bijou kaleidoscope

Moving. Updating. Changing.

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 11:17:00 +0000

I have moved my blog to a new address: Bijou Kaleidoscope. I look forward to seeing you there.

Hiatus

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 07:23:00 +0000

We've been having a little technical difficulty in transfering and designing a new blog... so please bear with me. Thanks for your readership and your comments. Still get a thrill from receiving a comment from my readers :)

xx

Just like Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Sat, 24 Aug 2013 03:38:00 +0000

Image from Movie Exclusive

My daughter and I revisited a 2005-released DVD last night, a Reese Witherspoon piece: I was re-enchanted by the apartment of her character, Dr Elizabeth Masterton.

Just Like Heaven is about too-busy-to-live emergency doctor, Elizabeth Masterton (Reese Witherspoon). She has an accident and is in a coma in the hospital she works in. Her family rent out her apartment to David Abbott (Mark Ruffalo, a landscape architect. Her spirit (tied to earth because she's not dead) comes back to the apartment and David gets to know her and soon they embark on a journey to find her and the reason she is still around. It is a rom-com, so inevitably, the protagonists fall in love...

The colourful exterior belies a very different non-candylike interior!

Spacious apartment with loads of dark trim on windows, dark architraves, dark panels, dark flooring, dark doors and plenty of warm-coloured and very comfortable furniture.

I think the apartment with the loads of woodwork and fancy trims is craftsman style... (please correct me if I'm wrong).

I normally love bright, white spaces, but this apartment, while being so different, really really really attracts me.

I also particularly loved this apartment at night. The lovely warm glows of the multiple lamps really turn this space into a warm, dreamy and restful place.

(Not many movies with great sets have rooms lit by recessed lighting... most of the night-lights come from lamps. They must be wired into the wall switches.)

During the day, though, I think this space shines because there is a fantastic amount of natural light streaming in from the large and largely uncurtained windows.

"... good couch," pronounces Mark Ruffalo's garden-landscape architect character David Abbott.
And upon that, the apartment is rented.

Comfortably furnished in earthy colours. The only room with whites and pales is the kitchen. Everything else is warm toned. Lovely warm red couch, warm upholstered cushions on the window seating in the bay window area... warm honeyed woods in the dining rooms.

(The lamp between those two pale blue-bordered pictures on the wall doesn't appear in that space later on. Later on, you'll see that space occupied by TV (no cabinet) flanked by who white armchairs.)

The built-in open shelving between the living and dining area creates a mock divider that gives the large space a two-roomed feel.

One thing I've noticed the designers doing for this show is mixing the sharp, straight lines of the trim, architraves, panels, built ins with items with curves and colours. E.g. the items on the open shelving are curvy vases and glass pieces.

Even though the room is furnished with more wooden pieces, none of it is dark. The dining table and vaguely-Mission chairs are pale woods and not-chunky like the trims. The side table facing the entrance to the living room is a pale honey piece:

The wooden floor lamp base is spindly to contrast against the stark straight lines of the walls.

Beautifully carved fireplace trim with these bright white, yellow and green tiles.

The white chairs are beautiful with the dark piping and bright coral pillows. I love love love the seating area near the bay window. What a place to sit, chat and read!

And at night, a perfect spot for a quiet intimate chat and a place to star-gaze.

Another large bay window (this apartment has FOUR similar bay windows; undoubtedly one apartment takes the whole length of the building) is in her bedroom. Most beds are placed to take advantage of the view... so this bed placed against the windows is unusual and takes advantage of the morning sun (not so good for afternoon naps; hence the long thick drapes). You gotta like that if you're not bothered by your face being bathed by sunlight 6AM in the morning!

A luxuriously comfortably reading armchair flanks a simple white fireplace in the bedroom area.

And kitchens being the heart of the home, was white, clean and full of interesting things.

I firmly believe what is in your home and the state of it reflects the state of your mind and heart. Following my belief, Dr Elizabeth Masterton is a woman of varied interests and order.

Simple kitchen island flanked by two simple stools... but the great window is home to a collection of slim blue and green glass bottles. The light streaming through them in the morning would be really pretty!

And the area near the stovetop is full of paraphernalia that tells me this is a working kitchen. Spice and herb canisters, cooking utensils, oven gloves... No clear, empty (and hence, impractical) counters with solitary bowls of fruit and shining coffee machines.

