Flowers Everywhere...

oh happy day

Flowers displayed just as they should be...showing off their natural, raw beauty and simplicity. Happy weekend y'all...

Lightness

Light is everything, don't you find? It affects how you see, how you feel, how you move, how you love. I do love bright light - it picks me up, makes me feel alive... However could there be anything more sublime than dawn and twilight - this is surreal light, and somehow makes me feel more connected to the heavens. When decorating your space, it's important to manipulate the light to suit your needs - it is one of the most malleable decorating tools to use of all. I adore the lightness in these photos from Marie Claire Maison... European light... Muted, soft and somehow tangible...

Another week has flown by..

Its time for yet another fab giveaway!

These beautiful botanical prints come to us this week from Vintage Prints, a company founded by Martine & Drew Booth and stemmed from a love of all things retro, vintage and recycled.
Each print is worth $12, and one lucky person will be winning 3 prints from the Botanical range, ready to pop into your favourite frame and pretty up your wall.
To win this gorgeous prize, become a follower of my blog, if you are one already, make sure you've headed to my facebook page and clicked the "like" button, and if you're feeling extra generous, suggest my facebook page to your friends, you never know, they might just win...


WINNER of The Brown Trading Co prize from last week is.... drum roll...... Bayside Rose... Are you Bayside Rose? Then send us an email here with your address and details and we'll send you your gorgeous prize. Thanks for entering and good luck all for this week...

Be Free...

Think I saw this gal in Byron this weekend. Groooovy....

pic from Free People

Inspired by..

 

These pictures from Bazaar Style and Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic Interiors inspired me to display my hydrangeas a little differently...what a beautiful flower these are... Hope they inspire you too...

Blue and Green Should ALWAYS Be Seen...

Who ever said that blue and green should NEVER be seen clearly didn't see what a complementary relationship these two colours really have... They are heavenly together I say, and certainly make for a brighter day... And so today, it is blue and green - together.... forever...

where else?

An amazing giveaway!

This week's giveaway is so gorgeous that it's proving hard to part with! The wonderful brother and sister duo, Keren and Gavin over at The Brown Trading Co has very kindly offered a Table Cloth and a pair of Tea Towels from the Bungalow range. I first met Keren at one of my workshops here at The Little Cottage - her joie de vivre is infectious and is present in everything she does and creates. I met Gavin recently at the Reed Gift Fair (manning The Brown Trading Co stand) - it's such a lovely change to see a man involved in the decor industry and such a personable one at that... Head over to their website to find out where you can source their gorgeous creations...

180 cm Round Rani Green Tablecloth RRP $99.95

Neem Green Tea Towel RRP $14.95

Nalini Green Towel RRP $14.95

Become a follower of our blog and follow the link to our facebook page and click on "like" to enter this giveaway, if you've already done so for previous giveaways, we'll automatically enter you in the draw.
Hope you're the winner!

THE GENTLY UNFURLING SNEAK GIVEAWAY WINNER IS - Eat Drink and Be Kerry - Congratulations - send us your details Kerry and we'll pop your beautiful piece of artwork in the mail...

Pop On The Vision Glasses...

Farm? Tick...
Old Sheds? Tick....
Great Location? Tick....
Pop on the vision glasses all - can't you just see a Terrain @ Styers right here in the backyard up at the farm? Ah to dream.... Now I just have to convince Byron Shire Council!!!! Could be a while!

Tough Terrain...

It's tough I say, tough - being all the way here in Oz when there is a world of Terrain waiting on the other side of the globe! And yet to be seen by moi!!! I've been busy in the garden the past few days - both literally and in my mind - and with that I have a renewed sense for all things natural and organically minded. Sunday, it was a visit to Petersham Nurseries - such a joyous voyage... And today, I'm at Terrain - yes again! Geez, don't you just love this place? It's got me thinking about a little Terrain up here at the farm? Can't you just see our broken down piggery turned into a glasshouse of gorgeousness? Oh, what to do?

