Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Vintage...

...loveliness! This old green beauty would be looked on by some as rubbish and old, but the thought of it's past and the patina that comes with age on an old piece like this is divine.
How could you send something like this to the tip?
I hope you all find use for something old today.
Ness xx

Monday, March 30, 2009

Whiteport, New England Style

I have always loved New England style, and have a huge amount of images in my files of this decorating style, so I thought I would show you how they all tie in with the beautiful Australian store, Whiteport. I was recently contacted by the delightful Jennifer McCabe asking me to let you all know of the wonderful discount Whiteport is offering at the moment. If you go to the homepage and leave your email details to subscribe, you will receive 20% off your next purchase!!! Well you will see how this ties in to the New England style....

This little hint of a dining room screams 'casual chic', and New England. Pale floors, loads of white and natural wood and washable cotton everywhere. Don't you just want to move in? Me to!

This is the porch of Jennifer's home. Not only is she super stylish, she is a bargain hunter...like me. This setting she bought off Ebay for a small price, re covered in white and voila! Stylish outdoor setting.

Her bathroom is just gorgeous and has been in my head recently while I ponder our bathroom reno. White with black accents and white washed wood...how can you go wrong?

This cushion would look lovely on a plump white sofa over looking the ocean. It is available from Whiteport. I want some. My Sister will too!!
You know I want this all white ginger jar from Whiteport!
Imagine a group of these mixed in with blue and white ones...ahhh.

Not only is the store beautiful, Jennifer's blog is lovely too. She has a liking for a Designer I admire, Vincent Wolf.

Whiteport's range of lotions and potions look good enough to eat, especially sitting on these waffle towels....in white!

I can just imagine all of these in a New England style home, and with a fire place that is simply beautiful, you could stay all year round.

The only thing that is missing from the photo above is a vintage look wicker basket full of kindling, like these from Shabby Homestyles...

...and a bowl full of these gorgeous little white pebbles from Mondo Cherry. They remind me of the ones from Somethings Gotta Give...but cuter.

I don't think it would be a New England home without a flag and a lighthouse. I love the fact that the light house is white and not that over done red stripe kind.

..and would all these things make sense if there wasn't somewhere to kick off your sandy shoes and plonk down for an evening by candle light, the sound of waves and the ocean breeze sending you to sleep while someone else done the cooking...absolutely not!
For great ideas visit Jennifer and her team at Whiteport.
Ness xx
other photos via New England Lifestyle...ta!

Friday, March 27, 2009

This weekend I will be...

...out to buy fresh flowers from the markets...
pic - skona hem
...visiting our favourite coffee shop for lattes and a chat...


pic - Anna Spiro
...hunting down more blue and white ginger jars, and....

pic - Baileys
...oh no, that's right, I was dreaming about that lovely weekend! In reality I will be washing, sewing, painting, and spending time removing building rubbish and garden waste from the yard to the skip that is in our driveway!!!
If you do happen to be doing any of the wonderful things above...
think of me...please!
Have a great weekend,
Ness xx

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Apologie in white...

I would like to apologise for my absence from everyones comment pages of late. It is not me to visit and not leave a comment, but as I have to finish off painting our doors and make up curtains etc I have been a little time poor...so I am making up to you all with these white lovelies.
Please be warned that the following pictures may make you want to head to your nearest paint shop for the biggest tin of white paint you can find for a full white out!
Just letting you know before we start looking at these wonderful, beautiful interiors I have dug out. I think you will find there is something for everyone.
Pic - BH&G
Mmmmm! Bliss! Fave chair, Armoire, creamy white walls and loads of style. This room is by the talented Vincent Wolf.

Pic - Skona Hem
Modern with a hint of vintage glamour. I like it.

Pic - Skona Hem
What a lovely kids room. I always dreamed of a built in bed like this as a child. My own little space to escape to and a cocoon like feeling to keep me safe from the boogie man.
Pic - Atlanta Homes
A very sophisticated space with a very restrained palette, which is what you want to unwind in...clear your mind after a rough week.

Pic -Atlant Bartlett
Gorgeous personified! The amazing Atlanta is a modern master when it comes to whipping a white interior into life.

Pic - Baileys
and who could forget the washroom. I know it is just for Laundry to be done in, but I think it should have a sense of you and your palette and a hint of luxury, like this Belfast sink. Let's face it, if you are anything like me, you spend ALOT of time in this space...and ours needs re doing.
Something else to add on to 'The List'!

