Petra Bindel

A little interior inspiration to take us into the weekend... I love the work of photographer, Petra Bindel and have featured it before here. I've chosen to share with you three shoots I love, all very different, starting with photos for Urban Outfitters. They always have amazing styling, and in this shoot Petra worked with stylist Emma Persson Lagerberg.

This beautiful home belongs to Ylva Mazetti, and was featured in Elle 2011. The soft pastel colours and vintage furniture pieces give it a lovely relaxed, homely feel.

And these gorgeous photographs are for the Rädda Barnen (Save the Children) design shop - all profits go to their work for children in need. Petral worked with stylist Lotta Agaton on these photos.

Thrill, Fill & Spill

When I'm styling a vignette I like to work with layers of height, texture, shape and colour. Something tall at the back, maybe a piece of art on the wall, a vase or lampshade, and layering smaller pieces in front.

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I have to admit to not being much of a gardener, my husband is in charge of ours at home. Although I don't know much about soil types, and what to plant where, I do know what I like the look of, and I've found that the same principals I use in interiors also apply in the garden. Layers of texture, shape and colour make for a very visually appealing garden.

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People used to tell me that when I got my first home I'd become interested in gardening, but that didn't happen. Funnily enough it's creating a small garden for my first office that has sparked my interest in the botanical world. Dael & I are in the process of moving our business out of my living room and into a little office/showroom in Ahuriri. Our friend Anna, from My Veggie Patch, has helped us pick the right plants to withstand the hot conditions down there, and to provide some colourful impact. We're now waiting for our hibiscus and portulaca to burst into bloom. We plan to add a large pot by the front door, and it's Anna who taught me about "thrill, fill and spill".

A pot created by Anna of 'My Veggie Patch' outside FG Smith cafe

I love that phrase, and it's really quite self explanatory... it describes how to plant a container garden. Your 'thrill' is an eye-catching plant with some height at the back of the pot. 'Fill' is a selection of lower plants that fill the rest of the pot. And the last component, 'spill' refers to the plants that fall over the edge of the pot. Here are a couple more examples to show you how fab this looks...

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Although this example (below) is slightly different, in as much as the plants are in individual pots, it has a similar effect - tall foliage at the back, with smaller plants in front. The different textures are gorgeous, don't you think?!

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I really feel inspired to have a go at gardening at our place now. But maybe I'll start with a pot before I let loose in the garden itself :)

Favourite Finds

Happy Monday everyone! I have one daughter back to school tomorrow and the other two next Monday, then work life will get much easier for me :) In the meantime, check out some of my favourite recent finds...

I have Jen of Interiors Addict to thank for my first find - a Marble Macbook Skin. I've been looking for some kind of cover for my Macbook Pro for a while now, and this was the perfect solution for me. It comes all the way from Canada, but shipped relatively quickly, and was so easy to apply. You can see (below) that I chose a white marble skin, but they're also available in black marble - very cool!

These wall murals created in France are quite stunning, don't you think?! There is a range of equally amazing scenes to choose from, you can see them all here.

If you're interested in creating your own personalised wall mural (and purchasing it closer to home) our super talented sign writer can create photos and murals printed on a self adhesive material that is applied directly to the wall. He created this old fashioned world map for his son's room, and can do the same with any image you choose, as long as it's a reasonably high quality. If you live in Hawke's Bay contact me and I can help you order one.

Inspired by industrial crates these Bias Shelves look fantastic hung on the wall or used as a side table. Made in the US by Evan Clabots and Louis Filosa, they do ship internationally, and although NZ is not listed on their shipping page, you could try getting in touch for a shipping quote.

Last, but not least, this Chocolate Pumpkin Bread looks delicious! Pop a slice in the kids' lunchbox, they'll never know that they're eating veges :)

Madder & Rouge Style

Now and then you find a home that resonates with you and calls out your name. That's what happened when I first saw the home of Erin O'Malley in the Aug/Sept 2014 issue of Homestyle magazine. It's everything I love in a home - fresh white walls, gorgeous colour and pattern, lots of Moroccan and Indian influences.  It looks relaxed and inviting and super cool. I love, love, love it!

Photography by Chris Sisarich

Erin is the owner of Auckland design store, Madder & Rouge, and it too is full of really beautiful and interesting pieces from around the world. I was exploring their website this morning and have my eye on quite a few of them. Pop in to their Newmarket store, or visit them online.

Bohemian Chic

Layering colour, texture and pattern over a neutral base is a favourite look of mine, especially if it has a hint of Boho, so it's obvious why I love this Californian home. It's fashion stylist owner hired design firm Owens + Davis to transform her home, and the result is a beautiful warm and welcoming home.

The colour scheme is consistent throughout with neutrals and grays accented with pops of pink, black and gold. Another consistent feature is the use of amazing lighting, each one is like a work of art, as well as being practical in it's task.

To see and read more about this gorgeous home, pop over here.

DIY Projects

It's the start of another awesome week, and for all you clever crafty types itching for another project, I've got a few fabulous ideas...

I love these house numbers nestled into a bed of grass and contained in a smart box frame. It's creator, Laura Gummerman from 'A Beautiful Mess' blog, gives you step by step instructions on how to make your own.

Check your local hardware store for fake grass, but I also found this aqua grass mat (below), usually used in fishponds, which is long and lush looking.

My daughter's tiny, wardrobe-less bedroom means that I'm always impressed by hanging storage solutions. This DIY Copper Clothing Rack is right on trend, and really beautiful.

Created from copper piping (again, check your local hardware store), Madelynn Furlong of 'Wide Eyed Legless' photographed her project step by step to feature over on the 'SF Girl by Bay' blog. It's such a great use of space in a small room, so I'm definitely going to try making this for Jessie's room.

Over the weekend I filled a bag with clothes I don't wear much anymore. It's always a good feeling to clear and un-clutter your home, and I'll drop my bag down to the Salvation Army. But if you're doing the same thing, consider holding onto one of your old t-shirts and turning it into this adorable little teddy bear by Evie Barrow.

So many clever ideas! I hope you're inspired to get creating yourself now.