Over at 'Whiteport'

A Public Holiday here today...Ahhh!

A bit of time up my sleeve to check out a few places I've been meaning to visit for a while.

Over a Whiteport they have these fabulous white ceramic drum stools...love it. Oh and look what else...from the 'Keep Calm' people...'Keep Calm and Carry On'! Visit their Etsy store here.

I'm thinking of getting the 'Cooking' one for the kitchen OR maybe the 'Sewing' one for my work room. Yes, I think I'll get the 'Sewing' one, in blue.

Colour Systems - Pantone vs NSC

Seeing the beautiful Moose & Bird photo collage in blue earlier this month, got me thinking back to the 2010 Colour of the Year from Pantone - Turquiose.

{Image: Moose & Bird}

Pantone is an International colour system. Graphic designers, fashion designers, homewares, stationery etc etc, you name it - basically the design industry lives by this colour system.

I had a bit to do with it last year when I was studying 'Colour Design' at iscd (International School of Colour & Design). For the projects I was completing, it wasn't very flexible. For me anyway, the gurus would be yelling at me now. I can hear them!

{One of my colour projects from my Diploma}

My educator for this course, just happened to be of Swedish background as is her husband, so they travel back to Sweden quite regularly. She introduced us to Natural Colour System (NCS) - a colour system from Sweden (and not a Crime Scene investigation unit).

Apparantly everyone over there lives and breathes this system, just as the rest of the world does with Pantone. The theory with this system is quite indepth. And they're are on their way to being embedded in the design arena to the same level as Pantone.

Anyway, my point is, that whatever we do, see or buy, has some sort of connection to colour somewhere along the way from raw materials to finished product, including packaging of our foods!

Interesting, I thought, how colour is SO connected to our everyday life. Not just the magnificent colours Mother Nature provides for us.

We know what we like when we see it, but there is a heck of a lot of colour theory that goes on behind the scene.

{is White a colour??}

I always thought my favourite colour was green or orange (different versions of each depending on what and where the colour is intended).

Turns out recently, through unconcious choices, I've found that blue probably is my favourite colour. When choosing a blog template for my new blog (that's still a way off, secret squirrel stuff), the one that appealled to me was - another blue one! Same for my recent projects - Baby Love, the Tote Bag and Pin Cushions.

What's your favourite colour?

Possibly not the one you think it is. Really take a look around your environment, and see which colour stands out the most! Maybe you'll come to the same conclusion I did - It's not actually the colour you think it is! Who knows, maybe it is. And maybe it's more than one.

But do you ever really think about it? I didn't until recently.

PS I still like greens and oranges and I'll still probably buy what I like. Betcha it'll be either green, orange or BLUE!

Need a work area update

Need...to...get...more...organised...argh!

It has been ages since I started to set up a work area at the family holiday house. A great airy, sunny room, but a bit small. So I need to make the most of the area I have and be very canny about what I will have in here. Also, I don't REALLY have any storage. I have been looking for an old wardrobe or cupboard, perhaps with glass panels in the doors, to stash all my materials.

When (and if) I can find one, it'll be painted white, then rubbed back a bit. Give it a bit of a distressed look. I'll match it with some white storage ideas from Ikea.

At the moment I am using one of the dining room chairs for my desk, and my book case and floor are a bit messy. Excuse, lack of storage.

The green yoga mat needs a place to live also. See my new light box. Finally, handyman made it for me. Mind you, it only took 2 phone calls to get it done. One to a local business to order the perspex, cut to size. The other call to handyman 'requesting' he pick it up on the way home from work. Why...did I wait so long!! when it was sooo easy!

It was a case of, 'Well now there's no excuse. You said you've been waiting for the perspex. Of you go!!'

Bookcase. Messy, messy, messy. My Paris photo frames are still waiting to be put on the wall, but I still haven't chosen a colour or wallpaper for the wall/s. Thinking about maybe doing wallpaper to daddo height, then paint for the rest? Not sure.

I really want to have a French feel to this room, but I'm still so undecided about so many things.

The desk is brand new and a great size to sit the laptop - perfect - and (free) Dell printer - which I hate. My Epson at home does everything!! This one is only to get me by when I'm at the house, if I need to print something.
Haven't even got a mouse pad. I really need one. I'm using my visual diary at the moment!!

Heading off to Ikea tomorrow night to avoid the weekend crowds. I'm after another desk type set up, with some draws or shelving. The length will be important because I'd like to set up one of my sewing machines (and leave it there). I'll also need it long enough to set up my light box, so it's not on the floor anymore.

These are what I'm looking at.
I have one of these at home, I love it because it fits A2 size art paper, foamcore etc. And it has shallow and deep draws. The castors will make it easy to move around on the timber floor.

This draw unit, but the one with about 5 draws. I'll probably pick different legs for the desk below. It's on special at the moment of $99 (AUD).

And a chair, definitely need a new office chair.

