We welcome daylight savings with open arms around the country as the smell of barbecues throughout the neighbourhood become an unofficial induction into the summer months ahead. The moody tones of winter in our interiors make us feel cosy and safe but now is the time to shake off those sultry tones and brighten your interior to match the extra hour we gain in the evenings. The easiest way to brighten up our interiors is through the use of soft furnishings. We recommend most clients to have a summer and a winter set so every time a season changes you don’t have to go out and buy all new decor ..read more

While lockdown isn’t ideal for many reasons, it has got our household on the declutter buzz. The biggest pain-point with our clients is the lack of storage from apartments to villas even through to large homes. However, in some instances, lack of storage isn’t really the problem. It actually lies beneath the pile of hoarding that needs a stern “have I used this in the last year?” decluttering threshold. On the move in the next six months? This a perfect pre-move exercise so when it comes to packing you’ve already done the heavy lifting. The first place to look is with your children. They are ..read more

As we find ourselves back looking at the walls around our home, the interior genius in you is kicking back into play. Lucky for you, you can go back and read all the older how-tos that I’ve written for specific spaces and contemplate how you might tackle one of the spaces before the Christmas rush starts. But how do you go about planning a project when you can’t go shopping or meet with tradies? What you do have up your sleeve is time. Time and renovations don’t usually go hand-in-hand. We mostly get approached by people who want a refresh and want it as soon as possible. The beauty about hav ..read more

Trends come and go, but the best trends are ones that have a modern twist to a classic favourite; so if you do phase it into your scheme it won’t date a year later. The hottest trend that is a sure winner for 2021/22 is all about embracing the curves and there are few easy ways you can achieve the look with your existing interior. There are two ways you can implement this trend into your home. Architecturally and through decor choices. Architecturally, we are making bold curvaceous edged corner details on walls, arches and through organic materials by selecting finishes that have softer and i ..read more

We all know teenagers need their space, and to be honest we need space from them sometimes! Constantly pushing boundaries, one thing our young adults love is ownership, so why not make their digs a place that they love, feel safe and inspired by. The first step is to set some rules up so it's not a free-for-all exercise. This could be setting a budget, letting them choose a scheme of three colours and a timeframe to achieve the project by. You also might want to include what pieces of furniture they need to keep and this will help to keep the budget on track. Choosing a scheme is mostly based ..read more

With keen snow bunnies celebrating the beginning of winter and hitting the slopes, you will find me nestled right next to my cozy fireplace amongst an army of backlogged laundry eagerly drying. But how does an understated and old inbuilt fireplace become the heart of your space? The humble villa fireplace can date an interiors’ decor dramatically, but there are a few hot tips to restyle it to a contemporary hub. The hearth, which is the main surrounding material, is the biggest design feature that will make the most difference if updated. An underwhelming fireplace may have a hearth that is t ..read more

Move over 50 Shades of Grey and hello to the rich, earthy tones of winter. I don’t know about you but I am welcoming this change with open arms. I’ve seen so much grey over the last five years it’s hard to get me excited over another grey scheme any more. The tricky thing is how can we use the artsy palette without it looking like it’s come fresh off the set of that ‘70s show. By keeping your colour selection structured and intentional you will avoid a cluttered hot mess. A good rule of thumb is to select three base colours that are neutral, for example ecru, caramel and a warm tinted white ..read more

Many people think that renovations will add value to your home, and while this is mostly true, poor choices can lead to frustrated home buyers and a difficult task for your real estate agent to market. Quality workmanship and unfinished work is one of the biggest factors that buyers notice, and they sure notice it if the execution is poor. Repainting a home is a great way to freshen up the old bones, but don’t paint over imperfect walls or wallpaper that actually needs to be stripped. The prospect of having to re-do what the seller has done is frustrating and devalues the home instantly. Shod ..read more

Art is one of the most subjective items that can make or break your interior decor. In our design studio the owners’ art works are either the very first thing or one of the last things we work with for a scheme. If clients have a collection they would like to retain, then we use the works to start the scheme. If not, we use the art pieces as the last element to complete a cohesive design. It is especially difficult to get right when the members of the household have differing art tastes. Here are a few tips to get art styling right to complete your interior scheme. A great starting point for ..read more

Bay windows are not in every home, but if you live in a villa or a bungalow in the sprawling countryside or inner city, chances are you have one. How can you use it to really celebrate it as the feature it was once designed for? Turn it into a book nook (iPad doesn’t have the same ring to it!) I think this is the number one option to make the most of the bonus pop-out. It requires a custom-made seating unit and custom-measured seating squabs, plus plenty of comfy feather inner cushions and a chunky rug for the winter. In our practice, we like to design the seating with storage underneath. Dra ..read more