Wandering through Myers today I cam across the latest Jane Lamerton bedlinen design, Indigo. And I’m loving it…
The duvet set is only $219.95 for a King size cover and two pillow cases which for a lovely design like this is pretty reasonable. But it’s the gorgeous Suzani style euros ( $39.95 each) that make the look.
Suzani designs are hot right now… but generally with loads of colour in sweet, kind of naieve palettes. Typically Jane takes the look and refines it by using a monochromatic palette, and the result is really elegant.
Image from www.myer.com.au
If you want to keep the simple and elegant look, this is great… as it makes a fab statement on its own. But it will also play amazingly with loads of other colours and patterns if it’s an eclectic look you’re after.
Check out our on-line store…
www.iwanthomewares.com.au
For an on-line or at-home consultation email me at…
ria@iwantiwantiwanti.com.au
Image from www.designsponge.com
For those contemplating a bathroom or kitchen update…have a think about decorative tiles. White is handy…but boring. Find tiles that you love…and make the space yours, not anyone’s. Don’t be scared about “matching”…matching is probably the worst thing you could do for any room. Instead surround yourself with pieces and designs that you love…and it will always look amazing.
Image from www.ahappyhabitat.blogspot.com
Image from www.apartmenttherapy.com
Image from www.everythingfab.com
Image from www.fireclaytile.com
Image from www.flickr.com
Image from www.flickr.com
Image from www.housebeautiful.com
Image from www.isabellaandmaxrooms.blogspot.com
Yummmmm
Image from www.ishtar.com
Image from www.lesapea.tumblr.com
Image from www.picasaweb.google.com
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!
Image from www.re-nest.com
And these!
Image from www.shabbysugarpinkboutique.blogspot.com
If you’re too nervous to commit to a full pattern then consider sweet cameos. Just a couple of hand painted tiles like the gorgeous Marie Antoinette tile above or the sweet floral ones below will add so much to an all white or all neutral wet area.
For an on-line or at-home home consultation email me at ria@iwantiwantiwant.com.au
Don’t forget to check out our online store and our new range of fab statement furniture!
www.iwanthomewares.com.au
Image from www.ghoofie.com
Formal dining rooms are a thing of the past…but we still need some designated area for eating. The problem is, now that dining areas are integrated into the kitchen/living areas, often not quite enough space is allocated. If, like half Australia’s population, you’ve got a small dining area, hopefully this post will give you some good ideas to turn that pokey space into a great space to eat and entertain.
Image from www.housetohome.co.uk
Built-in bench seats like this are very effective for maximising floor space. Fantastic solution in a galley style kitchen .
Image from www.buckboardhill.typepad.com
A built in bench seat doesn’t have to stay in the kitchen…they work brilliantly in lounge/dining areas too. I love the mix of bench and chairs…so cool and informal.
Image from www.desiretoinspire.net
And nor do they actually have to be benches… Loving these old diner booths and table.
Image from www.homesandgardens.com
And while we’re exploring alternative seating options… This is clever. Two x two seater couches…now that’s a grown up dinner party. Or a comfy one at least.
Image from www.geheause.com
Of course, bench seats that aren’t built in are also excellent for small spaces. Not only have you lessened the number of chair legs (my pet hate), you can still have them hard up against the wall, and they can slide underneath your table and be entirely out of the way when not needed.
Image from www.geheause.com
Combos of seating can look fab, just don’t have too much action going on with them at eye height.
Image from www.floatproject.com
Stools and benches add loads of interest, but take no space at eye level.
Image from www.littlebitsoflovely.blogspot.ca
Rugs play an important role in small areas. They help delineate the area, and unify the pieces within it. Particularly fond of a hide under a dining table…
Image from www.paloma.blogspot.com
This may look great, but take my word for it … shag should be nowhere near your dining room. That rug is on its way to becoming a petrie dish.
Image from www.homeresult.com
And finally, colour – when used well – does amazing things for small spaces.
Hope you got some inspiration!
Visit our online shop http://www.iwanthomewares.com.au/
For an at home or online consultation email me at mailto:ria@iwantiwantiwant.com.au
Thanks to Jenny Wilson for the request for today’s blog post.
Her narrow, difficult hallway is killing her inspiration…so I’m hoping I can give her some cool solutions!
Let’s start from the ground up….
Rugs are your first port of call when dressing your hallway. The continuing pattern of a runner will extend the visual length of the hallway.
And, by virtue of the border the exposed floor underneath provides,…they increase the visual width too.
The next thing to look at …is what you’re looking at. Make sure there’s some light at the end of the tunnel. So cast your eye op the the hallway and make sure you have a focal point at the end of it.
