Loving Aura...

I received the latest e-newsletter from Aura by Tracie Ellis today and I am in love with the Ikat inspired indigo duvet cover, the stippled coverlet cushions & accessories, and the rest of her range including the chevron stripes and geometric moor inspired printed shapes on linens. 

How can you not be enticed... it's even worse now for me - as our new bed & side tables finally arrived on the weekend! I just have our existing timber tallboy and blanket box to revamp - sand & paint to match the new bed frame & side tables [worn  effect with off-white colouration - 'white canvas'] and some new drawer knobs for the tallboy. Aura certainly provides the perfect 'canvas' for inspirational bedlinen.... take a look at the latest collection HERE.

Enjoy,

Note - this post are views expressed solely by Sarah Verity. This post is not an advertisement, and by no way or means has this post been supported or paid for by Aura by Tracie Ellis.

image via aura by tracie ellis

Make Your Bed Pop!

Very exciting - I have just received the Sheridan e-newsletter about their new & exciting Bed linen range called 'POP' - not only is a range of bed linen but it's an interactive experience too! Here's how it works - you visit their in store 'POP' range and play with all the prints/ patterns and colourways available via a touch screen computer - there you can design & come up with your very own 'Pop' by Sheridan bed sheets, quilt cover and pillow slips for your boudoir! Introducing POP by Sheridan. You won’t have experienced anything like POP before and your bed will never be the same again.

 For Sydney siders - head to these store locations to Start playing & designing...

Myer Sydney City, Level 5.
Myer Castle Hill, Level 2.

David Jones Sydney City, Level 5.

- Have Fun & Enjoy -

An extract from the e-newsletter....The world’s first POP by Sheridan stores.

POP by Sheridan is a new bed linen range that won’t just change that way you make your bed, it will change the way you shop. Be the first to come in store to mix and match your designs on our touch-screens.

Individual pillowcases, sheets and quilt covers in bright, vibrant, colours complemented by simple, bold graphics mean whatever you choose, it will be contemporary, customised and completely you. It’s the most fun you can have creating your own bed.

Queen size prices start from $57.95 for fitted or flat sheets, and quilt covers from $109.95. [all prices in AUD].

images via Sheridan Pop

Room of the Day...+ Love this Master Bedroom.

I love this calm, serene, contemporary master bedroom.... it may be monochromatic but the visual and tactile texture of the soft furnishings, lamps & accessories is certainly a great example of how to bring depth & interest into a simple colour scheme... x

image via myhomeideas.com / cottage living

Grey Scale... Fabulous Bedrooms in Grey.

Painting to change something be it furniture or walls, can be like the old saying 'change is as good as a holiday!' - hmmmm well I'm thinking of painting our master bedroom a shade of grey, and maybe the furniture too [this or maybe white, I don't think our room size can handle black furniture] - this will of course depend on the strength and base colour of the 'grey' wall paint... and of course the look I want to achieve - an 'understated contemporary elegance'. I think my husband will be surprised when he gets home from work one day! Here's some of the images I have pulled for sources of inspiration...

Grey with Sage

Grey with Black, Off White & Burnt Orange

Grey with Bitter Cocoa & Meringue White

French Grey with Soft White

Images via MyHomeIdeas + Canadian House & Home

Re-Decorating & Lighting Inspiration...

I have recently been helping my wonderful mother-in-law [yes I am super lucky - we have a fabulous relationship!] with redecorating her master bedroom, we have worked out a wonderful fresh contemporary colour palette that has resulted in a few jobs repainting built in wardrobes, architraves & window frames, and walls; a fabulousus contemporary art work - laser cut triptych of an oak tree, and a custom ordered furniture drawer unit, as well as seasonal bedlinen & decorator cushions - for summer, winter, and a set that will work all year round... And amongst a number of things also involved was looking for new lighting options! This cannot be taken lightly [excuse the pun!]!

Often we will redecorate and sometime overlook our lighting options  this can be a huge mistake as this is the one area that will dramatically effect how we see the colours & textures we have worked so hard to change and make new! For this room they love reading lights over their bed and want to replace them with something in keeping with the new look of the room and the new dresser will be another great place for a table lamp for some ambient light...since their isn't a need for an overhead light - it was all about the reading lights - wall sconces and table lighting. Thought I would show you some of my inspiration and some great pieces I found through this project...

Table Lamp - Lighting Options

Buyster's -Brilliant - Baltimore Table Lamp in Brushed Chrome

Buyster's -Brilliant - Fresno Table Lamp

Buyster's -Cougar - Capiz 1 Light 64 cm Table Lamp

Buyster's -Cougar - Capiz 51cm Table Lamp

Buyster's -Cougar - London 1 Light 46 cm Table Lamp in Satin Chrome

Buyster's -Elan - Elysees Table Lamp in Brushed Chrome
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Bedroom Lighting Checklist

To make sure you have proper lighting in your bedroom or master suite, ask yourself the following questions. (Tip: You want to be able to answer "yes" to all!)

