white from becoming sterile

Black chairs + white table = super style

Perfect for growing girls


Oh to have these windows; this kitchen; this light!