Sundays At Petersham...

Hubby's heading to London soon (he'll be there for the Royal wedding no less!) - and naturally I'm green with envy... And so this Sunday, I've been virtual voyaging to one of my favourite places in the world - Petersham Nurseries. Oh, I do so love this place. Every photograph of every nook and cranny inspires me to get up off my very comfy chair and get out into the garden and plant, plant, plant... And so, that's what I've been doing... I'm very excited that I planted some magnolias yesterday - they are but tiny seedlings and will no doubt take forever to grow - however it is the watching them grow that I love the most. As well as the magnolias - we also have some pink tipochina's - one of my fave trees. All of this is taking place alongside Joni (my lovely stonemason's) beautiful creations - a sandstone cabana and pathways... Eventually, (10 years no doubt) - we will have a labyrinth of a garden filled to the brim with colourful trees, flowers and birdlife... Oh, I do love these days at Petersham Nurseries - they inspire a flurry of activity...

pics by David Loftus from the Petersham Nursery site

A Seaside Hideaway..

I've been deeply in love with this house - ever since I saw it featured in Vogue Living - so many moons ago now. There is something about this classic design that endures through the ages - plus the colour scheme is perfectly paired with the environment beyond. We are on a roll with our inky blues and blacks this week - in fact we can't get them out of our minds as we play around with a few of these colours for a clients house. There's something very relaxing about these deep inky colours - particuarly when they are paired with textural fabrics and highlighted with bright white! Ah, the beauty of it as I imagine whiling away the weekend hours here...

via kmldesign

Nooks

I am loving these gorgeous decorated nooks from Anthropologie...

Inspiration

I recently received the latest Summer/Spring Toast catalogue, and was inspired by the Mustard and Ink colours in the top left hand picture. I love to see how pictures from magazines can be translated into real life and decided to break the image down into materials. When transferring inspiration from photos into mood boards, its important to take into account what you like about the picture, is it the colours? the mood? the textures? Do I want the mustard colour to play a bigger part in my scheme and use it as a wall colour? or do I tone it down and infuse the colour into cushions? The exterior colour of my studio provided the perfect backdrop, paired with a white chair, mustard toned cushion and wooden crate, and I have my own interpretation of the Toast image.

The Reveal...

I promised, so many moons ago now, that I would show you a pic of the completed swimming pool! And voila... Here is it! It's been heavenly having a pool in the back garden - particularly when the weather is warm and glorious like it has been the last few days... And would you believe, hubby loves it too! And so, we've been hopping into the pool as often as possible, taking advantage of these final summer days... What do you think all?

Glorious Monday..

What a gorgeous day it is in Bangalow today, and we have a new giveaway to kick start the week. Lovely Melbourne designer, Anika Cook from The Gently Unfurling Sneak has very kindly donated one of her beautiful canvases.

Handmade in Melbourne, and one of only 25 made, this Chook Canvas worth $65 is sure to brighten up your wall. Find more of her funky designs on her website. You have to be in it to win it, and to be in the draw, become a follower of this blog and if you are already, head over to my facebook page and click the "like" button. Easy....

Good luck!

Doodling...

Today is a doodling day - the most wonderful of all. Holed up in my studio (just me and the gorgeous objects around me), I find that these days are the most inspirational of all. I find that to really delve deeply into your creative voice - one has to be alone... Tricky task I know, what with kids, hubbys, builders, coworkers and what not all around - but priceless nonetheless. And so, I've been doodling - playing around with colour and the like. I hope that you all manage a day of doodling over the weekend too...

Stylish Rugs - LifeStyle Channel

Click on the link below to check this out all - gorgeous decorating ideas from Home at The Lifestyle Channel - featuring a much younger (and thinner!!!) moi! What I love about these snippets is that the info is as relevant today as ever. Beautiful and practical decorating advice never ages - and these stories are a reminder to me the positive effect that decorating can have in your life... Enjoy all!


Stylish Rugs - LifeStyle Channel