I have a hard time describing my design aesthetic mainly due to the fact that it's several styles merged together. I love a global, Bohemian vibe, with a touch of luxe, a bit of Zen, and a tiny bit of traditional influence. When I came across the beautiful home of LA interior designer Katie Hodges recently it made me smile - "Modern Bohème" is what she calls her style. She likes to mix contemporary design elements with her love of vintage, Bohemian textiles. I think that fits me well too.
When you're an interior designer, you work on lots of clients' homes, all with differing aesthetics and lifestyles. Your own home is the truest representation of you, and the key is to create a home that makes you happy. "There's no better feeling than waking up every morning being surrounded by things you love," says Katie.
Katie's aim was to create a space that was inviting and warm, layered and collected, yet modern and clean. She truly is a girl after my own heart!
Even though she is only renting this one bedroom apartment, Katie plans to be here a while so she decided to have a dining banquette built-in. Although she won't be able to take it with her when she moves, she enjoys every single day that she gets to sit at it.
The little dining area is the space that really epitomises her - cushions covered in vintage textiles sit happily with the clean, modern lines of the Tulip table and Bertoia chairs.
With no wardrobe in her bedroom, Katie has cleverly installed an Ikea wall unit to house her shoes and accessories. It's slim form and white cupboards means it disappears into the wall and allows the shoe collection to shine.
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| photos by Amy Bartlam |
If you'd like to see more of Katie's home pop over to My Domaine. In the meantime let me leave you with more of her wise words... "When you truly love the foundation pieces you own, the rest comes naturally".
I have a soft spot for small spaces and I actually think it can be a great way to live as you're forced to eliminate clutter and have only what you need and love around you. If you've seen any of my "Nook of the Month" columns in Your Home & Garden magazine, you'll already have picked up some great decorating tips, but I've selected some of my favourite methods for working with small spaces...
Utilise as much vertical space as possible. Built-in bookshelves are fantastic for storage and display purposes, and take up very little floor space. Hooks and wall-mounted shelves are a clever storage tool also.
Furniture that is off the ground and has light, elegant legs suits a smaller room. I would advise against solid, heavy pieces. If you can, knock out walls and have a larger open plan space, rather than two smaller rooms. Then use rugs to differentiate areas - they are the perfect zoning tool. A low hung light over a dining table also anchors the table in place.
Take it one step further with your furniture by using Lucite or transparent pieces, they take up very little visual space. Mirrors are your best friend when it comes to decorating a small space. They reflect light and brighten a room and create an illusion of space.
Furniture that is multi-functional is brilliant! Add a bench seat to your built-in bookshelf for a cosy reading nook; or add a chair and turn one shelf into a work space. Don't forget that space under your bench seat - maximise the space by using it for storage, either open or enclosed.
Don't feel like you need to have small art in your small space. To the contrary... a large piece of art and a large rug will help fool the eye into thinking the room is bigger than it is.
I always like to have floor to ceiling curtains wherever possible. They look elegant and add height to a room. The more natural light you can have, the more spacious it will feel.
We Kiwis love our outdoor living, and by blurring the lines between outside and in will greatly increase the sense of space in your home.
So, don't you agree that living small has many benefits?! They're more economical to build and to maintain, and they encourage us keep (and acquire) possessions that really matter and really work. If you're having any trouble with your space, or would like help to maximise it's potential, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Following on from yesterday's post, here are some more fabulous and inspiring photos by US photographer, Paul Costello. I know from experience how hard it is to capture the essence of a room in a still photo, but Paul does it so well.
I hope these photos have inspired you, and when decorating your own home I urge you to strive for an individual look like these homes have. Put your stamp on it and let it reflect you. Look outside the box and be a little daring, I say.
Have a fantastic weekend, and come back next week to see my final kitchen reveal!
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.
One of the things I love about my work is all the amazingly creative people I get to 'virtually' meet. I was recently contacted by Asaaf Israel, the chief designer at Joynout Studio in Tel Aviv, Israel. He wanted to tell me about the new modular shelving unit he has designed.
Asaaf designed the Tipi Modular Shelving System after a year spent travelling the world. It inspired him to consider the borders between transience and a permanent home. "The ease of nomadism, when carrying one backpack and stepping towards the unknown, is a wonderful feeling. In fact, when we allow ourselves to put aside our comfort zone and walk towards such an adventure, we actually free ourselves. The freedom of nomadism allows us to study new worlds, and alongside to explore our own private cosmos."
The upper part of the poles on the Tipi shelving system is fixed with screws, but the cone-shaped structure allows the shelves to sit unfixed by any screws, nails, or brackets. The diameter of each hole in each shelf is precisely measured so as to stand in the exact and desired height. The beauty of the Tipi system is that it can be assembled, changed, disassembled and rebuilt into a new object - shelves, a wardrobe, or a desk with a shelf. Such is the versatility of nomadism, you must be able to change and adapt.
It's so clever, don't you think?! Currently produced in Israel, the units can be shipped internationally - they're compact when packed down making them quite portable. But Asaaf and his team are looking for a furniture company in New Zealand or Australia to produce the Tipi system down-under, therefore reducing the cost for us. If you're interested, get in touch, and tell them I sent you! :)
