let’s drool over some nz homewares, shall we?

I love supporting local Creatives, but one must acknowledge the fab things our brothers from another mother are doing over in New Zealand. The decor gods listened to my cries for stunning imagery this week as these snaps from new Auckland store, Indie Home Collective, hit my inbox. If you’re a lover of earthy, eclectic or industrial homewares, have your bib at the ready as we begin the drool-fest. If someone can fly these pieces over to me on the red eye it would be very much appreciated!

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on the set of an inside out photo shoot

If it’s one thing I’ve learnt being on set during a photo shoot, it’s that a tonne of chaos takes place to capture even the smallest moment on film. A photo shoot at Inside Out magazine is no different. And if you thought snapping models presented its challenges, try working with a flowers that droop the day of the shoot! It’s all in a day’s work for stylist Vanessa Colyer Tay, who filled me in on creating this story for the September issue of Inside Out.

so I just discovered koskela (omfg!)

I must start this post with an apology; Koskela, I’m sorry it took me so long to discover you. However, now that I’ve experienced the magic of your store, I’m declaring my love for you and intend to serenade you with that John Mayer song, Your Body is a Wonderland. Because, truly, that’s how I feel after having walked around the space last weekend. Creatives, have a medic on standby for this store tour. It’s colourful, it’s quirky and it’s a whole lotta lovely!

what goes into styling a photo shoot?

I’d always known that styling a photo shoot wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t until I hit Temple & Webster HQ a few weeks back and saw the team in action that I realised just how laborious it can be. I sat down with T&W’s Head of Styling, Jessica Bellef, to get the scoop on what she and Senior Stylist Adam Powell deal with daily when they’re putting together their glorious homewares shoots.

review: abigail ahern’s decorating with style

Alert the presses, Creatives; I have been converted! Once a lover of all things light and bright in interiors (you know, sunshine and lollipops, a place where it’s always spring), this release from style maven Abigail Ahern has given me a wondrous appreciate of interiors with mood. The pictures within this release are somewhat dark, very alluring and quite unlike anything I’ve  laid eyes upon in an interiors book (and you know I have many).

inside the simply beautiful papaya, mosman

When the team from Papaya invited me for an exclusive tour of their Mosman store last week, it’s safe to say I was a little beside myself. I’ve been a longtime fan of the brand, always rather fond of their contemporary designs and use of raw materials. When I stepped into the interior of this North Sydney oasis, it was like being transported into another universe, where I lost my mind in the best way possible and am not certain I have it back yet.

become a part of the life creative’s real rooms

The very reason I started this blog was to connect like-minded creatives and showcase amazing spaces – not just the high end ones you see in the magazines (because let’s face it; nobody lives in the magazines). With this in mind, I present a glorious new initiative that you can get involved in, that’ll show the world the breathtaking nooks and crannies of your home in all their styled glory. I call it ‘Real Rooms’ – and here’s how you can get involved!

how to achieve a hamptons inspired home

I first came to appreciate the subdued sophistication of a Hamptons-inspired interior when I tuned into The Real Housewives of New York City five seasons ago (don’t judge me!) and saw those wealthy women at their holiday houses. The laidback look of this home decor style really appeals to me, along with the crisp and clean feeling it embodies. So, how does one achieve the look? Let’s explore it shall we?

10 creative finds you never got to see

I was struck down with a cold this week, which meant getting out and about to snap some creative finds was very much off the cards. Thankfully, though, I have an entire vault of photos from my adventures around the traps; which means you get to see 10 very gorgeous finds that never made it onto my usual top seven. On with the show…

1 | I love street art when it’s done well and this piece – that I came across from an adventure in Fitzroy last year – is just amazing. I swear when I purchase a house, I want to find a street artist who can come and create something like this for me on a wall in my backyard. I know graffiti isn’t for everyone, but I love the urban and industrial nature of it. Please let me know if you’re aware of an artist who could do this for me!

this week’s top seven creative finds

1 | I am addicted to buying cards. So much so that I have a stack in my drawer just waiting for an occasion to roll around. I was in all sorts of fits of ecstasy this week when I got my hands on these mind-blowing cards from TJ Stationery. They’re letterpress ones – printed on 100% cotton paper stock – and I just love how simplistic, playful and charming they are. The Kite and Swing ones are my fave, but there are many more, all with the same sense of love. Too good.