A relaxed family home in the Australian countryside

The weekend calls for a super relaxed home where you feel you can just kick off your shoes and be completely yourself doesn't it?! So today I'd like to share this laid back, retro family home in the Australian countryside with you. The owners photographer Jessica Tremp and Michael Madden and child Syd only moved in a few months ago but they've already put their personal stamp on the space. Art (mainly by Jessica's father), big leafed plants, yellow accent colours and mid century teak furniture make up the look. There's something that feels incredibly warm about this lovely family home don't you think?

Home owners: Jessica Tremp & Michael Madden. Photography: Tara Pearce. Source: Design Sponge

Is there anything you particularly love about this home?

Yesterday I started an evening class in interior design. The aim of the course is to learn how to plan a room from scratch. We spent the evening creating mood boards: ripping pictures out of magazines (interior, fashion and nature) which we felt had the right 'feel' whether they were of a bird, a lamp or a skirt flowing in the wind and sticking them onto an A3 board. The result amazed me. The colours and feel of the room bounced from the board and I could really see the embryo of my new room. So exciting! I can definitely recommend this process to you if you're planning on re-decorating a room in your home.  More tips from next week's session....

I hope you have a great weekend and see you Monday!

The fabulous black and white home of Dutch blogger

Following the success of yesterday's 'blogger home tour' post I thought I'd show the fabulous home of another blogger today. I've actually shown parts of Desiree's (of Vosges Paris fame) Dutch home before here. But recently Holly Marder has been in to take pictures from another angle for SOFFA magazine . And what fabulous shots they are! Here's a selection from Desiree's oh so cool black and white kitchen, sitting room and bedroom. Enjoy!

Photography: Holly Marder/ Avenue Lifestyle. Home Vosges Paris

Photography: Holly Marder/Avenue Lifestyle. Home Vosges Paris

Photography: Holly Marder/Avenue Lifestyle. Home Vosges Paris

Photography: Holly Marder/Avenue Lifestyle. Home Vosges Paris

Photography: Holly Marder/Avenue Lifestyle. Home Vosges Paris

Photography: Holly Marder/Avenue Lifestyle. Home Vosges Paris

Photography: Holly Marder/Avenue Lifestyle. Home Vosges Paris

Photography: Holly Marder/Avenue Lifestyle. Home Vosges Paris

Photography: Holly Marder/Avenue Lifestyle. Home Vosges Paris

Photography: Holly Marder/Avenue Lifestyle. Home Vosges Paris

Thank you to Holly and Desiree for the kind permission to share. You can read more about the home here.

I had the pleasure of meeting Holly a few months back when she came to style my home for a shoot (photos available for purchase here). She's such a talented stylist and photographer!

Could you do black and white throughout your home? I like to use it as a base for all my decorating.

Have a lovely day! 

'Holiday at Home' weekend give-away!

This give-away is now closed. 

I love getting a surprise package in the post, don't you?  When the bright coloured tome Holiday at Home by Jason Grant (Harde Grant) appeared in my mail box earlier this week I was more than happy. This is one special interior book. Not only does the summer vibe ooze from every page but the images (shot by Lauren Bamford) are a blend of cool Australian interiors, exteriors and holiday snaps which will make you feel like you want to emigrate down under. The good news is that after reading the book you won't need to as it's packed with tips on how to bring that relaxed holiday feel to your own home.  And I'm giving away a copy to one lucky reader this weekend! For more details on how to enter see below. In the meantime here's a sneak peek.

Holiday at Home by Jason Grant (Harde Grant) Photography: Lauren Bamford

Holiday at Home by Jason Grant (Harde Grant) Photography: Lauren Bamford

Holiday at Home by Jason Grant (Harde Grant) Photography: Lauren Bamford

Holiday at Home by Jason Grant (Harde Grant) Photography: Lauren Bamford

Holiday at Home by Jason Grant (Harde Grant) Photography: Lauren Bamford

Holiday at Home by Jason Grant (Harde Grant) Photography: Lauren Bamford

This give-away is now closed. 

For your chance to win a copy of Holiday at Home:

- Simply leave a comment beneath this post saying where you most love to go on holiday. 