I posted about this beautiful little seaside shack when I first started to blog. It is just lovely, all white, French inspired and uber luxe...for a shack!

I would love to take this little white palace and plonk it into our back yard, where I would while away my time (!) and create and just be with all this lovely-ness.
maybe this can be the blueprint for the office/studio space that I have always yearned for in our little nook out the back we call the 'Woodshed'. It's not any more, now it is our outdoor dining space. I sit in there and wonder 'how hard would it be to line this to turn into my sewing space and get our spare room back as the guest room'? Not hard I would think....add it to 'The List'!
I hope you enjoyed these beautiful white spaces, and hope you all can forgive my absence.
Ness xx

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

French Door before & afters...

Let me take you on a little journey of where we started on the French door journey...
BEFORE
in all of its pinky glory, pre paint, our house really needed something on this side of the house, and as our windows were rotting with age we thought 'wouldn't French doors be great'. This photo was during the painting stage.

DURING
Here we are when the wonderful 'Chris the Builder' (or as the kids called him Bob The Builder!). He laid our new veranda base, which I thought was wonderful as I pondered on what was coming...
TODAY
Here we are!!! New French doors. Still not finished painting yet, but I couldn't wait to do a TA DA! Our veranda still has to be erected (coming soon) and gardens etc done to finish, but what a difference. We love it. Chris worked some magic, let me tell you! There were lots of snags along the way, which he dealt with beautifully and we are so pleased with the result.

DURING - inside.
This is while they were going in the living room. Plaster dust everywhere and nearly done.TODAY
I had them open today while I was cleaning and dressing the room again. It was bliss! We, well I have waited SO long to get French doors along this side of the house...well worth it.
We did have a moment where we thought about painting them the charcoal colour, but it didn't look right, so back to white.


This is the door in Declan's room. Chris had to make up little glass boxes for the top of the doors (one of the snags) and the little pieces for the corners of the architrave (another snag). they look so good though. These doors will be getting stained like the rest of the woodwork in here.

Now all I have to do is make up curtains for them all. Any suggestions. I was thinking a putty colour for the living room, natural for Mics slot car room (I didn't show you those, they look the same as Declan's room) and maybe a denim for Declan's door. decisions!!
Ness xx

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Favourite bits from home..

I thought I would show you some of my favourite things and bits from our home as I haven't loaded up the French door pics yet. Yep, they are done and look beautiful! =) Anyway, I have dug through some photos and found these, some new, some old but I love them all...This is actually to remind me of my palette. One of my little paintings of a Sid Dickens wing, my ever faithful twine, a little hand dyed wing (that I can not replicate the colour for the life of me). A sage green letter (H for home), blue and white china and a hint of grey, in the form of one of my favourite chunky rings.


This mirror is in the kitchen/dining and my Dad made it to resemble an old window, which funny enough picks up on our French doors now. The little wreath is from Mum and the two together just remind me of them. In the reflection is an old Ambulance station medicine cabinet that I stripped back over about 2 months that was found beneath rubble under a rental property we lived at when we were first Married. I think it is brilliant.


I really love this canvas I picked up for $1.99!! It is an old wine advertisement and has beautiful colours through it which go so well with our colour scheme. And the hint of red is perfect.

This candelabra was given to me by Mum (she gives me lots of things as she loves decorating too) recently. The crackle grey pot I bought from one of my favourite shops in Kiama NSW 'Always Flowers' and holds some greenish Hydrangeas from Mum (again).

This is my new love. This chunky deep grey throw on the end of our bed I bought a few weeks ago. The boys got one each too, but in Navy. The & cushion is a new edition to my Etsy Shop. It looks great in between your pillows, especially if there is a Mr & Mrs. I think it would be great as a house warming gift, wedding gift etc for a couple.
Now, I could have chosen a lot more but didn't want to bore you too much with my loves! I will show you our new doors tomorrow!! Yay, finally!
Ness xx

Monday, March 23, 2009

Adoring...

...this whole space.
I am hanging this on my mood board tomorrow as it is just perfect. Warm, peaceful, welcoming, lived in and beautiful. The sign is a huge draw card also, along with the white panelling, linen and wood.
Just a quick post tonight as I am painting our French doors ready to go on tomorrow. We have two rooms done already, with the double living room doors going on tomorrow. They look so good! Then I have to try and get them finished off to show you all.
Ness xx

Friday, March 20, 2009

Luxe..

