A peek at an e-decorating kit

I want to say a very big thank you to the charming Morgan from Pepper Design blog. I recently finished a Design Kit for her combined guest room and office space. Over at her blog at the moment she's sharing a look at her kit and the suggestions I've made, as well as giving away an Ethos Design gift voucher.

To encourage you to pop over and visit her fantastic blog, here are some of my favourite posts...



An alternative to stencilling - use painter's tape!



Make your own Capiz style pendant.

How to create your own bulletin boards.

Now, go say hello!

Working with a modern white kitchen

I'm designing a display home for first home buyers at the moment and I've gone with a simple, white, contemporary kitchen.

So, when you're working with white on white, what can you do to add some character and colour?


Even Jonathan Adler works with white spaces sometimes. He's added a bold vase with bright flowers, a quirky rug and some fun canisters.



Designed by Jonathan Adler.

Here's another white kitchen which has created character with some bright coloured accessories and artwork. Turquoise is a gorgeous addition to white for a coastal feel.


Designed by Shirley Parks Design.

Stuck without a bulkhead above your kitchen? Why not added pretty labelled baskets? Timber stools and freestanding furniture brings some warmth to the space as well. 


Photographer Harry Gils. Featured in House & Home.

I love the metal pendants in this space, and the wooden mirror adds a gorgeous organic feel.Even practical kitchen items like cutting boards, olive oil, canisters and knife blocks bring life into a simple space.

Found at 1st Option.

Now, just because you have a white kitchen, doesn't mean you have to have white walls! Grey, or any other colour, will highlight your cabinetry and create a completely different look. Adding some decorative items and a pretty rug to your kitchen shelving will also bring a little bit of whimsy to an otherwise functional space.

I've spotted a couple of ideas here that I might incorporate into this display home. Have you seen anything that inspires you?

Stylish styling ideas...bookshelves (lots of ideas!)

Well I had a busy weekend and only posted a quick bookshelf vignette for you, but I promised to make up for it! So here you have lots of beautiful styling ideas, all ready to inspire you to makeover your shelving.


This is one of my favourite bookshelves (despite the complete lack of books to be seen). The height and large scale of the shelves lend themselves so beautifully to large decorative objects, while the bold kelly green floats, chocolate ceramics and basketware work beautifully with the relaxed coastal feel of the room.

Designed by Lisa Romerein. Found at Coastal Living.

The black painted shelves here are perfect for highlighting beautiful neutral objects in shades of white, cream, tan and gold. These pieces on a white shelf would be lost, but with a dark backdrop they look stunning.



Designed by Lauren Gambrel. Featured in Lonny Mag (Jul/Aug 2011).



This is a very pretty arrangement for open wall shelves. It only features a few books which is perfect for a formal living space, or just a great way to bring a bit of interest to a bare wall. I love the little terranium as well!

Designed by Anne Turner Carroll. Found at Fabulously Yours blog.

Colour coding your books is an easy way to add some style, but always depends on how you like to find your books. For me, it's the colour of the cover that I remember most easily, so I don't have an issue with them arranged by colour. I also love the little mirror hung on a ribbon here.

Designed by Habitually Chic.

This built-in shelf by Stephen Gambrel doesn't have colour coded books, but the accessories are the same tone and shapes, which still creates that consistent 'designed' feel. The pale blue backdrop is pretty as well.

Designed by Stephen Gambrel.

Here's another dark bookshelf where the floor to ceiling display creates a stunning feature wall in this eclectic living room. And when you're hanging art of bookshelves, who says it has to be symmetrical?

Designer Tracey Garret Design. Found at House and Home.

Do you see any inspiration here? I know I would love to have an enormous shelving space like these, but for now I will have to be happy with my little bookcase!