“Please contact me if you would like a consultation or further information about any of the products you see here at Decorum.”Archive for May 2010
To Market, to market
Oh dear, my poor blog has been neglected again this week. Sometimes there’s just not anything worth blogging about, I’m sorry.
However, as this week draws to a close, I thought I’d point out that two of “my” houses are currently on the market.
It’s interesting to see how the real estate agents and stylists change things around to suit a prospective buyer. I like making a house into a home for my clients and their families, whereas it’s a different story when the For Sale sign is up.
This is the photo I took of the formal lounge room when we’d finished the job.
Formal Lounge on completion
And this is the real estate photo.
Real Estate View. Click on image for more photos
In this house, what was the formal lounge room has now been altered to accomodate another bedroom. We didn’t get back to take a photo of all our work before the For Sale sign went up.
Client's formal lounge before we started
Real Estate agents have converted the lounge room to a bedroom. Click on image for more photos.
I have it on good authority that the more bedrooms a house can have, the better!
Family room and kitchen prior to our work
Family Room and Kitchen with new colour scheme
So if you’re looking for some action this weekend, why not have a look at these properties.
Alternatively you might like to grab a bargain at one of the warehouse sales this weekend.
Florence Broadhurst Stocktake Sale
or in Melbourne
Emma Jay Factory Sale
Whatever you get up to this weekend, I hope you enjoy yourself and stay dry and warm.
Stylish Interiors
This week has just flown. I’ve been working on a number of interior decorating and colour projects this week and have spent alot of time at my desk sourcing different items, putting them into floor plans, choosing colour schemes, writing up Specification Sheets and preparing quotes.
The projects are all so diversified which makes life very interesting and challenging. We have French Provincial in one home.
via Australian House and Garden
Clean and crisp in another, modern in one,
via Canadian House and Home Photographer Stacey Brandford
soft and dreamy in another
via Krista Ewart
and Hamptons Style in yet another.
via Sherrill Canet Interiors
I also had a visit from Caesarstone who are promoting their latest product Motivo.
Motivo Crocodile
I saw it displayed at Designex but couldn’t get close enough as there was a big crowd gathered around. Motivo is a quartz surface that incorporates a sculpted pattern texture in the surface. Presently it is available in Crocodile in Jet Black or Lace in Snow. It’s very beautiful and slabs on a wall or bar would look stunning. I’d love to use some in a project, so if you’re game, give me a call.
Motivo Lace
What style do you like to come home to each evening? If you would like assistance creating your harmonious environment, contact me.
Have a great weekend and hopefully I’ll see more of you next week.
What do you think?
I hope you’ve had a lovely week.
Winter hit with a vengeance here in Sydney yesterday. Coldest May morning in three years. I think winter is the time everyone turns their thoughts to the inside of their homes. We certainly spend more time there.
I came across this new wallpaper by Zoffany and couldn’t resist posting a photo.
Zoffany Mosaic Wallpaper
Do you like it? It’s called Mosaic and up close it looks like little bits of paper all stuck on top of each other. It gives a beautiful shimmer effect especially in this stripe.
Wallpaper is making a comeback and it’s nothing like the stuff I grew up with. I love it all.
Zoffany Nureyev Wallpaper
Would you like some wallpaper in your home? Inside Out Colour and Design can make it happen. Email us for online rates or call 0401440088 if you are Sydney based.
Colour Schemes
I think I’ve mentioned before that one of my favourite parts of being a Colour Consultant is putting an entire colour scheme together for a client.
This week I am working with a family who are building a new home. They have chosen floor tiles for the bathrooms and timber floor boards for the family living areas. My job is to choose a palette that can be worked into paint, carpet, benchtops, splashbacks and window coverings.
I visited their existing home to look at the furniture pieces that will be going into the new home and am now playing around with swatches, brushouts and samples.
I love getting everything all working together and looking like it all flows from one room to the next. I even like to bring some of the exterior colours inside. I’m thinking about that while I ponder colours for the glass splashback in the kitchen. It will face the back garden so I would love to bring in some of it’s colour.
and the winner is……
Last week I celebrated my first year of blogging which was very exciting. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I embarked on the journey just over 12 months ago. It has been alot of fun and I’ve met some wonderful people out there who all have similar interests and tastes to me.
