Oh Christmas tree

Christmas |ˈkrisməs|noun ( pl. -mases )the annual Christian festival celebrating Christ's birth, held onDecember 25.
It's the best time of the year I may add.
At workThe working year has come to an end for meyay!!!!it's a nice feeling indeedNow I can focus on my children and my homeHappy times :)
At homeThe Xmas decorations have come out of their boxes once more

The children have decorated our Xmas tree this year

and it looks lovely

Thank you guys 

Here's a small collection of images 
from around the lounge room
(also nicknamed by the children the fireplace room now renamed the Xmas tree room)

images: my own

And you?
Have you trimmed your tree yet?

CLx 

colour, design and architecture

My three favourite nouns,

(and most googled nouns on my laptop)

Bold and clever use of colour in architecture is always inspirational to me,

especially when it's intricate and beautifully detailed.

Below is a sample of what is on my inspiration board this week

Great use of coloured glass in this building via pinterest

Building in Tokyo, Japan via google

Barcelona flower market via google

Stunning, aren't they?

I'm also loving the interior colour scheme of this North Coogee home (below),

(and the oversized pendant lights on top of the dining table, aren't they cool?)
The outdoor area is perfect for gatherings with friends or for coffee and paper on Sunday morning.
The introduction of colour in the form of artwork, rugs and scattered cushions
is a clever way to inject personality to a space without overly committing to a specific colour
(cushions can change with the season and artwork can be on rotation).
Easy, isn't it?

What do you think? Could you live here?
I most definitely could.

See more of it here

Wish you all wonderful + colourful weekend

Catch up soon

CLx

Cool greens and blues + new artwork

I'm loving cool hues at the moment.

I find them soothing, peaceful and relaxing

Do you agree?

I like to use greens and blues in my work and at home

more than ever before

they remind me of all my favourite things...

the ocean, the sky and the trees

they are soothing and refreshing especially around Xmas time.

A very striking blue + white + green + pink/purple combo (above)

might be a bit bold for some (the deep blue wall) but the overall look is still tranquil, serene thanks to the clever use of white (with accessories) and neutrals (lounge)

A lovely green + mint + purple + blue combo used in a country kitchen setting (below)

is informal and relaxing

{I like to use green and blue together 

and I like them with purple, lilac and yellow 

I find it's a delightful + refreshing combo 

and was my inspiration for my new artwork below}

"untitled"

images 1, 2 pinterest, 3 my own

I hope you like.

Have a wonderful rest of the week :)

Catch up soon,

CLx

Inspired by / Alex MacArthur's Interiors

Alex Macarthur’s  home doubles as a private furniture showroom in which every item is for sale.

I love the idea. 

Beautiful inspiration via Sanctuary

Check out Alex MacArthur's Interiors here for more stunning + inspirational images.

Have a great week

Catch up soon

CLx

Colour inspiration / coastal

One of my current jobs include selecting colours, materials and finishes for a house on the northern beaches of Sydney, a beautiful cottage overlooking Pittwater, heaven on earth...I started to put some colours and materials together in preparation for my meeting next week and when I come across this image (below), I fell overjoyed, it was like someone had gone to the trouble of taking a picture of my vision and post it on google, couldn't have been more detailed myself. 

It's perfect. Had to share it.

image doodmix.com

This is what I have in mind: natural materials, soft colours, a serene palette, perfect for living, working and entertaining in these surroundings. This home enjoys stunning water views and the interiors colour scheme needs to complement the gorgeous landscape and play the all important supportive role. 

Serenity is the key here. It's a tranquil location and the owners enjoy relaxing at home during the week after work and love to entertain family and friends on the weekend. It's an ideal setting for both activities.

I look forward to putting this particular board together and to the final result. 

Will let you know how I go.

