Mid Week House Snoop...Holy Mackerel on Great Mackerel!

Loving this contemporary home set on the beach side of Great Mackerel beach. a little reasonable unknown seaside spot in on Sydney's Northern Beaches & Pittwater located opposite Palm Beach. It's accessible only by boat so if you're in the mood for great way to escape the regular grind, a stunning weekender, or could work from home or commute via boat to the main  then car - then this would be the home for you!

The interior palette with it's wide use of neutral tones, natural timber stains, large glass panes with open & vaulted ceilings leather - is highly sympathetic to the natural bush & beach side location. Allowing both interior & exterior spaces to fuse fluidly. Although only 2 bedrooms - this home's Palatial quality lies with it's position & location... just supremely divine.

Take a look,

Agent's Blurb... Belle Property Australisia

37 Monash Ave Great Mackerel Beach NSW

Lifestyle - An idyllic beach-side retreat conveniently located only a short boat ride from Palm Beach. This beautifully presented home would make an ideal weekender or permanent residence and is just footsteps from the glistening water's edge and peaceful bush walks of the surrounding national park.

Accommodation - Positioned high and drenched in year round northern light, this spacious open plan home is an entertainers dream. Ground floor reception area leads to a generous living room and open plan kitchen featuring high vaulted ceilings and easy access to the private full width timber deck, covered for year round alfresco dining and perfect for BBQ's with family and friends. A walkway links two versatile bedrooms and a flexible third bedroom or home office. Stylish tiled bathroom and breezy sunroom allow air circulation and complete the upper level.

images via domain.com.au via belle property

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

Colour Can Change Everything...

Did you know that colour can change everything? It really can - your mood & atmosphere, the light, the design, the balance and your world! Have you been thinking about furthering your colour & design knowledge, or maybe even changing careers into the world of colour & design in industry, or start up your own small business - in a part time lifestyle paced study mode?

If these types of ideas & questions have been lingering around you for a while - now IS the time to take it with both hands! You haven't missed the boat - at ISCD [the International School of Colour & Design] located in North Sydney now have enrollments for a May 2011 intake  [for Sydney-siders] for the Certificate IV in Design [a nationally recognised certificate- Foundation course] for a 26 week course on Saturdays from 10am -1.30pm, that I am to be teaching! You could have your Certificate IV in Design completed by December this year, from there the sky is the limit ... so get moving and make the change! Click HERE for more details on the Certificate IV in Design with ISCD or contact the school directly HERE to further enquire.

Alternatively if you live away from Sydney and cannot attend the campus classes your best colour & design learning option is to get hooked up with ISCD's fabulous iDE [International Distance Education] program for the Certificate IV in Design. I currently have over 30 correspondent students who are located throughout Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore who have taken the next step with their love for love & design and joined the iDE program... CLICK Here for more details on the iDE Program to study at home in Certificate IV Design, alternatively contact the school for more details.

Remember - Colour Can Change Everything!

Can't wait to see you!

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 ISCD.  ISCD contracts Sarah Verity through Verandah Home & Garden Living Solutions for educator/ teaching services only.  

images ys voice, house beautiful, crush culdesac, tumblr, patterson maker



Pretty Divine Sophistication...

I'm in love with these soft meringue icing colours anchored with

hints of ebony & crystal... it's so very pretty, divine and sophisticated. 

Hope you're having a delicious weekend!

images via ys voice, crush cauldesac, hardly hitched & elle decor

Ever Get Stuck...

Makes sense....from one of my all time favourite

Cubist | Modern artists.

image via fairlight day

Tap Tap Tapping... Working Away.

Ever get that surge of inspiration that keeps you awake well past your 'bed time'... that same feeling that masks the over tiredness?

Well for me that's my creative juices flowing... I was working on a few things, and also sorting & organising my image library, and one thing always leads to another! Much like with reading blogs it's an endless trail of new ideas - just have to keep going!

image via tumblr original source unknown

Retro Easter...

Just came across this terribly cute way of bringing a little Easter into your home with a retro flavour from fab blogger & sewing extraordinaire 'Retro Mama' aka Kim... This designer seamstress sets a funky tone for Easter Eggs - without the worry of the actual egg and blowing the contents, and maybe cracking a few on the way in or out. Why you ask... these eggs are poly filled [stuffed]!

