Winter. The garden looks barren apart from these Winter Roses. Helleborus. I had forgotten I had planted them. It must have been a chance thing because I really know nothing about the gardening, I usually get it all wrong, over planting in haste looking for an instant garden, ending up with an overcrowded mess. Yet there they were, perfect amongst the mulch laid by my husband who knows a fraction more than I! There must be a time we My Little House
Winter Flowers and Wandering Thoughts
Winter. The garden looks barren apart from these Winter Roses. Helleborus. I had forgotten I had planted them. It must have been a chance thing because I really know nothing about the gardening, I usually get it all wrong, over planting in haste looking for an instant garden, ending up with an overcrowded mess. Yet there they were, perfect amongst the mulch laid by my husband who knows a fraction more than I! There must be a time we 
Your little story
YOUR LITTLE STORY A recent visitor to my little house seemed distracted during our conversation, she apologised and said “…its just that there’s so many interesting things to look at in your house”. Those little vignettes are what tells your story. A simple piece of furniture is transformed when topped with some beautiful objects and the collation of those objects is your stories plot. So grab a surface and some bits and pieces you love and see how your story How to do Monochrome
HOW TO DO MONOCHROME If you saw my home is the latest Homestyle Magazine you will see that I am a monochrome girl, right down to the books on my bookshelf! Monochrome is traditionally used to describe black, white and shades of grey, however its true meaning is actually varying shades of one colour – any colour. Some people describe it as a trend though I refer to it as a style and it can look as relaxed or How to style your entrance
HOW TO STYLE YOUR ENTRANCE First impressions count! Your entrance needs to draw you in, it needs to be a clear point of which visitors will gravitate toward with no hesitation. It can say a lot about the dweller, for example homes with a brightly painted front door will indicate a fun and vivacious person inside, quaint entrances with artifacts located around it will indicate a collector dwells within. Entrances with little adornment creates a vision of an My Little Office
MY LITTLE OFFICE Its strange working from home, yes I have to admit to occasionally still wearing PJ’s at lunch time whist at the computer and I have to admit to occasionally avoiding that same computer until at least lunch time. One of the most important things I have found is to create a space that is not only comfortable but that inspires you. I have a nook which is hidden behind some sliding doors with a built in desk, Mix and Match
MIX AND MATCH “A home should always feel like a portrait of the person who lives there” Georgio Armani I was recently interviewed for a magazine article and was asked “What best describes your style?”. Now as an Interior Designer I know that identifying a clients style is crucial to meeting the brief and yet as a stylist I know that you can mix and match to your hearts content as long as you provide a continuity and Hygge (Hoo-ga)
HYGGE (HOO-GA) Denmark. The happiest country in the world. I am sure there are a variety of contributing factors but at this time of year in New Zealand when it gets cold and wet I envy their tradition of Hygge. Rather than fight their winter they make every effort to enjoy it, hence Hygge, which roughly translated means “cozy”. While us New Zealanders are busy fleeing our beautiful country between June and August to somewhere tropical the Danes hunker Organic Interiors
ORGANIC INTERIORS Organic interiors are becoming ever more popular. The ability to repurpose, reuse, or adapt items to fit into your home is at the heart of this design aesthetic. Items claimed from the land such as crafted wooden furniture, clay pottery, plants and foliage, skins, furs, baskets, linen and weaving feature heavily and an emphasis on living simply is key. Colour doesn’t feature in these homes, though even without the warmth is evident through the timbers and layers A Perfect Ten
A PERFECT 10 The Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia (REBAA) recently posted a list of ten things that make up a perfect home. These results were obtained via survey and are titled The Top Ten Property Wish List. I was a little nervous about reading any further. What if I got it all wrong? What if the changes made at my little house were not what others would perceive as necessary let alone perfect? 1. Open
Something from Nothing
SOMETHING FROM NOTHING I’m always looking for something. Sadly, our beautiful country isn’t as blessed as some in the world with access to furniture. Searching for specific items for projects really means you need to repurpose. So, when on the hunt for a bar cart and a day bed it naturally ends up with Trademe, that is unless I intend to pay huge shipping costs from our neighbouring countries. I missed on the day bed but I did