STYLING 101 – ART Art can be a confronting topic and though everyones tastes vary your art should be meaningful or beautiful to you. My one big ‘but’ would be that no matter what your art represents and whether it be monochrome or colourful, acrylic or watercolour, photographic or typography its only design requirement is that it be proportionate to the space. A particularly large wall needs a particularly large piece of art or a number of pieces that Interior Styling
How to choose the right art for your home
STYLING 101 – ART Art can be a confronting topic and though everyones tastes vary your art should be meaningful or beautiful to you. My one big ‘but’ would be that no matter what your art represents and whether it be monochrome or colourful, acrylic or watercolour, photographic or typography its only design requirement is that it be proportionate to the space. A particularly large wall needs a particularly large piece of art or a number of pieces that 
How to bring Nature Indoors
HOW TO BRING NATURE INDOORS I recently wrote a blog for Flooring Xtra with tips on How to Create a Great First Impression. The message I tried to bestow is that if you keep your home guest-worthy all the time you will be doing yourself and your family a huge favour too, and its not that hard; take a peek over here to see how. One of the points I made was to bring a little nature indoors. Good to go
FOR SALE There comes a time when one has to let go of things, not because you don’t love them anymore, but because they add no particular value to your life. Lucky for you my things that are ready to go can become things that will add value to yours. Some of these items have been used in my home but others are simply pieces that were used for product styling or home staging. They are all Book Worm
BOOKWORM Book Depository and I have a special relationship… I give them money and they send me beautiful books. Perfect! A match made in heaven. I’ve piled up a few of my favourites to share with you. Eat Drink Nap, Soho House Full of recipes, interior design tips and how to make a peaceful place to rest. A gorgeous natural textured cover with black print, inside it opens up to elegant spaces and food styling to get you Nooks & Storage
NOOKS & STORAGE Old homes have their idiosyncrasies; the not-quite-level floor, the mismatched skirting boards and the somewhat annoying lack of plugs. All of these can be lived with or fixed quite easily, but perhaps the most annoying of all is the lack of built in storage. Creating extra cupboards means you lose floor area and so often it is up to the dweller to find extra space by using clever little methods that adds both an aesthetic Happy Easter
HAPPY EASTER The Easter weather forecast here in NZ was a little foreboding with Cyclone Cook heading our way fast and furious. The warnings were enough to shut down the central Auckland City sending workers home early. Schools closed and everyone shunned the usual night before Easter long weekend drinks and headed home loaded with water and candles. It didn’t arrive in Auckland; last minute it veered off its anticipated path. Parts of NZ did get a battering Formantics – Vibrant Living
FORMANTICS – VIBRANT LIVING The Instagram community is largely one of mutual respect and admiration. I love the little musings I read on pages and I enjoy the interaction all be it though text. The best feeling though is when you actually get to meet those whom you admire… in real life. Formantics is the brain child of Susan Christie and I was lucky enough to visit her gorgeous Californian Bungalow, on Auckland’s North Shore where her studio A Daybed – A bed for the Day
A BED FOR THE DAY I’ve been blogging a little lately, off the track of interiors into the world of life, simply because I sometimes feel so overwhelmed with everything that I need to just take a breath and a step back to appreciate things as they are. This doesn’t mean I am stopping my interior dreams and aspirations for my little house (which I must add seems to always be a WIP) certainly not, but sometimes I Sophie Melville Artist
SOPHIE MELVILLE ARTIST A number of Sophies art works are dotted around my home, often transient, they provide a calm presence, noticeable but not imposing, wherever they sit. Her series of watercolour prints became popular with the wave of Scandinavian inspired interiors largely due to their monochromatic tones and blurry edges, identifiable as the land and seascape but modern and edgy. 2017 has marked a change in Sophie’s art, not its style or its inspiration, but in the sophisticated How to style your coffee table (in 5 easy steps)
STYLING 101 – THE COFFEE TABLE Stylists have a knack of grabbing what is available and arranging it in a way that looks perfect, without being too perfect and its all because of these 5 simple rules; Vary your heights Use odd numbers Contrast colour Add an item from nature Contain smaller items And using these 5 simple things; Books; add a pile or add just one, books convey your interest, they provide the ability to add height