The bathroom is chromes, pale yellows and whites. The thing I love most is the open-shelved cabinet, used to store towels, beauty products and bathrobes. I love it... but not sure how practical this is. I mean dust and .... collect on every surface in bathrooms. I'd select a clear glass cabinet.

And just because I love the dark trim, dark panels against the pale yellow walls, a couple of hallway shots:

And the rooftop garden! What a beaut!

I think this features as one of my favourite sets in movies. Utterly charming and beautiful. Simple, comfy furniture. I'd love the chance to live here! :)

To read more about the set, jump over to Hooked on Houses.

Shoes: Rude or not?

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 03:18:00 +0000

Tell me, is it rude to:

1. Inform your guests (family included) to remove your shoes upon entry?

Image from KeepCalm-o-matic

or

2. Wear shoes in a guest's obviously-vigorously-tidied-before-receiving-guests-like-you house regardless of being asked to remove?

Image from Art Fire

3. To decline taking off your shoes upon request?

Image from Art Fire

4. Not to inform guests WHEN you invite them over that shoes aren't allowed indoors, so they can wear appropriate socks or wash feet prior to arriving so as to not embarrass your guests?

I grew up in Malaysia and like most Asian countries, the custom is to remove your shoes before you enter a house. So it's normal at a gathering of people to find 30-40 pairs of slippers and shoes outside one's home. There's no question, no formal request. It's the done thing. No questions asked.

But I now live in Australia. And like most non-Asian countries, shoes are normally worn in the house, even right to one's bedroom and closet. I still take my shoes off when I enter a home. It's just my done thing. I am more comfortable that way and I hate bringing in the dirt from outside into anyone's home.

But I am me and my guests are not me.

What do you do? Would it be rude of me to ask over and over and over again (to the same people) to please remove their shoes?

When I can afford big money, I hope to have a house with a large entry hall where I can provide bench seating for my guests to remove their shoes, tuck them into warmed built-ins and provide them with just-laundered mohair slippers to walk about my home...

Art deco offices

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Sun, 18 Aug 2013 12:03:00 +0000

What woods/timbers are your favourites? Which ones appeal to you most?

Some like mahogany. My husband's aunt goes made for kauri or baltic pine. Loads of timber craftsmen I know love sassafras. A lot of Chinese prefer cherry rosewood.

Me, I love birds' eye or sugar maple. I love the pale, almost yellow honey timber with the knots and grain shows. Most often found in expensive art deco furniture, like this piece:

Joel Liebman Designs

If I had my way again, I'd be very tempted to decorate my home entirely in high art deco style with pale timbers. First appearing in France, it made its way to London and that's the period I like; the 1920s to early 30s. Much like Wooster's house in English series Jeeves and Wooster.

Art deco furniture I find very tactile, very sexy and very showy of the craftwork and the skill of the woodworker.

In my inspiration file I have an magazine tear out from Period Home Renovator 9 years ago about a house in Melbourne that was restored to its art deco style (more accurately, streamline moderne) and I still love it.

Photos taken from my magazine tear out, Period Home Renovator

I wrote recently about my newly installed home office/study in our guestroom but have since found it highly impractical for privacy (files are in full view of guests when they use the guestroom!) and practicality (I am a graphic designer using the too-small-area desktop of a secretaire). Once Jasmine reaches 6 months old and moves into her own room, we're going to move my home office into our bedroom...

I'd love to go all art deco in that little concave. I thought I'd go looking for art deco offices:

here

Timeless Interiors

Art Deco Weddings

Timeless Interiors

Architectural Digest

Roomzaar/HGTV

Slim pickings! I guess high art deco spaces are not easy to fit into modern spaces or rooms that have other-style influences.

Unless of course, you land yourself a living space like this:

Beautiful art deco apartment, Flickr.

I love the sculptural window and textural parquet flooring of this apartment. The one thing about art deco apartments like these is you simply cannot have another style messing with it. No French Provincial or Shabby Chic or Industrial Vintage to mar the beauty of the Art Deco!

A little tune

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 04:22:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but I loved singing a special song to my children when they were in my womb.

For Hannah, I sang You are my Sunshine (by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell) daily. Seconds after she was delivered, I sang that song to her and her eyes fixated on that voice and her body went quiet. She recognised that song. It's since become her song.

For Jasmine, I wanted to have another song. And I chose 1960s Roses are Red, My Love by Al Byron and Paul Evans.

