My vintage yacht makeover!

I spotted an old old old boat in an antiques store in Balgowlah, NSW. So happened it belonged to a stall owned by my husband's aunt. So I got it as an house-warming gift :)

'Course... this is almost 16 months ago now...

It looked way more romantic in the photo she sent me of the boat.

It screamed out for a redo... since there was no way I'm displaying the tired blue boat with its moldy brown-now-white-then sails.

First coat of undercoat. I put two coats.

The topcoat drying, a bright sunshine yellow.

Husband hanging the yellow boat on its freshly painted pink base and holder above our TV with some wall brackets.

For almost 16 months it's been sitting up there without the third and final sail... I chose bright yellow-andsomethingorother vintage fabric/napkins for my sail... happy happy yacht! (Thanks mum-in-law for making the sails for me!! (I have no sewing machine!))

It's finally completed! TODAY!



(A month before we have to LEAVE this place!!!)

London Home: I love so bad!

Daisy Pink Cupcake posted shots of an AWESOME London home.
Man, I wish I were given that freedom around here :)







Hop over to her blog to see more shots!

Today I'm inspired by

... vintage floral bouquets in simple white frames against a snowy white wall...


I've been trying to collect them especially since we moved and I painted my large and high living room 3-4 coats of white :) I don't have as many nice ones since they are getting expensive...

Here's my slowly growing collection:


This is my latest... a floral bouquet painted 2 years ago by my husband's 94 year old Nanna.


Coco+Kelley also posted a similar image here. (Actually looks like the same frames rearranged!)

James Merrell

Sherrill Canet Interiors

My previous post featured a green living room by Sherrill Canet Interiors. I clicked over to her site and I was drooling by the end of it. (Isn't it fantastic when interior designers are so confident of their work that the photos displayed are so large that we can really look at detail??)

New York designer Sherrill Canet has created such gorgeously elegant but sumptious rooms for her clients... man oh man. I especially love the mix of new and antiques, something that I myself strive for (not similar level of antiques, of course!!!!).

Let there be WHITE!

So I'm finally kinda ready to reveal the living room in all its glorious whiteness (remember my previous posts about white living rooms here and here). My all-cream house was a state of blandness when we finally got the keys. The next day, my in laws, husband and child marched there armed with almost 20ltrs of white semi-gloss. We have given the living room two coats of that glorious white (plus undercoat of course). Ceiling in the same semi-gloss because I love light bouncing off the walls. And the ceiling isn't really a ceiling, it's two walls colliding in the centre at the highest point.



My sister in law counted... the living room has 15 walls. So ALOT of cutting in to do. Plus we had to hire an OUTDOOR scaffold so we could paint the INSIDE ceiling.



Here's hubby taking a short break from painting the ceiling. He did enjoy having the scaffolding to monkey-climb on for 2 days.


Now with the scaffolding gone, the awful cream gone and furniture in place, complete with decorative child (we actually live here, so please pardon child-moved objects):





Still have more to do:

1. Trimwork painted. Not decided on colour yet.
2. Lighting replaced.
3. More artwork to be bought and placed :)

The trouble (and beauty) with white...

Redmond Aldrich Design

I love white walls. The rooms can be sooooo versatile.

The trouble? Having cream wall to wall carpet. Doesn't really go, does it? (Thinking about paint for the living room of our new house.) We can't afford to get rid of the carpets and frankly, Melbourne weather calls for it... anything to insulate in the heat!

But I do love white walls... and for some eye candy:
I chose these ones also to show how different white rooms can feel...

Photo from Anna Spiro of Absolutely Beautiful Things

Jennifer Mabley and Austin Handler

Louisa Grey

Elle Decor

Kelley Proxmire

Whitney Stewart

Woodson & Rummerfield's

Homes and Gardens

Living Etc

I had thought and discussed dark chocolate walls for this space... But I am seriously thinking pristine white now...

Lizard Management

Ever been mesmerised by the simplest of photographs? You stare and stare, hoping to somehow either be transported or be inspired magically likewise?



Today I stumbled on a bedroom that was photographed by Sue Ferris that inspired me so much and then I discovered the talented stylists and photographers behind Lizard Management, a multi-faceted creative in Sydney.

Stylist: Kim Payne


Stylist: Carlu Seaver




Photographer: Jason Loucas


Go check out the many many more photos!

Photos from Lizard Management