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!

have a relaxing weekend

This random collection of fabrics (and some are rather hideous!) works beautifully as a patchwork. And is somehow glamourous in this setting. Love it. Picture from Getty Images

Am leaving you with my fave pic of the week. I love it all and it makes me wish I still had the clawfoot bath we left at our old place. If we still lived there or ever moved back (but we won't, cause it's on the market at the moment!) I'd do just this: hang a beautiful patchwork curtain from the ceiling instead of a shower-curtain rail for full dramatic effect, with a cheapie plastic one on the inside of it for practical reasons. And how cute is the flower heart on the wall? Sweet! It's inspired me: am off to sink in my not-so-glam-but-still-relaxing bath right now! x

outdoor spaces part 2: shabby chic

You can't go wrong with a daybed. I love the base on this one. From Klikk via The House that A-M Built

Once upon a time, I fell deep in love with shabby chic. I wanted everything white with pale pinks and green accent furniture, vintage linens and floral plates. I bought Rachel Ashwell's best book: The Shabby Chic Home of her own home's before and afters and dreamed of replicating her look one day. Then suddenly the love affair eased off and I moved on to other styles.

Mismatched chairs, paper lanterns, floor cushions and candleabras make for a pretty girlie afternoon tea party. From Klikk

I've wanted a little summer house ever since friends in Wales had us over for dinner in theirs. It was so adorable and sparkly at night. From Flickr

The worn timber is the perfect backdrop for shabby chic's prettiness. From Flickr

Occasionally I flick back through my book (when I actually have it - my mother in law steals it often as she's completely in love with shabby chic now and wants to decorate her new place in that style.) and I still drool over some pictures. But they're all the outdoorsy ones - that's why I did this shabby chic post. Because I think this look works best outdoors. There's no carpet or feature-wall colour to clash with, it's not something you live with day in, day out, and where else is a flower more at home than in the garden? Let me apologise in advance for the crappiness of the photographed images from Rachel's books. I really need to get myself a scanner, but they're too pretty to not share.

Am not sure what I like most: the decorating or the fact this deck is so bloody close to the water! From another of Rachel Ashwell's books - Shabby Chic: Sumptuous Settings and Other Lovely Things (I think it's this one) that I bought for my mother-in-law

A huge daybed on a deck: so nice I'd sleep out here on those hot summer nights. From The Shabby Chic Home

The entrance to her home. From The Shabby Chic Home

Sunbeds and umbrellas for poolside glam. From The Shabby Chic Home

Tiny turquoise tiles make this pool so inviting. From The Shabby Chic Home

Perfect reading spot. From The Shabby Chic Home

PS: I just noticed the photographed pics can't be enlarged so they look worse than they actually are. Will try and redo later but babies just woke up so my blogging time is over for now!

PPS: Pics fixed and should actually enlarge now.

outdoor spaces part 1: moroccan style

I'm completely in love with this Riad courtyard. The tiles, the lantern, the pool, the furniture, the mirrored wall - perfect! Can't fault it. Pic from The Good Life in Morocco

Ooooh it's been so lovely these past few days. And actually hot on occasions! So I've been dreaming of a gorgeous outdoor space to chill in. Am obsessed with Morocco at the moment, so thought I'd start with a few beautiful images - there's nothing quite like authentic Moroccan style, but I've also found a few spaces inspired by this region.

The other side of the courtyard (above). How incredible are those doors? Pic from The Good Life in Morocco

A very cool rusticy pergola is modernised with classic black and white. From My Marrakesh

We loved this deck so much we've shot it several times for Real Living. To get a Moroccan feel, lanterns and poufs are essential! Pic from December 2005 issue of Real Living magazine

Anyone can re-create this: curtains, cushions and a few glass lanterns. From Flickr

Not sure how Moroccan this is, but hey, it has a lantern. And it's pretty! From Domino

Go for grand designs in small spaces to make an impact. Pic from Domino

Tomorrow: shabby chic spaces. If I get the time! x

inspiration from stores over the seas

Idea to steal: a chandelier in the bathroom. It doesn't even have to be in the middle of the room - I love how it's over the bath here. I don't even like champagne, but I'd so drink it in here - the only drink fitting I think for such a rusticly glam room. Pic from Froke Nolsen

As I mentioned before, there are some brilliant stores out there. And most of them are overseas. Of course we have some here, but at the moment, my decor taste is running towards a mix of Scandinavian, moroccan and asian. And I realised as I uploaded these pics, that there is a similar vibe in all of them that reflects this. Here are a few pretty pics from overseas stores and a few ideas to steal from them.

Idea to steal: rustic old doors, gates or trellises can look beautiful resting against a wall or behind a bed as a bedhead. Pic from Tine K Home

Idea to steal: forget the closed-door buffet: show off your pretties with a glass-door cabinet. You could even age distress a new one with paint (Ikea have some similar to this) to give it an aged look. Pic from Tine K Home

Idea to steal: strips of leather as door handles. The ones in this picture are sold by the label Tine K Home, but I think you could easily do yourself with straps and some kind of screw. Ask a hardware expert for the appropriate ones.

