Monday Morning Mantra

After a few slow weeks and an extremely minimal amount of blogging, I am back in the saddle (or the desk chair!). Here's to kicking off a new productive week. Happy Monday!

How to....

........create a Country Kitchen.

Back in the day, Kitchens were the heart-beat of the home. It is where people nourished their bodies from a hard days work on the land, where the family sat for play and conversation. It was a social hub as well as the most productive room in the home. Want to create the perfect, homely, welcoming country kitchen? Look no further, here are a few key elements to include when creating your country-style kitchen.

1. A big long table. Big enough for the whole family to sit around to eat and for lots of extra preparation space to peel those veggies and roll that dough!

2. A huge freestanding cooker. These are the ultimate in country style kitchens providing a homely fresh-batch-of-scones vintage feel.

3. Open shelving. For tableware, mismatched crockery, cookery books, linen and food storage.

4. Vintage furniture / decor. Freestanding vintage cabinets and buffets work wonders in creating a country kitchen. Add vintage bread boards, canisters and vintage food storage tins to complete the look.

5. An apron-front sink. These are a feature in themselves with their trough-like shape. Add some classically styled tap ware.

6. Timber Features. Flooring, cabinetry, bench-tops or walls, timber features are key in a country style kitchen. These can be stained or even painted a light colour to add to the country charm.

7. Lighting. The use of pendant lights over the bench or the long table adds a level of intimacy. Usually made of glass or metal. Old farm-houses are not decked out with down-lights, only a few pendant lights in the important spots!

8. And finally, a fireplace or pot-belly heater. Such an important feature when creating a country style kitchen to keep the room warm and cosy.

A 'lil bit of vintage

Given the right environment vintage pieces can work into any home. Contrast with contemporary and modern interiors and mix with tribal and country cottage styles to get the best out of your pieces.

A perfect buffet and shelving unit with worn rustic paint in pale blue and white. Perfect for a display piece or can be used for a more functional purpose in the kitchen or bedroom.

I adore this beautifully upholstered piece. Perfect colour, perfect shape and perfect casters. Despite the girly colour and classical upholstery this piece would look perfect in an entry foyer, lounge or dining room, bedroom or, most perfectly of all, a huge walk in dressing room!

The thing I love most about this kitchen is the vintage buffet centre piece is so unexpected, yet it works perfectly with this kitchen. The height, size and storage capacity of this number makes for a perfect island bench. It's also easy to clean the floors underneath due to the height of the legs. If you were feeling a little fancy you could get some marble cut to shape and place on top as some extra protection for the wood and to provide a fantastic cutting, dough and preparation surface.

The combination of heavy wooden vintage coffee table with brightly coloured upholstered furniture really compliment each other. This room would looks so different if a white or modern coffee table was used.

Brooke Sheilds New York Town House

The apartment of Brooke Shields in Greenwich , New York is classically styled with small quirks here and there. Below in the dining room sits a classic round table underneath a 12 lamp chandelier. The far wall is wrapped with black and white wall paper garden-esque wallpaper providing a feeling of old fashioned alfresco dining.

I love the open fireplace in the kitchen. The crystal chandeliers add a touch of glamour to the charcoal coloured cabinetry.

Can't go past a free-standing bath with classical faucet and stunning drapery which lets the light in. The use of tall flowing curtains elongates the room.

Love the foot stool and yellow vintage lamp. Some surprising quirky colour in a classical palette.

Natural Sisal is one of my favourite types of floor coverings and here, it really brings the heavy gold picture frames and antique furniture down to earth. The love heart hung over the mantel and brightly patterned cushions add a girly touch. A perfect combination.

Images courtesy of Architectural Digest.

Street Art

I believe that Street Artists see beauty and potential in the most innate and boring places. A concrete wall, a tree and an old dumpster and just some of the objects below which have been beautified by talented street artists.




A tree in a knitted stocking. Amazing.

I love how street artist can see potential life in things. This face has been creates around an ivy wall of hair.

It looks like he could almost reach you!

This is beautiful - very dreamy.

Love the colours - it must take them hours to get all the correct proportions.

Adding a little beauty to a not-so-pretty building.

This is amazing - how do they get the proportions so right? And straight?

Reminiscent of a falling down castle after battle - the knight is standing in victory. Very clever.

This one is my favourite - the elephant is almost smiling as he flies.

Experimental Art? The dumping of different coloured paint at an intersections has created the most amazing pattern and colour formation as cars drive over it. Very cool.

This is Kelburn Castle in Scotland and it is amazing. Looks kind of like a dolls house now! Would love to see this in person to see its' enormity. 

Monday Morning Mantra



Weekend Ramblings...

I spent an amazing weekend with a wonderful girlfriend rummaging through vintage shops and flea markets. It was exhausting and inspiring at the same time. Happy Monday (again!) hope you all had a wonderful weekend. What did you get up to?