A Relaxed Beach Home in Neutral, Earthy Tones

Why hello there! Do you have countries which you haven't visited yet but just know when you get there you're never going to want to leave?! For me, it's Australia. Not only do the inhabitants enjoy a balmy subtropical climate, our Antipodean friends seem to lead a wonderful outdoorsy lifestyle (surfing, beach days and barbies...) and Australian interior design is having a bit of a moment too. Interior stylist, renovator and fellow Brit, Maddy of Hutchinson.House, made the move four years ago and lives in a beautiful, relaxed beach house with her husband Ben, 10 month old baby girl Florence and cat Pip. I couldn't resist asking Maddy a little more about their recently renovated home, her take on the latest Australian design trends and their life Down Under.

Three African Binga baskets create an interesting wall display and are in keeping with the beachy, natural vibe of the house.


How did you end up in Australia?
I met my husband in the Caribbean when we used to work on yachts. He is Australian and for us to be together, one would have to move... I chose to move to Australia, because well, it's Australia! And he's also a very keen surfer.

What do you love most about living Down Under?
I love the tropical weather and beach lifestyle. It feels like a permanent holiday!

I can well imagine! Your beach home is so lovely! How would you describe your style?
Originally from the UK, I will always have an English element within my style and I love a timeless colour scheme like blue and white. Having an overall neutral colour scheme with white walls, earthy materials and fresh greens reflects our informal beach lifestyle.

The Miami Dining Chair - Basket Weave is a fairly new addition to the beach house. Sadly it appears to be sold out - but this chair is similar. 

What do you like most about having a neutral colour scheme? 
Having a neutral palette is calming and consistent. It gives the flexibility to experiment with patterns and colours throughout the changing seasons and ever changing trends. But more importantly having a neutral palette is easy to strip back to and is timeless and classic.

The kitchen doors have been painted in a blue hue from Taubmans. Two cane  Eco barstools (love these!) provide a place to sit while the other is cooking.

What would you say are the key elements to consider when designing a beach house? 
The natural light, white walls and using raw materials are key. Using tropical plants and greenery is also a simple way to bring the outdoors in and make your space feel fresh and earthy.

 Loom and Field sells a lovely handpicked selection of Beni Ourain Rugs.


Where do you buy items for your home?
There is a strong global influence throughout our home. Many pieces we own are unique and derive from places all over the world: from the Moroccan rugs I hand picked in the Atlas mountains to the African Mali mudcloth I chose in a European flea market.

"I love artwork, ornaments and textiles that tell a story."

What do you love most about your home? 
Our home is filled with natural light, plants and special pieces that we have collected over time. It reflects us and who we are. Each space in our home shares our story.

What are the key interior trends in Australia right now? 
I would say celebrating a neutral colour palette with a minimal boho beach aesthetic. It has become increasingly popular to fill homes with artisanal and bespoke handcrafted goods from around the world. Ethnic and tribal cultures in Africa and Morocco have had a huge influence lately.

Linen blanket with fringe, Bed headboard from The bedhead Co, blue and white cushion from Indie Bungalow (this batik indigo cushion is similar). African Binga basket (seen on the wall).

"Textiles and materials that are ethically sourced and produced are showing more popularity in Australia as we are becoming more sustainable in the way that we live."

What are your interior trend predictions in Australia for 2018? 
I sense that interiors will have a stronger European influence with a more dramatic use of colour and pattern. dark walls, wallpaper, burnt reds and terracotta tones will increase. I also feel that an element of Parisian style may make its way into the interior design trend this year.

 Vanity / bathroom cabinet painted in Benjamin Moore, tiles from Jatana Interiors. 

Florence's bedroom has a light dusty pink touch. The neutral scheme, basket pendant light and cushions help to tie the space in with the rest of the home.

Photography: © Maddy / Hutchinson.House

What a wonderful home? Thank you so much to Maddy for taking the time to show us your beach home and tell us more about your (incredibly enviable) life in Australia!  

You can see more shots of her lovely home here. 

Anyone else feeling like a gap year might be in order? 

These beautiful, relaxed beach homes might just be the push we all need: a super relaxed cottage,  a boho holiday home in Byron Bay (available to rent!), a holiday home in a former miner's cottage. 

If a holiday is more likely (they do 17 hour direct flights these days, after all!) - there's also The Bower (if you book it, can I come with you? I promise to be an excellent travel buddy!).

Happy Monday all!

READ MORE...