The one thing I was determined to make something special for the girls' room:

Yes I am aware I left out the "My love" in the red and "days" should be "skies" in the yellow. It's a kind of thing with me and lyrics. heh.

I love it. Hannah loves it. (Jasmine will too!)

"The Magazine Perfect House"

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 12:29:00 +0000

Image from The New Domestic

A close relative said to me over the phone the other day, in tears and frustrated: "I so much want the magazine perfect home and it's really hard when it isn't."

My response was to point out reasonably that no one lives like that. Magazine crews and photographers work hard to create that perfect photo; many minutes, sometimes hours, spent to de-family-life the setting. Moving family-accoutrement from one room to the next, almost as soon as the last photo was taken.

Image from The Handmade Home

I'd be willing to bet not even celebrities have their homes "magazine perfect" every minute of every day.

When one (like my relative) juggles children, spouse, habits, work, housework, laundry and stuff!

Having studied interior design, having spent hours trawling online on Pinterest, Flickr, online shopping sites and of course, interior blogs, I understood this need, sometimes craved and yearned for my home to be magazine perfect. More than this relative.

But I know it's unreasonable and therefore, I focus on making sure my child packs her toys most nights, laundry is hurriedly washed, hung and folded and *sometimes* put away, letters and papers filed away once a week, recycle bin taken outside once a day... just to try to minimise the unavoidable family-mess that is created by merely 3 people. So that starting a new day with less-junk-than-the-night-before allows us to breathe, to dream and to be happy.

Now with a newborn, I have to contend with spew-cloths, nappy trash, multitudes of linen and bodysuits and floor pads and, very soon, more toys.

Even magazine perfect homes don't have it perfect all the time. Piles of family-mess goes right back where it belongs after the magazine crew and photographers leave!

Image from The New Domestic

No bathroom is void of toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes, toilet papers and piles of reading material.

No living room is free of tissue boxes, books, magazines, pens, notepads, toys. What about the ubiquitous TV? Or phones?

No kitchen is devoid of piles of dishes, spoons, jars out, bread loaves...

Image from Food and the Fabulous

No entryway is devoid of bills, letters, boots, scarves, keys, sweets, mints, pens, papers, wallets...

I haven't had my home photographed, but the Folks over at Young House Love will validate the above:

We’ve learned that as glamorous as at-home photo shoots sound, you really have to be completely ok with people rolling in and rearranging all of your stuff (sometimes moving it into a pile in your nursery chair for example) so they can reset the space and style it in a unique way to capture every angle that they need with ease. So our first behind the scenes tidbit would be that as flawless as each room looks in a glossy magazine, picture it with piles of props just out of frame, since it’s likely that there are tons of eyesores hiding just beyond the bounds of the shot – like thick extension cords for cameras and computers as well as stacks of unused decor items.

I think as long as your house provides space for:
laughs
sleeps
play
eat
cook
entertain
work
you are better off than you think.

He can't wait to get home!

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 01:59:00 +0000

Our rental may be dated.
There may be toys on the floor.
Laundry mountain may need folding, stacking and stored in wardrobes.
Ceiling light shades may need changing.
Lightbulbs may be blown.
Dishes may need doing.
Paintwork may need a desperate re-do.
Doorknobs may need replacing.
Crumbs may need sweeping.
Lounges may be ugly (but super comfy!).

But when the husband on an interstate work trip says

Image from Take one girl and a camera too

You have no idea how badly I want to
get back to my family and home.

These needs calm down from the clamour in my head to get things done. I am blessed.

(For a day.)

New Week & Maple Leaves

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 03:23:00 +0000

My mother in law presented me with these happy hot pink gerberas and it goes so happily with my polkadot dining table runner, a welcome sight for winter times!

I spent this morning while baby slept doing a little gardening. This rental was full of weeds when we got here and 2 months in, I am keen to de-gooseberry-bush the gardens and get rid of overgrown daisy plants. Plenty of weeding to do...

But the worse of it is the piles of autumn liquid amber leaves strewn everywhere. (We have about 5 liquid amber maple trees surrounding our property.)

Apart from gathering them and every week filling the bin with the leaves, I started thinking if they were at all good mulch.

Image from Good Blood Bad Blood

Turns out, they are! Mow the leaves into your lawn (the leaves full sized don't break down for a long time) and garden beds and you get instant nutrient rich mulch.