1. Can I see well enough to get dressed?

2. Is there a light in the closet?

3. Are there individual reading lights on each side of the bed?

4. Is there an overhead light source?

5. Do I have enough light to determine the colors of clothing in my drawers?

6. Do I have a light source near the door?

7. Have I installed outlets in convenient locations while building/renovating my bedroom?

8. Can I fill dark corners with portable lighting sources?

9. Do I have a dimmer installed on the overhead light source?

10. Are there lights at the dressing table to help with makeup?

Do you need to update your lighting needs?

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Wall Sconce & Reading Lighting Options

Buyster's -Cougar - Diamante 1 Light Wall SconceSKU #: COU1090

Buyster's -Cougar - Morrison 1 Light Wall Sconce

Buyster's - Cougar - Hilton 1 Light Picture Light in Satin Chrome

For some great lighting ideas and products check out Buyster Lighting online - they deliver Australia wide.

Images from Elle Decor, & buysterlighting.com.au

In Love with these Rooms...

[Image 1] Living Room by Meg Braff
To give the open-flow living and dining rooms of an East Hampton, New York, house a light, relaxed air, designer Meg Braff used soft blues and whites, linens, cottons, and a seagrass rug.

[Image 2] Family Room by Meg Braff
"With four young children, durability in the family room was key for the owners," Braff says. "The dark blue on the sofas, the leather ottoman, and the sisal rug are practically bulletproof." The sofa is upholstered in Hinson's Rawlston in Dunham Blue. Walls are covered in Africa Raffia in Key West Teal by Phillip Jeffries.

[Image 3] Guest Bedroom by Meg Braff
"The printed fabric in the guest bedroom is whimsical," Braff says, "but the beige and aqua palette is very restful." Bed and curtain fabric is Lyford Background in Inca Gold on White, by China Seas. Wallpaper is Millennium Stripe in Beige and White, by First Editions. Ottomans are by Jonathan Adler.

[Image 4] Dining Room by Joe Nahem

In a new Greenwich, Connecticut, house, designer Joe Nahem gave the dining room timeless allure with a hand-painted and embroidered silk wallcovering, Fromental's Lotus & Carp in Moon Gold.

[Image 5] Living Room by Joe Nahem
Back-to-back sofas define intimate seating areas in the vast living room. They're upholstered in a Classic Cloth velvet, Marlowe in India Ink, that has "an iridescent quality," Nahem says. "The color changes depending on the light. One day it's gray, another day it's blue."

[image 6] Bedroom by Joe Nahem
The owners asked for a glamorous bedroom, and Nahem came through in a sparkling way. He designed the bed with silver-leaf details and flanked it with mirrored chests from Mecox Gardens.

House Bautiful was right, these are rooms I don't think I would ever tire of... aren't they just gorgeous!

Images from [US] House Beautiful, October 2009 issue.

Bedroom Inspiration...

Our bed is due to go to God soon - it's had a great life, so now I'm looking at new beds - frames, headboards & mattresses and further inspiration for our bedroom at the moment... I have a few pieces I think I will keep & re-vamp and several I think would work better as newly introduced pieces. So before I make any major purchases and any unnecessary painting or upholstery work I am looking at a few different approaches to bedroom settings and colouring, naturally I get caught on blue, white and a neutral colour palette! However aside from colour - styling and what I need out of the bed and will it go with existing pieces is quite a high priority...

I found these great bedroom images in my photo file [above] that I quite like - they're fresh, contemporary, stylish and have a sense of relaxation - all feelings very important in my bedroom sanctuary. So I will keep on with the search - will let you know how I go and what we come up with!

Images from Southern Accents, House Beautiful, & Country Living

Yellow in the Boudoir...

Top - Playful, Warm & Cosy.
Centre - Modern ,Contemporary & Fresh

Bottom - Sophisticated & Sumptuous

Shots of Yellow in the bedroom in varying shades can create different atmospheres.... the palest lemon & chatruese mustard teamed with metameric teal & night blue - can make it Sophisticated & Sumptuous ; or a burst of daffodil high chroma yellow as an art piece & used as an elevated bed head - set on a cool white wall can be Modern & Contempoaray; or using a sunny butter yellow with cream, ornage coral & tones and toned down apple green make for a Playful, Warm & Cosy bedroom - as shown in these rooms.
Whichever mood you wish to create - why don't you try a shade of yellow in your bedroom or guest room?

Images from Elle Decor, Modern Living & Country Living

Wouldn't It Be Lovely ...

Colour Blocked Living Space - epoxy white painted floors for long wear & a great use of an old friend - using a favourite old doily photographed on a colourful background - blown up and positioned off-centrefor a modern placement on canvas. Doily's and lace also used as applique on a bright ruby cushion - playing with positive & negative space, so 'wow'!

White Romantic, Fresh & Contemporary Storage - Office & Living Space with a super 'pop' of love-heart red that adds a sense of liveliness and depth.

These blue based pale pink walls are both romantic & modern when combined with white trimmed windows, skirts and bedlinen. The floral bouquet pattern on the quilt cover adds a touch of femininity & cosiness - the stripe floor mat anchors the feminine room without adding too much more to it.


Today it's raining and cool here [in Sydney] & so I thought wouldn't it be lovely to cosy up with the one you love in a Romantically inspired room!

Images from Country Home