Bright Happy Colour, Pattern & Print...

I fell in love with these brightly coloured, patterned & printed images... I am feeling so inspired by all things Suzani - the reduced colour, the rhythm of the pattern & how I could use it through my living spaces. Hmmmm where do I begin! How uber cute are these geopuzzles - print poster form or in puzzle form!Oh and love love love the idea of painting inside the bookshelves walls and hanging favourite art pieces or prints from book shelve beading.

What colours, prints or patterns are inspiring you right now?

images via kate lewis painting, geopuzzles, paterson maker, pretty stuff, ma belle vie.

Just Because...

I love this room - the mix of colour & pattern. I especially love the use of wallpaper here it's applied to the inside of the book shelves and coordinates back with the pink slip covered deep lounge chairs... a really great way to explore colour, pattern and style with wallpaper and without having to give up a whole wall! S x

Image via Country Living

More Home Office Ideas...

Just got some finishing touches to do to the home office and a little bit of labelling left! Yes - it feels like it has been going on for a while - this redo of the home office, normally pre-baby it would have been done & dusted by now! But drilling & hammering, and shuffling [next to our baby's room] do don't seem to go with sleep times! Still it's amazing how you really do pack everything in 'a sleep time' - we'll get there! In the mean time I love this home office re-do from MyHome Ideas. The wall colour is very similar to the shade I have used Dulux's 'Linseed' Full tint. Take a look. Enjoy x

images via my home ideas

 

Imaginative Bookends...Not just for little people!

'Early Bird' bookends by Cocoon Couture

'Cheeky Squirrel' bookends by Cocoon Couture

'Sleep Owl' bookends by Cocoon Couture

Many of you know my endless passion for books, and almost all related to books, so you can understand that this now manifests and translates to my baby - daughter, and how I am building up her fabulous childhood library full of mine & my husband's all-time favourite children's books, as well as all the many great new ones too! So with books must come well appointed accessories and book ends are definitely a necessity, not only in function but also form... [can you tell I'm a fine arts design grad - we argued this stuff all the time form vs. function/ function vs. form  -another time for that debate - discussion!]. 

Well here you can tell why I fell in love with these bookends from Cocoon Couture - I adore them all but I think the 'Early Birds' would be just perfect for Isabelle's bookcase [will definitely have to get them now], and has almost become a little signature motif for her decor coupled with her cherry blossom decal [bought from etsy.com - all of which - her complete nursery - I promise I will post on Palatial Living very soon]. Take a look at these ever so fabulous book ends - you'll want them yourself if not for a bit of whimsy or friendly character on your bookshelf around a corner! Enjoy x

Images via Cocoon Couture

Library Love...

My love of books & a desire for a library [built in - floor to ceiling bookshelves - preferably a whole room or it could be a long hall way] continues... I especially like the chic red  shade reading lamps, the painted floorboards & the charcoal/ black wicker rocker with pale blue upholstered chair pad! Cup of tea please! S x

Image via Country Living

Colour, Books & BookShelf Love...

[image 1] Betsy Morgan's colour blocked book stacks and objects make for beautiful vignettes within the shelf.

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[image 2] Australian Vogue Living March /April 2010 - book suggestions. Check out Amazon.com to add them to your wish list, or to buy!
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[image 3] Betsy Morgan's home office & living area - shows these white shelves are not only for storage but colourful display too!
click on image to enlarge

I love books, always have, but what else do I love that goes with books is housing & shelving books! Here - I love these White book shelves with painted [bitter mocha] wall colour behind, appears to frame the books and objects within the shelf. And the darker shade used makes for an illusion-ary depth. Taken from Betsey Morgan's family home in Chelsea New York - from Vogue Living March/ April 2010 issue, I especially love all books sorted and stacked by spine/ cover colour - I have all my books presented like this in my shelves at home - it helps to create a clean, organised & colour blocked presentation that is much easier on the eye to follow through the space...

Images from Australian Vogue Living March/ April 2010 issue.

Book Shelf Love...

Smart Space - Custom-built egg-crate shelving covering an entire wall provides ample room to mix storage and display. A mix of magazine organizers, baskets, and boxes provides storage for periodicals, stationery, and painting and office supplies and creates a pleasing, layered mix of objects.
There's room in the kitchen too...

A winning combo - Special space for art & artifacts with favourite books - back lit with pops of colour that compliments the upholstery.

Quirky & Clever - Three bookcases joined with molding provide plenty of space for books and have a built-in feel. The space above the bookcases is put to use storing extra chairs for guests.

Floor to ceiling befriending the doorway...

I have always adored books & their shelves - here I found some great spaces and places for housing your favourite paper friends, and some with other great neighbours such as seating, art & artifacts, and tea pots & plates. I have always dreamt of having a hall way lined with shelving for books, or a small library & home office again again with a couple of walls lined with books! We had/ some plans drawn up for a home office a little while ago that also incorporated [white] built-in floor to ceiling shelving to house my art & design books...Now just need to keep saving for the conversion, hopefully to too far off in the future!

Images from Country Living, Traditional Home & Sunset Living.

[Home] Office Organisation...

I have been rearranging some rooms in my home around an office space and stumbled across these great images that inspired me and may help you get your home office space just right!

Here [above] a linen press cupboard was transformed into a hideaway media office space. The main shelves were taken out of the cupboard leaving 2 only and a desk platform added with a keyboard return that slide back into the desk... clever! The bamboo style chair painted white is used as the desk chair and when not in use can be used as extra seating or an occasional chair in the lounge room. When you've finished working just close the doors - no need to hurriedly tidy up your ongoing work space! Ta daaa!

One of the best ways to create a cohesive and uncluttered look in a book shelf for your lounge room or home office is to arrange the book spines by colour. By doing this you create colour blocks which the eye prefers & allows you to visually gently move fluidly through the shades creating a harmonious look instead of haphazard colour dotting here there and everywhere. Another trick is to also allow for 'white space' this means space in a book shelf not used with books but an object such as a vase, or a box, or a statue - something of personal interest or memory. By creating the white space you also create an area of visual relief. See what you can do with your book shelf.... Have fun!

Images from PointClick