Another weekend project for the hubby and I.

And this week, we are down gooseberry bushes by 40%. Not bad for 2 hours gardening :)

Beauty in Absolute Black

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 12:35:00 +0000

Women think of all colours except the absence of colour.
I have said that black has it all.
White too.
Their beauty is absolute.
It is the perfect harmony.

Coco Chanel

I have grown to appreciate the grown-up-ness of a room adorned with black walls. While black has its history in dark, rebellious, poster-filled teenage rooms, it has entered the chic and elegant realm.

Image from Lonny

My favourite combo is:

black black walls
+
white, white trim
+
the warm tones of cognac in leather and woods
+
the bling of copper, brass and orange.

Image from Ruth Burt Interiors

Of course, the one golden rule about black black walls... are the absolute necessity of an abundance of natural light.

Image from forfur

Image from decor abilitate

Image from 1 see cubed

Without black, no color has any depth.
But if you mix black with everything, suddenly there’s shadow – no, not just shadow, but fullness.
You’ve got to be willing to mix black into your palette if you want to create something that’s real.

Amy Grant

Image from Doryn Wallach

Image from Meredith Heron Design

Image from dec and you

Image from Divian Arts

Black is dramatic and daring. It has that forbidden quality, which is
irresistible.
I think of
sexy black negligees and
fast black cars.
A room painted black is a place where you can tell secrets.
The semigloss finish gives it an edge,
like patent leather, and makes everything
pop.
You have to be very confident to use black,
and that kind of confidence is very attractive.

Nancy Boszhardt

Image from Ruth Burt Interiors

Image from Honestly WTF

Image from Decor Chick

Why grow black flowers? Not just for the sake of having a conversation piece in your garden, although they are good for that. The best reason is because they have so many design uses. For example, black flowers are great for cooling down hot colors, like fire-engine-red ‘Lucifer’ crocosmia or hot-orange Mexican sunflower.

Garden Gate Magazine

Image from the doppelgänger

Image from Nest

Image from Doryn Wallach

I've been 40 years discovering that
the queen of all colors was black.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Image from Ruth Burt Interiors

Image from Little Green Notebook

Image from Beautiful Habitat

Image from Decoist

Image from indulgy

Image from Trendey Blog

So serene, but...

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 03:56:00 +0000

I absolutely adore the simplicity, minimalistic and luxury-in-the-absence-of-mess beauty of this bedroom.

BUT.

Image from Panda's House

Does anyone live like that?
Daily mess, can be cleaned up.. but this is... bare. So bare.

But so luxurious as it removes family life... which would be nice... for a night :)

Ode to Dining Room

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 02:21:00 +0000

One of my new favourite dining rooms:

Things to love:

1. Bare walls with no art, just superb panelling and paintwork. Lit from above by a glorious chandelier and hidden lights.

2. Small pops of colour in planters and vases. The shape of the plants and flowers are rounded, literal POP!

3. *Kinda round* dining table in simple lines and more importantly, honey tones.

Somehow, the room appears slimmer taken from the window.

4. So bright, so happy, so cheery upholstery on those sexy-back chairs.

5. Small cocktail armoire tucked in the corner. Opened, it provides the only other pattern other than the chairs.

6. But wait. The floors add texture, colour and grounds the entire thing.

7. The winged armchair, curtain and lampshade provide hot splashes of colour in the one wall, leaving the two long walls to superbly showcase the panelling and paintwork.

YUM!

Image from a London locations supplier for ads and tv work, 1st Option.

When you rent...

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 05:00:00 +0000

... in Australia, you're not normally allowed to repaint the place. Otherwise, we'd have repainted the entire home in a warm white. (And enjoyed spots of yellows and kelly-greens and reds on walls here and there.)

While we love the space in this new rental, it's quite tired. It's been rented out for a long while so it would benefit from a repaint and update.

For example, we are ~~saddled~~ blessed with cupids in the master flanking our bed. shudder

One place I could not stand leaving as is was the insides of the girls' built-in wardrobes:

So I used 3M adhesive velctro strips to line the back of the shelving. Just the one pair of velcro strips and eased the fabric down past each shelf.

I chose a pretty ballerina fabric for Hannah:

... and a cheerful and bright print for Jasmine:

I'm so pleased with the happy and cheerful result:

{JASMINE}

{HANNAH}

#simpleDIYhappiness!

