IDEA FROM HOUSE HUNTING

House hunting introduces you to a range of different styles of interior design – or lack of.  I am getting some great ideas, as well as noting what doesn’t work.  

(I am also wondering how some people can live like they do – some places are filthy and mouldy, and they know people are coming through ...  brrrr). 

One unit I visited (too small for me unfortunately) was so colourful with old fashioned pastel canisters in the kitchen and fabric stretched canvases in wild prints; cheap and cheery and the effect was lovely.   

I admired an idea in the back courtyard - brightly painted metal teapots hanging from a tree.  The effect was gorgeous and quirky.  There were similar ideas through the unit, but this one was worth taking a photo of.   

Shaking it up - laundry make over

I repainted the laundry at the sea change this week.  Because I'm hoping to get a washing machine soon, I needed to give this neglected room a shake up.

I used several unused sample pots of paint (there are actually three different coloured walls in the laundry) and some gorgeous wrapping paper cut outs.  There was a floral pattern on the tiles around the sink which I didn't like, so I painted over them too.   A bit of dodgy art and there you have it! Doesn't matter if it doesn't last - it is just temporary fun.

Instead of bats in my belfry, I now have 'owls' in my laundry (the wrapping paper I cut up was so cute, I couldn't resist).

:)

DECOR IDEAS #4 2012

There is a small surf shop tucked away on the main drag in Torquay, Victoria.  It has this gorgeous garden out the front as part of its shop front.

Love the rusted tins, succulents and the chili plants.  Great place to wait for customers in the sun!

DECOR IDEAS #3:2012

Sometimes the simpler something is, the more appealing it can be.

Rag rugs take me way back to my school days where we learned to ‘weave’ in art classes.  Everyone had to make a small sampler rag rug.  

I was not impressed with the placemat-sized rag rug I made out of old brown pantyhose. 

So ... I never liked rag rugs until I saw this one. 

I have previously posted about the creativity of the designers at the Ghanda store in Torquay, Victoria.  

They took 4 rag rugs, sewed them together and tied extra ribbons and bows on it to personalise it as a 'shag rag'.  It looked just beautiful.  It has inspired me to revisit the whole weaving thing.

I also love the decor in this florist on Bay St in Sandringham, Victoria.  Wall art combined with box shelving/frames. 

It would make great outdoor room art ..... with a rag rug on the floor!

DECOR IDEAS #2: 2012. BRANCHES

Branches are a great way to hide things you don’t want people to see.

You can hide a rusty wire barrier on a first floor balcony with branches, and make it look stylish and earthy (also a cheap way of doing it too!), like on this beach house in Phillip Island, Victoria.

Or, instead of a curtain, you can dress a window with a branch ‘blind’,  like in this florist window in Parkes, New South Wales.  

DECOR IDEAS I FOUND ON MY WANDERS #1 (2012)

This is the first in a semi-regular post of things I see on my travels.  I love the ideas. 

Hope you get some inspiration from these too. 

I love the Ghanda* clothing store in Torquay, Victoria.  Apart from the graphics printed on the clothes (so gorgeous and kitch) their store has innovative and interesting decor ideas.  This GHANDA sign is made of nails with string wound around the nails.  I remember doing something similar to this in craft class at school, and I love this idea.  A sign for the front door would be great in this!

 (*I will post pics of Ghanda clothing soon, but you can Google their online shop.)

Outside 'the Dunes' cafe in Ocean Grove Victoria they have hand drawn a sign on a recycled piece of timber, and displayed it on an easel made of drift wood.   I would love to construct a similar easel and display a painting or print of an ocean-scape on it.  

This was also in a cafe, 'Replete' in Hawthorn Victoria.  In the 'ladies room' no less.

Very simple drawings, done on textured paper and simply framed.  It was very effective in the small space.  

Lots of parents frame the art of their children; the naive simplicity is enchanting.  

More to come!

IKEAnut

In theory, I shouldn’t like IKEA.  Lots of chip and particle board furniture with a limited life span, interspersed with some more expensive, yet classic, furniture.  Most of the furniture you can’t paint as it is coated with that masonite finish, and if you chip it, it looks shoddy.

IKEA is generally a bit ‘throw away’ and ‘everyone has a piece'.  I know I do, (more than one too)!

However,   when I visit an IKEA store (which I do this several times a year – a guilty pleasure) I get excited and want everything.  Why?  Because it is all so practical and logical and clean and creative. 

Hang on, did I say creative?  Yes, and artistically so too.  Has anyone looked at their latest catalogue?  All the resurgence of older style furniture, and crushed curtains with bohemian style beds, strewn with lots of clashing covers and pillows; very, very me. 

On my latest visit to the Springvale store in Victoria I took a few photos from the display in the foyer, and fell in love with the ideas.  (Wait and see what I end up copying at the seachange.)   I hope to finish one room this weekend so that I can post some photos – before and afters.  

Anyhow, IKEA pics posted below.  (Yes, I must be nuts!)

 Is it just me, or is this the latest in beaded curtains?

Who needs paintings, there is now 'materialings!'

Ha, walls as art!