This v. That

 Lonny // Mimou

Madeline Weinrib // Shoppe Amber Interiors

A House in the Hills // Sacramento Street

Blueprint Modern // Project Decor

Pinterest // Blue Print Blog

Friday Favourites: Storage Ideas

1. Pantry without clutter // 2. Drawers where everything has a place // 3. An organised fridge // 4. A snack pantry // 

5. Under stair linen storage

Images from Pinterest

Here & Wear

Images from Pinterest

I am loving the trends for Spring 2014 - both in fashion and interiors. There is inspiration here, there and everywhere!

It's in the Details

When we moved into our new, bigger, apartment last year, we needed to get a few things to better fill the new space. While I would have loved to overhaul all our furniture, that is definitely not a practical option for us right now. So, once we had been living here for several months, I decided that we needed a few cheap upgrades to make our new home feel more like us. I prescribed more colour and texture to give our home more personality. We also needed extra storage to help corral Olivia's toys when not being used. I scoured Target, CB2, West Elm and Ikea and came up with the above plan to help give our apartment a little life. We have been thrilled with the results, and love spending time in our brighter space.

Friday Favourites: Dining Edition

1. West Elm Pendants, $100 // 2. Bodum Chambord French Press, $70 // 3. West Elm Parker Mid-Century Dining Table, $600 // 4. Eames Moulded Plastic Dowel-Leg Chair, $430 // 5. Crate&Barrel Como Splash Flat Plate, $15

Coastal Trimmings

Images clockwise from top left: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

I have been on the hunt for the perfect piece of coral to display in our home. I am obsessed with the stuff. While in Nantucket I found some gorgeous pieces, but couldn't justify the hefty price tag on most of them. Then yesterday while walking past Potterybarn, where I have spied several nice pieces of faux coral in the past, the sale signs drew me in. There hiding in the back of the store was my favourite piece for almost half price. Well I couldn't resist! I need to do some rearranging of my knick-knacks, but I am very happy with it and am sure I will find it's perfect home very soon.

What do you think? Do you like coral too?

Decorating Details

Bar Cart // Gallery Wall

Layered Linens // Colour on White

Decorative Light Fittings // Wallpaper

Hanging Flowers // Books Arranged by Colour

I am feeling so inspired by all of these decorating details. The use of colour, flowers, decorative light fittings and artwork all work to create a room that is interesting as well as stylish. I hope they inspire you too!

Perfectly Curated

Pretty / Elegant / Modern / Classic

I love a beautifully curated vignette in the home. I have several of them in our home, each suited to the room they have been created in. They can have such an impact, even with only a few carefully arranged items. I am personally fond of vases filled with flowers, candles, photo frames and maybe a book or two. Depending on the colours you use, and the feel of your personal objects, such different looks can be created, as illustrated above. And because you don't have to spend a lot to create a beautiful vignette, you can always mix it up whenever your mood changes.

Pillow Arranging

I came accross this article on House Beautiful about how you arrange the pillows on your bed and what it says about you. I found it very interesting, and for me pretty accurate. Here are the arrangement styles and what they mean:

ASYMMETRICAL: 

Your unfussy style says that you are a relaxed, bohemian type who's easygoing and 

open to new experiences.

BALANCED WITH AN ACCENT:

Your style is traditional with a twist. You're never too prim and proper, but you aren't given to the latest trends either.

DELICATE AND DECORATIVE:

If you're drawn to a dreamy, whimsical look, then you're a romantic. You prefer frilly and feminine to streamlined and rigid and are a firm believer that more is more.

PRECISELY STACKED:

This systematic, monastic tower of pillows indicates you have a modernist style. If someone saw your bed, they would probably guess that you're artistic, creative, and intellectual.

SYMMETRICAL:

You have a tailored, classic style. This look is best for someone who is detail-orientated, organized, and orderly.

I float between Asymmetrical and Symmetrical which, I have to say, suits my personality to a tee. What do your pillows say about you - and do you think it is accurate?

Colour Crush

Bench / Lamp / Dress / Bracelet / Bag / Skirt

The colour yellow, so sunny and optimistic. I love all shades from canary to lemon to neon and back again. There are so many variations of this colour that I would love to add to both my wardrobe and my home at the moment. I would particularly love the yellow dress in the top right image, if only I knew where I could get one. Is yellow a colour that you want to add to your wardrobe/home this summer?