Catch up soon,

CLx

Small outdoor/indoor spaces

We had a lot of enquiries about courtyard design last weekend at Grand designs live in Sydney, which for us was a pretty good indication of where the market is heading and what type of construction will become more and more popular in the near future in our city. The majority of people we spoke to didn't know what to do with their tiny outdoor and/or indoor space and needed guidance. They all asked similar questions, the most popular ones being: "Where do we start?" "What's a concept plan?" or "How detailed is it?" "Can it be submitted to council?". The first step would be to meet up and tell us about your project. Once we have the brief we go back and gather ideas, those ideas are then transferred onto paper, a concept plan, which is drawn up to scale and contains quite a few details, such as materials and finishes. It's important to know what the space will be used for and what mood one wants to create. Images can also be very helpful at this stage and help us head in the right direction in terms of look, character and style. For more info on the process head to our website and go to process. If you are still confused send us an enquiry or ring us, it's that easy!

courtyard inspiration via google

Catch up soon,

CLx 

Caldesign at Grand designs live Sydney

Thanks to everyone who visited our stand at Grand designs live in Sydney this past weekend, Andrew and I had a fantastic time!

Here's a little look at what our stand looked like

 

Artwork: North Bondi skyscape by Michael Thomson 

Have a fantastic week 

CLx

Visit us at Grand designs live Sydney

Meet Kevin, Peter, Andrew, Shaynna, Charlie and us! Yes we will be there too!
We have been busy designing our stand and preparing for the opening of the Sydney show next week, it's been hectic but very exciting and we are really looking forward to our first "grand experience". We'd love to meet as many of you as possible and solve some of your decorating/garden dilemmas so come in and see us at our stand F45 in Grand outdoors. Ask us as many questions as you like, Andrew and myself will be there and will be more than happy to help you with your enquiries. Don't be shy!

And don't forget to enter our Grand Designs live competition - here are the details.

For your chance to win a garden or room makeover for the value of $500 follow us on facebook and join our mailing list here or enter at the show.

Plus for your chance to win a free ticket to the show follow us and comment below our grand designs live post on Facebook. Good luck!
If you miss out you can still get your show tickets here

See you all there

Claudia x

Spring offer

 Get your home ready for Spring
 Take advantage of our great offer

$50 off  

All colour consultations, interior and exterior colour schemes plus enjoy a FREE consultation with our garden and/or room makeover packages in September   

Ring us for more details about our Spring packages or shoot us an email here (click on contact) it's that easy! I look forward to hearing from you.

Claudia x

Hello Spring!

We are all ready to step out and enjoy the warm weather, so lovely to be able to wear sandals and light tops, isn't it? This weather really makes me happy let me tell you. It's been a fun + inspirational week with a lot of spring action including the Knox garden day last Friday when we had the chance to take a peek inside some amazing gardens in Sydney Warrawee, including one of our very own, designed and completed four years ago. 

Here are some pics, hope you enjoy 

Looking at these images it's hard to imagine that this beautiful garden used to be just a bare open space. The original pool was transformed into a water tank, paved over to top and it's now used as a dining/reading area. The new pool, cabana, outdoor kitchen, badminton court, outdoor toilet and water feature were carefully planned in order to maximise the space and create a timeless design. The whole garden is now a beautiful and functional space enjoyed by the whole family. You've got to love that.

And here's the man himself

Are you planning to re-decorate? Add on or re-shape your garden? Or perhaps you just want to tidy up and prepare for summer?

Shoot us an email or call us today to book your free consultation here

Have a fantastic rest of the week

Catch up soon

CLx

Seeing red

Vibrant touches of red bring this beautiful Sao Paulo apartment to life. I love the black sculptural staircase and the light timber kitchen (with that amazing red smeg fridge...sigh!)

Stunning! I just love the whole look, especially the creative use of timber slats, featured on the ceiling, what a great idea!

images share design

This is what's on my mood board right now...

Loving red, white, black and timber together, such an energetic and  dynamic combo, don't you think?

It would be perfect for a cafe' or a funky apartment

 Who's up for it?

Have a fantastic week everyone

Catch up soon

CLx

images Ikea, Table Tonic, Smeg

Gold

Loving all things metallic lately

And loving the sparkle of gold above all

There's something incredibly romantic about this yellow precious metal, isn't there?

It's so versatile

So luscious and luxurious

Love it.

And love the fact that I can wear it 

or

use it as an accent in my work

so much fun.

How about you?

Do you like to wear gold?

Or do you like to use it in your home?

You've got to love a bit of metal and shine:)

CLx

images the glossier nerd