Ezibuy Home

Dael & I had fun recently perusing the latest Ezibuy Home catalogue, have you seen it yet? They do a great job at providing the latest looks at very reasonable prices. We chose the following items to try in my home (the hanging chair was particularly popular with my kids and animals): Gilly hanging chair | blush velvet cushion | Alberda basket set | Zamora mug set

Decorating with colour in 2016

You've probably all seen the Pantone colours for 2016 - for the first time it's a blend of two shades, rose quartz and serenity. The soft tones are restful and calm, just what we need in our ever-increasing busy lives. Rose quartz is a persuasive yet gentle tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure. Serenity is weightless and airy, like the expanse of the blue sky above us, bringing feelings of respite and relaxation even in turbulent times.

I love the idea of introducing these colours into your wardrobe for a feminine hit. Mix some darker tones in for a bit of depth, as you would if you were highlighting your hair. One overall tone could be a bit boring.

In your home layer the softer tones with warm wood, leather and copper, or a hit of black and white for a more Scandi look.

If you're not much of a pastel lover here are a few other colours I think would look incredible. Maybe 2016 is your year to be bold and step outside the box. I predict that blue will remain popular. Think the azure blues of Morocco and Greece, beautiful cobalt French blues, and the fresh combo of navy and white.

How about grey with a hint of purple for a really sophisticated feel. Look out for more panelling, which I love. It adds subtle texture and is super classy.

Emerald green brings the outside in and looks gorgeous with other jewel tones such as turquoise, sapphire and citrine.

Or why not be really brave and embrace a delicious golden yellow?! It adds so much warmth and energy.

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If you need any help with colour in your home, be it paint colours, fabric, or artwork, contact Dael or I. Colour is something we're passionate about and we have a number of tried and tested paint colours and favourite fabrics that we'd love to advise you on.

Pod Chairs and Picnic Rugs

Summer is here, and our Bibby + Brady shop stocks two of the coolest products for relaxing in style. Super popular, our Middle Eastern picnic rugs have been re-stocked with some brand new designs. The traditional patterns are in a hardwearing polyester material, together with the tarpaulin base, these rugs will last you many years. Choose between a massive 2 x 3m or an even bigger 2 x 4m size to comfortable fit two families (or more) on, then roll up and throw in the back of your car for the next picnic.

photo: Sarah Horn

Our hanging pod chairs come in five different styles and are made from synthetic rattan, making them suitable for outdoor as well as indoor use. They are the most comfortable chairs, and once you're in, you may find it hard to leave.

Let me inspire you...

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If you love the look of these two amazing products, get in quick to ensure delivery before the big day. I have one of each, and they are two of my most favourite, and most used pieces. You can find our contact details here.

The Block Villa Wars | Front Yard & The Winners

It's all over people! The Block Villa Wars had their live auction on Sunday night and all four houses sold, leaving each team with over $100,000 profit - fantastic! Before we get to that, here's a quick recap of the final reveal - the front yard.

Cat and Jeremy: 1st place | 18 points

The double bay windows at the front of Cat and Jeremy's house create a lovely, grand entrance, and it looks fab leading around the side of the house to the outdoor room. It was nice for these guys to finish on a bang with one more win, giving them the most room wins this season - five in total.

Brooke and Mitch: 2nd place | 15.5 points

Brooke and Mitch's front yard is a pretty good representation of what you'll find inside - simple, clean and tidy. It looks really smart, in fact all of the houses have fantastic street appeal.

Sarah and Minanne: 3rd place | 14.5 points

Sarah and Minanne's house colour - Dulux Pukaki - was my favourite. The soft blue grey looks gorgeous with the white trim, and it's pretty without being overly feminine.

Jamie and Hayden: 4th place | 11.5 points

Last again, but I struggle to see the 4 points difference between their front yard and Brooke and Mitch's. Anyway, congrats to all of the teams for finishing and doing so well at auction, it was such a great result.

I was really happy to see Cat and Jeremy win the People's Choice award, which saw them take away, not only the golden hammer, but also the Honda Jazz RS Sport Limited. I love these two, they remained positive and unflappable throughout the whole crazy experience.

But it was Brooke and Mitch, whose house was auctioned first, who made the most money over their reserve - $1.35 million, making them New Zealand's season four winners. The $190,000 they get to keep over their reserve price, and the extra $100,000 prize money, means they can go ahead with their move to Queenstown. Congratulations!

I was so pleased to see Jamie and Hayden's house sell successfully for $1.335 million, earning them $160,000, and second equal place. I was most nervous for them as their home was the most controversial, but they stuck to their guns and designed a home that represented their style - well done.

Cat and Jeremy sold their house for $1.320 million, also $160,000 over their reserve price, which meant they came second equal with Jamie and Hayden. That's an amazing deposit for a house in their home town of Taranaki.

