Oooh la la!

I came across My French Interiors, an online shop selling lovely French and French-inspired furniture through NZ House & Garden. Frenchman Arnaud Calonne and his New Zealander wife, Tracey, set up the site, www.myfrenchinteriors.co.nz, offering ornate consoles, buttoned bedheads, contemporary French-style sofas and distressed side tables. It's getting difficult in this cash-strapped times to find retailers investing in anything other than plain...

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Summer lovin'

Brrrrr. It's cold outside. The heater has been fired up and I'm dreaming of summer. Came across this beautiful Spanish summer house in my travels. Love the mix of building materials and the way they've made stone and iron look warm and inviting instead of cold and too industrial. If only... Reblogged from Haute Design by Sarah Klassen ...

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Bright sparks

I'm not totally convinced about neon when it comes to interiors. I love it in fashion, especially the trend of mixing fluoros with neutrals such as nude, copper or bronze. But when used in interiors, neon seems infinitely more faddish. The thought of looking at a fluorescent vase or piece of furniture for more than a few weeks leaves me cold. Having said that, hot shades of pink and orange can give the spirits a lift, even if temporarily. It's...

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A kind of blue

Blue is one of those interior colours that make you feel that all is well with the world. Best suited, I think, to a bedroom, blue is subtle, calming and surprisingly zen. These are all from Laura Ashley's new Shades of Blue homewares collection. ...

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Snowberry beauty

There's a lovely story around the Kiwi natural skincare brand Snowberry that extends well beyond its romantic packaging and good-for-you-and-the-planet philosophy. Founder Soraya Hendesi was born in Tehran, Iran, into a family of academics and humanitarians. “As a child I became totally fascinated with beauty," she says. "My mother was most adept at making everything around us look amazing. We had a house with an inner courtyard filled with...

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Going green

Green is such a happy colour. Used well, it's fresh and contemporary. It also works in just about any decor style. Take a look at these. Loving ombre... Looks amazing at these windows. Soft and sweet in a bedroom. Gold and green glam in a kitchen. ...

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Fashion forward

It's difficult not to be a fan of fashion designer Vanessa Bruno – her clothes are so fluid and feminine. Simple shapes cut to flatter the body beautifully. No fussiness. Her Paris apartment is equally stunning; a lovely, personal mixture of pastels and clever styling ideas. Calm and light-filled, it is a serene space that suits the former model perfectly. You can get a real sense of the way she designs her clothing from the way she lives. Love...

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Not so nana...

Floral wallpapers don't have to be old-fashioned. Mix them with crisp white, add a leafy plant or two and some painted furniture and you have a look that's both timeless and modern. Instant character too. These are from Sandberg's Gabriel collection, available in New Zealand through Decortex. ...

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Botanical beauties

I'm loving these modern botanic images from Etsy shop Miles of Light. Photographic prints, they cost about $40 each (plus p+p) and are the work of photographer and graphic designer Romina Baccci, Simple, sweet and very beautiful. Find them here. ...

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Mouse rules...

Animals are funny. Two months ago we were kicked out of our house but one member of the family steadfastly refused to go. This is Mouse. Anyone familiar with a Burmese knows how tenacious they can be. While we hunker down in our granny flat, Mouse has decided she would prefer to continue to live in the main house. She has her own room (one that's been least affected by the renovation) and she sleeps there in her basket – often during the day –...

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Let there be light...

We have new window frames. We have glass. And yesterday I spent three hours – and what seems like a fortune – sorting out locks and handles and other window hardware so that we can open them. Everywhere we turn there's a new challenge; a topsy-turvy floor (not necessarily a huge problem unless you're tiling it, which of course we are), a rotted window frame, the need for new safety glass for an existing window, an unreliable tile supplier,...

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