Cool Weekend Thoughts!

As I sit here we are experiencing our hottest summer on record in Tassie. Yesterday we hit 36.7C, which isn't as much as the mainland, but let me tell you for somewhere so close to Antarctica...it's bloody 'ot!! Hottest day ever! We have been living in a cave with blinds, curtains and doors closed and the air conditioner on cool (that doesn't happen very often...like twice a year!). The boys are now both ill and laying in knickers and nappy! Where is the cooling sea breezes that are a part of our every day???

Where ever you are in Australia, stay cool. If you are cold right now..lucky you!!

Ness xx

Swedish Blonde

seeing that one of my favourite mags, Country Home, is about to fold. I have been looking through their files and came across this Swedish lovely. Loads of honey coloured wood, white and interesting pieces caught my eye. Like this hallway with it's beautiful warehouse style windows that floods the space with light.

Loads of shiny stainless against the warm wood works so well with white. I love the little calcium glass light shades above the work area.


The bead and board walls gives another element to the Master Bedroom. I love that bench seat, and the sisal mat gives the space some warmth.

The master bath is stunning. Carrara Marble sinks and bluestone floors are divine.
Behind this wall there is a walk through shower which comes off from the Bedroom...cool!

A little nook in the bathroom which the owners have seized as a useful display area and also for storing white fluffy towels.

Another angle of the bathroom. I love the bath, not sure about ALL the marble (reminds me of a morgue) but lovely none-the-less. I do like the wicker roman blinds though :)

I could definitely eat my Weet-Bix here and peruse the weekend papers.

The living room is beautifully simple. Honey floors, picked up in the frames and Chaise, and anchored by the sisal rug. The little hits of red keep the space from becoming too bland. There are loads more photos of this home. Click HERE to see.

Let's hope no more magazines will bite the dust any time soon.

Have a great weekend...I am on sick watch as our baby is now ill...

When will it end!

Ness xx

Veranda Update...

BEFORE

We have an update on the progress of our front Veranda. This is what it looked like when it was newish...very cute and cottagey, but over the years the poor carpentry skills of the Builder who made it showed. Railings falling out, wood rotting from the poor supports under and those kopper logs used as support post starting to get huge cracks and generally not looking too pretty.

DURING

This was the Veranda with the first coat of paint on and before the door was done and posts replaced...looking better....

AFTER

OK, so it's not the best shot, but you can see what's going on I hope.
We decided not to replace the railing as it opened up the front so much and we also opened up the view from inside. A new garden along the front (still in progress) of European Box, and twisted pines (soon) and some seaside daisies to soften it all up and I think it is a great improvement.

We are still doing some finishing jobs under the roof, and I still have to dress the front, once the floor is painted the charcoal on the door, but I can't get over how grown up it makes our home look. Not like a doll's house at all anymore.
You can see our new wicker roman blinds here, which we have everywhere else as well!

I hope the little pines grow fast, so I can whip them into shape like this one. We still have a lot to do in the garden...I have been enjoying pottering about out there now that the boy's are a little older, so hopefully it will all take shape soon.

Here is the lovely charcoal colour on our front door I was talking about in a previous post. I think it looks lovely against the warm grey and white.

You can actually see a lot more of the detail from our old stain glass door now.

...and it looks wonderful with our Christmas wreath. I am still deciding on the urns as Mum bought me 2 wooden planters (you know the square ones with tounge and groove panels and little balls on the 4 corners?) that I was thinking of painting white for my little topiaries...hmm!

Ness xx

Useful Displays...

For those of you that know me by now...I love storage! Especially when it is aesthetically pleasing and useful as well. I am not one for walls of built ins, but prefer open display areas that incorporate beauty, function and form to morph a otherwise blank or awkward space into something pleasing to the eye...like these...

via - Simply Natural
This display uses everything I hold dear in decorating. Storage in chunky wicker baskets, worn white painted console, vintage text, lovely old chairs that aren't a match...and loads of interesting 'mini displays' to catch your eye where ever you look.

via - Dreamhouse
Kitchens are somewhere I do like some built in storage. I do, however still like to keep small areas where I can put out vintage white iron stone, flowers, and fruit like this photo.
The black unit is so striking against the white and fresh apple greens.

image - Ness Lockyer (moi)!
We have an awkward spot in our home. Because of the age of the Old Lady, this corner slopes like no tomorrow, so you can't have a little cupboard or table unless you want to use a car jack to keep it straight! This window you see here will eventually be our double French Door's (yep- still waiting!). So for the meantime I have used some old suitcases I picked up at my favourite haunt for $3.00...for two!! These are now used as storage. Above are some of my favourite birdhouses, some my Dad made. I have had those pictures for ages (about 10 years we are talking) still in the plastic and didn't know what to do with them, until I chopped them down to fit some frames I rubbed back. They look a lot better, so does the space, I think.

house beautiful
What a wonderful collection and a beautiful storage space. I would love something like this built in our Kitchen somewhere. Just think, no Kitchen dust on your lovelies, you can still see them, no one can break them, and people now what to buy you when the are stuck for a present!! Don't you just love it??

Ness xx

ps - I am going to take a bit of time off from the shop, as I have a mountain of orders to catch up on. If you do want something, just email me. I will let you know when I will be back in action with my fully loaded shop. I will have some new products for you all to see as well...stay tuned!!