Jasmine's Full Moon Celebrations: Baby bunting DIY

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 04:48:00 +0000

Our little girl has turned 1 month old. Last Saturday we celebrated her Full Moon. :) To explain to our guests (and you) what a Baby's Full Moon is, this is taken from the invite I designed for her with Paperless Post:

We planned and prepared for it ourselves. We asked the in laws to bring along some pavs and husband's cousin brought some red velvet cupcakes which were super yum. I had planned to make ang ku kuehs myself along with a chicken curry and "nasi kunyit" (tumeric rice recipe).... but didn't count of having no time courtesy of newborn and bored-out-her-brains-during-school-holidays-7-year-old big sister!

I'd planned to garland string the entire place with red lit lanterns and handmade buntings... but courtesy of Jasmine and budget, I thought if I could at least make the bunting, I'd be happy.

I wanted to use things I'd already had instead of purchasing new supplies. I'd already planned on using some old swatchbooks I had bought from a garage sale years old:

So I fiddled around with sizes (printed out letters in different sizes...) and created a template from stiff card:

Cut out triangles using the stiff card with pinking shears and used my spray-on 3M adhesive to stick the letters onto the card:

I then used ribbon to join the letters together with a zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine:

And hung them up using 3M hooks:

Although decor was basic, it was appreciated by all! I am so pleased with the result!

I think if I had more time and headspace, I'd have glittered all the letters in black to make them stand out more:

My little darling Jasmine Anita:

I'm really pleased I used the upholstery-weight fabric swatches instead of the many fabrics I had. It meant I didn't need to stitch backing fabric to the flags.

I learnt that you do need stiff fabric for bunting when I made Hannah's Toy-Story themed bunting for her 7th birthday party:

So eager to meet bubba!

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Sun, 26 May 2013 12:35:00 +0000

I'm due in two days! The crib is ready, the window is prepped with beautiful autumn scenery and the family is ready to support, to cuddle and to love.

(Pardon the ugly colour matching of wall and curtains. If this was our own place, white and pale pale greys would reign in this room.)

Teepee action in the nursery

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Sat, 04 May 2013 01:18:00 +0000

See the teepee in the picture below? We have an identical one, bought from Bed, Bath and Table here in Australia almost 2 years ago for Hannah. I thought to use it as a feature in baby #2's room!

Image from The Nursery Book

Check out these beautiful rooms with beautiful teepees. Cinches the deal for me!

Image from Living Etc

Image from The Marion House Book

Image from Ish and Chi

Image from Living Etc

Image from Design Sponge

Image from Remodelista

Image from max and me

Image from apartment therapy

Image from Little House Well Done

Image from Glitter and Pearls

Image from The House and the Pea

I'd love to have a set of teepees for Hannah for a sweet little sleepover!

But it's a sweet idea to have those fairy lights wreathing around baby #2's teepee!

Eagerly awaiting baby #2's arrival: 4 weeks to D-Day :)

Talking about craft areas

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:24:00 +0000

Image from Pinterest

I thought I'd look at some inspiring and happy craft areas... this is what I found to share:

Image from Crafting with Camile

A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment
a single man contemplates it,
bearing within him the image of a cathedral.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince.

Image from Kaboodle

Life beats down and crushes the soul;
and art reminds you that you have one.
Stella Adler

Image from PB Teen

Image from Pinterest

There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot,
but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence,
transform a yellow spot into sun.”
Pablo Picasso

Image from Pinterest

Image from Creative Compass

If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’
then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.
Vincent Van Gogh

Image from Tayla-Club

Creativity is knowing how to hide your sources
Albert Einstein

Image from Pinterest

You can't use up creativity.
The more you use, the more you have.
Maya Angelou

Image from Pinterest

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.
Art is knowing which ones to keep.
Scott Adams

Image from Pinterest

Image from Decorating Files

Every child is an artist,
the problem is staying an artist when you grow up.
Pablo Picasso

29 stunning celebrity dining rooms... 2 favs!

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 01:42:00 +0000

Have you gone to Architectural Digest's 29 stunning celebrity dining rooms gallery? I got the email today and got to say, I picked 2 clear favourites:

After perusing the dining rooms and taking note of my instant reactions, two things hit me:

1. I haven't swayed from my preference of round dining tables with solid central bases.
2. Less is more.

Having said that, Brooke Shield's dining room was a clear winner for me:

Every element is allowed to shine in its own right, yet the central focus of the room is the dinner event, shared with family and friends. Not even the lamps are allowed to overshadow the wallpaper!