So now to narrow hallway furniture options. I’m a very big fan of benches and hooks. Taking up minimal space, they give you more practical solutions than most larger pieces.
You can also affix a piece of furniture to the wall…making it both thinner…and more stable for use in a small thoroughfare…. love the piece below!
Wall panelling is enormously effective in adding character to a tiny hallway without taking up space. Not only does it give you texture, it also allows you to add colour and contrast by dividing the wall. Paneling is a great option if your hallway is simply too small for anything.
Next …shelving…. Love it to bits, but be very careful with your placement. If it’s not safe to have it at the right height visually, then don’t have it.
Too high shelving is a terrible look.
Shelving is also a great way of displaying loads of prints. It automatically gives you the flush line for the bottom and depending on it’s width you can overlap artwork as well.
Artwork presented with symmetry, as below, will always lengthen your visual space, so prints and photos are great tools in small hallways.
And who’s to say that a small hallway can’t be beautifully, perfectly overcrowded as well??
If you love the idea of loads of photos or prints, but want to minimize the business…then theme out your frames in white. What I also love about this approach is the white frames give depth to whatever wall colour you’ve chosen as well as ensuring the images are what is drawing your attention, rather than individual frames.
Wallpaper is another fab tool for small spaces. Choosing geometric patterns for space illusion, or sweet florals to soften but not crowd. There’ s no end to wallpaper choices. Or…you can use wallpaper above paneling to add yet another dimension.
And a little bit of wallpaper…cleverly placed, can add both interest and depth…
Or…you can remove all distracting factors and go the eternal favourite of white on white… (love the panelling!!!!)
Having something particularly quirky or cool allows you to rest aesthetically on the one piece…just choose well! It’s coolest when it has a reason …
And lastly…look up! If your hallway is poorly lit of course it’s only going to look smaller. Get the right number of lights…and the right wattage. And remember, the lighting source is almost as important as the light.
So I hope that helped Jenny, let us know how you go!
If anyone else has a request feel free to ask!
Visit our online shop http://www.iwanthomewares.com.au/
For an at home or online consultation email me at mailto:ria@iwantiwantiwant.com.au
Images from:
www.apartmenttherapy.com
www.remodelista.com
www.rooms-colours.net
www.sfgirlbybay.com
www.dotdot-dash.com
www.thebrickhouse.tumblr
www.housetohome.co.uk
www.bhg.com
www.houzz.com
www.pinterest.com
www.desiretoinspire.com
www.theshootfactory.co.uk
www.moredesignplease.com
Your bath is the focal point for your bathroom…so make a splash with it!!
This beautiful old claw foot has been painted with a well chosen soft green. I love how the choice of a duller palette has left this room elegant, relaxed and understated. The combo of that amazing mirror and the claw foot could easily be overly formal with different colour choices.
LOVE pink in a bathroom. Bathrooms are definitely female right? …. just checked…”la salle de bain”…so yep… they’re girls!
Hot pink is even better…
This is stunning. What beautiful detail …
I’m not entirely in love with this space…but wallpaper to contrast ( rather than match…) with a cool coloured tub is a great look.
You can be as pretty or as dramatic as you please. Some more images to inspire…
This roll-top bath has been mounted on untreated oak blocks….cool huh? Love the Le Corbusier chaise…
Professional restoration and painting of vintage baths can be fairly expensive… So, if you’re feeling up to the challenge… check out The Daily Tubber (http://www.vintagetub.com/blog/2005/09/painting-exterior-of-old-claw-foot-tub.html ) and eHow Home (http://www.ehow.com/how_4882197_paint-claw-foot-bathtub.html ) Great tips on prepping and painting your bath.
Visit our online shop http://www.iwanthomewares.com.au/
For an at home or online consultation email me at mailto:ria@iwantiwantiwant.com.au
Today’s post is really just an ode to the most important things in your house…..
Windows make or break a house so don’t stint on them. If you can’t afford new ones, check out second hand auction houses for amazing old windows that just need some love and elbow grease.
Images from …
www.cognacandcoffee.tumblr.com
Visit our online shop http://www.iwanthomewares.com.au/
For an at home or online consultation email me at mailto:ria@iwantiwantiwant.com.au
With the exception of yesterday we have had so many lovely days in a row that it’s been wonderful spending time outdoors. Creating your own outdoor room is a fantastic thing to do to make the most of our beautiful weather.
