The Little Things....

Sometimes it's the little things in life that bring us the most joy...
Have a lovely weekend everybody.
sx

Where Do I Begin...

I was invited recently to give a talk on decorating and how it can nourish your home and your life. Here's a little peek...

I'm often asked where does one begin when they are hoping to embark on their own decorating journey. What I've learnt is that the trick is simply... to begin! To immerse yourself in the process of it. To make it a passion. Look around you for inspiration. See it as a joy rather than be overwhelmed by it. The rest will come in time. Begin a file of your loves and the things that inspire you - and as an editor might cut and paste their ideas together to create a magazine - so too does a budding decorator. I find that breaking down all of the elements of design into bite sized chunks and concentrating on developing one aspect of decorating at a time works best. For me, the ideal place to begin would be with colour. Although colour can be a tricky subject matter to wrangle - once you have your head around which types of colours you like and can live with - and that suit your home home environment - then this will guide many of your other decorating choices. One you have a good sense of the colours you love then your choices of pattering, texture and detail are easier to make.....

pic from rice

Perfectly Balanced....

I find that the one aspect of interior decorating that is the most daunting is working out when enough is.... enough! When does detail topple over into clutter? Or at what point does a minimalist space just feel a little too empty? Balance is all about feeling harmonious in a space and how we feel in our homes is different for everybody. And so there are no hard and fast rules in this regard. I find that the best indicator is your gut instinct - stop, look and feel. Are you at peace in your space? If you feel like you're living with too many things then you know it's time to par back. On the other hand, if you feel as though you're swimming in a fish bowl - then it's time to go shopping! When in doubt - turn to the Europeans (particularly the Nordic kind!) - as they always get it right!

pics from here

Bohemian Bathing....

There's something rather bohemian about bathing outdoors, don't you think? Something footloose and fancy free! It's simple; no fuss and completely at one with nature. I'm sure there's plenty of outdoor bathing going on around me in Byron Bay - and after a few more years of living here - I just might find myself joining them! Well, maybe....

another lovely pic from here

Heaven In A Vase...

Well, I think that the beauty of this image speaks for itself. What a combination of colours - pure heaven!

Iconic....

Oh, I just love this room - it's so eclectic, layered and full of depth and richness. I particular love the icon montage above the fireplace. It just feels so vintage and interesting. I can just imagine myself living here - sans kids and hubby though! Just me in my old age - with Isobel the Spoodle and a few cats!
Oh, did I really say that!

pic from here

A Lavender House....

It's a dream of mine to have a greenhouse one day. A beautiful, sunny space made of glass and timber that sits elegantly amongst the garden beds. I can imagine whiling away many hours in my greenhouse, as I tinker with my pots and plants - a little like a bloke may while away hours in his shed. If I had a greenhouse then I'd like it to look just like this one - with a wash of white as the backdrop, overlaid with accessories in all kinds of pretty colours. Perhaps purple will be my colour of choice - it's so regal like. As, after all, my greenhouse would be fit for a queen. Me!

pic from here

Be Calm....

Bed is my favourite place to be and so I'm always looking for bedroom inspiration and am particularly drawn to spaces with a calming palette. I think that's why I love this beautiful bedroom - the gentle colour scheme mixed with the stream of light filtering in from the window makes the ideal setting for whiling away countless hours in bed. I mean, could there be anything more delightful that chilling out in bed (in the afternoon inparticular!!) with a book and a cuppa! Aaaah....

pic from here

Workshop Time...

Since I've been home I've been busy conjuring inspiration for future projects and finally (!) planning some more workshops! I've been receiving so many lovely email enquiries regarding my workshops with many decorating enthusiasts amongst you wondering when the next one will be taking place. You'll be happy to know that we are currently working on dates and a venue as we speak. So watch this space for more info coming soon. Also, I've had a couple of enquiries regarding private decorating workshops - where groups of friends get together and we organize a day of decorating fun. Some of you have even suggested a weekend in Byron Bay - with one day of consisting a decorating workshop and the other a free day - and so we are looking into making these workshops happen too. Generally, we'd need about 12 participants to make it all possible. If you're interested in knowing more then pop me an email and I'll add you to the info list.
sx

pic from Martha x

Home Again....

Ah to be home! Well, I have to admit that I have been home for a little while now - settling back in to life on the farm after my European jaunt! Although flanked by jetlag for a week, a cold and the craziest hurricane conditions - it is good to be home. The kids were delighted to see me as was Isobel our whoolly Spoodle. And so I've spent the last couple of weeks ploughing through my pile of paperwork and reconnecting with all of the chores that make up my life.
Thank you so much to everyone who has followed me on my travels - it was lovely to have you all along for the ride.
After almost six weeks away, I'm still not quite sure what it means to be 40 (!) - maybe the point of it all is that I simply don't need to know. Six weeks travelling has reminded me of the beauty of living in the moment and taking each day as it comes. And to be excited about not knowing what lies ahead.
sx

Trasierra Time....

What a wonderful treat it was to spend three whole nights at Charlotte Scott's beautiful small hotel, Trasierra in Andalucia, Spain. I've been in love with this hotel since I saw the article in Domino magazine a while ago - and was determined to get there to see it for myself. And so, mum and I hopped in the car and made our way from Seville, through the beautiful countryside and national park to this special place. Trasierra is everything that I hoped it would be - a calm and relaxed oasis. Lovingly restored by Charlotte over a 30 year period, put simply Trasierra is just gorgeous. Every room is decorated in its own unique style as are the main breakfast rooms, sitting rooms and pool area. My favourite would have to be the courtyards though - so pretty and rustic with the soft blue, white and earthy terracotta colour scheme. Most of all however, the food was just divine - and mum and I managed to stuff ourselves silly. All in all, I think that Trasierra was a highlight of the trip. Hopefully one day I'll make it back for a few more days of Spanish heaven...

p.s I'm sorry that I only have pics of the exteriors to show you - my camera had run out of steam by this stage of the trip! You can go to the Trasierra website for more www.trasierra.co.uk