Image from www.apartmenttherapy.com
Ok…it’s not the easiest to keep clean, but white on white is definitely the easiest way to make a statement and have your room serenely beautiful. It’s also the cheapest.
Image from www.thedecodetective.blogspot.com
Floorboards can be painted white or limewashed really easily. White timber venetians are pretty inexpensive, and with Spotlight’s eyelets by the metre , beautiful sheer curtains can be made up easily and inexpensively.
Image from www.homesandgardens.com
The trick to making white on white work is to have loads of different textures. The linen couch with the fluffy throw, ruffled and fringed cushions, and the gorgeous sandstone side table… they all add another dimension to the palette. Panelling on the walls, the moulding around the fireplace and the plaster of paris leaves on the canvas also add depth to the look.
Image from www.livingetc.com
So…if you’re not an animal lover…and you’re not married to a tradesman…then go for classic white on white, it’s beautiful, easy and inexpensive.
Image from www.livingetc.com
Hooks are the greatest way to organise a busy life. I have multiple hook spots in my walk in robe. For my pj’s, for my belts, for my running gear, and for the many discarded, but not dirty, clothes my husband leaves on the floor. I have hooks at the front door for my handbags and scarves. Hooks in the kitchen for my apron and oven mits. Hooks in the laundry for every conceivable practical item a household needs.
Image from www.livingetc.com
Hooks don’t have to be boring, and they certainly don’t have to be ugly. How great is this wall of vintage hooks (love the duck…). The thing is, most of the things we bother putting away and getting back out again can look great on a nice hook. My favorite scarves and handbags are always on display. If you like your stuff..then it follows that it will look nice on display.
Image from www.homesandgardens.com
Nurseries are an obvious place for pretty hooks. Baby stuff is gorgeous, clothes, hats, nappy holders…they all look good on a nice hook.
Image from www.livingetc.com
I’d probably be pretty intimidated by the Mum who runs this house…but you’ve got to admit…it’s a good idea!
There are many hook options out there now that are removable so you don’t have to commit to putting a hole in the wall. Even Bunnings have a range that are pretty good. Schots in Hoddle Street, Clifton Hill have a nice range of sturdy, non adhesive hooks. For some really, really sweet hooks though, check out www.bombayduck.co.uk , my faves are the mini vintage ones below.
Image from www.bombayduck.co.uk
Image from www.toppstiles.co.uk
My absolute favorite tiling is checkerboard. This is such a classic look and suits so many styles. If you want classic conservative go small, if you want to be little more lively go larger squares.
Image from www.iwantiwantiwant.com.au
The other fabulous thing about checkerboard is it gives you complete colour freedom for your walls. The only other way of achieving this is with boring and impractical white, or very dark tiles, which your space may not work for.
Image from www.iwantiwantiwant.com.au
Also, unless you’re after the more detailed black and white look as per below… simple black and white tiles are about as inexpensive as you can get. And they make carpet colour selection a breeze. Instead of spending hours agonizing over which carpet will look best with your tile selection…you can pretty much go for it.
Image from www.houseandhome.com
Finally, they lift often forgotten areas like hallways and laundries beautifully.
Image from www.livingetc.com
So… if you’re considering new tiles, take a minute to look at the classic checkboard…there’s a reason why it’s stood the test of time.
Mirrors are one of the best styling tools around. To get double value from a beautiful view, to double the size of a room, or to double check your outfit! In so many houses, mirrors are placed above the fireplace reflecting only the boring ceiling above or the heads of your tallest visitors…a terrible waste of such a great decorating tool. Always check what the mirror will actually be reflecting before hanging it!
Images from www.livingetc.com
An odd, unusable wall has been mirrored from ceiling to floor reflecting the pretty exisitng window, and really increasing the sense of space in the room.
Here, a collection of Deco style mirrors add real interest, style and space to a hallway. Grouping is often a great trick, and this is particularly true with mirrors.
Image from www.housetohome.co.uk
Again, the grouping of vintage mirrors in this bathroom really brings the wall to life. Such a sweet bathroom with the lye finish on the panelling and the beautiful old bath, deserved more than the standard mounted bathroom mirror.
This is a really clever use. Not only have they used the space under the stairs for cupboard storage, but by inserting mirrors in the panels of the cupboard doors, and catching the light source from the room beyond, they have turned what could have been a very dark area into one that gleams with light.
If you’re a compulsive list maker like I am, blackboards are a life saver! I’m constantly searching for a pen, then scratching around for a piece of paper…ultimately stealing a full page from the printer to write two measley things down. Weeks later, I find the same piece of paper floating around the house long after I gave up looking for it… and then the guilt sets in for the tree that died for nothing!
Blackboards are absolutely perfect for the kitchen, as any member of the family can add what they need to the grocery list, or leave messages… and the whinging that mum can’t read their mind will stop. See the framed option above from www.livingetc.com.
They’re also fantastic for the kids. How great for them to actually be allowed to draw on the wall! Chalkboard paint is available at any paint store and pretty easy to apply. The best part of this is that your kids can change the look of their room as often as they like. Also…it’s a great way to record them with their art as they grow. Every month or so, take a photo of your little one in front of his or her wall and you have a fabulous record of their art at each stage of their childhood. In the image below from www.housetohome.co.uk they have painted the door at the end of the hallway…another fab idea!
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
