sweet dreams are made of these

These beautiful bedrooms are the stuff that dreams are made of...

I cannot choose a favourite style for the bedroom. There are just so many beauties out there. As you can see, I will never tire of seeing a gorgeous wallpaper in a bedroom. I'm also a huge fan of having a bedroom--or any room, which creates a special atmosphere, with colours that sing, a mix of personal artifacts, things that are unique. I love a space that isn't afraid to have personality. I feel that a bedroom is the perfect place to indulge in your most dramatic fantasies, because it is such a private space. I also enjoy a more laid-back, soothing palette in a bedroom, with comfort being the key. 

So, go for that bold dark hue or wild, wonderful wallpaper. Or pare things back to the simplest, most relaxing elements. It's just for you.

May your dreams be sweet....

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Magical Metallics

It's amazing the magic a little metal can create... 

A glimmer of gold... Framing a view... Lines like drawings structuring a room... Shimmering patterns upon a wall... 

The possibilities are endless.

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Happy Weekend

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend. Ours has been pretty relaxed... Baking cookies, humming along to Nina Simone in the kitchen, a beautiful drive through the hills to a favorite town, a visit to a pop-up market... Wishing it could last a little longer....

By the way, the chai banana bread, pictured below (see link for recipe) is SO good! I made it a couple of weekends ago. Let me tell you, the recipe is a keeper. I love chai lattes and I love anything drizzled in a sugary glaze. This bread (or cake, really--I mean, it has frosting, so it must be cake, right?) is wonderful. Try it the next time you've got a few overripe bananas sitting around.

 chai banana bread

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blush & gold

Always so beautiful... blush pink and gold.

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Re-Doing the Girls' Room

For the last few days, I've been looking for inspiration for sprucing up the girls' bedroom, which is also a sometime-study (simply because that is the only place where Glen's desk would fit). The girls are now 11 and 14, so I think they would probably like to let go of the little girl mood in the room, and freshen things up. They stay with us every fortnight, so the room isn't used every day, but it still needs to feel like a lovely haven for the girls, when they are here. This is the last room to tackle in the house. It's in serious need of some major style updating.

Here is what I have found inspiring...

urbnite

 Ikea Alvine Kvist bedding

Target (Australia)

source unknown

Be Still on etsy

Ikea

I want to get some dark grey and white floral Alvine Kvist bedding from Ikea, because I think it's a classic print that could go with lots of different colours. For bedding accents, I'd like blankets in a magenta or lilac hue, preferably ombre. I might try to dip-dye the white blankets that are already in the room. I'd like to add some yellow, blue, pink, and aqua accents, and something gold, like a desk lamp. A couple of colourful cushions on each bed would help to tie in the colours and play nicely with the floral bedding. We need to get some bedside tables, something small with a little storage, preferably white. (I love these ones from west elm.) I think a black and white piece, like the Ikea Tillfalle lamp shade, would look fabulous, too. A bright yellow Eames replica chair would update the desk very nicely, and add a pop of colour to the space.

Style Me Pretty

urban outfitters

Living etc. on Facebook

Gild and Grace

Target (Australia)

There are a couple of not-so-pretty spots in the room. One is a functional but ugly metal shelf, storing random junk. I would love to get either a white wardrobe or a big cube shelf, and some lovely baskets and boxes, to make the storage more pleasing to look at. I would also love to paint the storage piece a deep blue, maybe down the track. 

ZsaZsa Bellagio

Mechant Design

viking blood

source unknown

Michelle Adams's former bedroom

The wall above the desk is a big challenge. Glen has his framed degree hung there, which is wonderful, but it just doesn't go with the cool, colourful teen girl vibe I'm hoping to achieve in the room. I need to come up with a look that makes everybody happy, since the room is used by three people, for different things. I would love to see an art collage or a pretty mirror above the desk. Also, for art, I want to print and frame a couple of detail shots of colourful stones, and hang one above each of the girl's beds.

Once I get the ball rolling on this re-do, I'm sure I will be posting a few pics of it on Instagram, so be sure to follow me there, to see how things go.

If you have teen girls, I'd love to hear your thoughts on styling a bedroom that they will love!

pink loves blue and green

If you know me at all... By now, you've seen how much I love pink... especially pink with blue, and pink with aqua. Tonight, I've been finding some rooms and such with pink, blue, and green together, which means, of course, that I'm in love with them all. I'm especially into pink with deep blue and leafy greens. It looks so fresh. These rooms are making me want to do this look in my lounge now. I hope it won't clash with the million-and-one toys in here!

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