Dying to Dip

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

I am loving all of the DIY dip-dyed wooden spoons that I have been seeing all over the blogosphere at the moment. I am so inspired in fact, that I have gone a little crazy looking for all kinds of kitchen things that have been dip-dyed or colour-blocked to perfection. Now I am planning some DIY's of my own to turn boring kitchen utensils and the like into little works of useful art.

Malibu Dream House

Images from Elle Decor by Simon Upton

Staying in LA, today I want to share with you the amazing home of Courtney Cox I spied on Elle Decor. I am in love with just about every detail of this house, especially that jaw-droppingly stunning view. The house uses such a simple colour palette of white, grey and wood, in contrast with the lush green and blue surrounds. Quirky art lurks around every corner of the home adding punch to the simple white walls. Large windows hold the ocean views in every room, and large French doors bring the outside in. This is helped by the use of slate tiles both inside the home and out on the deck, visually joining the two into one.

The house was originally designed by modernist architect John Lautner but was a little dark for Cox's taste, so was given an revamp by architect Michael Kovac. The interiors were designed by Trip Haenisch, a good friend of Cox's. Of the two Cox said “Michael and Trip gave me everything I wanted. This is exactly how I want to live.” Here's to that!

Fresh Pairing

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9

No two colours go together quite as well as navy and white. It is one of the freshest combinations I can think of. It makes me think of fresh ocean air and crisp clean sheets. There is no denying that I am drawn to this colour combination in all of its variations (especially nautical stripes). I would love to have a house full of lovely navy and white china like the bottom right image, and there is already no shortage of this combination in my wardrobe! What colour combination speaks most to you?

Flowers, Flowers, Everywhere

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5

With the warm weather we have been having, I thought I would continue on the spring theme I seem to have been leaning towards this week. Today, lets talk about flowers! I love flowers, as those of you who read this blog regularly can attest to. As such, when spring starts each year, I get so excited about all of the beautiful blooms on sale and in the gardens. I love mixing them up and rarely get the same ones more than twice in a row.

I have been pinning lots of beautiful bouquets on Pinterest in preparation for spring time and the above images are some of my favourites. Although for me, nothing beats the simple ranunculus and hydrangea bunches, they are both my absolute favourites.

Floral Invasion

Images 1, 2, 3 & 4

With spring well and truly in the air I am finding myself drawn to floral's everywhere. I am particularly loving spring inspired wallpapers. While renting means that we can't go adding wallpaper to our current apartment, it never hurts to get inspired for when we are home owners one day.

I love all the shades of blue and green in the above images. It is so fresh and surprisingly clean given the complete print overload. I particularly love the bathroom in the third image with the wallpaper contrasting against the white wainscoting. I also adore the first image with the floral walls and striped bed linen. Actually, who am I kidding, I love them all! What about you?

Day Dreaming

Here are several things that have been occupying my day dreams lately...

Our Honeymoon in Kauai. We have made a deal that we will go back
every ten years, but do I really have to wait that long?

Alexander Wang Aida Pumps & Prisma Tote

Image: Pinterest

A big, open, light-filled kitchen - yes please!

Designer Stripes from Elizabeth and James, DKNY and Malene Birger.

Image: Pinterest

Laying out in the sun and swimming in the ocean 

(this will be a reality in a few short days).

Fashion to Interiors

ELECTRIC BLUE

Design Sponge / Sartorialist

NEUTRAL

House & Home / Caroline's Mode

FLORAL

Pinterest / Refinery29

This post reminds me of the saying, "what came first the chicken or the egg?". Are home interior trends influenced by the catwalk or is it the other way around? Either way it is clear to me that fashion and interior trends are often closely aligned, whether it be fabrics, colour palettes, shapes or textures. No matter what came first out of the above trends, they are certainly fashion and interior looks that I am loving.

What about you, do you notice trend overlap in fashion and interiors?

Tidy Messes

Image: Pinterest

When your apartment isn't much bigger than a hotel room, you really have to find new ways to store all of the stuff that doesn't fit into your closets. Couple that with the fact that I am a complete neat freak and like to keep my messes contained and orderly, and it is safe to assume that my home is filled with storage baskets - which it is.

Never one to stop browsing for things I may or may not need, I am particularly loving the offerings below from West Elm. I may just have to add to my collection.

Images: West Elm