A lovely quote and a lovely thought....

Rachel Ashwell - Shabby Chic.

White will be the colour of my year...

(At home with white)

I know some of you maybe thinking booooring but after living in a home with dark timber furniture and dark timber floors for so many years I'm dying to lighten things up for a change.

(Jacqueline Adams antiques)

Mum feels the same. She has dark furniture too that she's had forever and although she can't part with most of it she's going to lighten up her surroundings as much as she can too.

(Mari Eriksson)

My place already has a white tiled floor throughout most of it and white walls. The kitchen and main bathroom are also white. I just need to make a few modifications :)

(Sharyn Cairns)

I'd like to buy white furniture for my front living and dining room but of course my accents will have to include my favourite muted palette.

The front rooms will be soft and feminine and the back family room, although still with white floors and walls will also include hues of charcoal, french grey, red in winter and blue in summer.

There is also a garage conversion, now a rumpus for the kids and that is the only room I plan to darken a little to make it more cosy and comfy. A brooding teenage retreat haha.

Of course, will this all be completed by the end of the year? probably not hehe but It's definitely a work in progress that will keep me focused and inspired throughout :)

A new year...

And a new attempt at finding my way back to blogging. I hope this year will be more inspiring than the last. Reading all your amazing blogs though kept my heart fluttering. I am in awe of you all, seriously! Some of the posts you make literally take my breath away. Off the top of my head some of the highlights of last year was the incredible completion of Mz A-M's home, The divine transformation of Mz Giannetti's laundry and study and also the hugely anticipated release of Mz Ashwell and Mz Archers latest books. Both of which have become my new bibles and barely leave my arms.

My other favourite book purchases are Sibella Court's Etcetera, Josephine Ryan's Essentially French, Gail Abbott's Living With Light and another little Aussie gem called A Life On Pittwater by Susan Duncan. Heavenly reading!

Currently living together, my mum and I have spent many hours lolling around on the floor and couch immersed in our decorating books, sketching, list writing and overall planning the creation of her newly purchased home, currently undergoing renovations, as well as, once she moves out, the transformation of my new place of residence.

Basically, my marriage ended and I've spent the last year throwing myself into my work and trying to ease my children into a home without their dad. Fortunately they still see him all the time. My mum sold her lake house which was another emotional time for us considering we built it almost 30 years ago, but she's downsized into a lovely coastal home only 10mins from the beautiful beaches of Sydney. I can't wait to see her wave her magic wand and create something amazing :)

She is off to a good start, losing an unnecessary bathroom to open up the kitchen and a clean palette of white walls and white lime washed timber floors.

Once her home is done and dusted I can begin mine :) complete creative control! Oh let the fun begin hehe.

Oh p.s LOVED the new Nancy Meyers movie It's complicated. Just like a man seeing Angelina Jolie appear in her first scene of a movie I oooh'd and ahhh'd at that kitchen!! Hahaha

(please click image to enlarge)

Mz Meyers rocked my world again with that house and wasn't the movie hilarious? haha

I hope all my northern hemisphere pals are keeping warm and my southern hemisphere pals are staying cool :) I've missed you all and I wish you a truly wonderful new year xx