Ah, Perfect!

honningogflora

I often look at this photo, which is lovely as is, and think 'what would I do to make it perfect for me'?...well...
hound hill design
I would make a table scape somewhere with my beloved blue and white china ginger jars and the like for a touch of colour.....


all posters

and would have to have something like this parchment coloured picture in a HUGE white mount board and framed in a slim frame...maybe a coffee colour, for a bit of fun, loads of chunky wicker and cable knit throws and a olive topiary in a metal bucket...love! What would you do?

I'm sorry for my lack of post yesterday. I spent the entire night prior and most of yesterday and last night in Hospital with our little boy who is very unwell.

So a short post today....I need some coffee!

Ness xx

Simply Beautiful....

I have just stumbled upon this beautiful online store, Biskopsgarden, while visiting some of my favourite blogs last night and was blown away by the gorgeous photos, which were taken by Mari Erikson, and had to share...

This Armoire is lovely in blue, and I adore the little dressmakers form...too cute!
There is even a blog to go with the store, which is also full of lovely images. i didn't have the translator on...didn't need to. Beauty talks without words. The Tolix A Chairs in white are beautiful with this setting....love!

No words needed!

I would walk across a desert with freshly amputated legs to get one of these beauties! The lamp I mean!!

Two things I love...wicker basket and mattress ticking in a box cushion...heaven!

To see more of this beauty, and loads of seemingly mundane objects like tea cups and the like, turned into stunning displays with a general theme of white..go HERE!

To all of us Aussie's, have a great long weekend

and Australia Day. I will be painting nearly an acre of white Picket Fence!!!!!! :0

Ness xx

Bedroom Wish List...

This is our Bedroom at the moment. It is not ugly, I quite like it. It started off in a terrible way (re: prostitute red carpets and horrible purple/red paint).

One thing I am not keen on is the table on this side of the bed, a temporary measure, until I find something to put there. I have an old Singer sewing base with a wooden top on my side. Poor Mic has to have this. I don't mind the taps either. They will go, but they remind us of the house's past as the Doctors house. This was actually the Kitchen!

BHG
We have just put in our Wicker Roman blinds with warm white side curtains, which we love.
I plan to have some black and white prints like these to put in some of our old frames. That chest is beautiful. We have the white floors already.

James Michael Howard, via ABT
An Armoire like this would be nice. Not the mirrored ones though. Ever since I seen 'The Ring', I can't look into a mirror if it is dark!!! weird I know! It is strange what Pregnancy will do to you.
The jugs and chaise would be nice too.

Etsy.com
Some pattern in the form of cushions, especially this blue I think would go with the hints of blue in our Euro pillow covers.

You can see them here. I bought these when we were not long Married and they have kept their appeal all these years. They are my favourite, apparently Vietnamese Linen...whatever that means! I will make more of my putty linen button cushions too.

Modern Country
I don't know how well white Hydrangeas would go growing inside. Maybe I will just do the cut flower form.

I love this photo. White floors, loads of white linen and hints of blue..bliss.

Min Lilla Veranda

Little hints of vintage always go down well in a bedroom. I adore this lamp shade and could imagine this as table lamps beside our bed. The urn is a nice touch.

Alicia Bock
I am definitely getting a print of this. Big white mat board in a slim black frame is all it needs.


French Dressing
This one won't happen in the near future, but I have always wanted a Louis Chair or something just as ornate with putty coloured linen on the seat.

As soon as I have got our room into shape I will show you some photos. This is to remind me of what I truly want.

Ness xx

Bird Fancy...

Shutter Blue

I am loving anything with Birds on them at the moment (this is an ongoing love) and have discovered these gorgeous feathered friends on Etsy.

Shutter Blue

I love how these print's off an original oil painting have loads of vintage charm. They are full of colours I adore, and.....

Shutter Blue
...I have just bought this lovely! It is my treat for doing so well at the moment.

Sparkle Power
This one comes in loads of colours and reads at the bottom 'It's a hard world for little thing's'.
This should be my Family's motto, since we are all on the shorter side!

Quiltification
Add some drama to a room with this stunner!

Crank Bunny
The cards from this seller are mind blowing. They have coded cards which you an personalise your own love message inside. Your lover will get a little code which they have to 'crack' to receive your message. This one however, is one of the more simple cards, even then it is a pop up and the bird moves when you tug the petal...too cute!

Marley & Lockyer

Don't forget my own little cushion :>

All of these stores can be found at Etsy...and mine too!

Ness xx

Peep-o!

image - Gustavian Room
What a wonderful way to hide all of the ugly that goes with anything to do with Computers.

If any of you are like me at present, flat out and in a see of swatches, magazines etc, you will know what I mean. I have envisioned turning my thrift store cupboard into something like this, but...maybe I will just get a laptop!

Ness xx

Kitchen Inspiration...

image via Velvet & Linen

I need some inspiration for Kitchens...so here we go!

This Kitchen is lovely and belongs to the owners of Riviera Maison.

All of the touches of black are so fresh against the white. I love the black butlers sink.

Image unknown...sorry

This is something I would love to do in our Kitchen once we have painted.
Not the green chalkboard paint though...in black.

via VT Interiors

I love the detailing on these cupboards, the hood, colour, lights and those
beautiful chairs.

via Camilla at home
More beautiful detailing. I am not usually a fan of overhead cupboards, but I don't mind these.

Image unknown...I forgot sorry!

Beaded board ceiling like our own I love. The little light above the table I would love in 3 in aluminium, you can get them in Ikea.
I am looking forward to painting our own Kitchen and my Sister is planning to do a full rip out and renovate in hers...this is for inspiration.

Ness xx