Here's a few great pics from 'Retro Mama' Kim's step-by-step guide to getting these Retro cute eggs, I suppose it's all in your fabric choice. I love the geo prints - some spots, chevrons, stripes, and maybe a lattice work! Wouldn't these eggs look gorgeous in Rubie Green fabric by Michelle Adams, or Katherine Rally Textiles by Katherine & Rally Dupps! Time to get organising your Easter decor...my Easter tree has been up for 2 weeks now and I still haven't shared photos with you - this week I promise!

What decor will you choose for Easter celebrations?

Retro Mama's - Fabric Easter Egg Tutorial

Materials:

10"w x 5"h Quilting cotton, linen or other non-stretchy woven fabric in one or more prints

Thread

Fiberfill, Nature-fill or other similar polyester or natural stuffing

Disappearing Ink Pen

Scissors

Pins

Hand sewing needle

Pattern (I recommend printing it on card stock for easy tracing)

Seam allowances are 1/4"

1. Cut out the pieces. Place pattern piece perpendicular to the fabric selvedge, trace the pattern with disappearing ink (see photo below) and cut four pieces from desired fabric prints. You may cut multiple pieces simultaneously from the same print by folding the fabric over one or more times, cutting up to 4 pieces at once.

(Tip: If you're using a scrap and don't know which way the selvedge is, test which direction the fabric is stretchiest. The fabric is stretchier going perpendicular to the selvedge, and less stretchy going parallel with the selvedge; you want the stretch going from top to bottom of the egg, not side to side, so your egg doesn't get too "fat" when you stuff it. Hopefully that makes sense.)

 2. Place pieces together for sewing. Always keeping track of which end is "up", place 2 fabric pieces, right sides together, pinning if desired. Do the same with the remaining two pieces. Transfer the two dots from the pattern to the fabric pieces on top. If using two different fabrics, make sure both pairs have one of each print and that the same print is on the top of both sets.

 3. Sew a seam along the right side of one set of egg pieces, from top dot to bottom dot, backstitching at the top and bottom. Do the same with the second set of pieces.

 4. Put the two halves together. Turn one set of egg pieces right side out, and place inside the other set of egg pieces, so that right sides are together on the inside.

Match the seams at the top and bottom and pin. (Note the purple ink marks on the lower righthand side in the photo below that indicate where I will leave a hole for stuffing)

5. Sew the two halves together. Sew around the outside edge of the egg, leaving a 1" hole on one side for turning and stuffing, backstitching at the beginning and end of the seam.

 

 6. Trim the seam allowances, taking care not to snip into the stitches and leaving the seam allowances wide around the open hole.

7. Turn the egg right side out through the hole and it will look something like this

8. Stuff the egg firmly with poly-fill or other stuffing, and close the hole with small slip stitches/ladder stitches.

9. Voila! You have a completed egg.

10. Now make bunches and bunches of these...

 

images & tutorial via Retro Mama, via Lazy Girl Designs, via WhipIt.net

Loving... Red | White & Stripes.

Most people who know me - do know that I have a penchant for stripes, ticking - wedgewood, micro, you name it the stripe - I will fall for it!! So it was by no surprise on one of my image gathering journeys that I was completely inspired when snooping around in a House Beautiful 'House Tour' design consultant Ellen O'Neil's weathered home in Bridgehampton, New York. Where she successfully showcases the softer side of red, and by using a restricted palette really does allow for stunning & striking clean results...

Here I have gathered a few of my favourite red-white with touches of reduced red - pinks, and have been inspired with my Surface Design diploma class [at ISCD]- their latest brief is the 'Deck Chair Struipe' so here's my little play with red - white stripes and reversing it out, all in this little collage for you.

Do you love red-white and stripes?

Could you hold yourself back with a restricted colour palette in you home?

Let me know - I'd love to hear from you.

Enjoy,

images via house beautiful, coastal living, elle decor, tumbler, ys voice

It's Friday It's The Weekend!

1st April today and we're head long into Easter and my little Isabelle's 1st birthday fast approaching on 22nd! So I need some well earnt R&R this weekend... whoa my heavy schedule over the past 8 weeks has really caught up with me today - and so my thoughts are with wishing for lovely little naps over the weekend!

Some people love to sleep in the morning [my husband is one such person], others - like me - love an afternoon nap. I consider this a true luxury! And is none better than a favourite cosy spot with a throw & a few comfy cushions...

