One room, Three ways

Some of the magazines’ favourite stories are of the “same room, different look” variety. Often though, I look at these rooms and wonder which part of it is actually the same…they change the wall colour, 90% of the furniture and the accessories.

For those of us that aren’t on an Elle Décor or Vogue Living budget this doesn’t always seem entirely realistic! So I decided to choose some basic, neutral furniture and see what looks I could come up with.

So, here’s our living room. We have a contemporary white sofa from CompletePad, a timber lamp table and coffee table and a simple white armchair from Domayne. To ground the room, I added a ‘Sisalo’ rug from Cyrus Persian Carpets.

The obvious choice with a natural fibre style rug and lots of white and timber is a coastal room. Inspired by this gorgeous vintage poster, I tried colourful patterned cushions which remind you of summer swimsuits, casual ottomans and some simple, textured accessories.

Sources: Poster from AllPosters.com, red polkadot cushion from Rosellaslane, yellow striped cushion from bestillshop, green chevron cushion from vidastyle, yellow polkadot cushion from Ada & Darcy, coral suzani cushion from FestiveHomeDecor, green pineapple cushion from ChloeandOliveDotCom, white lamp from Beacon Lighting, cane ottoman from Freedom, yellow Moroccan ottoman from Table Tonic, green vases from Ikea and timber bowl from Freedom.

Now, what about something simpler, more rustic with some country influences? Change out those bright cushions for natural fabrics like burlap and ticking, add some beautiful natural materials and a pair of vintage style maps.

Sources: Map Prints from Domayne, black and white striped cushions from Decorating Emporium, blue floral cushions from milkandcookiesCanada, burlap cushion from JamieKayLtd, table lamp from Cougar Lighting, tripod floor lamp from Beacon Lighting, leather ottoman from Freedom, pottery bowl from Freedom.

What about something more glamorous? The thing I love about these natural rugs and timber furniture is it gives a very glamorous room, a comfortable relaxed feeling. So, I tried adding some black and grey contemporary cushions in cotton and silk and of course, mirror!

Sources: Mirror from Matt Blatt, black silk cushions from Mazizmuze, grey trellis cushions from simplydivinebyJoanne, black and grey floral cushions fromcouchdwellers, table lamp from Bunnings, silver candlesticks from Ikea, mirrored side table from Buyster.com.

So, are you feeling inspired to change things up at home yet?

Anna xx

Wooden walls - what do you think?

Whenever I think of using raw timber on walls or ceilings, my immediate thought is dark 70s style dens, or rustic knotty pine overload.

But, for all you timber lovers, there are ways to work with these wooden walls and bring them closer to the modern era.

I spotted this picture on Pinterest which started me off on the hunt for more inspiration...

Found on 'bloom' tumblr.

And here are a few more I came across...

Definately still rustic, but black and white gives it a modern edge.
Found here.



This makes a great feature wall. I can see it working beautifully in a restaurant or club as well.
Found at Trendir.

The crisp white walls make the timber wall a real feature. Looks great
combined with retro influenced furniture.
Found at Asia Interior.

Originally from House Beautiful. Found at digsdigs.com.

Found at Nest Interior.

I love the white-washed versions for a traditional, country or coastal home and think the contemporary versions add a lot of warmth to a modern, simple interior.

Would you consider it? Or do you still firmly remain in the 'paint it white' camp?

Anna xx

Blog List - Add me and I'll add you!

I still haven't got enough blogs to add to my blog list which is why it isn't online yet. I'm looking for lots of blogs with categories ranging from craft, interiors, family life, cooking, fashion, anything you choose.

If any of you would be so kind of add my design ethos to your blog's side bar, blog list or link love I would really appreciate it, and would love to add your blog in return!

Please let me know your blog name and address, your name, and what kind of category you would class your blog under (multiple categories if you like), and a little blurb would be great too!

Can't wait to meet you all!

Anna xx

I've been tagged...A little about me!

You're it! I've been tagged by the lovely KL from eternalicons. This is a game I haven't done before so I thought I'd have a go!

The Rules:

1. Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post.

2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.

3. Tag eleven people and link them on your post

4. Let them know you've tagged them!

Some fun (or probably just a little bit boring) facts about me!

1. I am a born and bred Townsville local (luckily for me though I have travelled a lot).

2. I love clothes, and particularly shoes. I have about 30 pairs of high heels now, ranging in colours from cobalt blue to baby pink to charcoal.

3. Apart from shoes, everyone likes to joke about how many chairs and sofas I buy. I tend to pick up unloved armchairs, dining chairs, benches, stools and ottomans to re-upholster and fix up. In my little house I don't really have anywhere to keep them all.