The key elements to an outdoor room are comfy chairs, a sheltered space, and pretty accessories. If the outdoor chairs you have are uncomfortable…then get rid of them! If you have something in an area that does’t work…then the area won’t work, and uncomfortable chairs are just stupid. (The same rule applies to all the insanely uncomfortable sofas out there in holiday homes. I have no idea why everyone puts their most uncomfortable furniture in the place they most want to relax…) Also…there’s loads of waterproof options out there nowadays. So mattresses, cushions, even rugs can be left out if there’s some degree of shelter.
Seating that has storage in it is a terrific option for an outdoor area…then the cushions etc can be stowed away during the wet months. It doesn’t have to be huge…but an outdoor room is a crucial part of the house. We only have about 3-4 months of the year where it’s comfortable to be outside…so we need to make the most of it with really appealing areas that we can’t wait to chill out in. Some images from the sweet to the sublime to inspire…
I would like to see some great Moroccan painted tiles here…
Good lighting can make all the difference to you using your area after sundown. If you have one harsh spotlight….turn it off or direct its focus up the nearest tree! For romance think fairy lights and lanterns…for fun check out multicoloured string lights like these..
What a beautiful bench…
I’m not entirely sure this is even an outside room…but it’s fun
Now that looks comfy…
And that…
I would love to have an outdoor fireplace and mantle!!!
Again…not sure if this is an outdoor rug….but man it’s gorgeous!!! I am on the hunt for it or similar…will keep you posted.
To book an on-line consultation email me at ria@iwantiwantiwant.com.au
Images from ….
Image from www.moorewallpaper.com.au
The fabulous Lynne Testoni, Managing Director of Moore & Moore Wallpapers has very kindly provided us with our very first guest blog. Yay!
Lynne’s wonderful taste and clever designing eye has resulted in a gorgeous range of wallpapers. Enjoy!
image from www.moorewallpaper.com.au
The launch of Moore & Moore (www.moorewallpaper.com.au) has been such a wonderful journey and education for me. I first fell in love with wallpaper a few years ago when I worked with a famous designer on a collection for another paint and wallpaper company. I left the company, but my love for wallpaper remained.
Two years later, I decided to make that dream a reality. I have a passion for decorating – and print – and I am an avid reader (and contributor) to homemaker magazines. I could see that wallpaper was making a big comeback and yet there were very few Australian companies making it. Most wallpapers sold here are European and don’t always suit our tastes. They also have long lead times if people want them. I felt that Australians would appreciate designs that appeal to our climate, culture and decorating trends. It seemed as though there was a real opportunity to provide a quality product made in Australia.
We have launched with four designs – each in four colourways – making 16 papers in total. We started with a lovely damask using flannel flowers, which are my favourite Australian native flower. I wanted something that reflected a European aesthetic, but using Australian iconography and I think it’s a great success. The wallpaper designer is a wonderful Queensland artist and designer KT Doyle (www.ktdoyle.com) and our collaboration has been such a joy and lots of fun – as well as creatively rewarding.
The second design was Coral, which reflects both an art deco heritage and the Great Barrier Reef, another Australian icon. We have created it in some pretty pastels, which are beautiful (in my opinion). Next was an interesting stripe, which KT designed with a ticking pattern, an added touch that makes it special.
The last design we created has turned out to be the most successful – the Gum Leaves. This took us some time to get right. I wanted to create the feeling of cascading leaves and KT ended up developing a scattered sateen pattern, which was perfect. I have the silver Gum Leaves in my house and find them both beautiful and restful.
The biggest challenge has been to source the base paper, which was a six-month project in itself. All our designs are created especially for us on Australian made paper – the only wallpaper company to use locally made paper. The paper is FSC accredited and uses water-based inks. Because we manufacture the wallpaper ourselves, we can also offer our customers custom colours and even custom designs, for an additional cost. Also, because our products are made locally we have short lead times and can fill orders quickly.
The challenges include the never-ending cash flow shortage, as I try to invest in a growing business, and still make enough income for me to survive on! I still have a day job – working in food magazines – and spend all my evenings and weekends thinking and dreaming of wallpaper. Dream with me!
Image from www.moorewallpaper.com.au
Ria FitzGerald has worked as an interior stylist in Melbournes inner east for the past twelve years.
Now based on the Bellarine Peninsula, Ria continues to offer in-home styling consultations for both the visual and the practical elements of your home, renovation and colour consulting and event styling.
Rias work can be seen featured regularly in Home Beautiful Magazine.
\"The I want I want I want! blog is a weekday (ish!) update with reviews of the best online homewares shopping, styling tips, peeks into my favorite homes and commentary on design, interiors and art.
Hopefully you will find new products, designs and ideas to inspire you to make your home the most fabulous place it can be!\" Ria x
