Family Haven

I've found another beautiful home to fall in love with. Jenny Li and her husband Hans Gissinger spent four months remodelling the home in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, turning it into a serene family home to share with their three children.

Light is important to Li, so she painted the walls, floor and ceiling a bright white. This is softened by layers of natural textures and shots of vivid colour. One of my favourite pieces is the Indian daybed which doubles as the coffee table.

Art and precious keepsakes dotted throughout give the home plenty of personality. Little touches like balls of bright wool in a glass jar, and a feather boa strung over a light add a touch of whimsy.

The kids decorated their own rooms and their creativity is obvious. Taylor's gorgeous headboard was made when she and her friends painted a large piece of linen in the backyard at her 15th birthday party. I love this idea! She now has a piece that will always hold special memories and it looks amazing.

The boy's room, belonging to younger brothers, Harmony and Son, features their colourful creations.

photos by Brittany Ambridge

I'm so inspired by this home, it seems to have a perfect combination of calm and fun!

Mocka Hudson Stool

I had been trying to decide on some seating for my 10 year old twins to use at the desk in their bedroom. Because their room is quite small - long and narrow - I wanted stools that could tuck under the desk when they're not in use, and light enough for the girls to move around easily. In the end I decided on the Hudson Stool from Mocka.

The stools were delivered in no time at all, and were very simple to put together. My little helpers did most of it, I just had to make sure the screws were tight enough.

After becoming avid "Block" fans, my girls like to have lots of input into their room, and they put in a request to have socks painted on their stools. It was a simple enough task that just required some masking tape and a couple of test pots.

Everyone is thrilled with the end result. The simple shape is so endearing and I love the touch of light wood with all the vibrant colour that is already in their room.

Pop over and have a look at the rest of Mocka's range on their website, including another favourite of ours, the Mocka Post Box.

Finny & Co | Giveaway

I'm very excited to bring you our first giveaway for the year, especially because I have tried this product and I think it's absolutely brilliant! Finny & Co is a new company that has solved the problem of many a parent... quality fitted bed sheets that stay made!

Fed up with the difficult task of making her son's top bunk bed, mother of three, Suzie began her search for the perfect bunk bed sheets. When she had no luck Suzie decided to make her own, and after many trials she developed a set where the top and bottom sheets were attached by buttons, but could be separated for washing.

When all of her friends saw how fantastic this system was, and how easy it was for the kids to make their own bed, Suzie and her sewing maching had to work overtime to make more and more sheet sets. The demand was there, this is the sign of a great product.

Made from the best 250 thread count 100% white cotton, the set comes with a flat sheet, a fitted sheet, and a pillow case. Available in single and king single sizes. See how it works...




I too am a mother of three, and with the twins sharing a bunk bed I can relate to the practicality of bunks, but also the frustration of having to make them. My daughters were thrilled with their Finny & Co sheets, and proudly told me, after making their beds the first morning, that they looked like "mum-made beds!" The bottom sheet securely tucks under the mattress, and the top sheet buttons onto it, so the bed stays neat and tidy and snug.

My eldest daughter is a delightful tween-ager with far better things to do with her time than make her remarkably messy bed. It was a constant source of contention between us. But with Finny & Co sheets on her bed she now has no trouble making her bed each morning, and all is peaceful in our household (most of the time!).

If you think that all sounds wonderful, we are giving you the chance to WIN your very own set of Finny & Co sheets. To enter simply 'like' the Finny & Co Facebook page and email me to let me know you have done so. For an extra entry 'like' the Finny & Co post on my Facebook page. The competition is open to all NZ and Australian readers, and the winner can choose between a single and king single sheet set. Entries close 3pm this Friday 13th February (lucky for one!) and the winner will be contacted by email and announced on the Cush & Nooks Facebook page. Good luck.

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER, KATHRYN McMILLAN.

Charlotte Love

I love styling! I love coming up with ideas, sourcing props and seeing an image come alive. There's such an art to it, and I'm definitely learning all the time, but I think if you have a keen eye and a good sense of balance and layout, you will learn quickly. Someone who I admire greatly is London based interior stylist and set designer, Charlotte Love. She has such a fun and quirky style, she's very clever! Check out some of her amazing work...

Hilltop Living

You know a home build is going to be special when the owners are an architect and a designer. McShane and Cleo Murnane put a lot of thought, years in fact, into their new home in the hills of LA's Silverlake. After buying the land, and while waiting to get their requisite construction loan, they debated their options and decided to take advantage of the magnificent views by building at the top of the site.

It definitely paid off as you can see from the view over their living room balcony.

The couple favour a pared-back aesthetic using simple but bold colours and materials.

I love the Caeserstone counter and brass fittings in the kitchen. Although they've kept it quite minimalist, the attention to detail is lovely.

Skylights let the light stream into the bathroom and down the stairs to the kid's bedrooms.

Both Emerson and Lake have subtle half tone walls, the bottom halves feature a durable, high-performance surface, perfect for withstanding knocks and bangs.

In Lake's room his open closet is made from piping and a simple plank of wood, and a rock climbing wall gives him a secret entrance into the living room above. Now that would most definitely go down well in my house!

photography (other than the one below) by Mimi Giboin

photography by Gary Friedman for the LA Times

Quite a stunning home, don't you think?! For more photos and to read all the details of this home, pop over to Remodelista.

Jute Interior Design

I came across the work of US interior design firm, Jute, and I am full of admiration for their work. Clean and uncluttered, extremely functional and beautiful, with a lovely, restrained use of colour, pattern and texture.

Love that little girl's room with the wallpapered ceiling! And how amazing would it be to have a champagne cellar, let alone one that looked that good?! To see more of Jute's portfolio, pop over here.