My Weekends

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My Weekends

Beach House Inspiration … with a touch of black and white 4539

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With a view like this who needs colour … white highlights the natural tones and nature itself.
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I love black walls with vivid white trim anywhere but particularly in a beach house.  It works brilliantly with earthy timber tones.
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You can so easily bring in a smart pattern when you have a colour palette of predominantly white.
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It is all in the detail … black of course !!
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Or the floor … where rugs will become your focal point.
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And just to set the scene ….
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MORE POSTS IN 2016 THAN 2015 I PROMISE !!! BUT IN THE MEANTIME
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My Weekends

Winter in the Highlands 2880

While we sit here feeling toasty in front of the fire this freezing cold weekend,  I mull over the colours, textures and finishes that exude warmth in a cold climate.
Sometimes it is simply the chosen colour palette of muted hues in greige, string or faded blues and greens.
The warmth of aged timbers, the glow of candle light or an open fire.
Bookshelves filled with books both old and new.
A cosy throw rug or scatter cushion in a velvet or tartan wool
If all else fails, a chunky knit and cashmere bed socks.
Take your cue from nature itself and create a colour palette that makes you want to luxuriate indoors.
My Weekends

Bowral weekends … the new design hub 2015

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Bowral in the Southern Highlands now has its very own ‘design hub’. The once neglected bottom end of town is becoming ever so fashionable. My favourite … rabbit trap timber, has a new, larger home that shows off their gorgeous rustic yet contemporary style to perfection.
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Full of recycled and environmentally friendly pieces, the design aesthetic is very much of the moment but with its own unique stamp. Such an interesting mix of beautifully designed furniture and homewares … and found objects.
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I feel I need to keep an eye on the changing scene at rabbit trap timber but look forward to exploring this end of town further next weekend.  In the meantime … back to Sydney !!!
My Weekends

My gorgeous lunch with gervasoni 2352

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I am sharing images of my favourite pieces of Gervasoni furniture, above and below.  I had the pleasure of meeting Michele Gervasoni last weekend at a gorgeous lunch overlooking Balmoral Beach … a sunny winter’s afternoon … perfection.

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It was interesting to hear how he and his brother, the third generation to manage this beautiful Italian furniture company, have expanded their market so enormously … and without any compromise. Their passion for attention to detail and use of natural materials always the hallmark of Gervasoni products.

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The fabulous Gervasoni website is a must and their collection extensive.  It is available in Sydney through Anibou.

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My Weekends

Creative walls … just when I needed help 2237

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I had spent days fluffing around redoing the bookshelves, rearranging ornaments and nic nacs and changing our artwork … over and over, never quite happy with the end result  !!  You can imagine how thrilled I was to receive for Mother’s Day, Creative Walls – how to display and enjoy your treasured collections, by Geraldine James.

And I am supposed to be good at this sort of thing.  I do love it … the fluffing around bit … but to be able to flick through endless images of other people’s creativity does give you the added confidence to go with your own eye and instinct.  Sometimes you need to just walk away and come back with fresh eyes.

I did resist the urge to colour group the books in the library … mainly because there are just far too many books to start again.  However, quite some time was wasted repositioning a few according to subject matter.  I just had to put all our books on Churchill together, if nothing else.  I am absolutely fascinated by him since reading A Daughter Tale by Mary Soames … if only I had the time to read more.

Whether it is creating a monochrome, neutral or bold statement with your artwork or artefacts, I feel it all comes down to working with colour.  Play around with different groupings and your eye will tell you which colours just work.

A word of warning … hours will be lost in the process but the end result will be worth it.
My Weekends

Jasper conran … COUNTRY 1918

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In COUNTRY, Jasper Conran claims that country life is a universal aspiration …the dream … not achieved by spending money or ‘getting the look’, it is about understanding, self expression and getting back to the root of what makes us tick.

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This is a book that one savours from beginning to end. One of UK’s leading designers, Jasper Conran spends a year exploring … a journey through landscapes, seasons and homes … an insight into life in the country as it is today.  Andrew Montgomery’s stunning photography captures it all.

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Each village, building or season with their own story to tell !!!  I have to say, the discovery is one thing … however capturing and sharing it all through a designers eye is very special.

‘Remember the simple things the countryside has to offer and treasure them…’

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