Natural Pools

Billabongs are Australian bush icons, made famous by Banjo Paterson's 'Walzing Matilda'. So I think there is something beautiful about replicating that at home. Not that long ago I stumbled across the natural pool concept - manmade pools, in which plants and rocks are used to filter water. You can even keep fish in them, if that appeals to you.

The images above come from: http://www.naturalswimponds.com.au/gallery.html and http://www.mynaturalpool.com.au/projectgallery.php.

Amount I need to save:
Not as much as you would expect!

Concrete

Watching the first episode of The Block Glasshouse has inspired me to write another post. Ironically, it's going to be about concrete... the very opposite of glass! Why concrete? It's so sophisticated, it brings a cool tone into the space (which is suitable in sunny Queensland), it adds texture, and it's beautiful. I wouldn't necessarily have an entire house decorated in concrete (I like bright spaces too much), but I'd certainly love to incorporate it into some of my key rooms.

The images above were all found on Pinterest.

Amount I need to save:
$$$

I heart swings

 



 1, 2, 5 - 7. Unknown sources. 3. Temple and Webster. 4. Pop & Scott wooden swing set in white.

 

I was browsing the Temple and Webster blog, when I realised something... I love swings. Not only do they provide an interesting focal point in a space, they remind us of whimsical and carefree times. So I decided to trawl through my Dream House folder and post the various images I could find that I had of this fabulously childish (yet not tacky) item. Unfortunately, I did not save the source information for many of these images.

 

Amount I need to save:

$350 if I want a swing from Pop & Scott

Landscape Photos

Photo taken by Miss Maxi Felixa

Previously I featured some images by Steve Back, which are gorgeous. So I searched through my own photos, which may be nice to print and frame one day. I stumbled across the photo displayed above, which I took back in January. This image was taken through the window of a tiny airplane that was carting my family from the main coast over to Lady Elliot Island. It was a beautiful flight, and I even spotted a few manta rays near close to shore as we were coming in to land. I think art gives your interiors a lot of character, so consider displaying something that is sentimental as well as visually striking.

Amount I need to save:
Approx. $200 to print and frame

Indoor Plants

Having lived in Berlin for many years when I was young, there were three unspoken interior design features that I picked up on in every home I visited: timber floors, white walls, and indoor plants. The indoor plants phase is definitely in at the moment, and it's no surprise to me - nothing livens up a room more than something actually living.

For more inspirations, check out: http://designtribe.com.au/indoor-plant-ideas/ (the source of the image above).

To read about the many benefits of indoor plants (including health benefits), read: http://www.ambiusindoorplants.com.au/office-plants/benefits/index.html.

Amount I need to save:

Approx. $30

Emily Ziz Style Studio



Watercolour Stripe Green (wallpaper), Emily Ziz Style Studio

 

You may not realise it, but you are probably already familiar with some of the wonders that are available from Emily Ziz Style Studio. Many of the wallpaper prints are often featured in magazines, and the hand painted timber wall tiles were made famous when Trixie and Johnno used them on The Block Sky High. Now I must admit, I'm not a huge fan of wallpaper. Particularly when they are prints of timber, bricks or concrete (not because I don't like the look, but because I think the use of these materials is as much about the texture as the visual aesthetics). I usually prefer plain white walls, so that the furniture and/or decorative pieces are highlighted as the key features of the room. However, it's difficult not to love prints such as the one displayed above.

Don't think that their products are only limited to wall coverings, they also sell fabrics, pillows, rugs etc. View the huge range at: http://www.emilyziz.com/

 

Amount I need to save:

$POA

2014 Salone Internazionale del Mobile

 



Les Arcs, Unopiù




Swing Me, Dedon

Most of us would need to change careers if we were prepared to overhaul our living spaces regularly in order to follow fashion, as I certainly couldn't afford to do so. Instead, I like to keep my eye on new concepts that come through as a point of interest. I'll adopt the latest designs or colour schemes if they fit into my existing style. I think my point of view on this matter has transferred over from the clothing industry, which regularly design pretty items (and in all honesty, some not so pretty items) that are coveted that simply don't suit my body shape. So I stick to picking items that fit me - not the rest of the world.

The latest fashion report comes from the 2014 Salone Internazionale del Mobile (Milan International Furniture Fair). I thought the range displayed in the June edition of Australian Home Beautiful were very interesting - buy a copy and check them all out (for example the pastel coloured stools that resemble lolly wrappers - surely this must intrigue you). The showcased images above were two of my favourites - both are outdoor pieces. I would love to purchase them, although having spent over ten years living in a subtropical climate (which is so humid in summer that your towels, once wet, will remain damp until the end of the wet season unless you have invested in a dryer) I am weary of spending too much money on outdoor furniture as it never lasts for long (unless mould is to you liking?).

Why I love the Les Arcs armchair: initially the 'rope' feature caught my eye. As did the use of grey paired with the teak base. In all honesty, the name was what sold it at the end of the day. A couple of years ago I went skiing with my partner and some friends on Les Arcs - so I suppose it carries some sentimental value to me. For some reason,  Unopiù's webpage does not work, so I copied the image from http://www.cotemaison.fr/chaine-d/deco-design/unopiu-decouvrez-la-nouvelle-collection-les-arcs_18370.html. Details regarding this chair are available on the site, but you may need to brush up on your French first.

Why I love the Swing Me suspended armchair: I initially fell in love with Dedon's nestrest some time ago (remember the image of that guy reading in that woven pod, suspended above a lake?), and now they have added the Swing Me and Swing Rest (a beautiful rotating daybed) to their product range. Their furniture is always pictured in beautiful exotic settings, and having grown up surrounded by gingers, mango trees and palms I naturally must have it. For more information, visit http://www.stylepark.com/en/dedon/swingme.     

Amount I need to save:

$?