Christmas Theming....

I've made a final decision for my Christmas theme this year; White + Silver + Gold.

It wasn't really a conscious thought process, more an organic one, an acknowledgment that I was constantly being drawn to images and products in black and white tones with metalics! 

Like these....

When the latest issue of Real Living Magazine materialised in my letterbox sporting these colours on it's cover (row three, middle), it cemented the idea!

I'd love to use my Black Christmas Tree again (circa 2010) but after the children's (yes, the adult ones too) horrēre and previously documented tantrums, I'll use the traditional green version as a base this season. So, here's where my plans are at ATM:

1. This sparkly silver tree from a small local store in Terrigal will be the table centre-piece decorated with crystal, gold and white.

2. I'll get the first use (of many) from recently purchased West Elm gold cutlery.

3. The tree base in #1 is icky so I'm planning on hiding it in a large Uashmama gold / white bag.

4.5.6. Designer, Karen Walker home wares for Myer!!! GORGEOUS! Just thinking about serving a scrumptious desert in these gold-rimmed champagne coupes. ? Gold, confetti spotted napkins are a definite, whilst the polka dot mugs would be perfect Christmas morning scene-setters (perhaps from Santa?)!

It's S' 24th birthday tomorrow and we will celebrate it with her this weekend. I'm hoping I can convince the troups, when gathered, to help with the tree decoration too....wish me luck!

x KL

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Christmas thematics

Our 2010 Christmas tree

I L.O.V.E Christmas.

I love the fairy lights, the food, the gifting, the magic, the excitement.

I love the true meaning of and the commercial enterprise. 

 Christmas is all about children and I love that at 9, my son is still wishing he's on Santa's 'good list'.

Everyone gets one new decoration each year. This is the 2011 stash!

I started my own family Christmas tradition when my two girls were young and I became unexpectedly, a single mother. We went shopping as a new, girls only 'family', and we each chose one extra special decoration each to hang on the tree. Every year we repeated the ritual and do so now additionally with my husband and son. Everyone has their own Xmas paper covered shoe box for their personal cache (including the paddle-pop preschool craft items) and every year the unpacking of the growing collection and re-hanging of these treasured items becomes another event to be celebrated together.  

Till last year.

21 and 19 year olds do not want to decorate trees. They want their 'stuff' on it but want Mum to do it. Ditto 8 year old boys. So disappointing. So, in 2010 I had a new idea. An adult tree.

Glossy black, white and sparkling silver as the photo shows above.

It took me a week to put her together and she was divine. Everyone said so - but not my family.

On Christmas Eve when the silver and white co-ordinated stockings were hung, there was a mutiny!

And Santa sided with them! Can you believe it!!! On Christmas morning not a colour coordinated stocking was in sight. The moth-balled, green and red, colour-clashing sequined individual stockings were hanging brimming with accusation and gifts.

The children were so excited. I was more: Ba Hum Bug.

Santa replaced the new white & silver colour-cordinated stockings with our 'old' ones in 2010!

So, we're having a traditional tree this year.

Green and traditional. (With lots of white if I have any say.... which is not bloody likely!) 

Here are my inspirational trees:

I'll post a picture when we're I'm done, if it's at all worth photographing!

Do you choose a Christmas colour theme? What are you planning this year?

x KL

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Black, white and well read!

'D Residence' by Shareen Joel Design

I do have such a great love of black and white at the moment. And just as I decide 100%, definitely, absolutely and without a shadow of a doubt that our kitchen will be black (and white), I find these images! This stunning house has interiors designed by Shareen Joel of Sharleen Joel Design. It was shortlisted in the Australian Interior Awards 2011 and has made me stop and reconsider again! I would call this kitchen white (and black)! Isn't it stunning?

 I read an article about this project in the second edition of the digital magazine Est which I thoroughly enjoyed and which started my search for more information about Sharleen and her aesthetic. The Design Files posted a fantastic interview with Shareen late last year, and Jo from Desire to Inspire has featured her diverse talents too. Im so taken with the unpretentious detailing in this project, particularly evident in the joinery, the understated use of colour, simplicity of design and minimal yet classic feel.

For me, this house is perfection!

Courtesy of Est magazine

Oh to have the budget to simply employ her to give my place her magic touch!

Check out her web site here for more outstanding, drool worthy examples of her multi faceted design!

P.S: I'm loving Est magazine too. If you haven't seen it before, check it out below - Australian and highly recommended by Mwa! Did you notice that I taught myself how to make links!!!! Yee Ha!!!

Est magazine # 2

x KL

Black or White? Dark & dramatic or Light & bright?

I have loved white, minimalistic and streamlined kitchens for ... eons! I have more 'saved' pictures of this than any other yet, when it comes to my main kitchen in this house I'm yearning BLACK! (O.K - not really black but charcoal; dark dramatic and matte). Go figure! I need to be so very sure though as hubby needs some convincing! Luckily, I can have the white version in the kitchenette / laundry! Something like this with washer & dryer behind lower doors.

 My idea is that the downstairs area will function as a daytime / summer / outdoor living / teenage area around the pool and main T.V / Plasma room. The upstairs area will be our night / winter / fireplace / more formal adult area. (Hence the darker palette!)

I'd like the island to be Carrara or Calcutta Marble (I'm damned if I can decipher between the two) with stools only practical on the farthest end, leaving the front higher to screen mess from more formal dinner events! What do you think? Dark & dramatic or light and bright? We are on the coast and our views are beautiful!

KL