book review: new zealand interior style

I had been coveting New Zealand Interior Style online for weeks and thankfully it finally hit my doorstep recently, filled to the brim with inspirational homes from across the pond. Author LeeAnn Yare, who is also a freelance interior stylist, has collated some of the best homes New Zealand has to offer, all of which seem to have a theme of being far more daring than their Australian cousins. This post will take a look at some of my fave pages from the book and what I love about the NZ design aesthetic (fun!).

furniture fix: how to dress a brown sofa

A friend of mine recently told me she was at a loss when it came to decorating around her brown leather sofa. She had tried adding turquoise accessories but admitted that it felt a little expected (I have to agree with her there). Here are a few ideas to ensure your brown couch – be it leather or upholstered – is used successfully in your space and plays well with your other pieces.

trending: say hello to yellow (and make it work)

I’ve been a big fan of a sunny yellow for quite some time (my business cards are splashed with this hue). Thank the decor gods above, then, that Spring is bringing it to all my fave stores and homewares mags, making it the undeniable colour of the moment. If you’re plugged in and ready to play with yellow (it would be criminal not to), all you have to do is introduce it into your home in the right way so it doesn’t offend your current furniture!

must-have rugs: chevron, stripes and diamonds

Rugs are the new cushions if you ask me; they’re so affordable nowadays that you can swap them around at a moment’s notice when you tire of your old one (unlike when they swapped old Pippa for new Pippa on Home and Away – that was just too big a change for me to handle). The added bonus with smaller, lightweight rugs like the ones above is that you can layer them for a relaxed and casual vibe that still packs a visual punch (and you can score them at a discounted price – read on!)

the spray paint that’s going to change my life

So I got invited to a media event today to take a look at Rust-Oleum‘s new range of spray paints, 2X Ultra Cover. Granted, I had not heard of Rust-Oleum before, so I was going in with a bit of a blank, Miss Teen type look on my face. Once I was at the event, though, and saw what I could do with these spray paints, I wanted to run through the place taking every colour available and yelling at security “Back off – I’m a blogger!!!!”.

get creative with iscd september workshops

As a student at the International School of Colour and Design, I can’t tell you how fun it is to attend class each week and delve into my creative side! For those of you tinkering with the idea of study or for those of you looking to dip your toe into a much shorter inspirational experience, iscd has just unveiled four glorious September workshops that’ll have you colour confident and style savvy in no time!

four delicious new colour trends for the home

Each year, leading Aussie paint retailer, Paint Place, develops and releases a series of trend forecast colours and themes specifically for the local market. This year, I was lucky enough to attend the media breakfast and hear trend forecaster Lucy Sutherland and stylist Deb McLean speak about the delightful new trends! Scope out the four looks below and let me know which is your fave (there are so many crafty project ideas in this post I can barely contain my excitement!).

hue how-to: break the rules and mix colour

Rules are such a snooze. You know, blue and green should never be seen and all that jazz. Sure, the colour wheel does dictate that certain hues are complimentary while others are not ideal together, but there are ways you can ignore these rules when it comes to home decor. It can all work wonderfully if you keep a few simple concepts (not rules) in mind. Let me get on my tutorial glasses for this educational experience.

so i’m a bit obsessed with incy interiors

I love the online world. It feels like every few days I stumble across a person or store through social media that makes me go gaga. This week it’s Incy Interiors; a business that specialises in designer furniture for babies and children – plus so much more. Their art and accessories are so cute that even I want them for my room (that, or I need to father I child immediately – it could go either way!).

review: 100 ways to happy chic your life

If my mother told me tomorrow that I was adopted, I think I’d book a redeye flight to New York to declare myself Jonathan Adler‘s brother. We seem to share the same adoration of colour, a love of quirk, a fondness of humour and a partiality to a scatter cushion or seven. It’s in his latest release – 100 Ways to Happy Chic Your Life – he cements himself as my ultimate go-to guy for out-of-the-box home decor inspiration. So, we may not be brothers, but we are at the very least cut from the same cross-stitch!