And yet, the wallpaper chosen doesn't take glory over that table. An intimate setting designed for a warm person!

I have been looking for dining tables with the same elements: marble-topped, central, rich, solid wood base... (but with an obviously way more modest pricetag).

The other dining room that captivated because it was raw yet elegant was Gerard Butler's dining room:

How stunning is that room left raw and unpolished?

You also got to check out the rest of his New York Chelsea loft. In his worlds, Butler created a "bohemian old-world rustic château with a taste of baroque". His entrance hall is stunning in its... raw-ness:

Yet you know that it's loved; the polished floors and obvious attention to detail and deliberateness speaks for itself.

The husband thinks is "ghastly" and "who puts chandeliers in those kind of rooms!??" But I love it. Not my choice for living but man it would be a treat to have an evening of food, fun and laughter in such a deliberate and individual space!

Yellow... nurseries

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:27:00 +0000

I used to despise yellow. Up until 2005, I hated yellow. I still have an aversion to pale versions of yellow.... not vibrant or happy enough for me :)

In the 90s, I remember the rage of aligning your personality to the seasons (and therefore, the colour of clothes that best suit you). I remember being an Autumn. I only wore and liked browns, deep reds, ochres, dark greens....

But I think as I've grown into myself, became an adult and solidified my character (and continued to harness my strengths and work on my weaknesses), I realised that actually, I am very much a sunny and optismistic person.

I love yellows, oranges, pinks (another colour I hated growing up), greens, blues... all in its vibrant shades, none of its pale, insipid versions.

As we wait for baby #2's arrival, I cannot help but dream of yellows again in the nursery.

Image from leken hverdag

Image from Spearmint Baby

Image from E, Myself, and I

I am LOVING the brightly painted sideboards/drawers. I had considered a bright watermelon red before but the yellow draws me! Oh it draws me!

Image from Boo Boo Ska

Image from here

Image from buy modern baby

Image from BHG

My darling Hannah who is now 7 was unpacking her books the other day to put into her new bedroom. She was busily dividing the books into two piles and then she came out proudly and lovingly kissed my belly bump and told her sibling that "I've put aside books for you". I have looked for a book display shelf like below for baby #2 :)

Image from Project Nursery

Pity this is AUD$1499 but I simply adore the simple lines, low armrests and comfy, rocking action of the Monte glider in YELLOW! Offered in Australia here. (First one on left)

Image from buy modern baby

Given the room's already purple and yellow... maybe sticking with vibrant yellows, whites and blacks might be better!

The thing with moving... into a rental...

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:32:00 +0000

I'm not the best at moving. Especially when we have to set up home in a place not ours. Renting (for now) means having to work with how others before us have lived their lives. Their paint colours, their kitchen and bathroom designs, their picture hook placements, their curtain choices, their preferences for bright or dark spaces...

But we're in our new (old) rental. This house, we discovered (coincidentally, by my midwife, who lived here for a while in 1989!), was built in 1989. It's got issues with damp, lighting here is atrocious... the rooms are painted in un-ideal colours and decoupaged with cupids, dragonflies and stars. The bathroom and kitchen designs leave much to be desired... but we chose this place because it filled all our needs (not all our wants.

We've been here 7 days and I find myself in funks now and then. When one moves, furniture inevitably get repurposed in different rooms, for different uses... And I inevitably get left with finding storage/space for other things...

So right now, I have piles of things everywhere... and things spilling out of furniture onto floors into other "temporary" homes.

I love setting up home... but doing it while being very very pregnant... means hormones clash with better judgement and enhances funks!

****
And it is in this new (old) rental that we eagerly wait for our new bundle of joy. Baby #2 is coming in around 8 weeks (if she co-operates with due dates). So I've got Baby Room #2 to put together.

So far, we have a white side table and a white new-to-us cot. The room we've assigned to Baby #2 has been painted a peachy-yellow.

I've been inspired by the combos of white, red and orange... and blotches of bright pink...

I've also been thinking about the furniture pieces I'd like in this room. Knowing me, I steer away from buying "baby furniture in baby stores"... preferring to repurpose other pieces. So I've trawled through my inspiration files and whittled down the list of pieces:

an armchair with an ottoman
storage for nappies etc within easy reach
cot... obviously
washable rug
storage for books/toys

(Don't need storage for clothes as this room comes with built-ins.)

