Beach House Style




From top left:
Driftwood Floor Lamp, Eileen Kathryn Boyd; Bobo Concentric Circles Pillow, Jonathan Adler; Liberty Handmade Vessel, Freedom Furniture; Stacey Garcia Lemongrass Striped Wall Sconce, Lamps Plus; Sorrento Mirror, Oz Design; Blue Horizon Print, Oz Design; Dimpled Lamp in Teal & Aqua, Kristy Lee Interiors; Haze Silk Mimosa Cushion, Aphrochic; Ecoya Lotus Flower Metrojar Candle, Ecoya; Sommerfield Sofa, Freedom Furniture; Dark Turquoise Zig Zag Cushions, Ada & Darcy; Tangten Weathered Elm Side Table, Coco Republic; 20th C Metal Barrel, Huniford

 

Whether you have a holiday home or just want to infuse beach house style into where you live, you can use these items to bring a bit of sunshine into your decorating scheme.  I like my beach house to be rustic and casual, yet colourful and glamorous.  The inspiration for this mood board was the fantastic mirror from Oz Design.  I've paired it with a driftwood floor lamp, shell based smaller lamp and casual beach friendly furniture such as the linen sofa and crate side table.  Beach houses are fun, so I've added some playful striped wall sconces.

A quick dash with Elizabeth Bauer

All images are via
Elizabeth Bauer

In the continuing story of my New York design journey, I have to mention Elizabeth Bauer.  We were on our last day in the city that never sleeps, trying to find a deli for my mother so she could buy some nuts (it's a long story you don't want to hear - why would you want nuts when you can have Magnolia Cupcakes?) when we stumbled across Elizabeth Bauer's divine little store.  In our frantic search for a healthy snack, I would have completely missed it, if it were not for the vibrant colours and eye catching designs calling out to me from that little slice of heaven, her retail store.  It was the visual attraction and the fact that I had slowed the pace down as a Jonathan Adler store is a few doors down.  Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, on Greenwich Avenue, make sure you stop in for a look when you are there.

The shop just makes you feel good.  The gorgeous colours, patterned fabrics, varied surfaces and exotic glamorous vibe of the store means that you will want to stay and potter for a while.  Unfortunately, on this trip, all I could afford was a quick dash, but this is one place that I will definitely revisit on my next trip.  Last year, Traditional Home magazine labeled Elizabeth Bauer as one of 20 Young Designers to Watch and I suggest you take a good long look.

Statement Cushions - Top 5

Kas Aspen Green




Oliveaux East Village Raspberry




Kas Tatou Slate

 


Kas Tatou Mauve



Jonathan Adler Barbie Needlepoint

Domayne Alpha Jute



With spring here, it's the perfect time to change up your decor.  Introducing a statement cushion or two can really liven up your home and change the total look.  With this in mind, I have given you my top 5 current statement cushions.  Ombre, glitz, texture and patten are all here so there's bound to be one to suit your space.





Loving New York Design with Jonathan Adler

Images of the Jonathan Adler shop in Soho

I'm finally back from my wonderful trip to New York and Hawaii.  I am so excited to share it all with you and there were so many beautiful things that it was hard to know where to start.  I've chosen Jonathan Adler as I really loved his shop and the people that work there were also lovely.  We had a great conversation about Australian design compared to American design.  My first impression with American interior design is all about colour and the wonderful way they use it.  They are not afraid!  My opinion is that a lot of Australian design (not all) is very neutral and reflective of our natural environment.  Perhaps because New York is very grey with all the buildings, New Yorkers love to use vibrant colour.

Jonathan Adler's shop in Soho (I also went past the one in Greenwich Village) is a joy to walk into.  His use of colour is second to none.  The bold retro inspired designs were refreshing and fun, yet still contemporary and sophisticated.  Take your cue from New York and have a bit of fun with colour - it can really lift your mood.