6

A fabulous grey Australian holiday home

Smoke grey. It's broody, it's romantic, it's dramatic. And I love it. Swedish interior style queen Lotta Agaton has made no secret that grey is the colour of 2014. At first I wasn't sure but having already seen this home, and now this fantastic Australian home found on beautiful blog the Style Files, I'm totally sold, how about you? Ellis House is owned by Tracie Ellis founder of textile company Aura Home. Located in Kyneton, Australia, the renovation of the 1860's home was inspired by  'luxurious simplicity'. And the great news? It's available to rent (remember this Australian home too?) - when I finally make my dream trip to Australia I'm not going to be short of beautiful holiday homes to choose from! 

Tracie Ellis, Ellis House via Style Files

Could you spend your holiday padding around Ellis House?

I also love this Malmö apartment with dark grey floor, the home of a Swedish blogger, and a beautiful grey home in the Sussex countryside. 

For a quick fix - I absolutely love this dove grey bed linen which gets softer and softer the more you wash it, so luxurious! 

Are you a fan of the dark grey movement?

READ MORE...

7

A Cosy Vintage-inspired Holiday Cottage On The Sapphire Coast

Have you got any holiday plans coming up? In the Brantmark household we're feeling crazily excited about a trip to Mallorca to visit my sister and the girls' cousins in the first week of November. It will be officially the first week of the winter season there, but we're confident it will be an improvement on the Swedish weather, what do you reckon? 

Even so, a trip to Australia and New Zealand remains high up on my list for the future. One day friends, one day! In the meantime, I shall keep adding charming holiday rentals to my archive. And this one is a beauty! Located half way between Sydney and Melbourne in Pambula, New South Wales, Lotte's Hjem is a beloved 150 year old weatherboard cottage beautifully restored by partners Harrison Balodis and Miranda O'Rourke, which they then generously opened up as a holiday rental. 

Anyone who visits can expect to sit back and celebrate the simple pleasures in life such as collecting fresh flowers and seasonal herbs from the garden, reading by firelight and enjoying a morning coffee on the veranda - surrounded by beautiful vintage pieces and family heirlooms. While travel to Australia might be off the cards right now, there's nothing to stop us in the future - and for now, it's just to sit back and dream! 

Who's in? 

It looks like such a perfect place to unwind, doesn't it? Plus, it makes me want to spend the weekend strolling around Swedish 'loppis' (flea markets) - I think I'll do just that! 

Read more about the philosophy behind a stay at Lotte's Hjem here. 

Fancy dreaming about other Australian and Tasmanian haunts this today? Here are a few others I've earmarked: 

Dream stay: a Swedish weatherboard cottage in South Australia 

An idyllic holiday home and garden by Lynda Gardner 

Captains Cottage, a Bolthole in Tasmania

A cosy hideaway by the sea (wait till you see the bathroom!)

How wonderful, I do love a little holiday home dreaming, how about you? 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Lotte's Hjem with thanks.  

READ MORE...

10

Surfs Up At A Boho Studio And Holiday Home Hideaway

How wonderful would it be to work for a few hours and then head out for a surf? That's exactly the set-up Dee Kawai Tang has created at Kawai Heart Studio! Located on the wild coast of Australia on the edge of Fremantle, the atelier was hand built in the 90's using recycled materials and has been lovingly converted into a light-filled photo studio and guest cabin - a few hundred metres from the sea. The family also rent out Lady California Bungalow a beautiful art-deco style property filled with natural light and birdsong. Here are a few snapshots of the two spaces. I could just imagine heading here to write a book (I've always loved the idea of a writer's cabin!), chill or simply head to the nearby beach - how about you? Oh and, please tread quietly - sleeping baby alert! 

How incredible! This relaxed style is right up my street. I'm pretty sure I could find a great rhythm of sleep, work, surf... how about you? 

See more of Kawa Heart Studio and take a peek inside Dee's own home over at @kawa_heart_studio. 

For more workspace / atelier inspiration check out:

The lovely home and atelier of a Swedish artist

A relaxed Danish artists cabin in Copenhagen

The boho home and atelier of a Swedish florist

Speaking of holiday home rentals, I'd be so happy if you could take the time to fill in this very quick questionnaire for me. It's a business idea I am thinking about developing and I'd absolutely love to get your thoughts if you have the time. You can find the survey here. 

Wishing you a lovely day!

Niki

Photography courtesy of @kawa_heart_studio found via SF Girl By Bay with thanks. 

