October wish list

With the house progress gaining momentum after being so slow for a few years, I've found myself in a decorating hiatus.
Unpacking previously bought treasures has reminded me that we have enough.

And, until I find the spot for some items, I cannot foresee where any gaps might be. 

Everything continuing is now hinged on the two kitchens being completed in order to put things away, live functionally (on at least one level) and clear some space to put everything in place.

I'm even offering freebies on my local Trading Post to clear excess!

Our joiner has promised the additional 'bits' that were missing from the first fit-out will be delivered and installed next week, so I'm crossing my fingers and toes that my patience will be rewarded!

In the meantime, without a lot to do (there's no point cleaning the copious dust until it literally settles) I've wasted time occupied myself trawling the net to explore the latest offerings.

1. Still a favourite online store; Harold's. Love these crisp, sophisticated cushions.

 2. Muuto Dots. Perfect in every way.

 3. Cristina Re Mugs. Love the variety of mix 'n match patterns.

4. Nice dimensioned armchairs are hard to find. Love the Hudson from Orson & Blake.

5.  Out of my stratosphere $ wise, this Garden Life planter is a stunner!

Just dreaming ATM!

x KL

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Needs. Wants. A fine line.

Well, I've been trying to walk that thin line for a few months and, oops!

  I kinda crossed it a few times....

I've pre-ordered three of these stools (not available till Nov / Dec unfortunately) for the lower deck area to sit up against the bar. Whilst they're not modern nor made for outside, they are the right height, are pretty 'classic' style wise, will be undercover and should add some textural warmth to the pool area. I've been looking for the 'perfect' stool for this spot for two years and I loved these as soon as I saw them. The rattan will hopefully withstand wet-tog-bottoms too!

This large Juju purchase was definitely a wee bit naughty. I have a white one that I was planning to hang in the lounge but this rare-coloured black / blue had me smitten. Not sure where I'll hang her, I've definitely got multiple spots it would look stunning

I've just collected my Ian Baguskas print 'Waiting', from the framers. I love its subtle colours but am kicking myself that I hesitated and missed out on one of the larger-sized releases.

Added a 'Botanical' motif plate to my Spode Blue Room collection of dinner plates. So pretty!

This Springbok cushion belongs with me. I know, we are going to be very happy together.
It arrived so beautifully wrapped that I felt like I'd received a present. (Don't think hubby will feel the same way when he sees the bank statement though) LOL!

HAD to buy these nifty wire baskets in Rose Gold and Black. At $12 each from Kmart you better get your skates on! Have you seen the rest of Kmart's newest homewares range? I wanted just about one of everything!

Can't wait to get more of the house finished so I can actually start decorating with some of my goodies!

x KL

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New Season Homewares

I love the changes that a new season brings, especially those affecting the home in autumn and spring. Freshly into Autumn, my fave stores are restocking their wares in tempting new designs that reflect now, global trends.

Here's some of my latest faves:

1. The ombre trend is fading (LOL) but this snugly throw in blue still looks the business to Moi! Ombre Throw in Blue $59.95 $44.95 Bed Bath 'n Table

2. Love the Scandi look but find the Pia Cross blankey a bit exy? Try this look-a-like; Portland Onyx Throw $99.99 from Adairs

3. Addicted to linen sheeting? Warm up the palette for autumn with colour-of-the-moment, Indigo from $75 (pair of pillowcases) In Bed Store

4. 5. & 6. I love beautiful towels and the Vue Spa range are sumptuous. Love the velvet banding and jewel like colours!(emerging trend?) There are multitudes of mix 'n match items too! Pictured are turquoise, chevron silver and charcoal from $9.95 (face washer) exclusive to Myer

7. 8. & 9. No autumn update is complete without some new cushions. I'm crushing the velvet options this season in brights and patterns. Emerald Velvet $120 from Harold's Finishing Touches. Silvan silk velvet $130 and Mavi silk velvet  from $100 Cultiver

And of course, all these items can be purchased online! Yippee!

What's on your wish list for autumn?

x KL

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Bits & Bobs and some wee house progress!

 There's been lots going on here lately but not enough time to post. My poor little blog has definitely been neglected! 

Of course it's holiday time and there are books to read, sunshine to enjoy and friends to catch up with after the frantic pace of Christmas and New Year. I am yet to put the tree and decor away...this afternoon is earmarked for that onerous chore and I'm procrastinating!

My West Elm gold cutlery has been packed away in a new canteen from POK.