Idea to steal: oooh this mirror... be still my beating heart. You might not be able to re-create the angles, but sticking a whole heap of different-sized mirror tiles into a large rectangle on the wall would create a similar effect. Pic from Graham and Green

Idea to steal: hanging lanterns or little birdcages from a four-posted bed. Securely, though, don't want any nasty accidents! Pic from Graham and Green

Idea to steal: ok, so letters on a wall aren't new. But using a heap of random letters and symbols in a cool pattern like this is. How effective! Pic from Graham and Green

Idea to steal: banana-leaf and French market baskets are hip and a staple in a lot of homes, but give it a paint job for a pop of colour and little individuality. Pic from Chenille Home

Idea to steal: old gates or screens make gorgeous bedheads. Pic from Chenille Home


Idea to steal: take your indoor decor outside like this deer head. Obviously best to be in the covered outdoor areas but don't feel the need to leave the walls bare: it's called an outdoor "room" now, not just outdoors! Pic from Graham and Green

eye candy: trine thorsen's fab photography

My love for white rooms grows with each pretty picture I see.

First up, let me apologise for previously referring to Trine as a possible"him". She is most definitely a HER and a talented one at that. She's just launched her new website and it's filled with lots of her gorgeous images from everything from interiors to fashion to food. I thought I'd show you a few snaps here, but make sure you head over to have a virtual wander about.

Now this is a bathroom

Another white room. With a CHILD! Who said they can't go together?

All homes should have ceilings and windows this high


This reminds me of brilliant and beautifully-shot Aussie movie Picnic at Hanging Rock


Oh look! Another white room. Wonder if I could put my antlers on the wall like this. Love it but not sure how to attach...

Aren't they beautiful? I'm sure you'll agree that while the styling is superb, it's the perfectly glowy light that Trine manages to capture and the angles she shoots from that make the subject matter even more beautiful.

if i lived in germany...

Metal stool from Impressionen

then I'd be snapping up this pretty metal stool (above).
And this rug I've written about before.

Ohh my rug. It's only 29.95 euros. My weekly train trip to work cost more! From Impressionen

And probably both of these lanterns.

So, so beautiful. Have yet to see lanterns this pretty over here. Again, from Impressionen

But I don't live in Germany. And even though I'm only one degree of separation away from it (Dad is German), unless they have the amazing magical ability to fold up to T-shirt size to fit in my parents' suitcase while they're visiting later this month or can be mailed in an envelope, then they have to stay in the store for someone else to buy. Sob.
That's the problem with all this blogging and Net surfing. I get attached to things in other countries or fabulous bloggers introduce me to amazing shops and designers on the other side of the world (like Holly at Decor8) and all I can do is oggle online and curse those fabulous bloggers for making me pine. My biggest annoyance is Anthropologie. Please come to Australia. Or at least add us to your international shipping. We love you. And if I thought an online campaign and petition would get you here to set up shop here, I'd start one.
I know there are mail-forwarders who will let you use their address for shipping within the country and then they mail it out to you. But all the things I want is usually bulky furniture and homewares. Still, if you're interested in these clever halfway mailing houses: try http://www.mailnetwork.com/ and http://www.usabox.com/. I think these guys belong in the "why didn't I think of that" category!

There is one upside though to the you-can-look-but-not-buy situation: the inspiration to be had from these stores. Most online shops will have their products shot beautifully and it's so nice to sneak a peek at other cultures and styles. I'll do some searching this weekend and show you what I mean Monday. Have a great weekend.

magazine storage at its finest

Do you think this homeowner likes to read? Pictures from Taverne Agency

If you're anything like me, you have too many magazines than you have shelves, cupboards and racks in which to store them. I have the newest real livings and dominos on a shelf above my desk, a pile of my favourites under my desk growing dangerously close to the desk-top underside, while in my spare room the four-year's worth of Cosmo issues I worked on are in a cane basket, I have paper folders bursting from old issues of home mags, Madisons and Shop Til You Drop are strewn over the floor (I'm not very tidy) in front of a couple of other piles of new and ancient publications I just can't part with for whatever reason. And this is AFTER I half-filled a yellow recycle bin after a clean out. One day I will find a solution. Or have a house big enough to dedicate a room to a magazine library (and newspapers - my husband edits a weekly paper, so we have piles and piles and boxes and more piles of newspapers too. quite the fire hazard really. grr), but until then...

Creating a bit of a pattern by stacking them horiztonally and vertically ensures it's not just a stack of magazines! Pretty things on top seal the deal.

If I didn't have children, I'd so do this: create magazine storage using magazines - stylishly. This homeowner has neatly stacked a rather large amount of mags to form a console table. A piece of glass cut to size rests on top, creating a nice little station for pretty things. Perfect if you can't bear to part with your faves, but don't flip through them on a daily basis as unstacking and restacking regularly couldn't be too much fun. But it looks like she's got that covered: another two easily-accessible piles are on display under the clear coffee table.
I find it a great idea and love that it's an instance in which magazines physically help create a stylish room, not just tell us how with words and pictures. So, how do you store your mags? I'll be moving office space at home soon and would love to hear some more ideas.
x