Project: Bathroom Renovation Rescue

Going back a couple of months, I published a post 'Reaching a Milestone' about my Dad and my Aunt reaching their 80th birthdays.

We had a great day at home with 14 elderly friends and family members.
About a month before the day, I felt the bathroom needed to have a once over to make it a bit more presentable. After 14 years it was looking a bit tired. The Renovation Rescue was only subtle touches, but gosh it made a difference.

From the 'Before and After' picture above, you might think I haven't done much. To be honest, I didn't. A lick of paint, a few new bathroom fittings, some matching accessories and new towels to match, was all I did.


I chose Dulux ECRU in half strength to paint the walls, with gloss ANTIQUE WHITE for the window and door architraves, and the door. The colours matched perfectly with the existing tiles. The vanity just has some new door knobs.

You can see in the collage above, I changed the towel rails with a stainless steel one from Ikea. Other things from Ikea are, all the baskets (the white baskets on the bath and the small cane ones), the tissue box, the liquid soap dispenser and cup on the vanity (there is also a ceramic box from this set on the shelves), and lastly the white shelves.

The absolutely luxurious new towels are a dream. Both sets, the white and the taupe colour were on sale. Always looking for a bargain, especially around the end of the financial year. I actually didn't realise how worn my old ones were until I bought new ones!

I had only ever had 2 towel rails, so when the boys came to visit there was towels everywhere. I swear they are worse than girls. (Just to clarify, my 2 sons are in their 20's, with the youngest turning 25 this week, but I cannot believe how many clothes he has and how often he's in the bathroom!) Anyway, I digress. Getting back to the towels rails.

There is now a stainless steel towel rack, so towels can sit on the top (like in a hotel! mmm...nice) and it has 4 towel rails. To add to the extra rails, you can see in the collage there is now 2 knobs on the back of the bathroom door. It was always difficult to get the towels dry when we were all together.

Both of the boys have been for a visit since I did the reno, and it worked wonders. No towels lying over the bath, everything was neat and tidy. Yay!!!

The last change I haven't mentioned was the lighting. I always found the old incandescent lighting very 'yellow'. Hallogen bulbs have given the room a much clearer light and the light fitting is directional. So I have set the lights facing the bath, the mirror and the shower cubicle.

Costs: about $A450

I'm very happy with the result. When I can afford it, I need to look at replacing the vanity and shower cubicle/screen, and lastly the tapware. These would be the biggest expense.

If it's decided to do the FULL reno, the tiles and toilet would be changed also.

For the moment, this quick renovation rescue made a huge difference and looks great!

Whiteport featured in Real Living magazine April 2010

I featured a bit about Jennifer McCabe's Whiteport, the online homewares shop earlier this month with my White on White post.

Real Living magazine has done a spread on their beautiful home, in the April 2010 issue - Country Charm (pages 78 - 85).

Jennifer suggests it isn't too tricky to keep a white house clean, with removable sofa covers, wash and wear paint so marks can be easily wiped off, and Porter's Paints Wood Wash for the floors added a rustic finish and is more resistant to stains.

The Hamptons butlers tray I'm after is pictured in a lovely guest bedroom setting.

Jennifer's online store is a haven for anyone who loves French country styling and decorating.

My home is a bit eclectic, with the basis being modern styling, but it's still plausible to include specific pieces from her range to suit my decor. Some things are just timeless and will fit anywhere....especially if it's white.

Jennifer's style works so well in this circa 1900's property in one of Sydney's northern beach suburb.

PS Jennifer, I love the 'Vertigo' framed print in the living area. Another fave of mine I've been coveting for a while from art.com.


I could spend just as many hours going through the vintage posters on this website, as I do on Booktopia. Hate to tell you how much my wishlist is up to in $ value on these websites!


That's why they have wishlists I suppose!

White on White

I must say I love whites....

White would have to be my favourite base colour for decorating - actually it's also my favourite for clothing. Especially white linen.

Now whites just aren't any old 'whites', there are yellow base, red base, brown base whites etc etc. Take a look at the large colour samples of the Dulux whites you can pick up at any Hardware store or Dulux colour shop these days.

{Courtesy digsdigs.com}

Next time you are at the hardware store, pick up a few, take them home and look at them side by side. See if you can tell what base colour they are. This will help you in determining which white best suits where you want it to go and if it fits in with a current colour scheme.

I used white as the main colour throughout the holiday house, initially because I wasn't sure what colour would suit. It's taken me 4 years to see and realise that the white used is a blue base white, and I don't like it (for those Queenslanders, does the phrase ring any bells). In my defence, I'm only at the house every couple of weeks, sometimes it's a month before I make it there.

And....no!...the picture above is not of my house...I wish.

My current loves are the palettes from Bauwerk and Resene. So I'm on the hunt now for a better white...and possibly even a dark colour for the 5 mtr ceilings in the living area...it could take it.

White Accessories

Check out this online store Whiteport for white on white - bed linen, gifts, bathroom accessories etc. Really nice. I came across it while I was looking for something like the butlers table below.