 Mattress-gate has been resolved and we are sleeping comfortably at last. Who knew how traumatic buying a new mattress could be? ! Long story short, NEVER buy an $8K Tempur mattress if you or your partner are hot sleepers...that thing will cook you alive! When we eventual bought successfully (Sealy Posturepedic Nouvelle Plush Gardenia from Domayne; BLISS!), we bought J a new mattress too. . . and of course some new bedlinen was required. He he!

Abode Euros, Cultiver Linen, Bonnie & Neil Cushion.

 The Table-gate episode that occupied FIVE MONTHS of 2014 and that I thought was resolved HERE, wasn't. It is now though, with the item being returned and refunded. We are however, back to square one and table-less once again. Recommendations welcome! Minimum 3 m length x 1200 mm wide.

The upper floor bathrooms have seen no further progress as our tiler is still unavailable. We're looking at him starting in two weeks but I'm not going to hold my breath! In the interim, David has started prepping the top verandas so they'll be ready to tile too with the french pattern travertine bought exactly a year ago! He doesn't want to lay any timber flooring or carpet upstairs until they're completed due to potential damage. Which leads me to...

 (insert drum roll, trumpets and fanfare)

TIMBER FLOORING

Yup. Finally decided, purchased and it's ready to rock 'n roll!

21mm thick, extra wide engineered oak flooring; colour Matt silky oak. I probably would have gone for a lighter tone but decided to err on the side of caution and not be too trend specific.

One pack of our flooring laid out!

As mentioned, Davey has made a wee bit of progress here. He had planned to do more but needed to work between Christmas and New Year to finish a client's house as they wanted to move in three weeks earlier.

Thankfully, we were able to meet their request, sans shower screens and mirrors. I'll show you more pics of this one in another post.

Our latest completed, custom client home.

In the last few days, David has worked here and the top veranda outside what will be our bedroom, and the entry, now have ceiling linings. J assisted his Dad with the last piece and has shown himself to be a great help when needed.

The bar-front under the bi-fold window area is finished and now just needs sealing. 

A beautiful bone-inlay chest of drawers that has been on my 'wish list' forever, finally made it here. I'm going to use it in the main bedroom and officially announce an end to my bone-inlay obsession!

I bought this great Pony Rider pouf for J's bedroom too. It was on sale for $90 from $229 (yippee!) and it will make a great spot to sit and put on shoes etc. 

J has finished Primary School and is headed to High School this year. The end of the year was frantic as along with the usual Christmas functions we had graduation events too. I made J and a girlfriend's daughter, signature bears dressed in mini uniforms as a grad gift. Sommer loved hers and had all her mates and teachers sign it but J wouldn't even take his to school. Boys. I should have known better! LOL!

 My craft skills were more appreciated by my middle child though. I posted HERE about A's desire for a Dream-Catcher for Christmas. Below is the one I made her and which she liked. Thank God!

It was very easy to make but the materials (especially the lace) were exy so I didn't save money by making one, I just made a more spectacular version for the same outlay.

That probably brings the blog up-to-speed with the goings on here and hopefully I'll have more House Progress posts to share soon!

x KL

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My Missoni for Target picks

 Did you buy into yesterday's Missoni madness and buy any of their articles from Target?

My local store was not a stockist and as their online shop crashed, I only took a peek today.

Nothing appeared to be sold out and social media reports seemed unanimous that the quality was lacking in many items.

Never-the-less, I bought a bath mat, hand-towel and scarf which can  be returned if I don't like them.

My favourite items were the children's wear; softly toned muslin wraps, blankets, onesies and clothing. None of which I have need for but would make gorgeous presents! 

I also liked the velour beach towels, small cushions, toiletry packs and the moccasins pictured above...but not enough to purchase.

Did you attend the launch in store or buy anything online?

Would love to hear your thoughts...

 

x KL

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You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!

if a picture paints a thousand words...

..here is a forty-thousand word essay on 'what we've been doing'!

x KL

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You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!

I spy

Top to bottom, Left to right:
 

A Father's Day gift idea? Blueprint Print $24.95 from The Home

My latest love: Iron & Glass display boxes by House Doctor. Royal Designs

Online buy: Adia Kibur Crystal Earings from Shopbop. $22 USD with free delivery to Oz!

Faux Plant. All the good ones are exy. But unkillable; a worthwhile investment? Image: Pinterest.
 

EF-S-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Perfect wide angle lense for entry level DSLR users. $449 Canon.

I still get frustrated that West Elm Australia doesn't stock all the seriously swishy goodies of its US counterpart. Small marble based Pillar Table Lamp from West Elm USA.
 