Love this room... pleasant, neutral colours with pops of reddy-pink. But what draws me are the pieces... which match my list above!

Always love red for kids... no pinks or blues for me :)

Hey what do you think about hanging an airplane for a little baby girl's room? I know it's more a boy's room treat... but I think it COULD work in a little girl's room! Whaddaya think?

I think this was from Living Etc

I ask because almost 2 years ago whilst on a road trip date with my mother in law I bought something similar from a vintage store... and have *always* wanted to hang an airplane from the ceiling... (way before I've seen them being done in home and interior design magazines.)

Art maketh the home?

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 11:33:00 +0000

We're moving in three days. So the house looks like a maze made from boxes and piles...

It only seemed final when the resident packer (husband) took the paintings/art off the walls.

Now it doesn't look like a home anymore.

Art maketh the home... :)

Margaret Tate's office

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:13:00 +0000

It's that kind of night. The rom-com type. So after watching Wanderlust, I turned to one of my ol' faithfuls, The Proposal.

The set that caught my eye this time: Margaret Tate's very-polished corner office in the clouds of New York.

Deep blue-greys, pearls and oranges create a really ideal workspace...

The pops of orange in the armchairs, tulips and spine of neat piles of books adds some live and energy to an otherwise very stark space. The orange picks up the warm tones of the rich wood of Ms Tate's large desk. I think it's an extendable dining table, from the looks of it... and you know how I love tables with one large base rather than individual legs!

The deep blue-grey of the walls only really work in a room where there is an over-abundance of natural light streaming in. The ivory curtains which frame these wide windows add texture and light. The soft lines of the curtains are then juxtaposed against the rigid lines and shapes of the lampshades... and I noticed some pearlised items on the table and I think the coffee table is a shell-based one too.

But what I really like is the layout of the office. As you might know, I am slightly obsessed with home offices.

Large window
Sideboard at desk height to hold computer (not sure how practical it would be for knee height and keyboard)
Swivel chair
Large desk
Armchairs
Side table to the side
-SPACE-
Round table for stacks of paper hold-all
-SPACE-
Coffee table
Long, large lounge
Art on wall
Works for me! Course, not many of us have as large spaces for home offices!

But it's such a cool space that you have a workspace where you have your computers/printers/scanners... and also a space to spread out things and chat to your clients/colleagues about projects and then a space for piles of papers and then a space for informal seating and talking.

Felted mobiles

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 03:40:00 +0000

I have loved those felted rugs but never was able to afford such pricetags and couldn't really be bothered making them or learning to make these myself.

I'm expecting my second child. As excited parents, we have enjoyed my being very well (had hyperemesis gravidarum with Hannah). We have traipsing baby stores, looking for prams, cots, cradles etc...

This time, we are really enjoying the anticipation, planning and designing a pretty space (albeit tiny) for new Bubba.

I've wanted a beautiful mobile for our home (baby or not) for many years. While others choose small farm animals or planes, beautiful and charming they might be...

Felted animals mobiles, Etsy seller, atelierbloom

Felted sheep mobiles, Etsy seller, littletigersmama

Felted boat mobiles, Etsy seller, MiChiMaLLC

But for me, I've always gone for sorts that celebrate colours and shapes. Sorts like these:

Paper floral mobiles, Etsy seller, tsipouritsa

Copper gingko mobiles, Etsy seller, jfjones

Hot air balloon mobiles, Etsy seller, PaperMoonMobiles

But I think the one that is my current favourite is this one, from Puka Puka Designs:

But at $130 a pop, I'm going to try to make it myself...

Felted balls are pretty inexpensive from Spotlight... and I looked around online for mobile frames and found these DIY tutorial/ideas instead.

Using a flower wreath from Piranhamama:

Using a branch from Flickr, found on Thrifty Living:

Using more than one branch, as found on Casasugar:

But let's see if I can come up with one myself ... from various ideas above. Stay tuned!

My secret dream dinnerware

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 01:00:00 +0000

Bowls by Tracy Sam, Etsy

I have been looking for a formal, oh-la-la dinnerset for a while now.

I still love my white Johnson Bros dinner set, but I've been wanting something a little more... flash.

This plan has been bouncing around in my mind for months... I ~~need~~ would love to compile my own formal, oh-la-la dinner set...