4. I love to read, but avoid it unless I'm on holidays. Once I start reading I can't stop and tend to ignore the entire world around me!

5. My 21st present from my Dad was a trip to Morocco (best present ever right?).

Does anyone like Moroccan ottomans?!

6. I have two pups that rule the house and are allowed to sleep on all my furniture, even the freshly upholstered chairs! :)

7. I am half-Scottish (from Mum) but have yet to learn anything about my heritage or Scotland itself (it's on the list).

8. I used to like lego because I could create two-dimensional floor plans and furniture. I would only play with them for around an hour, before pulling it apart and building a new house.

9. I'm a list writer, although I usually lose the list before I cross much off. Then I write another one.

10. I've had lots of pets growing up including a couple of snakes, a native Australian mouse, puppies, kittens, chickens, cockatoos, fish, cockatiels and a horse.

11. I love to cook, especially anything Italian, beautiful salads and desserts. My favourite at the moment is a lemon-lime tart.

Answering my extra questions

1. What is the number one thing on your 'bucket list'? For me, it's probably always a never-ending list of travel destinations. At the moment highest on the list are Italy, Croatia, Eastern Europe and Turkey. Hmm and an ongoing goal is always the growth of my business, so I guess a major bucket list item would be to get a project in a magazine!

2. What would you choose as your last meal? Jamie Oliver's lemon-lime tart!

Get the recipe here. It's amazing!

3. What is your favourite drink (either Alcoholic or non)? Mojitos.

4. What is the weirdest thing you've ever eaten? Deep fried grasshoppers in Thailand.

5.What's your favourite holiday destination? Morocco is amazing. If you haven't been, make sure you do! Laos is also a beautiful country with friendly people, amazing sights, incredible handicraft and an amazing relaxed atmosphere.

6. What are you most proud of? Starting Ethos Design! It was a scary decision that meant spending money I didn't really have, and learning to put myself out there, but I love my job!

7. Where is your favourite place to shop? Etsy. I love that website.

8. Do you collect anything? Chairs, vases, vintage lamps and cushions, so many cushions. And shoes.

9. Are you an early bird or a night owl? Definately an early bird (although not too early). By 8.30pm I can't concentrate on anything and just want to go to bed!

10. Have you ever been told you look like someone famous? Who? I've had a few but not sure I agree with any of them....Keira Knightley, Mischa Barton and Quinn from Glee!

11. What is your favorite quality about yourself? My creativity I think. I love making art, I love designing and I love coming up with creative solutions to problems.

Phew, now everyone knows way too much about me! My turn to tag some others...

1. Loulou from Here I Am Loulou
2. Allumer Decor
3. Brooke from The House on Chambers
4. Olga from Stardust Decor & Style
5. Abbey from Gild & Grace
6. KP from change of place
7. B is building a house
8. Sarah from Monaco Interiors
9. Anna from Lona de Anna
10. Annie from Red Roses and Crystal
11. The lovely ladies from Something Gorgeous

I'd love to know the following about you...

1. If you could have dinner with anybody, who would you choose?

2. What's your favourite cocktail/wine/mocktail?

3. If you could have any job in the world, apart from your current job, what would you be?

4. If you could change your name what would you change it to?

5. Are you a summer or winter person?

6. Are you a saver or a spender?

7. If you could live in any era (i.e. 40s, 60s etc) what would you choose?

8. What's one place you want to visit before you die?

9. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

10. Name your favourite colour.

11. What's your favourite blog at the moment?

Gosh, that was a lot of work! Hope you enjoyed learning a little more about me, and I'm looking forward to knowing some of you a bit better as well :)

Anna xx

Moodboard No. 3: Contemporary Grey Bedroom

Ok, the third moodboard I decided to try was suggested by DSF from 'The House We Built'. She suggested a bedroom with a colour scheme of white, charcoal and silver. As you can probably guess from my own home, I'm rather fond of grey so I jumped at the chance to do this one.

Since I didn't know what style DSF was looking for I decided to go for a contemporary bedroom with a boutique hotel style; glamorous, clean and luxurious.

A bold headboard is the centerpiece of the room, against silvery grey walls. Dark bedside tables provide some depth, and black lampshades add drama. 

I didn't want the room to feel too cold with the grey walls and accents so I added just a pop of bold raspberry red. The red velvet cushions are a lovely luxurious touch to the simple bedding.

Cushion close up.

The lovely floral prints from Etsy 'galleryzooart'.