READ MORE...

0

A Bright and Airy Portland Home in Sepia Tones

Gog morgon vännen! How was your weekend?! The official holiday month has started here in Sweden. Swedes everywhere are rushing off to summer cottages, mapping out road trips or simply wondering down to the nearest bathing desk in their dressing gown for a morgon dopp (morning dip!). We're currently in Varberg on Sweden's West coast (a bit of a surfer's spot) and I'm enjoying an hour's respite from my family (eeek, is that mean?! I do love them really, it's just that, you know, school holidays and all that...!). I thought I'd take an hour, pour myself a coffee and we could virtually transport ourselves to Portland Oregon and the home of assistant interior, prop stylist and interior designer Ezz Wilson, what do ya think?! Recently featured in Rue Magazine, Ezz's bright and airy home is delightfully sepia (cue: white with touches of tan, rust and ochre) with natural textures throughout. I caught up with Ezz to find out more about it!

Can you tell us a little about the history of the house? 

The house is a 100-year-old, former farmhouse that was turned into a multi-family building, and then back into a house, and then humbly patched and slap-dashed together before we moved in. So, needless to say, the layout is somewhat wonky! So much so that we almost didn't get the house. But it felt so cozy and charming that we decided to adapt to the layout as best we could. But there are days when you find a hidden chimney stack in the TV room wall or a mysterious doorway outline appears in the bedroom wall as the foundation settles over time and the drywall cracks and you think to yourself, "What on earth??" The size of the house is about 1500 square feet.

Stockholm 2017 chair, Chemex coffee maker*,  round basket bag*, The Scandinavian Home (so happy to spot this on Ezz's coffee table!). 

How would you describe your colour scheme?

Lots of whites, creams, and wood tones, but lately I'm adding some earthy colors like terracotta, rust, warm blush and ochre. I think that's about as wild as it's gonna get at my house! 

Kitchen from IKEA.

Peacock rattan headboard*, Natural and white striped pillow covers*, Tulip side-table* 

What inspires you?

I grew up in a sunny climate in the U.S., in a Puerto Rican family, and was heavily influenced by the Mediterranean and Caribbean, although I didn't care for those styles as a kid. If you told me that when I grew up, my house would end up full of rattan and wicker, I probably would've cried! When I was 19, I moved to Sweden for about six months, and I think that must have influenced my love for Scandinavian design as well. 

For a long time, I've felt that my style was the love child between a serene Swedish minimalist and a bohemian, beach-loving Spaniard, even though I wasn't sure how to execute that combination at first. But I finally narrowed in on what I really wanted this home to look and feel like. I need lots of white, calm and clean lines in my home to feel relaxed and clear-headed. Yet, I also need plenty of warmth, natural fibers and folky 70s vibes to get me through the long, dark winters of Portland and help me feel more connected to my roots and culture. 

I'm also very inspired by the design coming out of Byron Bay, Australia, as well as French magazines such as Maison Cote Sud, Toc Toc Toc Editions and Milk Decoration!

You have some beautiful pieces in your home, where do you shop?
I've found a lot of great pieces through my local thrift stores, Craigslist, World Market, Urban Outfitters and Target. I also love the following ethically minded companies: Fine Life Co - a beautifully curated shop in Arizona that mostly sells ethically made clothing but has some lovely ceramics too (and the shop owner Emily Benziger has a gorgeous home!), Bohemia Designs for Moroccan straw bags, stools etc and Bea Linen* for linen sheets.

Can you recommend three inspiring Instagram account 'must follows'?!

@audreyrivet, @bohemegoods, @taylorsterling. 

The loft space has been painted in the faintest hint of pink which goes beautifully with the rust coloured cushions!

Thank you so much for inviting us into your lovely home Ezz! 

If you'd like to see more pictures, check out Ezz's instagram feed and also issue 50 of Rue Magazine, for the full write-up! 

And for more 'sepia' home inspiration today I'm loving this cosy weatherboard cottage, white and warm brown tones in a lovely Swedish home and a soothing white and caramel home. 

I'm curious, is this your kind of scheme, or do you need more colour? 

Due to the (aforementioned) holiday here in Sweden my blogging is going minimalist and I'll be stopping in every other day instead of everyday (I hope that's OK?!). 

 Have a wonderful couple of days and see you Wednesday!

Niki

Photogtaphy by Chris Dibble for Rue magazine except pictures 4, 9 and 14 (taken by Ezz Wilson). 

READ MORE...

16