A Dreamy Holiday Oasis In The Heart of The City

The clocks go backward in Sweden on Saturday (for the very last time if I recall right - phew!). If I'm entirely honest, it does fills me with a little dread, the evenings are dark enough already. Yes, I can wax lyrical about candles (see what I did there?!) and the cosiness that comes with hot chocolates and cosy blankets, and I do have many moments where I love to embrace the chill (wait until you see tomorrow's post!) - but today, can I just indulge my longing for sunshine and warmth with this fine specimen of a house? Situated in Bellevue Hill, Sydney (we might have guessed it's on the other side of the world!), this secluded home has been transformed into a magnificent 'holiday oasis within the city' by the talented team at CM Studio. Think furniture and accessories with a beach vibe - made from wood, bamboo, and rattan against a backdrop of fresh white, and windows that let in large, luscious bites of nature. Thank you for the tip The Style Files - you've brought an exotic touch to my day! I hope you enjoy the tour too!  

 

 

All that sunlight! Guh!

.... you'd feel like you were living in year-round paradise here, don't you think?!

I love the simplicity of the interior too. The minimalist vibe works because of all the subtle textures and surfaces at play which are just enough to add depth and interest to each and every room. 

Is there anything you love in particular?

Tomorrow, I'll be tapping into my inner hygge once again and sharing some pictures from our weekend at a friend's cosy Swedish log cabin in the woods. Hope to see you then! 

Niki

Design: CM Studio

Photography: Anson Smart

Styling: Alexandra Gordon

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Stylist and Author Natalie Walton's Understated Yet Incredibly Charming Home

FREDAG! Oh, am I happy to see you, it feels like it's been a long ole week. Do you feel the same?  Any fun plans for the weekend? Lots of rest in store for me I think (with any luck!). Before we all start mixing that Friday night sundowner, I have one more home tour to share with you. This charming and relaxed home belongs to Natalie Walton, an Australian designer, creative director and author of the best-selling book This is Home: The Art of Simple Living. Natalie prides herself on creating "genuine and atmospheric interiors" with meaningful products. When she's not working with her design studio and online emporium Imprint House, she's relaxing right here in her understated yet incredibly beautiful home in Byron Bay with her husband Daniel and four children. Ready to take a look around? Let's have a nose! 

Z1 cotton lamp, leather pouf*, safari daybed, Beni Ourain rug*

Natalie was considering painting the posts white but was so pleased she didn't. They add a lovely raw contrast to the space.  

Bemz loose fit urban cover* for IKEA sofas is similar to this

Linen table cloth in grey stripes*

Oh wow. I love this look. Raw, understated yet staggeringly beautiful! Natalie certainly practices what she preaches in her popular workshops (I see there's one coming up soon..... hmmm, interesting!). 

Is this your kind of style too?!

You can see more of Natalie's lovely home over on her blog and instagram. I have to say, her book This Is Home (a back-to-basics guide on how to create authentic wholehearted interiors) is so inspiring too - it's packed with drool worthy spaces! It's available in a load of different places including Amazon and Natalie's own website where she offers signed copies. 

I can't resist sharing a few more places from Byron Bay for you to enjoy over the weekend. It seems to be one of those creative hubs packed with incredible homes and places to stay. Here are a few of my favourites:

Dream stay: The Bower, Byron Bay

How about lolling about at this chalet?! 

A beautiful boho cottage - and it's available to rent!

Right, that's it from me this week. Time to start mixing (make mine a G&T!). 

Have a FABULOUS weekend and thanks for joining me on the blog this week!

Niki

Photography credits: 1, 4, 5, 6 , 7  Natalie Walton 2 & 3. Jessie Prince 

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An Idyllic Rustic Retreat In Rural Andalucia

I have loved traditional  'fincas' since my sister moved to Mallorca over fifteen years ago. Often beautifully preserved, the delightful, rural stone farmhouses are designed to shield you from the midday sun - while providing sweeping views across the rural surroundings. It seems I am not the only one to have been impacted. Although situated in Andalucia in Southern spain rather than the Balearic Islands, a childhood visit to Ibiza inspired the design of this rustic cortijo deep in the countryside around 45 minutes from Granada. Ann acquired the property eight years ago and she and her husband set about building two additional bedrooms and bathrooms - as well as transforming the interior into a cool, yet rustic living space. Sadly they have now had to put the Cortija up for sale - could you be the next owner? Come and dream with me...

"I visited Ibiza for the first time when I was 18 years old and we spent our holiday in an old, rustic finca owned by a hippie. All the furniture was built in and rounded in a wonderful, imperfect way. This was one of the key influences behind the design of our Andalusia home." 

"Andalucia used to be very poor, and people became creative -  building with their hands. The imperfect nature of the structure is what makes these farmhouses authentic and unique."

"The construction was done by local craftsmen and my husband made a lot of the built-in furniture - a skill he learnt from them."