Sources:

Bed: Luxe Bedframe from Domayne 

Bedside tables: Modern bedsides by the Banyan Tree from Buyster.com 

Console: Shorthand Desk from Freedom

Ottoman: Cube Stool from Matt Blatt

Red Chair: Filo chair from Complete Pad

Side Table: Replica Eero Saarinen Tulip Side Table from Matt Blatt

Curtains: Custom, or buy ready-made cream panels and add grey trim.

Rug: Ivory Shag Rug from AuRugs.com

Lamps: Petra Lamp from Bunnings. (Black lampshades can be found at Target.)

Red Cushions: Etsy Seller studiotullia

Grey Cushions: Grey dot cushions from Etsy Seller TheModishLife

Grey Vases: Varlikt vases from Ikea

Mirror: Delaney mirror from Cafe Lighting

Art: Flower Photograph set from Etsy Seller galleryzooart

Hope you like it!

Anna xx

If you would like a custom room design which includes a moodboard similar to above, please visit my 'Online Design Services' page to learn more.

Coastal Inspiration

Featured in Coastal Living.

I haven't done a roundup of my favourite style rooms this year, so I thought I'd start with some coastal homes. I'm sure I've said it before but the coastal style has to be one of the most versatile; it can be moody or bright, modern or traditional and there are many interpretations in different countries.

Here are a few gorgeous examples I've spotted online recently...

Bright and modern bathroom, perfect for a holiday home. Found via Kika Reichert.

Designer unknown? Found on Decorpad.

Designer Seleta Hayes Howard. Found on Hadley Designs blog.

Coastal Living Beach Home. Found on House of Turquoise blog.

Found on Coastal Style blog. Designed by Leibowitz and Mclachlan.

Designed unknown. Found on Greige blog.

Found on Coastal Style blog.

What do you think? Could you incorporate any of these ideas into your home?

Anna xx

Living Room Inspiration

One of my all time favourite rooms is this apartment that was featured in Domino magazine in 2008. Tori Mellott's living room features neutral striped walls, an interesting mix of furniture, and a gorgeous gallery wall squeezed into a very small space.

So, why does this space inpire me so much?

Firstly, the striped walls. Bold, thick stripes would be too much for this small space, but having neutral stripes provides an interesting but soft backdrop. The narrow width of the stripe, plus the fact they are vertical, helps to make the ceiling feel and draws the eye up in what could feel very closed in otherwise.

I love the mix of furniture Tori uses; from contemporary glossy white stools to traditional accent chairs, there is a lovely mix of styles and eras.

There is a smart use of space for a small living room; using narrow built-in shelves for storage, along with a dresser for the TV, a narrow coffee table and tailored sofa are compac enough for a small space, while the use of upholstered dining chairs provide extra seating without taking up valuable floor space.

The gallery wall is a fun addition to the room. See that although it's a random arrangement, the black frames unite a mix of different prints. The large mirror helps ground the arrangement, while the addition of an unframed object (the silhouette) helps break up all the linear elements and creates a little bit of interest.

In this version of the room, the stools have been moved, and the graphic rug has been taken away. I actually prefer this version for the 'calmer' floors.

I love the fact that a lot of the items in this room could be easily recreated on a budget.

1) Paint a secondhand coffee table black, and add a painted gold trim around the edges (you could even cut shapes of MDF to creae the scallop edges shown here).

2) Trim a plain linen drumshade (available from budget-friendly places like Beacon and Bunnings) with black ribbon to give it a custom edge.

3) The stripes can be easily (if tediously) recreated using stripes, rather than wallpaper.

4) The little white table in the forefront of this photo looks very much like an Ikea Lack table (for those of you not near an Ikea, Kmart has a very similar option).

5) Finally, if you look in the top picture, the TV is resting on a glossy black dresser (which you could easily find secondhand, or from online stores like Maison Living).

6) For tall bookshelves either side of your TV, why not use a a cheap shelf from Ikea or Officeworks, and frame out with moulding to create your won built-ins?


Now, since it's my birthday today, any of you can feel free to give me this room, ok? :)

Anna xx

A magical little hideaway

I recently joined StumbleUpon. I don't know why I thought it was a good idea join another social media site from this blog, twitter, facebook and pinterest. But I did.

And it's kind of fun. For those of you who don't know, you join up, register what you're interests are (I selected interior design, fashion, art and graphic design), and then you start stumbling. The site finds you a random blog post you might like based on your interests. You can choose whether you 'like' it (it will show up on your profile then) or 'dislike' it, which starts to refine the sites you like to see. Then you click the button in the top left corner which says 'Stumble' and it will find you another post, and you can just keep clicking and clicking and clicking!

One of the first things I stumbled upon (at Sharona Designs blog) I did like though...this tiny little cottage in a garden.

 

Pretty gorgeous, right?