The Plan:

Glass plates and bowls... made in very specific colours/feel:

... bear with me, please, as I give birth to creating the set visually!

Starting from the top...

Deep glass pink soup/breakfast bowl

by Charlotte Sale Glass, US$530 woah!

Yellow glass bread and butter plate (round)

Teal glass salad plate

by Hand Blown Teal Glass Bowl, sold on Etsy

Green glass dinner plate

by Beautiful Vintage Emerald Green Glass Plate on eBay

Purple glass charger

by Amethyst base plates, Festive Fare

If not a full dinner set for 8 settings, then maybe one nice setting for the table centrepiece?

Gifting art... or not.

noreply@blogger.com (drey) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:50:00 +0000

This Christmas just gone by, husband and I received a gift from a distant relative... who has a knack for gifting rather odd and unwanted presents. She has a very giving heart, but after she goes, we always wonder what to do with the stuff she gifts us.

This year, we got a framed padded tapestry piece.

*cringe*

Pretty enough... but.

Anyone who's read my blog for a while knows that I have a *slight* addiction to collecting art pieces.

And of course, the golden rule: never give someone what YOU like... over what THEY like!

From my previous post

What do I do with this gift??

bijou kaleidoscope

Moving. Updating. Changing.

Hiatus

Just like Heaven

Image from Movie Exclusive

To read more about the set, jump over to Hooked on Houses.

Shoes: Rude or not?

Image from KeepCalm-o-matic

Image from Art Fire

Image from Art Fire

Art deco offices

Photos taken from my magazine tear out, Period Home Renovator

Beautiful art deco apartment, Flickr.

A little tune

"The Magazine Perfect House"

Image from The New Domestic

Image from The Handmade Home

Image from The New Domestic

Image from Food and the Fabulous

Image from Food and the Fabulous

I think as long as your house provides space for: laughs sleeps play eat cook entertain work you are better off than you think.

He can't wait to get home!

Image from Take one girl and a camera too

You have no idea how badly I want to get back to my family and home.

New Week & Maple Leaves

Image from Good Blood Bad Blood

Beauty in Absolute Black

Women think of all colours except the absence of colour. I have said that black has it all. White too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony.

Coco Chanel

Image from Lonny

Image from Ruth Burt Interiors

Image from forfur

Image from decor abilitate

Image from 1 see cubed

Without black, no color has any depth. But if you mix black with everything, suddenly there’s shadow – no, not just shadow, but fullness. You’ve got to be willing to mix black into your palette if you want to create something that’s real.

Amy Grant

Image from Doryn Wallach

Image from Meredith Heron Design

Image from dec and you

Image from Divian Arts

Nancy Boszhardt

Image from Ruth Burt Interiors

Image from Honestly WTF

Image from Decor Chick

Garden Gate Magazine

Image from the doppelgänger

Image from Nest

Image from Doryn Wallach

I've been 40 years discovering that the queen of all colors was black.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Image from Ruth Burt Interiors

Image from Little Green Notebook

Image from Beautiful Habitat

Image from Decoist

Image from indulgy

Image from Trendey Blog

So serene, but...

Image from Panda's House

Ode to Dining Room

Things to love:

Somehow, the room appears slimmer taken from the window.

Image from a London locations supplier for ads and tv work, 1st Option.

When you rent...

Jasmine's Full Moon Celebrations: Baby bunting DIY

So eager to meet bubba!

Teepee action in the nursery

Image from The Nursery Book

Image from Living Etc

Image from The Marion House Book

Image from Ish and Chi

Image from Living Etc

Image from Design Sponge

Image from Remodelista

Image from Remodelista

Image from Remodelista

Image from max and me

Image from apartment therapy

Image from Little House Well Done

Image from Glitter and Pearls

Image from The House and the Pea

I think as long as your house provides space for:
laughs
sleeps
play
eat
cook
entertain
work
you are better off than you think.

You have no idea how badly I want to
get back to my family and home.

Women think of all colours except the absence of colour.
I have said that black has it all.
White too.
Their beauty is absolute.
It is the perfect harmony.

Without black, no color has any depth.
But if you mix black with everything, suddenly there’s shadow – no, not just shadow, but fullness.
You’ve got to be willing to mix black into your palette if you want to create something that’s real.

I've been 40 years discovering that
the queen of all colors was black.