If this bathroom doesn't scream 'quality time', I can't please you. How gorgeous are these side by side claw foots?Even the toilet is in a little trophy cabinet. (actually, I don't think I am into this bit...that is something that needs to be done behind a solid door)....it looks lovely though!


Other than that I can totally picture Mic and I soaking away a long weeks worries in front of the fire on a cold chilly night...How about you?
Have a relaxing weekend,
Ness xx

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Swoon...

If, like me you are currently trying to pop your eyes back in, then you have totally fallen in love with this kitchen/dining room. What is there not to love about this space? hints of green, vintage text, worn, waxed wood table, wooden storage creates, mercury glass, white units, zinc, tolix chairs, etc. I think it is beautiful but, what til you see the next bit...

...aahh! White in all of it's beauty. Even the pooch matches. A heavenly restful place. Nothing to mess with your head in terms of colour except the hints of blue on the bed, the wood floors, wicker baskets and the statute...divine!

This home is full of worn wonder's like these little trophies from time that show the hard life they once endured before being brought in from the weather and given a A1 vantage point on top of a table.

As my Scandinavian is non existent and my translator wasn't playing when I viewed this lovely home, I am guessing this glorious store belongs to these super lucky owners...damn them (lol)!
There is so much I would spend my Monopoly money on here...actually, I'll take one of each. Anyone want to go halves in a container?
Ness xx
pics - skona hem

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

My Virtual Beach House...

As some of you know I am consulting on a beach house makeover that is underway. While I have been digging through files of images for inspiration to suit the owners needs, I have been wondering if we were to ever get a little, or big beach house, what would be the elements that I would want. So, I thought I would take you on a virtual tour through my head to my perfect beach house from front door to back...

I would imagine it to be either faded grey shingles or white board on the outside, with wide verandas and a few dormer windows to really take advantage of the sea breeze...a wildflower meadow would be wonderful also.

As you enter, you would be welcomed by a small feature table with a simple, but beautiful mirror over it, to check your beach hair for foreign objects! Simple black and white photos of Summers past would adorn the wall. Definitely white washed floors for carefree living throughout.
This beach house will be used all year, and I imagine the feel in winter to be still stylish, yet filled with lots of touchy fabrics in colours that mimic the palette of the ocean surroundings, sand, pebble, white and hints of black. Of course there would be a crackling fire to listen to as wonderful background noise to accompany the waves rolling in.
Come Summer time, we would welcome it in by throwing the doors open, putting away the quilts and pulling out aquas, faded blues and greens and picking the wild flowers from our field which has come to life.

An all white kitchen that has some interesting features will be a pleasure to cook in. Bin pull handles on the drawers and small knobs for the doors in a brushed aluminium, loads of wicker baskets, wicker blinds and hints of fresh blue and white china here and there.
Just off the kitchen, a little sitting area or breakfast nook to take in the ocean life while you ponder the Sunday papers and have your fresh fruit and muesli would be sublime.
A wonderfully fresh beaded board bathroom, with either reclaimed flagstone flooring or lime washed wood would be perfect for sandy feet to be cleaned. Loads of wicker and simple finishes everywhere else remind you of where you are.

Still, I can't go past a white claw foot to soak a long days swimming away.

In my vision, Mason and Declan share a room (they have there own in reality). It will have a feature wall behind there beds of faded, vintage style maps, loads of navy blue and white, more wicker and simple white linen. These beds are divine.

I must admit, our own bedroom is what I could imagine here in this virtual beach house. Except there would boat oars above the bed or a really peaceful and calm beach painting with straw colour grass swaying in the foreground.

My perfect outdoor room. Imagine having carefree Bar-b-ques and a glass of wine out here? I would take out the can lights (down lights) and just have hurricane lamps, candles and a white washed chandelier in this space.
..and what beach house would be complete with it's own boat ramp?
So, now I have made my wish list, I just have to wish to the beach house god's to grant me this exact home!!
Ness xx
images - 1.unknown, 2.Atlanta Bartlett, 3.Janie Hirsch, 4.BH&G, 5.Oliveaux, 6.Notebook, 7.BH&G, 8.All Things Blue, 9.Pottery Barn, 10.Ness Lockyer, 11.Porchlight Interiors (I think), 12. House Beautiful