The give-away is open to everyone. The competition closes Sunday 21st September, 2014 Midnight GMT. The winner will be contacted via e-mail. Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you!

Holiday at Home by Jason Grant (Harde Grant) is available for purchase here.

The Greek island home

As I mentioned earlier on the week I'm still clinging to that summer feeling (are you?) - on colder days I'm even dreaming about summer 2015 (cue slight obsession with my Pinterest travel board!)! One country my family and I have our sites on next year is Greece. Oh how I'd love to rent a Greek island home. Which is why I was so excited to find this beautiful cottage on the Greek island of Lesvos (thank you Style Files!). It's the home of Australian author, photographer and designer Claire Lloyd and her British artist husband  Matthew Usmar Lauder. In 2007 Claire and Matthew fled the rat race for a more simple life on Lesvos, how inspiring?! You can read more about their adventures and see more pictures of this wonderful home in Claire's book 'My Greek Island Home'. And the good news? They have a guest house for rent...wow, wow and wow! Greece 2015 anyone?!

Photography Cara Coulson, Home owner: Claire Lloyd and Matthew Usmar Lauder

Photography Cara Coulson, Home owner: Claire Lloyd and Matthew Usmar Lauder

Photography Cara Coulson, Home owner: Claire Lloyd and Matthew Usmar Lauder

Photography Cara Coulson, Home owner: Claire Lloyd and Matthew Usmar Lauder

Photography Cara Coulson, Home owner: Claire Lloyd and Matthew Usmar Lauder

Photography Cara Coulson, Home owner: Claire Lloyd and Matthew Usmar Lauder

Photography Cara Coulson, Home owner: Claire Lloyd and Matthew Usmar Lauder

Photography Cara Coulson, Home owner: Claire Lloyd and Matthew Usmar Lauder

Photography Cara Coulson, Home owner: Claire Lloyd and Matthew Usmar Lauder

Could you spend your summer holiday here?!

For more Greek summer house inspiration you also might want to check out this Greek escape and this rustic retreat.

Speaking of summer holidays - make sure you pop back to enter my exciting weekend give-away tomorrow!

Have a lovely day!

Going Dutch with white and splashes of colour

I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying writing this blog right now, there are just so many fabulous homes out there! This particular space  (shared with generous permission from Souraya of Binti Home) belongs to Antoinette and her husband and two boys in Holland. I love that it's white with splashes of colour  (of course!) which gives it a bright and playful feel but i also love that it's teeming with personal, quirky touches. This is turning out to be a bit of a Dutch week....!

Binti Home

Binti Home

Binti Home

Binti Home

Binti Home

Binti Home

Binti Home

Binti Home

Do you have a favourite corner?! Personally I love the boys room with the desks and huge map - but i love everything about all the other corners too!

A few tips on where items are from: Yellow lamp from HK Living, pink vase is IKEA, cups on table from Fest Amsterdam, cup with lady is Donna Wilson. The pink lamp is SnowPuppe.  Eames armchair RAR.

You can see more wonderful pictures of Annettes home on Instagram.

Have a lovely day!

The lovely home of a Dutch designer / blogger

There are so many wonderful blogs out there, I seem to discover a new one every week! My latest find is  'My Attic', authored by Dutch designer Marij Hessel. Marij has a passion for interior, decorating, fashion and photography (among other things) and frequently shares images of her beautiful  Dutch home on her blog. Here's a sneak peek.

My Attic

My Attic

My Attic

My Attic

My Attic

My Attic

My Attic

My Attic

My Attic

My Attic

Oh so lovely. Monochromes, pastels, patterns and big leafed plants define this relaxed family home (in my eyes at least). I particularly love her bedroom which has been decorated using finds from a recent trip to morocco (long been on my list) and the Danish shop Grenes. You can read more about her bedroom and the items in it here.

Thank you so much for the permission to share the images Marij.

For more Dutch inspiration you might want to check out this family home, a home in a converted chidren's nursery and this fab Dutch bedroom make-over. I think a trip to Holland is in order. Speaking of which, is anyone going to the 'Meet the Blogger' event in October? Sadly I can't go but it looks so great and definitely a firm date in my diary for next year!

Have a lovely day!