Hope you get to catch up on some 'zzzz' over the weekend if you need to, otherwise have truly wonderful & Palatial Weekend!

Thank you for joining me this week here at Palatial Living.

Enjoy, 

image via coastal living

Palatial House Snoop...Contemporary Cottage on the Beaches

Nestled in one of my favourite Northern Beaches suburbs of Avalon, you will find this gorgeous Palatial Contemporary Sandstone & Weatherboard Cottage. I loved it for it's successful combination of keeping original integrity and it's newly renovated spaces in keeping with a French Riviera-meets-Hampton's style with an Australian coastal lifestyle flavour.

I am always a 'sucker' for sandstone features particularly when teamed with a fireplace, as well as the comfortable freshness of the undercover verandah sitting & dining area - much like a Queenslander, quintessentially Australian. The simplicity of the neutral, soft colour scheme lends itself to bringing the outdoors in with considered use of stone, natural timber, and loved leather.

Take a look, have a snoop & see what you think.....

Agent's Blurb - Raine & Horne, Palm Beach

18 Dress Cricle Rd Avalon - Classic Avalon Beach Cottage

 

This charming beach house has undergone an immaculate renovation to stylishly capture the tranquillity and sophistication that comes with living in its exclusive enclave. The 784 sqm property has been superbly re-designed maintaining its character and charm with an emphasis on indoor/outdoor entertaining, ambient natural light, neutral hues and a fluid layout while being situated within approx. 200 metres to Avalon village.

 

 The cleverly positioned designer kitchen/dining space is an inviting haven that flows to the distinctly charming lounge with fireplace, formal dining and alfresco covered entertaining area. These rooms are framed by rustic hardwood timber floors, large bi-folding windows and ornate period features decorated in fresh white hues. The lush and private garden vistas from all entertaining areas complete the incredibly peaceful and inviting ambiance of this wonderful family home.

•  Four Bedrooms and 2 Bathrooms
•  4th Bedroom/ Study with designer cabinetry
•  Media room and separate rumpus area
•  Double Carport and huge storage/tool shed
•  Landscaped gardens and level lawn at rear.
•  Solid Sandstone and weatherboard construction.

The home has an approved DA for further improvement for an additional level creating a parents retreat and a pool in the back yard. Immaculately appointed throughout, this inviting home is situated just moments to shops, public transport, schools and equidistant to Avalon and Bilgola beaches.

 

Features

• Close to Schools
• Close to Shops
• Close to Transport
• Garden

Property ID: 2008804925

images via domain.com.au - via Raine & Horne Palm Beach

Colourful Day...

I love this painting the gradation of colour and energy, the post impressionist|modernist style...Well it seems to have been a colourful day that's for sure!

And in more ways than one!

Hope have had some colour in your day too.

image - via tumblr source unknown.

Today, Tomorrow - This Week...

And Why Not! x

image via cynthia susan tumblr

Landscape Palettes...

I love the colour relationship with all of these images [together]...

This shows you that inspiration for colour palettes for interior| exterior projects can be drawn from so many places...  

I have recently had some of my design students finishing their monochromatic palettes and now they are moving into their reduced chroma and landscape palettes... intermixing their mid colours with one another to create these sublime 'Forrest', 'Desert' and 'Metal' palettes... This palette looks like you could intermixed Process Cyan & Mid Orange together then tinting up and shading down.

See what you can do with your intermixed hues...

Enjoy,

images via patterson maker, chloe1952,  sarah is cool, tumblr

Weekend...Summer's End.

 Hope you had a great weekend... Did you get to put your feet up or have time to play?

We had another jam packed weekend of family catch ups & celebrations - my sister has been back in town from her London home visiting us - so naturally there were drinks & dinners organised a overdue catch ups - but sadly she's back on a jet plane tomorrow to return to 'home' in London, '...not sure when we'll see her again'. As well this weekend was my sister-in-law's fabulous fun engagement party where surprises & Congo lines ruled the evening!

The last moments of what felt like summer passed us by this week and Sydney [for now] feels like it's embraced Autumn weather. We have 1 more week of daylight savings here in New South Wales then it really feels like the cooler months are upon us with faster darker evenings. A last hooray for those summer moments....

Hope you had a fun weekend!

image via tumblr - east atlanta