An Exotic Santa Barbara Beach Home

I've found a beautiful beach abode in Santa Barbara, Southern California, that I would happily call home. It's owner, Gina Tolleson (Miss World 1990), has filled it with gorgeous treasure that she's collected on her travels to India, Morocco, South America, Bali and Africa. She shares the home with her three sons - Carter, 16 years old, Luca, 8 years, and Tiago, 7 years.

I love the exotic, relaxed vibe this home exudes. The white walls and floors are the perfect backdrop for the layers of pattern and colour. Now that the boys are a bit older, interior designer Amanda Masters has been helping Gina make a few changes. They successfully mix Gina's global finds with modern and mid century pieces that tie in with the home's architecture.

A bird's-nest tower that's visible from the beach is Gina's special space to meditate, enjoy a glass of wine, and look at the ocean - no kids allowed! I think all parents should have a tower room like that ;)

Luca and Tiago's room is a really fun space that continues the global theme.

Gina's favourite space (and mine) is an outdoor room that open onto the courtyard. A 40th birthday trip to Rajasthan inspired her to paint the wall hot pink. Along with a bamboo lounger laden with cushions, and Balinese umbrellas, the vibrant colour creates a fabulous setting for a dinner party or cocktail evening.

I love the mix of the wooden outdoor table from India with the new wire chairs. To me this home is the perfect blend of beauty and tranquility, that's what I love!

photos by Nancy Neil

Adore Home Magazine | The Spring Edition

I'm sorry about the late blog post today. I'm still on major catch-up mode after a week in Aussie last week, and school holidays just aren't helping! It was a slight shock to arrive back from temperatures of 27°C to a more chilly 16°C last weekend, but today is a beautiful Spring day in Hawke's Bay, and with daylight savings giving us longer days, it makes me excited about what's to come.

I put some time aside this morning to read the latest Spring edition of Adore magazine, and that certainly helped improve my mood. The photos I've chosen from this issue epitomise my idea of Spring and Summer living - gorgeous colour and pattern, lots of global influences, and entertaining, including a fantastic spread on places to visit in Bali.

If you love Adore magazine as much as I do, you should pop over to their Pozible page and pledge to help Loni produce an annual printed copy of the magazine. It will feature favourite homes from all of the 2014 online magazines plus a few new homes photographed specially for the annual edition. As well it will showcase the latest in homewares, product trends and store/designer profiles. I've just pledged my support by pre-ordering one copy, and it only cost $24, including shipping. Your credit card doesn't get charged until they reach their target, and with only a few days to go, Loni needs your support.

A Warm GC Welcome

I know I've been missing in action - last week was spent with my family in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast in Australia. It was an amazing holiday in a spectacular part of the world. It was all about the kids, so we did the theme parks, cuddled koalas, patted the kangaroos, and hit the beaches.

I left everything but my phone at home, and any internet access was few and far between. But you know you have the best job when you miss work while on holiday! It was brilliant quality family time, but I was craving some interior goodness. I did find inspiration in our tropical surroundings, in the tiles at Chocolateria San Churro (that place was dangerous!), and even managed to squeeze in a quick shopping trip to Black & Spiro - heaven! It's nice to come home though, even when the temperature's a good 10 degrees colder. I look forward to bringing you some great posts this week and catching up on all things interior.

A Home Made of Memories

I got so much enjoyment from the sneak peek into Paige Morse's home on Design*Sponge, and reading her story, I knew I wanted to share some of those images. Paige is an interior, prop & wardrobe stylist, and an art director, so she spends most of her days executing other people's visions. For this reason it's very important to have a home that is a true representation of her own personal style.

Like me, Paige is a textile fanatic, and loves colour and pattern. Her home is filled with textiles and furnishings that she's collected on her travels. One beautiful sofa is covered in vintage kilim rugs, topped with a throw from Mexico and cusions from India. Another is a hand-me-down from her mother and Paige has re-covered it in gorgeous blue velvet. Everything tells a story.

Paige loves to create little vignettes using treasured pieces that are filled with memories.

The kitchen is a replica of Paige's grandmother's kitchen, which is perfect for the period of the home. Key to creating that feel was the cast iron sink and wall-mounted tap.

I especially love Paige's explanation of her bedroom, painted black in rebellion (she always wanted a black bedroom as a teenager but was never allowed). "My house is so filled with colour, sometimes I need a little reprieve," says Paige. "This is pretty much my version of simple, because I usually prefer a lot more pattern and colour. But if you look closely, it's all still there. Just subtle and quiet versions of my favourites".

Photography by Lauren Logan

Click here to read the full article and see more of Paige's beautiful home.

Introducing Colour

After some recent blog posts with beautiful subdued colour palettes, I thought I'd better let you know that I haven't lost my love of vibrant colour. Here are some examples of how you can inject some brightness into your home in a less conventional way.

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Lots of people paint their front door, but how many paint it bright magenta?! It looks stunning alongside the bougainvillea.

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These owners took it to a whole new level when they painted their garage door in a pinwheel pattern.

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Keep your creative juices flowing on the inside of your house. A painted pattern on the wall replaces the need for art.

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How about a shot of intense block colour in your curtains?! The sheer fabric allows the light to filter through softening the effect.

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A simple stick found on your walk, or in your garden, can be turned into a piece of art with the help of some brightly coloured yarn.

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Painting individual floorboards is yet another unique way to introduce colour into your home. I hope you've been inspired by one or more of these creative ideas. Which is your favourite?

Bathroom Wallpaper | Three Ways

Dael & I have both recently given our loos a makeover. I have a few final touches to finish mine, and once done I will be sharing our new looks with you all. We firmly believe that the smallest room in the house shouldn't be overlooked. It's a space you don't stay in for long, so you can afford to get a little adventurous, and what better way to do that than some amazing wallpaper?!

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This gorgeous Fornasetti wallpaper would be fun to look at while you're on the loo!

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I love this Banana Leaf wallpaper, it looks fantastic with black and white. If you find a lot of pattern too overwhelming you can add a dado rail and just wallpaper one half of the wall.

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This might just be my favourite loo. The beautiful floral pattern with the black background is stunning against the brass fixtures. From the hallway you just catch a glimpse of the drama that's happening in that tiny room. The contrast against the clean white hallway walls is divine.

Inspired by Marrakech

Marrakech is a city that knows how to work colour and pattern! I would love to travel there one day and see for myself what has already inspired me in photographs. Americans, Caitlin and Samuel Dowe-Sandes, and their young daughter, Gigi, loved Marrakech so much they made it their home and filled their Moroccan bungalow with glorious colour and pattern.

The tiled floors throughout are quite spectacular, and the walls are various shades of fresh blue or white.

There's an eclectic mix of furniture and lights - all quite beautiful and sculptural. The artwork is also impressive, and often nature inspired.

Bold stripes lead you down the hallway and into pattern-packed bedrooms. Bursts of vibrant orange contrast the blue beautifully.

The kitchen steps away from the blues and orange, but the geometric tiled splash back links nicely to the rest of the house. Green and white is one of my favourite kitchen colour combos, it's lovely and fresh.

photographer: Richard Powers | designer: Caitlin & Samuel Dowe-Sandes of Popham Design

I love the personality of this home. As with all the homes I feature on my blog, I hope it's inspired you to embrace colour, and push the boundaries to create a home unique to you.