Last, but not least (except in stature), Sarah and Minanne sold their home for $1.272 million leaving them with $123,000 in prize money. Coming in last didn't dampen their spirits in the least, and why would it when they walk away with that much money.

This season saw such a high standard of homes and it was reflected in the prize money the teams all won. Does that tempt you to sign up for season 5? Go on, I can't wait to see you.

The Block Villa Wars | Entrance, Kitchen & Dining Reveal

Wowza, a lot went down on The Block Villa Wars last week. It was pretty huge with contestants needing to completely finish their interiors, which included their kitchen, dining room, and their entrance. Somewhere in the middle of all that craziness, Sarah's boyfriend arrived looking dapper and got down on one knee to propose - so sweet! Then a bombshell was dropped when not one, but two teams were disqualified from kitchen and dining reveal. More about that later, first to the entrances...

Entrance - Cat and Jeremy: 1st place | 18 points

Cat and Jeremy had the largest entranceway and they created a beautiful first impression with panelling on the walls and a statement art piece by Trent Davis on the far wall, which is framed by the doorway.

I love the panelling, it adds subtle texture, and the shadows cast by the light adds subtle pattern. Each team had to use a rug they'd made in a previous challenge, and although none of them are very nice (sorry guys), a rug is a great addition to an entrance, leading you into the home.

Entrance - Brooke and Mitch: 2nd place | 17.5 points

It's nice to see Brooke and Mitch using a statement piece of art. The trio of lights and the character villa features are beautiful.

Something's not quite working for me with the console table and the art. I love the idea, but they seem to be fighting a bit, and the styling on the table is too small and bitsy. Perhaps a large solid vase picking up one of the colours in the painting would've been better.

Entrance - Sarah and Minanne: 3rd place | 14 points

There's a big jump between the top two teams' scores and the bottom two, and I'm not sure that it's justified. Although a little bare, Sarah and Minanne's hallway was really nice. I would've painted the front door a nice bright colour. That wouldn't have cost them much (and I know money is tight), but would've created a bit of 'wow'.

Once again the villa details are gorgeous, and I like their choice of light. A long Armadillo runner and a huge piece of art would make this hallway look amazing - that's what I would add if I was to buy this house.

Entrance - Jamie and Hayden: 4th place | 13 points

Once again, is that a harsh score? I think Jamie and Hayden's entrance and hallway should've scored higher if you're comparing them to the top teams. I do think those dark floorboards are going to be super hard to keep clean, but the David Trubridge light and the round mirror are great.

I also like the bench seat - they look great and are super handy in an entrance for putting your shoes on and off. They styling on the bench is a bit under whelming though.

Kitchen/Dining - Brooke and Mitch: 1st place | 19.5 points

Brooke and Mitch scored the first perfect 10 of the season for their kitchen/dining, the judges loved it. The wood is a nice contract to the white and adds warmth. I like the open shelves, that's a great place to style some favourite bits and pieces. We have very similar in our own kitchen (see more below).

The dining table is bespoke, built by Brooke and Mitch's builder and gifted to them, but this is what got them disqualified, as it's against the rules. Their builders are allowed to make furniture for them but they must pay for their labour and the materials.

Kitchen/Dining - Cat and Jeremy: 2nd place | 17.5 points

It's lovely to see how the houses all flow now that they're complete. Cat and Jeremy re-did their fireplace from living room week, and it looks so much nicer tiled in a white brick look. They continued the tiles on their kitchen splash back.

Unfortunately the tiles are what caused Cat and Jeremy to also be disqualified. They used a New Plymouth tiler, and to help them out he only charged them $1. I can see why these rules need to be enforced, otherwise all the teams will start to do similar things and what is the point in having a budget. What do you think?

Kitchen/Dining - Sarah and Minanne: 3rd place | 16.5 points

Although they came third on the leaderboard, Sarah and Minanne walked away with the $5,000 this week, which they desperately needed. Of course they would've preferred to have won the money fair and square, but I really like their kitchen and they deserve a win.

I love the choice of pendant lights, and the tiles add some subtle pattern and texture. The bench top ties in with their bathrooms, and there is a lovely flow between the indoor and outdoor cooking areas.

Kitchen/Dining - Jamie and Hayden: 3rd place | 7.5 points

We sort of knew this low scoring was going to happen, even Jamie and Hayden said the judges would hate their kitchen. They haven't backed down from their bold style, and the splash back was certainly controversial.

I think the black cabinetry is pretty cool, and although I love the braveness of the splash back, I don't actually love it myself. I worry that they will have limited buyers on auction day as they are appealing to a younger market who may not be able to afford the house. I hope they prove me wrong as I'd love to see them walk away with some cash at the end of this.

Now this final pic is my own kitchen. Don't you think Brooke and Mitch's open cabinets, Cat and Jeremy's high wooden shelf, and Sarah and Minanne's hexagon splash back could all merge together to look like mine? :)