Chinoiserie perfection! Did you know bed sizes are different all over the world? Makes international purchase impossible except for pillows! Sheridan Eastcott Euro. House of Frazer UK.

x KL

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You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!

waiting . . .

 . . . waiting, w a i t i n g   . . .

 I'm now up to day five of waiting for delivery of our new dining table.

It's been to Melbourne twice, Sydney twice, and the legs have made it to Gosford.

I've been assured it's going to be delivered TODAY. As promised yesterday. 

And the days before that too...

Here are some more rustic tables / contemporary settings from Pinterest to look at because I can't post pictures of mine. Yet.

*sigh*

 Ha! I've just been called advising that it's being delivered by one person and can I help unload?

Um...no. 

That's why I paid an exorbitant delivery fee.

You've gotta laugh, or you'd 'go mad and shoot a dog'!

Fido. FIDO! ... Fido?

x KL

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You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!

juxtaposition

Did you guess what I bought after last week's sneak peek?

It's a dining table made from reclaimed, 100 year old elm!

Now, I know buying a substantial piece of furniture, sight unseen, online and from a hospital bed may seem a little bit odd unusual. But, I had been toying with the idea for some time. I had done plenty of prior 'homework'!

I justified the purchase hence:

I love it

I think the juxtaposition with our contemporary house will look good

It's the right size....3000 mm x 1000 mm. (OK; 1200 wide would've been better)

I had some moolah from the sale of previously loved furniture & decor pieces

I can't find a mill to mill the plank (though am still working on it...)

It will look good outside if we move and can't accommodate the size

I have given away an old table and chairs so I have storage room for our Edwardian Banquet table

It was reasonably priced
I love it.

Here are some dining rooms that I found and pinned as inspiration whilst I was investigating options.... They all feature rustic tables surrounded by contrasting style chairs in mostly contemporary settings.

My new baby is being delivered tomorrow.

Fingers and toes crossed she's as beautiful as the online pics!

x KL

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3 weeks lost

 Losing three weeks of my life to sickness has been frustrating...most of all the inability to 'do' anything, go anywhere and feeling confined. I was pretty zonked on painkillers and one can only peruse so many magazines! Headaches made any indulgence in real literature impossible.

So, I shopped. 

Online of course...

....just a little....

Here's the deets....

My love of Camilla saw this long kaftan (which was on sale!) pop into my cart. Even though I'm a curvy girl, the style swamps me so I'm going to get it reworked into a sleeved dress.

New season Country Road tempted...and fed my continuing pastel pink obsession with these summer jeans and vase. 

The shoe height on these CR mules are just right for this ol' gal but I think I'll return them for the white colourway which is everywhere this season!

Ordered two of these light fixtures from Beacon Lighting for over the dining table. David picked them up and HATES them. . . Beacon have a great return policy but I'm going to try to 'sell' them to hubby first!

J is growing like no tomorrow. At 12, he is now as tall as me. He seems to have outgrown every wardrobe item in the past three weeks! New CR jeans (he hates the button fly) and a new Tee are a stop-gap till I can take him shopping. 

Whilst I was buying from CR I also grabbed this black smock which will hide my puffed up belly. I think it will look sweet over the pink jeans. The detailing is gorgeous!

My hospital admission was so hurried that I was admitted with only the clothes I was wearing! Mum grabbed these men's flannies for me from Lowes. Super sloppy, soft and warm. Perfect post surgery. Thanks Mummy!!!!

Harold's always has something I 'need'. Cough. A handful of porcupine quills and an emu egg have now been added to my collection of curiosities!

 There is one more thing that I bought from my hospital bed...

It's a biggie and I am very excited about it! I think it deserves its own post though, so stay tuned!

Here's a teaser...

x KL

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You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!

pink

I may have mentioned this before but...

I'm having a bit of a 'moment' with pink.

And not just any pink but the softest of blush colour. 

I first succumbed last year and added gorgeous linen pillowcases from Cultiver to our bedroom.

Then came a few cushions...

Mercer + Reid Ivy cushion from Adairs         Country Road Hosk cushion

 ... and a pair of Mercer + Reid Sanchia Euros from Adairs.

And it was with this addition that my darling hubby said W. T. F ! ?

Today I found these:

Morgan & Finch Nami flannelette sheet set from Bed Bath n Table at 50% off!

 What's a girl to do?

This one, snapped them up. And Dave will be grateful they're intended for the new spare bedroom...

(Daughter # 2 is on the move yet again...!)

I think they'll look divine with my other items and will soften the dark charcoal feature wall.

Might just have to have a sleep-over there myself!

x KL

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You are very welcome and encouraged to comment, I love receiving feedback!