There’s a number of things that draw me to different blogs – location, personality, humour, great images, interest in decor and colour. I can’t imagine how I could get through a day without visiting someone via their blog. It’s a constant source of enlightenment and inspiration for me.
Keeping up with what’s happening in the world of colour and design is also high on my list and learning about different events that are on in Sydney and further afield is great. One such event I discovered through blogging was The Finders Keepers Markets. Unfortunately my planned visit to the December event was curtailed when we lost our beloved Ming but on Saturday I finally made it.
My pick of the stall holders were Elkhorn Design and Nell Design. Elkhorn had some lovely screen printed cushion covers and table runners as well as some fashion items. They have an Etsy shop but it’s a bit bare at the moment. Maybe they recalled all their stock for the market.
Dahlia Table Runner by Elkhorn Designs
I first met Nell a few years ago at a Business Planning (read boring) workshop. She was just starting out and has made great inroads. Her designs are so simple yet so beautiful. Her stand was extremely busy on Saturday so she’s probably back behind the sewing machine.
Striped Cushions by Nell Designs
And now for the winner of my giveaway. A-M it’s you! I couldn’t believe it when my daughter pulled your name out of the bowl. We’re very sophisticated with our drawing here.
For those of you who don’t know (like where have you been?) A-M has spent the last few years building a house. She has written about it at The House That A-M Built and was one of the first blogs I started reading. Maybe it’s her Brisbane roots that drew me in, or her gorgeous sense of humour. So when you pass the newsagent this month and see the enlarged version of Home Beautiful being advertised, that’s her porch on the cover.
The House That A-M Built
Thank you to all those readers who left a comment and those that read but chose not to. I look forward to having you with me for another year.
Let’s Celebrate!
Happy Blogday to me, Happy Blogday to me!
via *ojoyous1*'s photostream on Flickr
Yes it’s been one year since I sat down to write my first post. Amazing how time flys when you’re having fun.
And that’s exactly what I have been doing. This Blog business is loads of fun and has brought so much inspiration, friendships and laughs to my world. So thank you for being a part of it.
via Alice Palice's Photstream on Flickr
I recently set up a Facebook Fan Page and today am announcing the winner of the little giveaway I’ve been running there.
Option 1
Lindsey Griffin is now the proud owner of a pair of custom made cushion covers.
Option 2
I wonder which set she will choose?
Option 3
But the give-aways don’t finish there. If you live in Australia and would like to have 6 months of Australian Home Beautiful delivered to your door, leave me a comment between now and Sunday.
Australian Home Beautiful
Winner will be announced here on Monday. Good luck!
Who’s Afraid Of Big Bad Colour?
I recently went along to a talk with this title. Unfortunately, the content did not live up to the title and along with colleagues I left a little underwhelmed. You see, the entire panel of speakers, along with the MC, all agreed that white was their preferred colour.
To say I was disappointed was an understatement. but I did get to thinking later. One of the speakers (not an Aussie) commented that Australians don’t put colour on their walls. He went on to say that he found that remarkable when we were surrounded by colour.
Kata Tjuta at Sunset
Our landscape, fashion and indigenous art is all extremely colourful yet nearly every home has white or off white walls.
Art by Minnie Pwerle
What I found amazing was that, wouldn’t that be preferred? I mean why would you want a riot of colours on your walls all competing with the colours of the view, or the artworks or the owners and their possessions?
Australian Fashion
I think it makes perfect sense that we have neutral walls so that the rest of our colourful world can take centre stage. Of course being a Colour Consultant I can’t resist but put colour on at least one wall in a house, but not every room a different colour.
Photo by Willem Rethmeier via Australian House and Garden
What do you think do you like colour on the walls or would you prefer your colour to be in other things?
PS. Don’t forget to head over to my Facebook Fan Page and become a fan (or like me) to go into the draw to win a pair of colourful cushion covers. Drawn this Wednesday!