Anna xx

Free Moodboard No. 2: Feminine British Empire Study

So, for moodboard number two Brooke from The House on Chambers suggested a British style library or study. British Empire style is a lot of fun, and tends to feature dark colours, lots of timber, classic furniture and an eclectic arrangement of objects such as globes, antlers and other paraphenalia of the British Colonial era.

Robyn Holt did a classic British Empire room on the TV show 'The Renovators' last year.

Designed by Robyn Holt. Via The Renovators website.

So, since the classic British empire study/library has already been done I thought I'd try a new version; a feminine version.



Dark timber floors and rusty rose painted walls provide the perfect backdrop for a mix of classic furniture pieces from the English roll arm sofa, to the two tone bookcases.

For a modern edge I added accents in grey and black, including that beautiful lace rug from the Catherine Martin Designer Rugs collection, and some contemporary grey and black Union Jack and crown pillows. 



Symmetry is perfect for a classic room but adding eclectic cushions, a trunk
side table, and an interesting collection of items on the shelf will
keep it interesting.

 

Sources:

Furniture:
Sofa: Carlton Lounge from Complete Pad
Bookshelves: Tea Chest Bookshelf from Freedom
Striped armchair: Provence armchair from Domayne
Leather armchair: Farmhouse Leather Lounge Chair from Ecochic
Rug: Lace rug by Catherine Martin for Designer Rugs
Desk: Rhine Castle Table from Maison Living
Chair: Louis Dining Chair from Early Settler
Filing Cabinet: Emerson 2 Drawer from Early Settler
Trunk Side Table: Stateroom Trunk End Table by AM Living from Buyster.com.au
Pedastal Side Table: French Quarter Side Table from Maison Living
Globe: 12inch and 6inch from Freedom
Lamp: Lido Ivory Crackle Table Lamp from Beacon
Mirrors: Cairo Mirror from Freedom
Decorative Finials: Greenwich Finial from Domayne

Cushions:

1: Burlap Monogrammed Pillow from ASimpleThingofBeauty
2: White & Black Union Jack Pillow from Karen Hilton Designs
3: Ivory Pillow from Mazizmuze
4: Union Jack Pillow from nakeddecor
5: Shabby Chic Lumbar Pillow from SewnInspirations
6: Antique French Rose Pillow from PillowBeach
7: Grey Pillow from Mazizmuze

 So, what do you think? Feminine enough? British enough?

Anna xx 
  

Feature Home: Relaxed Aussie Family Home

This home looks like a standard suburban home on the outside, but the inside showcases a relaxed and mix of contemporary and mid-century furniture with colourful accents. Neutral white and greige walls, and dark timber floors provide the perfect backdrop for a home that speaks of easy family fun.



All image via Real Living on Ninemsn website.

Although this isn't so much my personal style I love the relaxed atmosphere of this home; nothing feels to precious for kids, parties or having fun.And I'm loving those peeks of large artworks.


Anything you are loving or disliking?


Anna xx

Downstairs bedroom progress...small steps!

So just the other day I posted about the small room downstairs we were turning into a bedroom. The reason this space is becoming a bedroom is because we decided to get a student boarder (our place being pretty big for only two people).

The reason I had this nice leisurely post about what I was planning was because I thought we were going to have a few weeks before someone was found, leaving me time to decorate to my heart's content!

However, things didn't quite work like that, and someone wants to start moving in this weekend. Cue, panic!

A few months ago (ok, maybe more than a few, but ssshhh) the room looked like this...



  

A little while after that, we managed to get it to this point...tiling started, and the first stages of the undercoat on..



 After grouting the room became our storeroom until we had finished the other spaces downstairs, as it wasn't really a high priority.

The result was that when this new boarder called the other day, I had an undercoated room (no top coats) with unpainted window frames and stacked to the ceiling with furniture projects and boxes.

Monday night, we moved furniture, painted, and painted. Last night we had to clean the floors, finish the window frames, hang some curtains and put some basic furniture in there so the room vaguely respectable.

I threw in some existing furniture pieces, cushions and other things I had stored away and the room currently looks like this. (Obviously, the bedspread badly needs ironing but I wanted to get a quick photo before work this morning so please be nice!)

So, it's certainly not as pretty as I plan it to be, but at least it's clean, painted and liveable for the moment. Once she moves in, I can have some more fun finishing the room, and promise to post pictures.

The next stages
- Make an upholstered headboard.
- Paint & upholster bench.
- Artwork.
- Blind for window behind curtains. Maybe a pelmet?
- Paint desk and cover pretty desk chair.
- Make pinboard.
- Paint wardrobe.
- New bedspread.
- Maybe a little dressing table?

Well...at least there's a bed!

Anna xx