"I'll miss everything here, the great views, the silence, the nature, the pool and especially the lovely, rustic finca." 

Isn't it dreamy? 

Find more about the property here. 

All I ask is that you invite me over. 

Race you to the pool!

Other rustic homes in the sun to drool over this bright and sunny Monday:

A relaxed Danish oasis in Palma, Mallorca

A sangria by the pool at this Mallorca townhouse?

A wonderful home from home on Ibiza

A boho retreat in Ibiza

Have a dreamy start to the week friends! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of www.anndalucia.com

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Could You Be The Next Owner of This Delightful B&B in South of France?!

Ever dreamt of running a bed and breakfast? If so, this is a chance of a lifetime! Lovingly restored by New York designer Annie Moore, the interior and courtyard beautifully captures the spirit of the hill top town of Carcassonne in the South of France. And now, the 7 bedroom, magical Camellas Lloret Maison D'Hotes has been put on the market - could you be the next owner?!

Isn't it lovely?!

I'm already imagining myself with a cool glass of the local Vin de Pays d'Oc on the terrace! 

You may recognise this lovely residence as I featured it once before here - but it's the type of place you can never see enough of, don't you think?! 

For more details about purchasing this B&B contact Annie directly. 

Take a peek in this archive for other holiday homes you'll want to check-in to and never leave! 

Speaking of holiday homes, we're still on our floating one (sailing boat) in the Blekinge archipelago. I discovered the prettiest cafe by the sea on a walk this morning. I'm thinking I might just write a feature about this beautiful part of Sweden once I'm home - could this be of interest? If so, I hope the weather improves! 

Niki

Photography courtesy of Camellas Lloret Maison D'Hotes

Book your stay here.

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Rustic Meets Refined In An Inspiring Californian Ranch

Boy oh boy, have I got a beautiful home tour to share with you today. I couldn't resist throwing in a couple of 'before' shots too - just so that we can all fully appreciate the amount of work that has gone into it! Located just 40 minutes north of Los Angeles, this 1959 post and beam Californian ranch house reflects owner Jennifer Maxcy's appreciation for timeless yet unique style. The rustic yet refined open-plan living space combines reclaimed, well-crafted and vintage pieces with new selections and clean contemporary lines for a relaxed yet lovely, fresh feel. Little wonder that the ranch serves as a family home (could you imagine?!) but also as a gallery space for Jennifer's marketplace collection of thoughtfully curated goods and a film and photo shoot location. Ready to take a peek?! 

Do you want to see a sneak peek of how the kitchen looked before the renovation?! It's kind of crazy, and so inspiring to see how a space can be transformed. Here goes...

Quite the transformation!

I can't resist sharing one more 'before' with you. We all know how difficult it is to find beautiful pieces like the table seen in the centre of the room (you can see the other side of it with drawers further up the blog. I've been looking for something similar for years and when I do come across something similar they're often eye-wateringly expensive! But Jennifer had the vision to upcycle the piece below and transform it into what she describes today as 'the workhorse' off the house.

They took off the backboard and then added it as overhang for proper seating. The top has four side boards which were sanded back to the natural wood and sealed with a matte polyurethane. 

The house is also leased for film and photoshoots (kind of makes sense - it's a perfect set-up and full of natural light). The picture above is an example of client styling in the ranch.

Contemporary touches like the Eames dowel-leg chairs* and Gubi semi-pendant have been combined with a vintage table and rustic bowls - a signature combination seen throughout the living space! The window nook looks so cosy - don't you think?! 

In a ranch where items are constantly moved around, you're bound to see different set-ups. In the above picture, the Eames chairs have been replaced by an antique / vintage stool and knitted pouf. 

I wish I knew the artist behind this painting. I've put the question to Jennifer (who's on L.A time and no doubt still asleep !) - I'll hopefully be able to pop back and update the post once I know more! 

In the bathroom a cabinet made by a carpenter from old scraps and a backsplash fashioned out of reclaimed planks adds a distinct rustic touch! There's a load of beautiful woven wall baskets like the one seen above available here*.  Just saying! 

Oj oj oj (as they say in Sweden!) - just how inspiring is this home? I love the vintage and handmade touches.

Is there anything that caught your eye?

See more pictures and find out more about Jennifer's interior design services, shop and the lease of her home for a film or photo shoot over at The Ranch Uncommon - and feel inspired by more snapshots of the interior on instagram.

It's raining so hard in southern sweden today, mind if we stay in sunny California for more inspiration?! I'm dreaming of rocking about in this serene home in Napa valley, kicking-back in this Spanish style house and hanging out on the terrace of this eclectic home.  Fancy joining me?!

There's also a load of homes with rustic touches in this archive!

Vi ses imorgon! 

Niki

PS It's the man's birthday today and I've made a cardinal error - I've got three hours to panic buy him a present. Eeeeek! Wish me luck!

Photography: Jennifer Maxcy / The Ranch Uncommon shared with kind permission.

Affiliate links marked with *

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